In what may sound like a
retraction of his earlier declaration
that he would only extend
invitations to U-17 players after
they would have graduated
through the ranks, Super Eagles
coach Stephen Keshi has said that
he intends to call up a few of the
U17 World Cup winning players to
the Super Eagles in preparation for
next year’s CHAN tournament.
There have been widespread calls
within Nigeria that members of the
U-17world cup winning team be
drafted into the Super Eagles
ahead of the world cup.
In an exclusive interview with
supersport.com at the Hilton
Cobham hotel where the Nigerian
team based following the friendly
with Italy, coach Stephen Keshi
has been speaking on a variety of
issues including the availability of
the Eaglets.
“I watched them during their
tournament and I did mention that
I liked a few of the players and of
course I will like to take a closer
look at them. So the plan is to
invite them to the training
programme for next year’s CHAN
and monitor them”.
The Afcon winning coach is
careful to temper the expectations
of the public with regards to these
players.
“People need to understand that
even though they won their
tournament, it does not mean they
are ready to play for the senior
teams immediately. Like I keep
saying, I am on the lookout for
those players that will improve the
present squad so these U-17 boys
will get the first crack at it. I will
be pleased if one or two step up
their game and make it”
It will be recalled that 20 years
ago, as Nigeria prepared for a first
world cup appearance, then head
coach Clemens Westerhof gave
caps to the then U-17 world cup
winners Karibe Ojigwe and Kanu
Nwankwo in friendlies but they did
not make the final squad to the
USA based tournament of 1994.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/11/eaglets-get-super-eagles-call-ups/