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African Youth
Championship
We'll do Nigeria proud again
...Iroha assures on F/Eagles against Senegal
By EMMA NJOKU and COSMAS OMEGOH
Saturday, June 28, 2008
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•Ben
Iroha
Photo: Sun News Publishing |
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Flying Eagles’ Assistant Coach, Ben Iroha, has assured
that the team would subdue their Senegalese counterparts in
today’s Africa Youth Championship (AYC) qualifier billed
for the M.K.O. Abiola Stadium in Abeokuta.
The former Super Eagles defence ace, who was part of the technical
crew of the Golden Eaglets’ squad, which conquered the
world in last year’s FIFA Under-17 Championship in Korea,
banks on the golden boys, who constitute over 95 per cent
of the present Flying Eagles’ squad that will confront
the Senegalese Under-21 national team today.
“We’ll make Nigerians proud again,” Iroha
assured in an exclusive chat with Saturday Sunsport midweek.
“The team are largely made up of the Golden Eaglets’
squad that won the FIFA Under-17 World Championship last year.
We have about 15 players from that squad and a few new ones
drawn from some of the teams in the domestic league.
“The players are in terrific shape and the team have
blended very well. I think we have a better team now than
the Golden Eaglets’ squad that won the World Championship
in Korea last year,” he enthused.
Prominent among the world-conquering Eaglets, who are expected
to ensure victory for Nigeria today are hotshot and Golden
Boot award winner, Christantus Macauley, mercurial diminutive
midfielder, Rabiu Ibrahim, aggressive forward, Oseni Ganuju
and captain, Haruna Lukman.
Although Iroha confirmed that he and the rest of the technical
crew had tips about the Senegalese team, he nonetheless, expects
a tough game when both sides clash latter today.
“We were able to get some tips about the Senegalese
team, but that not withstanding, we expect a tough match against
them.
“No matter how much you know about your opponent, an
African team will always fight with the last drop of their
blood. But our boys are ready for the battle.
“It’s a different ballgame this time round. It’s
no longer the boys’ show like in the Under-17 tournament,
it’s now more of men’s affair and the players
have understood the challenge and by the grace of God, I believe
they will rise to the occasion,” Iroha prayed.
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