Recently, the Golden Eaglets has failed to qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup. The lads of Nduka Ugbade lost their last group game to Burkina Faso. They couldn’t reach the semis which would have served them the World Cup ticket.
The exit of the team has sparked wild controversy and criticisms as stakeholders wonder aloud what could have gone wrong with the team which in their opinion had solid preparation before Algeria 2023 U-17 AFCON.
However, the scintillating performance of Super Eagles and Napoli strongman who is an ex-Eaglets, Victor Osimhen further angers fans who felt Nigerian football has been deprived the opportunity of producing another Osimhen or his likes.
Recall that Osimhen was a member of the Chile 2015 triumphant Golden Eaglets and he was a major discovery of the squad tutored by Emmanuel Amunike.
So what went wrong with Ugbade’s Boys? What are the issues or problems that affected the team? After 2013 and 2015 victories of Golden Eaglets under Garba Manu and Amunike, why are Golden Eaglets struggling to qualify for or excel in FIFA U-17 World Cup since then.
2017, 2019, 2021 and 2023 Golden Eaglets have been out in the cold. They’ve failed to re-enact their trademark performance at the global stage. What is wrong?
Perhaps for the sake of better understanding and staying within the context of this piece, let’s limit our focus to Ugbade’s team…as we go into the conversation given the matters raised by stakeholders and fans of Nigerian football.
One of the major troubles of football especially in our clime is the presence of agents and scouts who storm camps of football clubs and national teams to whisk players away most times under the noses of team handlers and managers
The undue pressure of agents and scouts who are loaded with cash and offers to lure away the players by talking the coaches and managers into deals to drag the players out of camp for offers abroad.
(Vanguard)