By: Olamide O. Abe
Nigeria's U-20 team, the Flying Eagles, suffered a disappointing group-stage exit at the 2023 African Games in Ghana, Soccernet.ng reports.
Captain Daniel Bameyi, in an exclusive interview with Soccernet.ng reports, expressed his heartbreak and pinpointed a lack of preparation as the main culprit.
Despite thanking Nigerians for their support, Bameyi couldn't hide his disappointment. “We had a goal to secure points, but we lost it,” he admitted. “It's not good at all,” he continued, describing the feeling as “a nightmare.”
Bameyi, who previously led the team to a third-place finish in the 2023 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations and a strong showing at the U-20 World Cup three months later, highlighted the difference in preparation compared to those tournaments.
“There were different players,” he explained, “and the timeframe for preparation was a bit short.” He pointed out that most of the players were new, requiring more time to gel tactically.
While praising head coach Ladan Bosso's tactics and dedication, Bameyi emphasized the importance of pre-tournament training.
“Coach Ladan Bosso is a wonderful tactician. From afar, it might look different, but by the time you come close to him, you know he's like a father, and we appreciate him. He knows what he's doing. Every game for him has a plan, and we appreciate it so much.”
“If you look at the team, how many players were invited from the squad for the World Cup? You know, about five. The rest are new players, and then by the time you bring a set of new players together, you just need a good time for training for the tactics to blend, you know. What can we do?”
Looking forward, the young captain remains optimistic. He echoed the advice of senior national team captain Ahmed Musa, urging patience and continued dedication. “I just want to do my job anytime I'm given the opportunity to defend this great nation,” Bameyi said.
“God bless Nigeria. I'll do it without hesitation because it's the only country I have control over and I love it. So whatever lies ahead of us, let's keep praying. Let's keep working, but most importantly, let's discipline ourselves and see what lies ahead of us.”
“As my boss will say, my senior colleague and my father, the captain of the senior national team, Ahmed Musa, ‘patience is the perfect time,'” he concluded.
The Flying Eagles of Nigeria made an early exit from the just-concluded All African Games, which raised questions about a lack of management.
N.B: Do you think Daniel Bameyi is right about Coach Ladan Bosso? Leave your comments below.
