The future is here

As I write this piece, the quarter final fixture at the on-going FIFA Under 17 World Cup in Abu Dhabi between Nigeria and Uruguay may have been decided.

Irrespective of the scoreline, I have seen enough to believe genuinely that the national team in the next five years at the 2018 World Cup in Russia will be dominated by the present class of Golden Eaglets. 

For once, Nigerians have been unanimous on the true ages of these lads who have shown consistently, brilliance and courage as they adorn the national colours of their fatherland in making the people stand tall. 

For the first time at such, at cadet level, the entire team that has featured at the FIFA Under 17 World Cup were purely boys from football academies in the country. No player from any league club was taken along and this approach should lay the new foundation for the next phase of development in our national teams. 

The Nigeria Football Federation may finally be embracing the ideology and philosophy of FIFA when this competition was conceptualised as a building process of developing talents which should pass through the different cadres to the senior national teams. 

Unlike European and South American countries who have taken advantage of this competition to develop talents, African countries in past editions have failed to take advantage of the positives of the competition  as they have at several editions been linked or banned or concerns raised over age related issues of the players. 

The FIFA Under 17 competition is not a win at all cost competition. What matters most is the depth of talents, discovery and harnessing of the quality of players we discover. The competition presents an opportunity for youngsters at the grassroots to have an opportunity to showcase their talents on the national and international scene. 

With an intimidating record of winning the Under 17 World Cup thrice and being runners up severally, it has been a very rewarding platform back from the inaugural edition when Nduka Ugbade led the team in 1985 in far away China to Kanu Nwankwo and the 2007 triumph in far away Korea under the tutelage of late Coach Yekini Tella.
Obviously the biggest talent and export at this level in Nigeria has been Nwankwo Kanu, who over the years later transformed to be Africa’s most decorated player till date. 

The build up to the World Cup for the team charted a new course after the Africa Under 17 Championship when the team picked the silver as Cote d’Ivoire emerged champions. 

The team was overhauled  back in August, Nigeria dropped key players for the tournament after most scans had shown them to be over the age limit.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) was used to scan the must plate of players to accurately ascertain their true age, with only players between grade 1 and 5 of the scan eligible to participate.
The team has been in camp for a long period playing quality friendly matches in Calabar their host city and even made a one week brief stop over in Uyo playing a friendly match. 

The Eaglets have shown consistency, they have stayed focused, they have      faced challenges squarely especially their second fixture against Sweden which brought out the undying spirit of the team where they battled to 3-3 scoreline.
Their qualification in the quarter finals was the ninth at this competition, a historic feat where such was impossible at the 2003 edition in Finland where the team led by Austin Eguavoen failed to click. 

The fluid passes of the team has been a delight to watch and cheer though there are genuine concerns about the stamina of the team especially in the second half when the pace is reduced and the precision of the goalkeeper especially in the game against Sweden.

The quality of the technical crew remains very commendable with Garba Manu showing tactical depth with the assistance of Nduka Ugbade (a winner at this level who progressed through the ranks) and Emmanuel Amunike, An African Cup of Nations Winner and African footballer of the year. 

The benefits of the growing football academies in Nigeria has come to fore with the talents discovered. With the daily growing passion among fans especially the younger ones to identify with football, Nigeria remains a gold mine of abundant talents for our national teams.
The commitment of the NFF, the technical crew of the under 17 team and the National Sports Commission to support this team has been the best with regards tp provisions teams. 

In trying to hold on to this team for the future, such efforts must be executed with much objectivity and sincerity. In 2007, the late Yemi Tella’s Golden Eaglets were transformed to the Under 20 national team, the Flying Eagles led by John Obuh, they could only get to the quarter final of the World Cup. Two years later, John Obuh failed with his team and got the boot.
The process of transformation must be gradual and the decision to keep the technical crew or promote them along with the team should be well considered on its technical merits. 

With the growing challenge of a genuine under 20 and under 23 national team, the foundation process to change the national team has gradually started when you consider that after the 2014 World Cup, most of our first team players may just be past their prime.
By the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janerio, Brazil, the bulk of the Dream Team should be these set of players with a sprinkle of outstanding stars and that should announce the arrival of the new Eagles for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. 

For once, the smiles of satisfaction with the team have been overwhelming. As the path to new records is broken, we must keep encouraging these young lads to remain focused. This is just the beginning of their career and they deserve to excel. The future of Nigerian football is truly here. Well done Eaglets.