Fatai Amoo: Golden Eaglets Challenge Is To Produce The Next Mikel Obi

The head coach of the national cadet team insists that the target ahead of his side is not just to win but also to discover talents that can progress to the senior team

The Golden Eaglets is one of Nigeria’s most successful teams, and coach Fatai Amoo wants to continue the winning tradition of a side that has lifted the FIFA U-17 World Cup a record five times.

But even more importantly for the former Shooting Stars coach is the desire to groom youngsters that can progress into the national U-23 team and even the Super Eagles.

A few Nigerian stars have successfully made the progression from the Golden Eaglets to the Super Eagles, including current stars Victor Osimhen, Samuel Chukwueze, Kenneth Omeruo, and former skipper John Obi Mikel.

As he puts the young Golden Eaglets stars through their training at the FIFA Goal Project Technical Centre, Amoo is clear about what the team’s objectives are.

“We know the expectations of Nigeria. If we win the cup, it’s not something new,” Amoo told the media, as per Brila FM.

“Then, we have the responsibility to produce young talented players who in the nearest future will step into the shoes of those in the Super Eagles now.

“We want players who will graduate to the senior team and play like Mikel Obi and the rest. We have U17 players who will be like Mikel, who took their game to the highest level.”

The upcoming WAFU B Cup will serve as qualifiers for the 2021 U17 AFCON in Morocco, where the last four teams will book their tickets for the 2021 U17 World Cup.