GOLDEN EAGLETS:! WHERE DO THE STATES COME IN

Hurray! At long last! One of the long awaited NFF key Football Appointments has been finally announced by our “Slow motion” Specialists, the NFF Technical Committee. Yes, the heartwarming but very late coming News of the Appointment of a New Chief Coach of the National U27 Boys Team (the “Golden Eaglets”), just hit town late last week. And the Choice is another News that surely gladdens the heart of Football Nigerians. Because, we see the Choice as “A Right Round Peg, Right lnside The Right Round Hole”.

Yes, the Choice of the NFF is indeed the Right Choice. The Chosen One has done it before with our Golden Eaglets and is therefore experienced on the job of handling the Eaglets. And the Preferred One, is an lndigenious Coach as clamoured by Football Nigerians. Let me for the interest of those who have not heard the good News. Break the News officially here on “SLIDING TACKLES”, to lay all doubts to rest.

The New Coach of the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria is Coach Manu Garba, the U17 World Cup Winning Coach with the Golden Eaglets Dubai 2013. The Final Announcement of the Golden Eaglets “Headmaster” is a most welcome development. And at least, Nigerians are relieved but still sulking bitterly with the unnecessary Delays that attended the Appointment from the NFF Technical Committee.

The African U17 Qualifiers starts Next Month in May. And the Last Misadventure of the Golden Eaglets which Failed to Qualify for the last FIFA U17 World Cup was about two years ago. So, Nigerians are still raging why it should take the NFF Technical Committee that long to perform such a Simple Task of Selecting a Coach for the Eaglets. With the Multitude of most Capable Coaches both in Nigeria and the Diaspora, available for the Committee.

The Golden Eaglets of Nigeria is the World Number One Team in the Record Books of the FIFA U17 World Cup history. Our Eaglets hold the distinguished Record as the Team to have Won the FIFA U17 World Cup, the Highest Number of Times. The Golden Eaglets have won the FIFA U17 World Cup a Record FIVE TIMES. With Coach Sebastien Brodericks (1985); Coach Fanny Amun (1993); Coach Yemi Tella (2007); Coach Manu Garba (2013); and Coach Emmanuel Amunike (2015) respectively.

So, statistically speaking, Nigeria holds the Best Reservoir of Talents in the World Football Under 17 Category. Having won the World Cup for the U17s, the Most Times. But since 2015, Nine years ago when Coach Emmanuel Amunike followed the Title Winning path of his Predecessor, Coach Manu Garba (the New Coach of the Golden Eaglets). To win the U17 World Cup, a Record Back – To – Back. The Nigerian Golden Eaglets have relapsed and reclused out of both significance and dominance. Infact, it was that bad that our Golden Eaglets could not even Qualify for the Last U17 World Cup. Crashing out at the African Qualifiers.

The Nine years World Cup Trophy Drought of the Eaglets is actually the reason why Football Nigerians are worried stiff by the Delay in the Appointment of the New Golden Eaglets Gaffer. The astonishing unexpected Drop out of the U17 relevance and rating is the reason Nigerians are happy and heaving a huge sigh of relief on the News of the Appointment of Coach Manu as the Golden Eaglets Helmsman. But what are the reasons behind the lackluster performance of our hitherto lndomitable Golden Eaglets. Who used to be the toast of the FIFA World Cup? What are the Factors responsible for the sudden Drop out of Reckoning of our Eaglets, now being considered as “One of those Teams” and no longer “Title Favourites”?

The Real reason for our present poor exploits in global U17 Boys Football contests? Is because we left our Real Grassroots base where the Best Gifted of our U17 Players are located. And from where we tapped the inexhaustible Pool of our U17 Stars to mersemerise the Football World. And diverted to Dealing with unscrupulous Players Agents who paid their way for their ungifted substandard U17 Players into the Eaglets. This way, our Best Gifted U17 Players were expelled from the Golden Eaglets and replaced with giftless Players.

But the Grassroots base of our Age Grade Players (U13; U15; U17; and U20) are undisputedly located inside our Local Communities and States. These areas are where you find the large Majority Chunk of Age grade gifted raw Footballers in Nigeria. So, to reclaim our lost glory in the World U17 scheme of things? We need to go back to the real Grassroots base of the Football of this country where the young undiluted Stars are in their numbers. Just waiting to be Discovered and Exposed.

My Question – ” Golden Eaglets: Where Do The States Talents Come ln”? Is very important and key to any plan or strategy to reform the Golden Eaglets and set it back to Winning ways and glory. Coach Manu has hit the ground running. And within hours of the announcement of his Appointment. Announced the lnvitation of 51 Players to join his Camp. Which he has already also fixed to open on April 17. I know Coach Manu is not a Magician or Miracle Worker. And so couldn’t have personally scouted the Players he has invited to camp. Within days after his Appointment.

My mind then goes to the direction that Manu’s lnvitation List must have been drawn from the List of the Scouted Players of the just concluded NPFL U17 Youth League Playoffs. Organised by the NPFL Youth League Committee led by Pastor Emeka lnyama which held in Benin City. Because the NPFL U17 Youth League Playoffs happen to be the Biggest Top rate U17 Boys Competition held under the NFF body in recent times. And that laudable U17 Boys Youth Football League rolled out from the stable of the Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye NPFL Board. Really threw up some exciting U17 Boys Players.

Yes, I know the NPFL U17 Youth Clubs that participated in the NPFL U17 Playoffs are also located in the Grassroots States of Nigeria. But, the NPFL U17 Football Community is in a clear Minority within the entire larger Nigeria U17 Football base in the various States. And a Majority of the Players showcased by the NPFL Clubs in the NPFL U17 Playoffs. Were Players that were hurriedly assembled by the NPFL Clubs to meet the “Must Participate” Order of the NPFL. So, the Players Discovered from the NPFL U17 Playoffs and who are suspected to form the bedrock of the Coach Manu’s lnvitation List. Might not be the Best of the Grassroots U17 Players that the Nation can present. The NPFL U17 Playoffs Players are ones that were opportuned to get into the highly politicised NPFL Clubs system and set up. And represented the NPFL Clubs in the NPFL Playoffs.

The State Football Associations residing in the Grassroots areas of our Football. Do organise Regular U17 Football Competitions. Even my State, Anambra. Is presently at the Semi Finals stage of the Anambra State Football Association Chairman’s U17 Boys Tournament. And I can tell anyone. That a lot of exciting young lads have sold their Football skills excellently. I am convinced that is exactly what is happening across the country in the various U17 Boys Tournaments ongoing in the States. That’s why I am advising Coach Manu Garba, the New Coach of our Golden Eaglets. To extend his Scouting drag nets beyond the NPFL U17 Playoffs Players. And also look to What’s Happening in the States. I assure that a good Pool of U17 gifted Players shall be Discovered when that is done.

Nigerians ! Want Our FIFA U17 Cup Back

Barrister lyke lgbokwe ( Torchlight Of Nigeria Football )
WhatsApp : 09136715922!