Golden Eaglets aim for the top against many odds

The character and class of the Golden Eaglets Class of 2024 will be tested at the WAFU B U17 AFCON qualifying tournament, which kicks off today in Accra, Ghana, as they have been confronted to various setbacks.

The late appointment of Manu Garba as head coach by the NFF also meant the team had virtually less than a month to prepare for this competition.

Thereafter, the dreaded MRI age test ravaged the first team after more than half of a 37-person squad failed to eligibility test.

One of the major casualties of the failed age test was one of the team’s biggest prospects, a forward from an Abuja academy.

He was the team’s free kick and penalty taker and the team were built around him.

Such was his importance to the team that he was held back by the coaches even when he had failed the eligibility test.

The Golden Eaglets chaotic build-up was further compounded when the first-choice goalkeeper suffered a fracture in a final test game.

A third goalkeeper has since been drafted to the squad and so Nigeria could now register 20 players for the tournament.

Goalkeeping and the leftback positions remain the Achilles Heel of the team.

The five-time world champions begin their WAFU title defence tomorrow against Burkina Faso at the University Stadium in Accra.

Kick-off is 4pm in Nigeria.