Nigeria’s cadet national team, Golden Eaglets coach, Manu Garba has reacted to Wednesday’s draw for the African U-17 Cup of Nations, with a confession that he hardly knows anything about his group opponents.
Footballlive.ng reports that, following the draw that pits the Eaglets against the hosts, Tanzania, Angola and Uganda, Manu said he does not know much about the teams.
Manu further admitted that the only guide he has is what he has read about the three opponents on paper and reports over the years gone by, which he says is not about their current tactics.
However, while admitting he is in the dark about his Group A foes, Manu said his target would be to see the Eaglets qualify for the 2019 FIFA U17 World Cup as African champions.
Group B has Guinea, Morocco, Cameroon and Senegal, with the top four teams, all semi-finalists qualifying to represent Africa in October, but Manu says he wants to the Mundial in Peru as the continent’s champion.
The former Wikki Tourist of Bauchi coach, who handled the Eaglets to victory at UAE 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup, said he will give his best to ensure success at the U17 AFCON from April 14 to 28 in Tanzania.
Manu retorted: “We first want to qualify from our group and that way we will have qualified for the World Cup, God’s willing.
“After that, we will hope to win the AFCON so as to go to the World Cup as African champions.
“I don’t know much about these teams except the fact that over time we have these countries at U17 and U20 levels.”
