Austin Eguavoen: 2023 Golden Eaglets will be promoted to U-20

Nigeria Football Federation Technical Director Austin Eguavoen has promised to ensure promotion for majority of the 2023 Golden Eaglets set to the next U-20 team.

His first public comments since Nigeria`s quater-final elimination at the 2023 U-17 AFCON, Eguavoen insisted the team had very young players who were just unlucky not to get the World Cup ticket but will go on to the next level in line with the NFF developmental programs.

“The boys have done tremendously well, it’s quite unfortunate that we did not get the World Cup ticket,” the NFF Technical Director told BRILA.

“Although, sadly, we didn’t qualify for the World Cup, these boys have a great future, in real terms. You will see that this team is very young, not just in Nigeria but across the tournament.

“They have a future, it means they have a long, bright career. In the past we used to have players in the Under-17, as of four or five years, you don’t know where they are anymore. Either they stop playing or whatever, it is not just peculiar to us alone, but it’s all over.

“I’m proud of these boys. Going forward as the technical director, after I get my technical report from Nduka. In about a week, we’d see how it goes.

“Majority of the boys in this team must form the nucleus of the next Under-20, because of the developmental programs we are trying to put together.” Eguavoen promised.

This will be cheering news for the Nduka Ugbade tutored Eaglets who have since returned to Nigeria from Algeria.

Eguavoen`s comments will soothe the concerns raised by many Nigerians including CD Leganes and Super Eagles defender Kenneth Omeruo who had begged the Nigeria Football Federation not to abandon the young Golden Eaglets despite the 2023 U-17 Africa cup of Nations setback.