Coach of the Nigeria U17 team that failed to go past the first knockout round of the recently concluded 2019 U17 World Cup in Brazil has for the first time explained why his team failed to match expectations at the tournament.
Manu Garba whose contract has expired with the Nigeria Football Federation ( NFF) won the 2013 U-17 World Youth Championship for Nigeria and despite winning the WAFU B U17 tournament, the team finished fourth at the Africa U17 Cup of Nations.
At the World Youth Championship they qualified for the knockout phase but lost to the Netherlands to crash out against the expectations of many due gto their pedigree at the tournament which they have won five times.
Explaining the failure, Manu Garba said it has to do with a lot of issue concerning his team and it manifested at the tournament as they struggled to find their rhythm as a team despite their individual talent.
” First of all I will like to apologies to the people we disappointed but at the same time I want them to know that this tournament is a developmental phase in the career of players. So the gains will be seen in the future “, he told Owngoalnigeria.com.
” Secondly it’s not the team we intend to present at the tournament but circumstances beyond our control cause it. For instance our first choice goalkeeper and central defender missed out for various reasons.
” The first choice striker of the team was also not fully fit and our main central midfielder was also missing due to injury. So we have to patch up certain areas with other options behind our regulars. It wasn’t my team”, the coach explained.
