UAE 2013: Garba names Chelsea starlet, 20 others

Manu Garba

Golden Eaglets coach  Manu Garba has named his squad for the 2013 FIFA Under-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates. The tournament, which  kicks off on October 17, will end on November 8.

Three-time champions  Nigeria  are in Group F alongside Sweden, Iraq and Mexico. The Eaglets will play their  first game against Mexico in Al Ain City on October  19.

Leading  Garba’s 21-man squad are  Chelsea starlet Habeeb  Makanjuola,  Morocco 2013 CAF Under-17 Championship highest scorer  Success Isaac, Idowu Akinjide and Mohammed Musa.

Meanwhile, Eaglets assistant coach Nduka Ugbade  believes Nigeria have the quality to win the competition for the fourth time  at UAE 2013.

Nigeria were champions in 1985, 1993 and 2007, and runners-up in 1987, 2001 and 2009.

Ugbade, who captained the team that won the maiden edition of the tournament at China ’85, said the Eaglets are fired up for the title fight ahead of them.

“The players know what our target is and they are ready for the challenge,” the Tunisia ’94 Africa Cup of Nations winner told our correspondent on the telephone before he departed the country for UAE during the week.

“We have very good players and we’re grateful to the Nigeria Football Federation President  Aminu Maigari for encouraging us. He wants us to win and we’ll not disappoint him and the NFF.”

The Saudi ’89 FIFA Under-20 World Cup silver medallist called for support for Garba, saying “he’s a very good coach”.

He said the team won’t underestimate any opponents in their group, saying they would fight for the ball in every match.

The squad

Sunday Alampasu, Bello Zaraddeen, Japhet Raymond, Musa Yahaya, Chidera Ezeh, Isaac Success, Taiwo Awoniyi, Kelechi Iheanacho, Alfa Abdullahi, Chigozie Obasi, Abubakar Abdulazeez, Baba Salihu, Godwin Saviour, Habeeb Makanjuola, Okon Denis, Uzoha Odinaka, Mohammed Musa, Chidiebere Nwakali, Abubakar Aliu, Idowu Akinjide, Godwin Samuel.