Eaglets Crashing Out Of U-17 AFCON Was Disastrous –FCT FA Chairman, Muhtar

Chairman of Federal Capital Territory Football Association (FCTFA) Abba Muhtar has expressed his disappointment in the inability of Nigeria’s U-17 side, the Golden Eaglets to qualify for the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup even as he described it as a monumental disaster, Completesports.com reports exclusively

Muhtar who is also a member of the NFF Three-member National Teams Advisory Committee, set up in October 2022 by NFF President Ibrahim Gusau told Completedports.com in Abuja that there won’t be a second chance for the technical crew to try again since they failed to live up to expectation.

“It is disappointing and a disaster of national magnitude that our revered Golden Eaglets who have won the FIFA Under-17 World Cup five times failed to qualify from the U-17 AFCON losing to Burkina Faso in the quarter-finals. It’s disastrous and we cannot allow recent poor outings at the continental level to persist. The coaches just have to give way to others to try,” Muhtar told Completesports.com.

“With this loss, we have failed to present a young crop of players to the world to showcase their talents. It also means that the supplies to the senior national team will be affected. I am not saying that it is our birthright to win all the time but we cannot be reduced to the level of missing out on the World Cup

“It is my opinion that the team’s technical crew should be asked to go, to serve as a deterrent to coaches who fail to meet the responsibility and targets given to them. There should be no second chance for coaches who fail to meet the expectations of Nigerians,” the football Muhtar.

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On the way forward, Muhtar who is seeking a second term in office as FCT FA Chairman, said: “We have to produce and implement a blueprint that will redirect our football. Recent developments in our football are a clear indication that we are derailing and have to get back on track. We have to put a stop to recent setbacks.”

Asked how to stop football players’ agents from influencing the invitation and selection of players into the national teams, the Kano-born football administrator said it’s only a stupid coach that will allow agents to force players on him to the detriment of his career.

“Any Coach found wanting should not only be sacked but also suspended for some time from practicing,” Muhtar concluded.

By Richard Jideaka, Abuja

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