In spite of the spate of victories recorded by the Golden Eaglets in preparations for the forthcoming FIFA Under-17 World Cup, Chief Coach of the team, Emmanuel Amuneke, has reiterated that the team will keep working hard for the big task ahead.
The FIFA U-17 World Cup is scheduled to hold in Chile from October 17 to November 8.
Already, the Golden Eaglets have been drawn in Group A with hosts Chile, USA and Croatia, following the draw of the tournament held upper week in Santiago.
He said: “We have to keep on working hard even till the last minutes before kick-off.
“We are going through the process and when the time comes, we hope to be ready. Preparation is the key for us and we would keep working hard.”
The World Cup is a different cup of tea and we as defending champions cannot say because we are making progress with our preparations, then we should relax or fold our hands.
“It is a continuation process and that was why I said severally that we will keep working hard for the big task at hand.
The team upper Friday, continued with their preparation ahead of the World Cup with a 10-1 ‘cricket score win’ against Beau Tour FC of Abuja and last Tuesday, the team yet again recorded a 3-1 victory over Amakson Football Club at the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF)/FIFA Goal Project Pitch in Abuja.
It was Golden Eaglets’ third win against the Abuja-based side following their two previous identical 2-1 wins on June 14, 2014 and May 27, 2015.
The four-time World Cup winners will open their campaign against USA on October 17 in Santiago.
Three days later, the West Africans will be up against hosts Chile at Vina del Marl before squaring Croatia on }{\rtlch\fcs1 \af31507 \ltrch\fcs0 \insrsid9642719 October 23 in Coquimbo.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup-winning coach, Manu Garba, has again rallied behind the Golden Eaglets’ quest for a successful defence of their title at the forthcoming global cadet championship in Chile.
Nigeria holds the enviable record of four titles in this category with victories in 1985, 1993, 2007 and 2013, and Garba, who was instrumental to the last two successful campaigns, believe the class of 2015 can go all the way yet again.
Reacting to the Chile 2015 World Cup draw that pitched Nigeria against host Chile, Croatia and USA, Garba reckoned the Golden Eaglets under his former assistant, Emmanuel Amuneke would have to gird their loins.
He said: “It’s not an easy group. Chile is the host and South American teams are always good.
“Croatia is part of former Yugoslavia along with Serbia that just won the U-20 FIFA World Cup in New Zealand which shows their football culture is good and USA plays with aggression.
But they all are up against Nigeria, four-time World Cup winner and the No. 1 ranked team at that level.
“I’m very optimistic that with good preparations and motivation, we can qualify from this tough group and go all the way to excel and I wish my dear country good luck in Chile,” added Garba.
