Joshua ENAHOLO
Position: Goalkeeper
Club: MFM FC
Birthdate: July 24, 1996
Height: 181cm
Enaholo displaced the more fancied Alampasu as first choice keeper at the AYC and went on to play four out of the team’s five games, conceding just two goals. He is banking on a solid outing in New Zealand, to seal a deal in Europe.
ADVERTISEMENT
Musa MUHAMMED
Position: Right-back
Club: Heart Academy
Birthdate: October 31, 1996
Height: 174cm
Musa captained the U-17 team to World Cup glory two years ago and is now poised to lead the squad, made up largely of his 2013 teammates, to a first U-20 World Cup title for the country.
Abdullahi MUSTAPHA
Position: Left-back
Club: Spotlights
Birthdate: January 18, 1996
Height: 167cm
The left-back played all five games as the Flying Eagles annexed the AYC for a record seven times in Dakar. And Garba will surely stick with the hardworking and highly disciplined player in New Zealand.
Dele ALAMPASU
Position: Goalkeeper
Club: Football College Academy
Birth date: December 24, 1996
Height: 180cm
Golden gloves winner at the 2013 U-17 World Cup, Alampasu lost his starting place in the Flying Eagles to Enaholo and Ojo Olorunleke in that order. He didn’t taste action at the AYC but will aim to fight for a place at the World Cup to enhance his chances of moving to Europe.
Prince OMEGO
Position: Defender
Club: Apapa Golden Stars
Birthdate: August 15, 1996
Height: 174cm
Omego recovered from a head accident during the Super-4 tournament in January to help the Flying Eagles to victory at the AYC in March. The goal scoring defender adds more attacking options to the squad.
Bernard BULBWA
Position: Midfielder
Club: Shuttle Sports Academy
Birthdate: October 11, 1996
Height: 166cm
Bulbwa was the team’s hero at the AYC, his ‘wonder goal’ in the final against hosts Senegal earning Nigeria the 2015 AYC title. His long range effort was the best goal of the tournament. The midfielder’s high work rate and ferocious shots are his strong points.
Success ISAAC
Position: Forward
Club: Granada
Birthdate: January 7, 1996
Height: 178cm
Also a member of the 2013 Eaglets, Isaac has developed at a fast rate playing in La Liga. In December, the forward’s goal against Valencia made him the youngest scorer in La Liga. Garba will be hoping he transfers his club form to the Flying Eagles.
Success ISAAC
Position: Forward
Club: Granada
Birthdate: January 7, 1996
Height: 178cm
Also a member of the 2013 Eaglets, Isaac has developed at a fast rate playing in La Liga. In December, the forward’s goal against Valencia made him the youngest scorer in La Liga. Garba will be hoping he transfers his club form to the Flying Eagles.
Musa YAHAYA
Position: Midfielder
Club: Tottenham Hotspur
Birthdate: December 16, 1997
Height: 170cm
Yahaya was left out of the squad to the 2015 AYC after he tore a ligament in a friendly against Ghana. The Mutunchi Football Academy graduate will be hoping for a good outing in New Zealand to get a place in Tottenham’s first team.
Position: Midfielder
Club: Enyimba
Birthdate: May 30, 1995
Height: 172cm
A senior international, Sokari first caught the eye last November during a friendly between home-based Eagles and Ghana’s U-23 team. Sokari has good ball control, great vision and killer passes. He also has an eye for goal.
Ifeanyi IFEANYI
Position: Midfielder
Club: Water FC
Birthdate: August 15, 1995
Height: 173cm
Ifeanyi played all five matches at the 2015 AYC. The power-playing midfielder will hope to have a better outing in New Zealand.
Saviour GODWIN
Position: Forward
Club: FC Sports
Birthdate: August 22, 1996
Height: 170cm
Godwin was also part of the 2013 Golden Eaglets team but was left out of the Flying Eagles squad to the AYC in Senegal.
Chidiebere NWAKALI
Position: Midfielder
Club: Manchester City
Birthdate: December 26, 1996
Height: 173cm
Nwakali was another star performer at the 2013 U-17 World Cup, scoring twice.
Ifeanyi MATHEW
Position: Midfielder
Club: El-Kanemi Warriors
Birthdate: January 20, 1997
Height: 173cm
Matthew played for Nigeria at the 2015 AYC, scoring once. He is already attracting interests from clubs in Europe, and New Zealand provides the platform to raise his current profile.
Onyinye NDIDI
Position: Defender
Club: Genk
Birthdate: December 16, 1996
Height: 186cm
Highly-rated Genk center-back Ndidi’s experience will come in handy for the squad, having featured at the U-20 World Cup in Turkey in 2013.
Chidera EZEH
Position: Forward
Club: FC Porto
Birthdate: October 2, 1997
Height: 180cm
Also a member of the 2013 Eaglets, Ezeh was a part of the Flying Eagles team to Senegal. With just a year left before he signs a professional contract with Porto, he will be seeking to impress with another assured outing in New Zealand.
Taiwo AWONIYI
Position: Forward
Club: Imperial Academy
Birthdate: August 12, 1997
Height: 181cm
The Eaglets’ super sub in 2013, Awoniyi has turned to the U-20 team’s talisman. He scored three goals to help Nigeria lift the title in Senegal. After the tournament, he was drafted to the U-23 and his goals against Zambia helped the team qualify for the All-Africa Games.
Zaharaddeen BELLO
Position: Defender
Club: Dabo Babes Academy
Birthdate: December 21, 1997
Height: 177cm
Courted by clubs in Europe after his exploits at the AYC in Senegal, where he played in all five matches, Bello, another graduate of the 2013 Eaglets, will be seeking to move his career to new heights in New Zealand.
Moses SIMON
Position: Forward
Club: Gent
Birthdate: July 12, 1995
Height: 168cm
After scoring seven goals for Gent in the Belgian topflight and making the Belgium Team of The Year, Moses, who has been capped at senior level, will hope to end on a high at the World Cup.
Olorunleke OJO
Position: Goalkeeper
Club: Giwa
Birthdate: August 17, 1995
Height: 189cm
Second to Enaholo in the goalkeeping pecking order, Ojo kept in the 2-2 draw against Ivory Coast at the AYC.
Manu Garba
Position: Coach
Birthdate: December 31, 1965
One of the country’s most highly rated coaches, Garba has successfully progressed from the U-17 to U-20 levels. After conquering the world with the Eaglets in 2013, he also led the Flying Eagles to AYC triumph in 2015. If his side wins the 2015 U-20 World Cup, Garba will become Nigeria’s most successful coach at junior level.
Source: Punchng
0 comments:
Post a Comment