Eaglets Begin Screening Of Players

The national under-17
male football team  would in Abuja resume their open screening camp in preparation for the 2015 African U-17 Championship, billed for Niger Republic.
The team’s Media Officer, Morakinyo Abodunrin, who said this in a statement recently in Abuja, said the screening would hold at the FIFA Goal Project pitch of the National Stadium.
He said the team’s old players, as well as new ones desirous of being in the team, should report at the training’s venue.
The statement quoted the team’s Head Coach, Emmanuel Amuneke, as saying it was imperative to look at fresh talents in order to strengthen the team ahead of greater challenges.
The  team had started an open screening camp on March 27 in preparation for the continental championship qualifier.
But the team has had to break the open screening to participate in the just-concluded U-17 West African Football Union (WAFU) tournament in Togo where they won the bronze medal.
“The tournament in Togo gave us the ample opportunity to gauge the players’ response to competition as well as their general attitude and conduct.
“But, efforts will be geared towards getting a pool of 50 talented players who will be registered for the qualifiers, as well as the 2015 CAN Under-17 Championship in Niger.
“We will use the next two weeks to look at new players because we need to reinforce the team as it were.
“This is because our objective is to have a pool of good players who we can draw from, from time to time, because this is a long journey,’’ the statement quoted Amuneke as saying.
The Flying Eagles have drawn bye into the second round of the qualifiers and will meet the winners of the first round clash between Burundi and Congo DR.
The first leg match is billed to hold between July 18 and July 20, while the second leg match is between August 1 and 3.
The Golden Eaglets were runners-up at the 2013 edition of the championship in Morocco, after losing to Cote d’Ivoire 4-5 on penalty kicks.