Some football fans in Ebonyi on Monday in Abakaliki hailed the contributions of six Nigerian youngsters to England’s FIFA U-20 World Cup victory in South Korea on Sunday.
England defeated Venezuela 1-0 to win the trophy, making it their first World Cup triumph since winning the senior category on home soil in 1966.
The six Nigerians: Ademola Lukman, Ovie Ejaria, Sheyi Ojo, Dominic Solanke, Fikayo Tomori and Joshua Onoma played active roles in the eventual victory of the Junior Lions. It was against this backdrop that the Nigerian-born English youngsters were commended by fans in Ebonyi for their remarkable feat. Chinedu Chukwugbo, former Golden Eaglets goalkeeper stated that the victory showed the efficacy of the youth football development programme in England and continental Europe. “These players are discovered and nurtured in efficient academies and made to combine their soccer sojourns effectively with their academics. “Countries such as England and France should be commended for integrating players of African origin in their youth systems without minding their dominance of the entire teams,’’ he said. In the same vein, Chika Nwangele, who plies his trade with Ebonyi United FC, said that Nigeria should learn the lesson of effective team building from England’s experience. “The English team nurtured for a long time and strengthened with players who had premiership and championship experiences which helped the team tremendously. “The Nigerian AFCON qualifying loss to South Africa exposed their weaknesses as the youngsters on parade had no experience to match the tactical expertise of the South Africans,’’ he said. Chief Jones Mgbabor, a former Local Government Chairman in Ebonyi called on the nation’s soccer authorities to immediately seek the commitment of the victorious Nigerian players to the Super Eagles. “The process of the players’ switching allegiance to Nigeria should commence immediately to enable them get acquainted with the Super Eagles in due course. “We have to avoid a situation where players such as Tyronne Ebuehi and Troost-Ekong among others are still struggling with the Eagles and attracting calls for more experienced players in the team after the South African loss,’’ he said. Meanwhile, Mrs Tina Ejezie, a youth activist and soccer buff, has called for the establishment of proactive soccer academies in the country to replicate the feat of England among other countries in such areas. “The viability of such academies in the country will make players of Nigerian ancestry abroad to return home and harness their soccer and academic potential. “I recall that Nigeria depended on players from academies to prosecute the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup which it hosted when Coach John Obuh took over the team a few weeks to the competition,’’ she added.
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