Nigerian Eaglets' defeat a lesson to team: Coach
18/9/2008 18:04
Nigeria's Flying Eagles coach, Ladan bosso, has said that the Golden
Eaglets' 3-0 defeat to the Young Squirrels of Benin in Cotonou on Sunday will
serve as a lesson to his team, local media reported today.
The outcome of the
qualifying match confirmed Nigeria's exit from the Algeria 2009 Under-17 African
Championship.
It also means that the Eaglets will not be defending their
title in Algeria and will only have the opportunity to defend their FIFA
Under-17 World Cup next year if FIFA confirms Nigeria as the host
nation.
Bosso said, "It is clear that there are no longer minnows in the
game. Every team has to work hard," he said.
"I am surprised that the Eaglets
lost to Benin Republic. This tells us that we have to be more serious in our
match against Sudan. Nothing must be left to chance," he said.
Bosso led the
Flying Eagles to the quarterfinals of the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Canada last
year, and knows the price of failure.
He replaced coach Godwin Uwua after the
team's unimpressive performance at the African Youth Championship in Congo,
despite reaching the final.
The Flying Eagles will engage Sudan at the
National Stadium, Abuja on Sept. 27, in the first leg of last round of
qualifying for the Rwanda 2009 African Youth Championship.
"There will be no
mercy for Sudan. I have told my players I want to lead them to Rwanda," he
said.
Xinhua
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