Golden Eaglets coach, Manu Garba remains upbeat about his lads chances ahead of their opening clash against Mexico tomorrow.
Also in this interview with the team’s media officer Morakinyo Aboderin he also rued the exclusion of some key players who were instrumental in the team’s success in Morocco at the recent African Youth Championship
How important was your preparation during the two-week training tour before the World Cup?
One of the paramount reasons we came two weeks before the start of the tournament was to prepare the team very well without any distraction and also to adjust to the weather condition and differences in the time zone between Nigeria and the UAE because there are three hours difference.
Some of our players are coming to this country for the first time and it was necessary to prepare them for the challenges ahead. By and large, we have adequately acclimatized with the weather which no doubt, gives us an edge over teams that may arrive late for the competition.
What are the vibes you are getting from your players; are they ready for this World Cup assignment?
Honestly, the players are doing their best and we are really satisfied with their response to training because it has been very intense. Initially, we had one or two players who were down with injuries but through the efforts of our medical team as well as their own wiliness to do their best, they are back on their feet again.
Thank God they have since joined our training and are ready for the assignment despite the fact that we didn’t not get a top grade match before the World Cup.
All said, will you say that the 21 players picked are your best for this championship?
Plus or minus, we have picked the best players based on what we need at every department; and based on the circumstances that we faced before the selection.
Frankly, we lost some key players like Ifeanyi Matthew, Izu Omego, Bernard Bulbwa, Emeka Nwanbulu, and Adamu Abubakar due to the MRI Test. There was also our first choice goalkeeper, Adeyinka Adewale who cannot make it due to a knee injury. All of these notwithstanding, we are going to give a good account of ourselves at this championship.
The good thing is that the new players in our team have imbibed our own philosophy and have justified their inclusion over time. What we are praying for is just positive response from them when the tournament begins and by the special grace of God, it shall be okay with us.
Generally, what are your expectations at this championship?
Personally, I have already a World Cup-winning medal because I was part of the team that won the last time for Nigeria in 2007 in Korea. But be that as it may, Nigeria remains the best at this level and this means we have to go out there and do our best once again.
We are not here to just make up the numbers or just participate and go. We want to do well by winning our matches right from the first match. We are going to approach each game as it comes but the most important game for us is the first against Mexico. Thereafter we can focus on Sweden and Iraq respectively. To win the World Cup, we must be ready to face any opposition. Of course, we would force any country to play to our own rhythm because that is how to be aspiring champions.
Along the line, you lamented about some predicaments bordering you, does this suggest that your team would not be able to go all the way?
Far from it; my priority and priority of anybody in this team is to win the World Cup and we are going to give it our best effort. The predicament I was talking about was just the missing of some key players as well as not been able to play a top grade match before the World Cup but that is not a big problem as it were. It is like going for an exam without having any test along the way, but as a good student you would need to put up your thinking cap to solve the problem.
When we won the World Cup in 2007, we had the benefit of participating in an eight-nation tournament and that gave us an idea of what to expect. But in football, you also know that winning pre tournament championship is not a guarantee but having said that, we know what to expect at this level and we are adequately prepared for the challenges.
To win the World Cup, you must be able to play matches; so our philosophy is to take one game at a time and by so doing, we can be able to go all the way.
Football remains a team sport but which of your player would be the star at this championship?
The strength of this team is the fact that we play as a team right from the beginning. Several times, we have played matches without some of our regular and important players like Success Isaac; Musa Muhammed, Musa Yahaya, Kelechi Iheanacho, Chidera Ezeh and others; yet we won. So we have a collection of young talented players and we are not a team with just a star player.
Of course, you can’t rule out the fact that there would be one player to look out for as such, I expect Success who was the top scorer at the African Championship in Morocco to do very well because he has been consistent over time.
Apart from him, the captain Musa Muhammed would be a key to our progress too. Also, players like Musa Yahaya, Kelechi Iheanacho and Chidera Ezeh are likely to do very well at this World Cup. So we are not talking about one player here but at least five who can show the rest of the world that they deserve recognition.
Tell us your philosophy; football philosophy I mean?
My football philosophy is very simple and that is, we must keep possession of the ball.A good team that wants to win must keep possession of the ball and if you can do that at least, you have 70 percent chances of attacking the opposing goal.
If you lose possession of the ball, you become a defensive team and we don’t play our football that way. My philosophy is that you must play football with beauty; build from the rear before you can launch attack. I like total football.
But what happens if the opposing team has antidote to your ball possession?
If you don’t have possession of the ball, you become the defensive team. We attack and defend collectively. We also, have answers to whatever would throw at us but we wait to see what happens. We are ready for any eventuality.
Are you ready to play Mexico if the referee kicks off the match now?
We are not only ready for Mexico; we are ready to face any team that comes our way.
Also in this interview with the team’s media officer Morakinyo Aboderin he also rued the exclusion of some key players who were instrumental in the team’s success in Morocco at the recent African Youth ChampionshipHow important was your preparation during the two-week training tour before the World Cup?
One of the paramount reasons we came two weeks before the start of the tournament was to prepare the team very well without any distraction and also to adjust to the weather condition and differences in the time zone between Nigeria and the UAE because there are three hours difference.
Some of our players are coming to this country for the first time and it was necessary to prepare them for the challenges ahead. By and large, we have adequately acclimatized with the weather which no doubt, gives us an edge over teams that may arrive late for the competition.
What are the vibes you are getting from your players; are they ready for this World Cup assignment?
Honestly, the players are doing their best and we are really satisfied with their response to training because it has been very intense. Initially, we had one or two players who were down with injuries but through the efforts of our medical team as well as their own wiliness to do their best, they are back on their feet again.
Thank God they have since joined our training and are ready for the assignment despite the fact that we didn’t not get a top grade match before the World Cup.
All said, will you say that the 21 players picked are your best for this championship?
Plus or minus, we have picked the best players based on what we need at every department; and based on the circumstances that we faced before the selection.
Frankly, we lost some key players like Ifeanyi Matthew, Izu Omego, Bernard Bulbwa, Emeka Nwanbulu, and Adamu Abubakar due to the MRI Test. There was also our first choice goalkeeper, Adeyinka Adewale who cannot make it due to a knee injury. All of these notwithstanding, we are going to give a good account of ourselves at this championship.
The good thing is that the new players in our team have imbibed our own philosophy and have justified their inclusion over time. What we are praying for is just positive response from them when the tournament begins and by the special grace of God, it shall be okay with us.
Generally, what are your expectations at this championship?
Personally, I have already a World Cup-winning medal because I was part of the team that won the last time for Nigeria in 2007 in Korea. But be that as it may, Nigeria remains the best at this level and this means we have to go out there and do our best once again.
We are not here to just make up the numbers or just participate and go. We want to do well by winning our matches right from the first match. We are going to approach each game as it comes but the most important game for us is the first against Mexico. Thereafter we can focus on Sweden and Iraq respectively. To win the World Cup, we must be ready to face any opposition. Of course, we would force any country to play to our own rhythm because that is how to be aspiring champions.
Along the line, you lamented about some predicaments bordering you, does this suggest that your team would not be able to go all the way?
Far from it; my priority and priority of anybody in this team is to win the World Cup and we are going to give it our best effort. The predicament I was talking about was just the missing of some key players as well as not been able to play a top grade match before the World Cup but that is not a big problem as it were. It is like going for an exam without having any test along the way, but as a good student you would need to put up your thinking cap to solve the problem.
When we won the World Cup in 2007, we had the benefit of participating in an eight-nation tournament and that gave us an idea of what to expect. But in football, you also know that winning pre tournament championship is not a guarantee but having said that, we know what to expect at this level and we are adequately prepared for the challenges.
To win the World Cup, you must be able to play matches; so our philosophy is to take one game at a time and by so doing, we can be able to go all the way.
Football remains a team sport but which of your player would be the star at this championship?
The strength of this team is the fact that we play as a team right from the beginning. Several times, we have played matches without some of our regular and important players like Success Isaac; Musa Muhammed, Musa Yahaya, Kelechi Iheanacho, Chidera Ezeh and others; yet we won. So we have a collection of young talented players and we are not a team with just a star player.
Of course, you can’t rule out the fact that there would be one player to look out for as such, I expect Success who was the top scorer at the African Championship in Morocco to do very well because he has been consistent over time.
Apart from him, the captain Musa Muhammed would be a key to our progress too. Also, players like Musa Yahaya, Kelechi Iheanacho and Chidera Ezeh are likely to do very well at this World Cup. So we are not talking about one player here but at least five who can show the rest of the world that they deserve recognition.
Tell us your philosophy; football philosophy I mean?
My football philosophy is very simple and that is, we must keep possession of the ball.A good team that wants to win must keep possession of the ball and if you can do that at least, you have 70 percent chances of attacking the opposing goal.
If you lose possession of the ball, you become a defensive team and we don’t play our football that way. My philosophy is that you must play football with beauty; build from the rear before you can launch attack. I like total football.
But what happens if the opposing team has antidote to your ball possession?
If you don’t have possession of the ball, you become the defensive team. We attack and defend collectively. We also, have answers to whatever would throw at us but we wait to see what happens. We are ready for any eventuality.
Are you ready to play Mexico if the referee kicks off the match now?
We are not only ready for Mexico; we are ready to face any team that comes our way.
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