Newly appointed Golden Eaglets’ coach, Manu Garba, has denied claims that his camp had been thrown into confusion due to results of the Magnetic Resonance Imaging test in his camp.
With less than two weeks to the WAFU B U-17 championship in Ghana, reports emanated that a large number of players invited to the Eaglets camp failed the MRI test putting Nigeria’s preparation in a confused state.
Garba, who took over the U-17 coaching job reign from Nduka Ugbade, had shrugged off such claims adding that players with genuine U-17 status, as verified by official documents and MRI tests conducted by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), remain in the camp.
“Let me clear the air on this matter. The genuine U17 players, according to their official document made available to the NFF and the MRI tests conducted by the football body are still in the camp preparing for the WAFU B U17 tournament”, he told nff.com.
“When the camp opened last month, the very sincere football academies had to withdraw their players after the MRI tests they conducted showed that their players were on Grade 5. These players had to leave the camp immediately”.
He added that the NFF had detected and evicted those who provided misleading MRI results upon entering the camp.
“Those who were not sincere and thought they could find a way through one way or the other have been exposed after the NFF conducted its own MRI a few days ago, and found the results earlier presented by their players before entering the camp did not tally with the requirements of the NFF. The NFF insists on players whose results are between Grade 1 – 4. Players on Grade 5 have been asked to leave the camp”, he added.
Despite the setbacks, Garba affirmed the team’s readiness for the WAFU B-U17 tournament in Accra, Ghana.
“The good news is that most of the players recorded good grades in their MRI results done at the NFF-approved medical centre, and the team is looking forward to a favourable outing at the WAFU B U17 tournament in Accra, Ghana”, he added.
The Golden Eaglets, five-time world champions and current WAFU B U17 titleholders will commence their title defence against Burkina Faso on 16 May.
Ahead of the tournament, the team has participated in nine friendly matches, winning six, drawing two, and losing one.
