Thursday, May 2, 2024, marked the conclusion of the U15 FIFA Talent Development Scheme screening in Jos, Plateau State, aimed at discovering young players for Nigerian football, especially for the U17 national team, the Golden Eaglets, Completesports.com reports.
The FIFA Talent Development Scheme was initiated and funded by the world football governing body to motivate member nations to nurture young players from the grassroots. Austine Eguavoen, the NFF Technical Director, is in charge of the project.
The Plateau State version of the event was organised by the Plateau Football Association (PFA) in collaboration with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and took place at the Zaria Road Stadium in Jos, the capital of Plateau State.
Also Read – U -17 WWCQ: Burkina Faso To Host Flamingos In Bamako
The Chairman of the Plateau State Football Association, Suleiman Yahaya Kwande, appraised the FIFA Talent Development Scheme exercise in his State, remarking that it turned out well.
“Successful U-15 Screening: Mashallah! Today, the 2nd of May 2024, we conducted a successful Under-15 FIFA Talent Development Scheme organized by the Plateau Football Association (PFA) and Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) at the Zaria Road Stadium,” Kwande wrote on WhatsApp and on his Social Media platform.
“Out of 24 teams comprising 35 players each, a total of 35 players were selected to represent the State U-15 team. These players will compete against teams from other states, forming the future national Under-17 team, the Golden Eaglets.”
By Awwal Shuaibu, Naraguta
5 Comments
Good and visionary initiative
For the first time in a long while, I have reasons to commend the NFF.
35 U15 teams multiplied by 36 states + FCT = Another potential U17 World CUP winning squad and more talented kids being snapped up to mainstream |Europe like the Awoniyis, Iheanachos, Osimhens and the likes
Once again, Kudos to the NFF. I sincerely hope they can manage this project to a successful end.
Don’t get too excited bro. This people just can’t be trusted. See, this effort by the NFF is like trying to applaud a chef for putting ingredients on the counter before burning down the kitchen. I may be wrong, but that’s exactly what I feel.
Let’s sprinkle some reality on this situation: while discovering future football gems sounds great, but these Glass House guys’ track record in handling talent resembles a comedy of errors, I must say.
Remember those promising Under-17 and Under-20 stars of yesteryears, who vanished into thin air without traces? Some got stuck in local academies, some signed with agents who think “player development” means collecting dust on the bench, while some ended up in clubs who are experts in killing talents. It’s like the NFF sends them off on a scavenger hunt and then forgets to follow up.
And let’s talk about age discrepancies that is recurring decimal in the u-17 twans —those MRI scans are like the Nigerian football version of “The Biggest Loser.” Except instead of shedding pounds, players are shedding years. It’s no surprise half the current u-17 squad gets axed even before the kickoff of WAFU B, because, surprise, surprise, someone’s birth certificate doesn’t match their baby face. Remember this MRI stuff started around 2008 and since then, we have to wait until half of the main team is wiped off before thinking of what to do! And just like the last edition of WAFU and the one before that, down to the 2009 u-17 FIFA competition, the Golden Eaglets would have to attend a major competition with a depleted team. So sad!
And developmental tornaments? Don’t get me started at all. The NFF’s excuse book could rival a library. Remember when they blamed visa issues for missing out on that Spain tournament for the Future Eagles? Turns out, it was a case of NFF’s administrative amnesia and not the embassy’s being unnecessarily mean. Classic!
It’s a known fact that grassroots development is crucial, right? Tell that to the NFF while they’re busy playing hopscotch with talent management. Meanwhile, Germany and France are sipping champagne, basking in the glory of their well-oiled youth systems.
While the Under-15 extravaganza might sound like a party, until the NFF pulls up their socks and starts taking talent management seriously, it’s just another episode of Nigerian football’s sitcom: lots of laughs, but no happy ending in sight. Or may be CAF should just introduce their own u-15 tournament, It might end up keeping these guys on their toes. I’m not really excited about the programme. May be I will when I start seeimg how serious our football body is with the national u15 team to be raised from it.
Nff should stop deceiving everyone including Fifa with their so called U15 developmental football. If Nff truly want to develop our football from grassroot they should return to school football – Primary, Secondary and Tertiary institutions football competitions like it used to be in the past. School football competitions is a levelier because it is for all comers.Children from poor homes usually outshines rich children during school sports competitions. The system will throw up the best of our best and not select few from God knows where and call them National U15.
Tell them bro