Golden Eaglets head coach, Manu Garba, has invited 51 players to camp less than a month before the kickoff of the 2024 WAFU B U-17 tournament scheduled to be held in Ghana.
The newly reappointed manager said 51 players are expected to report to camp, which will be opened on Wednesday (today), as the preparation for the set to kick-start in Ghana from May 15 to 19.
While speaking with Totori News, Garba said he has submitted a compiled 51-man list and has mandated his scouts to undergo MRI scans:
“I have just submitted the list of 51 players that will open camp hopefully on Wednesday(today).
“I have scouted most of those players, and some lists were given to me by some stakeholders. But I believe in the majority of the players I have scouted on my own, I have mandated them to have their MRI scans before they come to camp.”
Raising his confidence, Manu believed that the short term for preparation will not dent Nigeria’s hope of qualifying for the AFCON.
“Despite the short period to the WAFU tournament, I am very optimistic that we will raise a good team that will qualify for the AFCON because that is our primary assignment for now,” the coach added.
“We have a short time to scout for players. They might not be the players that will play all through the AFCON and the World Cup. As we play friendly matches, there is the likelihood that we might see better players than we have in camp. We will tell such players to go for their MRI scans and fight for places.
“I’ve done that several times with the likes of Taiwo Awoniyi and co, who were not part of the screening, and look at what Taiwo is now playing for one of the EPL clubs, Nottingham Forest.”
Nigeria is the defending champion of the WAFU tournament last edition after defeating Burkina Faso in the sub-region.
