After yet another promising campaign by the U-17 in 2013, two years on the budding stars have failed to deliver yet again which can be described as unending circle for Nigerian youth football at the U-20 level culminating in the eagles never having lifted the trophy at this particular level.
Taking a look Manu Garba's boys and their recent predecessors, a similar story can be found for their failures; ranging from player selections to tactical awareness, the issues affecting Nigerian football at this level are numerous which are inevitably affecting the senior national team.
A look at the reasons for another predictable failure and poor performance in 2015 as a case study won't be out of place so as to give an insight at issues at hindering football develpment in the country. This is not a knee-jerk reaction after a defeat to the european champions and favourites for the on-going championship.
Our most recent impressive performance coming way back in 2005 with a second place finish.There are inherent problems that need addressing; Tactics And Player Selection Manu Garba made some very interesting choices that backfired when the going got tough.His tactics and personnel choices surely got tongues raving after the defeat to Brazil which was the first ever time this young group of eagles lost a match.This surely influenced Garba's choices thereafter leading to him abandonding his attacking football philosophy which could be describe as an imitation of total football.
The gaffer went for more stability in front of the defence line dropping the attacking creative duo of Iheanacho and Yahaya which seem to work when Nigeria faced, with all due respect, lesser teams in DPR Korea and Hungary.
However signs of struggle were evident those group matches;the free flowing attack associated with the team had disappeared and against the germans the team lacked an identity with the resort to long balls during a match in which they were held at arm's lenght by their european counterparts.The germans were superior technically and tactically on the pitch and it was so evident Garba's team had no plan to counter the high pressing german,a modern trait common to german teams,it was a struggle as the africans failed to register a single shot on target.
Simply put they were outclassed by a team with a superior know-how,football nowadays is more than just skills.The team has to be a unit drilled to achieve a plan,the teams strenght needs to be actualised whilst exploiting the opposition weakenesses.This requires a high level of technical knowledge which is sadly lacking in the country. This will lead us to our next point;
FOOTBALL DEVELOPMENT
This issue has already been well documented by football analysts in the country.There is no doubt the sport is the most loved and played across the country but little is done to develop players and coaches technical and tactical know-how of the game.There are talented youngsters blessed with outrageous skills in abundance but it has to be polished and nurtured to be able to compete at the highest level.Academies are no doubt doing their best but are restricted by resources and facilities. The coaches are also gulfs apart from their international counterparts,not just in the tactical aspect of the game but also lack player management techniques.
Youngsters been dropped for not playing to instructions;this is not how it should be.Winning is not everything especially at this level,the coach should nuture this lads to achieve their potentials.Nwakali and Alfa who were simply outstanding few years back with the former impressing with his ability on the ball and driving runs were benched for a midfield duo of Ifeanyi and Sokari who were just simply destroyed against the germans and failed to sparkle during the campaign.
Also,what happened to goalkeeper Alampasu who was quite good in U-17;not been too harsh on Enaholo who simply had a disappointing campaign.There is also the case to be stated for attackers Iheanacho and Yahaya,so many questions.
CONCLUSION
This article is not to criticise the lads for not winning the trophy but rather an awakening to our poor performances over the last few competitions.Nigeria and Africa as a whole need to do a lot if they wish to compete at the higher level against foreign oppositions.At the U-17 level,our physicality helps us to dominate at that level but a few years on we struggle.This is so because latter gather more exprience and exposure and therefore suited to the game at a higher level.This was simply the case were the flying eagles were outclassed and outhought.
We can borrow a leaf out of the spanish , germans and belgians'book who have produced worldclass players recently.Nigeria is also capable if only we develop our football at the grassroot level afterall its the early bird that catches the worm.
A look at the reasons for another predictable failure and poor performance in 2015 as a case study won't be out of place so as to give an insight at issues at hindering football develpment in the country. This is not a knee-jerk reaction after a defeat to the european champions and favourites for the on-going championship.
Our most recent impressive performance coming way back in 2005 with a second place finish.There are inherent problems that need addressing; Tactics And Player Selection Manu Garba made some very interesting choices that backfired when the going got tough.His tactics and personnel choices surely got tongues raving after the defeat to Brazil which was the first ever time this young group of eagles lost a match.This surely influenced Garba's choices thereafter leading to him abandonding his attacking football philosophy which could be describe as an imitation of total football.
The gaffer went for more stability in front of the defence line dropping the attacking creative duo of Iheanacho and Yahaya which seem to work when Nigeria faced, with all due respect, lesser teams in DPR Korea and Hungary.
However signs of struggle were evident those group matches;the free flowing attack associated with the team had disappeared and against the germans the team lacked an identity with the resort to long balls during a match in which they were held at arm's lenght by their european counterparts.The germans were superior technically and tactically on the pitch and it was so evident Garba's team had no plan to counter the high pressing german,a modern trait common to german teams,it was a struggle as the africans failed to register a single shot on target.
Simply put they were outclassed by a team with a superior know-how,football nowadays is more than just skills.The team has to be a unit drilled to achieve a plan,the teams strenght needs to be actualised whilst exploiting the opposition weakenesses.This requires a high level of technical knowledge which is sadly lacking in the country. This will lead us to our next point;
FOOTBALL DEVELOPMENT
This issue has already been well documented by football analysts in the country.There is no doubt the sport is the most loved and played across the country but little is done to develop players and coaches technical and tactical know-how of the game.There are talented youngsters blessed with outrageous skills in abundance but it has to be polished and nurtured to be able to compete at the highest level.Academies are no doubt doing their best but are restricted by resources and facilities. The coaches are also gulfs apart from their international counterparts,not just in the tactical aspect of the game but also lack player management techniques.
Youngsters been dropped for not playing to instructions;this is not how it should be.Winning is not everything especially at this level,the coach should nuture this lads to achieve their potentials.Nwakali and Alfa who were simply outstanding few years back with the former impressing with his ability on the ball and driving runs were benched for a midfield duo of Ifeanyi and Sokari who were just simply destroyed against the germans and failed to sparkle during the campaign.
Also,what happened to goalkeeper Alampasu who was quite good in U-17;not been too harsh on Enaholo who simply had a disappointing campaign.There is also the case to be stated for attackers Iheanacho and Yahaya,so many questions.
CONCLUSION
This article is not to criticise the lads for not winning the trophy but rather an awakening to our poor performances over the last few competitions.Nigeria and Africa as a whole need to do a lot if they wish to compete at the higher level against foreign oppositions.At the U-17 level,our physicality helps us to dominate at that level but a few years on we struggle.This is so because latter gather more exprience and exposure and therefore suited to the game at a higher level.This was simply the case were the flying eagles were outclassed and outhought.
We can borrow a leaf out of the spanish , germans and belgians'book who have produced worldclass players recently.Nigeria is also capable if only we develop our football at the grassroot level afterall its the early bird that catches the worm.
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