COACH of the high riding national U-17 team, the Golden Eaglets John Obuh, has been recommended to take over the grooming of the national U-21 team at the end of his assignment in the ongoing FIFA U-17 World Cup ahead of today’s semi-final game against Spain, even as the boys would all be elevated to the same cadre with him.


This was disclosed by the Chairman Technical Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi, during the commissioning of the FIFA/National Technical Centre in Abuja on Wednesday.


Ogunjobi disclosed that the decision to promote the Eaglets coach was based on the level of his performance in the ongoing FIFA U-17 World Cup which the country has already qualified to meet Spain in the semi-final today.


Ogunjobi, noted that the youthful coach has done very well and the NFF is pleased with his performance both in and outside the pitch. He maintained that the coach has been a father to the players and argued that it is all that has been working well for the team.


“Obuh has proved that he is a very good coach not only on the field of play. He has shown that with commitment and dedication somebody can really do well in his chosen career. If you see how he is treating the boys as their father, you know that is why the boys are giving him the result.”


The former Sole Administrator of 3SC further noted that the NFF president is happy with the proposal and has given his approval because he is a man who believes in continuity adding, “This was the plan we had for late Coach Tella after winning the FIFA U-17 World Cup in South Korea two years ago but death could not allow it to materialize.


Ogunjobi argued that the coming of Obuh to the team brought stability that is yielding great dividends now and noted that his promotion to the national U-21 will not be hinged on winning the Trophy since he has really performed even at this stage.


He discarded the claims that the NFF is in a hurry to sack its coaches at a very slight mistake and said the football governing body in the country believes in every coach it gives an assignment but added that there was no way any employer would fold hands and watch his employers mess up his investment.


“We do not sack coaches as people are speculating. Coaching is all about results and when a coach is not serious with his assignment nobody would compel NFF to still keep him or her. World over coaches are hired and fired based on their performance so Nigeria would not be different however, we at the NFF never sacked any coach arbitrarily.”


On the NFF’s expectation from Obuh and his boys in today’s semi final match, Ogunjobi said he is hopeful the team will sail into the finals regardless of the opposition from Spain and disclosed that his expectations are not different from his.