…Coach Tasks Players On Standard

Flying Eagles’ goalkeeper
trainer, Francis Ewulu, has urged old and new players in the team to either “shape up or ship out’’.
Ewulu gave the charge in an interview with newsmen in Abuja, after the team thrashed FC Abuja, a Nigeria Nation-Wide League (NNWL) side 7-2 in a test match.
The match was played at the FIFA Goal Project pitch, located at the package ‘B’ of the National Stadium, Abuja.
Ewulu told newsmen that the team was gradually improving on its performance as it continued to use test matches to perfect strategies for next month’s African Youth Championship (AYC) qualifiers.
“It is our duty to let them know that they have graduated from U-17 to U-20 where you have a different standard altogether.
“They must raise their game and know that it is tougher here in U-20; the psychological aspect of it we are also working on it, for them to understand that.
“The over-confidence of a thing, yes we noticed that, but we have been talking to them to understand that the game of football should never bring over-confidence.’’
According to him, it cannot be under, it cannot be over, you players must maintain the standard at all times.
Ewulu said “we are going to meet a tougher opposition in the African qualifiers and you know that it is always physical.
“So, we are trying to let them understand what they are going to see and that is why we are bringing them up toward that.’’
He noted that Benin Republic U-20 national team was chosen for their last international friendly match before their main game against Kenya or Tanzania, in the African qualifiers because of their physical strength.
“I think Benin is good and they play almost the same type of football with the Kenyans and the Tanzanians; they are physical.
“So, that is why we need to play Benin. I think it is a good choice and it will afford us the opportunity to see exactly what the game will look like,’’ Ewulu added.