The Head coach of Nigeria’s national Under-20 men’s foosball team – the Flying Eagles, Ladan Bosso, has assured that his boys will do well to earn one of the CAF qualifiers tickets on offer at the WAFU B U-20 Championship in Niamey, Niger Republic, Completesports reports.
The Flying Eagles will face Ghana and Burkina Faso in the Group B of the WAFU B U-29 Championship. Hosts Niger Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, Togo and Benin Republic are in Group A.
The tournament which holds from May 7th – 20th in Niamey serves as the qualifiers for the 2023 U-20 AFCON. Only two teams from the WAFU B U-20 Championship – the winners of Group A and B – will earn spots at Egypt 2023 U-20 AFCON.
“I have carefully selected 30 players for final phase of our preparations and this will hold in Niamey where we hope to have complete concentration, as well as blending and bonding of the team ahead of the qualifiers billed to kick off on May 7,” Bosso stated during an interview with the media in Abuja.
“The boys I have picked are getting close to competition peak, and hopefully, they will be ready by the time we train and play a couple of friendly games against Niger Republic and a club in Niamey. I have the optimism that we shall do well to pick one of the tickets for the CAF U-20 AFCON in Egypt.”
Boss added: “Being drawn in same group with Ghana and Burkina Faso is not going to be easy, but my experience from the last edition has taught me some lessons. I hope to work on them and excel. I know Ghana and Burkina Faso have been in camp since last year, that will not worry us as we are leaving no stone unturned to get the best out of the boys.”
Asked why he started camp late, Bosso posited: “It is not how long but how far,”stressing that he would not make progress if he continue to dwell on the duration of camping, adding that he is focused on getting a good team ready and picking a ticket to U-20 AFCON in Egypt.
By Richard Jideaka, Abuja
