Nigeria: Eagles Will Have ‘Goodluck’ in Colombia – Federation President

14 July 2011

President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Aminu Maigari said on Thursday that he is confident the aura and name of President Goodluck Jonathan will work wonders for the National U-20 team, the Flying Eagles at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Colombia.

“We have taken every measure necessary and have not spared any resources to get the team prepared for the competition. We also have confidence in the ability of the technical crew and the players. But above all, we believe in the aura and special name of President Goodluck Jonathan to go with the team, after all the hard work, and bring Nigeria glory,” Maigari said in Abuja.

The reigning African champions will on Friday begin the journey to the South American nation with an 11-hour flight from Amsterdam’s Schipol Airport to Panama City, for a Four-Nation Tournament that will constitute their final preparation for the big showpiece.

Runners-up at the FIFA U-20 World Cup on two occasions in the past 22 years, the Flying Eagles have also been champions of Africa a record six times. But the ultimate marble is what Sam John Obuh and his boys aim for in Colombia on August 20.

In 1989, a group coached by Olatunde Disu and captained by Bawa Abdullahi made a splash in Saudi Arabia, but lost 2-0 to Portugal in the final. Six years ago, in Holland, Samson Siasia’s bunch also crumbled at the last fence, against Lionel Messi and Argentina.

Obuh did his international reputation a world of good by leading the National U-17 team, Golden Eaglets to a runners-up position at the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup hosted by Nigeria, despite a good number of the group being axed at the last hour as a result of the new-fangled MRI test ordered by world football-governing body, FIFA.

Respected for his quiet but firm nature and uncompromising stance on matters of discipline, Obuh’s highly dedicated boys played some scintillating football along the way, and accounted for heavyweights like Argentina and Spain.

On Wednesday, Obuh’s Flying Eagles were forced to a 0-0 draw in Lisbon, right inside the spiritual home of Portuguese football. And true to his nature, the diminutive coach has ruled out long-time regulars Ramon Azeez, Stanley Okoro and Mohammed Goyi Aliyu, who failed to arrive for residential training in Faro before Friday’s announcement of the final list of 21.

On Monday, the Flying Eagles take on Panama’s U-20 side, before further matches against Portugal and Mexico on Wednesday and Friday respectively.

The team will fly out of Panama City straight to Armenia (venue of their first two Group D games) on Sunday, July 24, where it will stay at the Hotel Campestre Las Camelias.

Nigerians will have to stay awake till the early hours to watch the Flying Eagles matches, but a nation of passionate football fans is used to this and they will hope the sacrifice will be rewarded by a glorious outing, as happened during the Atlanta Olympic Games 15 years ago.

AllAfrica – All the Time