Nigeria's Victorious Golden Eaglets to get Super Eagles call ups
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.
