By: Gracious Akujobi
Veteran coach and former Nigerian International, Charles Bassey, has spoken well about the Golden Eaglets being put in shape to face ahead of the FIFA Under-17 World Cup holding in the United Arab Emirates in October.
Bassey, a member of the historic team that won the country’s first Africa Cup of Nations trophy on home soil in 1980, watched closely the National Under-17 team as they battled to a 1-0 win over the reserve team of Glo Premier League side, Akwa United at the Uyo Township
Stadium on Wednesday.
“Overall, I scored the Golden Eaglets seventy percent because I foresee a good team in the offing,” said Bassey, a vastly experienced coach who incidentally is the Technical Director of Akwa United. “They played well but as you expect of players at this level, there are few mistakes here and there.”
The Golden Eaglets were on Monday drawn against defending champions, Mexico and two new comers Sweden and Iraq in what purists considered as delicately tight group but Bassey opined that the Nigerian boys should be able to hold their own against any team.
He continued: “I have already shared my opinions on some of the lapses I noticed during the match against Akwa United with the coaching crew but by and large, I saw a skilful team that is full of determination; but they are not there yet but I believe they would be ready for the World Cup.”
Meanwhile, Col. Dominic Nta (rtd) of the Nigerian Army Engineering Corps and erstwhile Chairman of Defence Staff Team has described the choice of the four coaches tinkering with the Golden Eaglets by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) as ‘absolutely, fantastic.’
Nta, who made his name with the famous Christ the King College (CKC) of Onitsha before starring for the Nigerian Army, said the quartet of Manu Garba, Emmanuel Amuneke, Nduka Ugbade and Emeka Amadi are role models that would ginger the youngsters under their watch to greater heights.
“I think the NFF got it right with the appointments of the coaches for the Golden Eaglets,” noted Nta, a former student and player for the St. Joseph Catholic School of Kaduna in the mid 1950s. “Football is scientific and inspirational; it gladdens my mind that the NFF brought back these former players to handle these youngsters.”
