The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has charged
the U-17 National Team, Golden Eaglets to keep level heads despite a 4-1
thrashing of their Nigerien counterparts in a 2013 African U-17 Championship
qualifying match in Niamey on Saturday.
Chairman of the Media and Publicity Committee, High
Chief Emeka Inyama said on Wednesday that the technical crew led by Coach Manu
Garba has a responsibility to ensure that the victory in Niamey, and indeed
other marvellous results in their earlier friendly matches, do not make the
boys feel they have ‘arrived’.
“The NFF has been monitoring the progress of the
team and we’re hugely impressed. The win over Niger in Niamey was a solid one
and the boys should be delighted with their own output.
“However, the journey is still far. They have the
return leg against Niger to come and will still have to overcome two other
teams to qualify for the African finals in Morocco next year.
“The truth is that qualification for the African
finals itself will only be a step towards redemption, with the Golden Eaglets
having failed to reach the last two African U-17 Championship finals.”
Inyama added that the NFF is happy with the
seriousness shown by players and officials, as underscored by the fact that the
team resumed training the same day it returned to Calabar from Niamey.
“That is the kind of spirit we want in all our
National Teams. With such focus and commendable sense of duty, the team will
surely go places.
“Our commitment is to see that the team enjoys
every support it needs to qualify for the African Junior Championship and the
FIFA U-17 Championship in the UAE, and do Nigeria proud at both tournaments,”
said Inyama, while praising the Executive Governor of Cross River State,
Senator Liyel Imoke (CON) and his administration for total support to the team.
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