By
Sampson I. Onwuka
Five time World Champions at the Junior levels - world Cup, Nigeria leads FIFA in number of wins at U-17 category. Beginning with 1985 World Cup in China, Japan in 1993, Korea 2007, UAE in 2013 and Chile 2015. The only Cup that has eluded this team is the audacious U-20 World Cup. Nigeria has won several U-20 Championship in Africa but easily fumbled in their nearest attempt at U-20 world. Brazil as a power house have over the years shown why they are best football country, and has since the inception of the tournament in the 1970's won at least five Championship. The same is the case is 1985 U-20. We look at the greater expectations in Chile 87 and one Nigeria's most disastrous outing in football loosing nearly all the games including a handsome spanking by Williams of Brazil in the rampage 4-0.
Brazil is pushing for a place among the U-17 stars right behind Nigeria and has enough to show for it a higher level. There are great escaping for several countries of World at some level; Argentina has never won U-17 world cup, Brazil - the Olympics, and many other traditional power houses. Whereas Germany, Italy, Brazil, Argentina, Spain, France and to some degree England, are traditional football power houses with at least with one Major title - Senior World Cup to their credit and Brazil, Germany, Italy, Argentina more than once, Nigeria has not made it to the round of 8 or the quarter-finals at the senior world cup. The closest they came is 1994 and lash of Italian resilience prove a sheen too hard to break. Nigeria however cannot be called an outsider to Football tradition and with a fifth win at U-17, the world expect Nigeria to show its classic formation and lack of error for the major cup. In essence and in default, Nigeria is no longer a yeoman with FIFA, they are football traditional house and need to show the mettle at the U-20 coming in 2017 which started on Monday perhaps. A class a part from Mexico means that they will looking hold the pretty cup next two years and I for one, expect the leaders to take their place.
Some experts attributed the failure to lack of preparation for the most demanding Fifa tournament. The most important is by far the U-17 and perhaps the most traditional. But the total measure of good football in any country is not U-17 fraught with struggling young high School students but on those who by the next competition have made the Football as a chosen career.
Sources FIFA TV - 2015 Junior World Cup Champions
It is not for lack of trying that these teams reach the finals and grapple at failures for even trying, there is something wrong with U-20 and the failures of Nigerian teams - including Africa. It was Nigeria that broke the back for Olympics 1996 and the silver lining in later years. But it was Ghana that divided the spoils for Africa at U-20 world.
Never has a country opted to change its image in football than Nigeria at U-20 - BUT somehow, the expectations of the Country compel a failure and a failed attempt altogether.
With gold majors for Nigeria back to back 2013 - 2015, there are failures for U-20 in 2017. The defense of the title is also a hot commodity which these Eaglets can not afford to lose.
When it matters the most - there will be stars - Nwakali, Oshimen to name a few....before this class graduate - they should be more stars in the eagle's nest.
Although U-17 has make-shift for players in the world - the gathering storm of the next leaders in football is usually at the U-20. We look back to the nearest periods of Nigeria participation at the FIFA games for U-20 - the 1983 world Cup with All-star team including Samson Siasia and Andrew Uwe who made to the semi-finals but lost to Brazil.
The team produced top scorer of the competition Victor Oshimen with 10 out of 23 goals scored by Nigeria, setting new records for the competition and for any Nigerian team including Iheanacho 2013.
FIFA TV 2015 Champions @ Junior World Cup
The same is the case is 1985 U-20. We look at the greater expectations in Chile 87 and one Nigeria's most disastrous outing in football loosing nearly all the games including a handsome spanking by Williams of Brazil in the rampage 4-0.
FIFA TV 2013 Champions @ 2013 Junior World Cup
Producing best player and highest goal scorer Kelechi Iheanacho wouldn't have explained why Isaac promise and his prolific availability was missing. He was virtually forgotten for a while only to succumb two years later.
FIFA TV 2013 Champions @2013 Junior World.
This team for team of better word never graduated to the majors and as such never a Nigerian team to beat - perhaps FIFA champions.
Sampson I. Onwuka
Five time World Champions at the Junior levels - world Cup, Nigeria leads FIFA in number of wins at U-17 category. Beginning with 1985 World Cup in China, Japan in 1993, Korea 2007, UAE in 2013 and Chile 2015. The only Cup that has eluded this team is the audacious U-20 World Cup. Nigeria has won several U-20 Championship in Africa but easily fumbled in their nearest attempt at U-20 world. Brazil as a power house have over the years shown why they are best football country, and has since the inception of the tournament in the 1970's won at least five Championship. The same is the case is 1985 U-20. We look at the greater expectations in Chile 87 and one Nigeria's most disastrous outing in football loosing nearly all the games including a handsome spanking by Williams of Brazil in the rampage 4-0.
Brazil is pushing for a place among the U-17 stars right behind Nigeria and has enough to show for it a higher level. There are great escaping for several countries of World at some level; Argentina has never won U-17 world cup, Brazil - the Olympics, and many other traditional power houses. Whereas Germany, Italy, Brazil, Argentina, Spain, France and to some degree England, are traditional football power houses with at least with one Major title - Senior World Cup to their credit and Brazil, Germany, Italy, Argentina more than once, Nigeria has not made it to the round of 8 or the quarter-finals at the senior world cup. The closest they came is 1994 and lash of Italian resilience prove a sheen too hard to break. Nigeria however cannot be called an outsider to Football tradition and with a fifth win at U-17, the world expect Nigeria to show its classic formation and lack of error for the major cup. In essence and in default, Nigeria is no longer a yeoman with FIFA, they are football traditional house and need to show the mettle at the U-20 coming in 2017 which started on Monday perhaps. A class a part from Mexico means that they will looking hold the pretty cup next two years and I for one, expect the leaders to take their place.
Some experts attributed the failure to lack of preparation for the most demanding Fifa tournament. The most important is by far the U-17 and perhaps the most traditional. But the total measure of good football in any country is not U-17 fraught with struggling young high School students but on those who by the next competition have made the Football as a chosen career.
Sources FIFA TV - 2015 Junior World Cup Champions
It is not for lack of trying that these teams reach the finals and grapple at failures for even trying, there is something wrong with U-20 and the failures of Nigerian teams - including Africa. It was Nigeria that broke the back for Olympics 1996 and the silver lining in later years. But it was Ghana that divided the spoils for Africa at U-20 world.
Never has a country opted to change its image in football than Nigeria at U-20 - BUT somehow, the expectations of the Country compel a failure and a failed attempt altogether.
With gold majors for Nigeria back to back 2013 - 2015, there are failures for U-20 in 2017. The defense of the title is also a hot commodity which these Eaglets can not afford to lose.
When it matters the most - there will be stars - Nwakali, Oshimen to name a few....before this class graduate - they should be more stars in the eagle's nest.
Although U-17 has make-shift for players in the world - the gathering storm of the next leaders in football is usually at the U-20. We look back to the nearest periods of Nigeria participation at the FIFA games for U-20 - the 1983 world Cup with All-star team including Samson Siasia and Andrew Uwe who made to the semi-finals but lost to Brazil.
The team produced top scorer of the competition Victor Oshimen with 10 out of 23 goals scored by Nigeria, setting new records for the competition and for any Nigerian team including Iheanacho 2013.
FIFA TV 2015 Champions @ Junior World Cup
The same is the case is 1985 U-20. We look at the greater expectations in Chile 87 and one Nigeria's most disastrous outing in football loosing nearly all the games including a handsome spanking by Williams of Brazil in the rampage 4-0.
FIFA TV 2013 Champions @ 2013 Junior World Cup
Producing best player and highest goal scorer Kelechi Iheanacho wouldn't have explained why Isaac promise and his prolific availability was missing. He was virtually forgotten for a while only to succumb two years later.
FIFA TV 2013 Champions @2013 Junior World.
This team for team of better word never graduated to the majors and as such never a Nigerian team to beat - perhaps FIFA champions.
No comments:
Post a Comment