As Nigeria’s youth nationwide crew, Flying Eagles put together to tango Norway of their first match at this 12 months’s FIFA U20 World Cup in Chile, an ex-international, Taiwo Oloyede has charged them to keep away from repeating the catastrophe that befell their 1987 predecessors in the identical South American nation.
Sports247 remembers that the Flying Eagles’ squad that stormed Chile in 1987 was loaded with extremely promising stars of that period – like Etim Esin, Adeolu Adekola, Willy Okpara, Sanni Adamu, Jonathan Akpoborie, Ikpomwosa Omoregie, Thompson Oliha, Peter Nieketien, Nduka Ugbade and John Eneh Okon, with Chris Uzemezue as coach.
Nevertheless, in opposition to all expectations, the squad positioned final in Group B – after dropping 4-0 to Brazil of their opening match, then drew 2-2 with Canada of their second and fell 2-0 to top-placed Italy within the decisive final recreation of spherical one in Ascension.
With the Nigerian youth nationwide crew now again in the identical nation 32 years later, Taiwo Oloyede recalled reminiscences of the Flying Eagles’ notorious present at Chile ’87 and confused that the present squad should not enable that ugly a part of historical past repeat itself for his or her nation.
The previous midfielder, who missed taking part in within the Saudi ’89 bronze-winning squad resulting from harm, recalled: “The Chile ’87 crew was one among our greatest squads in under-20 historical past, however they obtained there and had been tousled.
“This crew should keep in mind that a part of historical past in order that, now that they’re in the identical nation, they need to not enable complacency to have an effect on them.”
Oloyede, who starred for IBWA FC, Stationery Shops FC and Julius Berger FC of Lagos, in addition to BCC Lions of Gboko throughout his heyday, however had two botched offers that stopped him from plying his commerce in Europe, added that the U20 Eagles should not be overwhelmed by their 3-1 victory over Australia of their final build-up match.
Oloyede reasoned additional, “They need to not be carried away, they usually simply must go all out to rewrite historical past this 12 months. Chile ’87 was a shame for Nigeria, and we don’t desire a repeat of that this 12 months.
“We’ve not seen a lot of this crew, however they need to simply complement the results of their final pleasant. They need to keep away from bringing again to Nigeria what we noticed at Chile ’87.”
He concluded by expressing confidence within the potential of Coach Aliyu Zubairu to conjur a profitable method for his extremely promising squad, whose first match might be this Monday in opposition to Norway at Estadio Fiscal deTalca.
“Though they’ve introduced in so many new gamers, in consider within the coach, and I do know he could make his gamers do nicely. So, I’m wishing them the perfect of luck,” concluded Oloyede, who began his teaching profession at Eko Akete FC of Lagos.
