FIFA U-17 World Cup: Fans rue Golden Eaglets’ early ouster

Eaglets

By Yinusa Ishola
Omu-Aran (Kwara), Nov. 6, 2019 (NAN) Football fans and administrators in Omu-Aran, Kwara, on Wednesday described the elimination of the nation’s Golden Eaglets from the U-17 World Cup in Brazil as a disappointment and a temporary set-back in youth football.

The stakeholders expressed their disappointment while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Omu-Aran, Irepodun Local Government Area.

The football enthusiasts described the team’s early elimination after 1-3 loss to Netherlands U-17 team in the round of 16 as “unlike Nigeria team compared to previous feats in the age-group competition”.

Abeeb Arokoyo, a student, said the squad was the worst U-17 team in the history of Nigeria’s participation in the FIFA U-17 age-group competition.

“The team’s handlers should have noticed the deficiency in the team early enough when it started struggling from behind to win matches in the group stage.

“The team can only boast of individual talents but lack that cohesion which is visible in the last group stage match against Australia youth team,” he said. post

Zakariyau Bello, Chairman, Super Eagles Supporters Club in Omu-Aran, said the team’s major deficiency was the lack of finishing in front of the goal.

“I will not deceive you we have performed prayers for the team to scale through but it’s unfortunate they were eliminated.

“This is a team has won the tournament fiver time and has been in the final on more occasions than any other team in the world.

“There is always another day; my advice is for the team’s handler to start preparation early enough so that the best will eventually emerge,” he said.

Adeoye Ezekiel, a Viewing Centre Operator expressed disappointment over the team’s early elimination, saying that the development would affect his income target negatively.

“No doubt, I will loose some of the team’s fans who are my customers due to their early elimination.

“Even with the matches being shown on terrestral channels some fans prefer paying to watch with other fans at football centres.

“But as it is now, the number of customers will reduce considerably and that represents loss of income on my side,” he said.

Also, Yemi Aransiola, Director, Oyeyemi Football Academy, said the team was lucky to have escaped the group stage.

“Unlike other Nigeria squads to the same tournament in the past, this team was struggling right from day one.

“Although, some of the team members exhibited in built talents, they need to garner more experience to play as a team, especially as regard finishing and defense,” he said.

Mr Babatunde Bello, a Physical Education Instructor, said the team needed more time together to blend in order to match the feat attained by previous team’s to the tournament.

He urged the government, football stakeholders, especially the Nigeria Football Federation not to be dampened by the team’s poor showing but to build on it’s age-group football development.

“There are lot of things to learn from this, so that we can get it right again,” he said. (NAN)
ISHO/PDE
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(Editing by Peter Ejiofor)