Golden Eaglets Head coach, Garba Manu
Head Coach of the U-17 National Team, Golden Eaglets, Manu Garba on Friday picked 30 players from a list of 50 who passed the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) tests conducted by the National Hospital, Abuja, for the next phase of camping ahead of September’s African U-17 Championship qualifying fixture against Niger.
Garba arrived in Abuja on Friday for a meeting with NFF General Secretary, Musa Amadu, and was immediately handed a list of 50 players, certified eligible for the U-17 category by the National Hospital, Abuja following the MRI tests that lasted about two weeks.
“I am very happy that we have a pool of 50 eligible players. This is good for us; it is good for the Nigeria Football Federation and Nigeria football. Now, we will pick 30 and then work with them for the qualifying campaign,” said Garba, who assisted the late Coach Theophilus Tella to win the FIFA U-17 World Cup for Nigeria in Korea Republic five years ago.
The Eaglets return to familiar surroundings in Calabar, capital of Cross River State on Sunday, July 29, in the third phase of their camping programme, ahead of a first leg clash with the U-17 Team of Niger in Niamey on September 8. Players and officials are to report at Princeville Hotel.
The return leg of the clash with Niger will take place at the U. J. Esuene Stadium, Calabar on September 22.