Flying Eagles Head Coach Abdu Maikaba has concluded the team’s screening exercise and is now focusing on building a formidable squad ahead of the forthcoming WAFU B U-20 Championship in Côte d’Ivoire.
Sources close to the team camp told Sports247 that the initial screening process has been completed, with 30 players now remaining in camp as preparations intensify for the regional tournament scheduled for July.
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Maikaba, who recently took charge of Nigeria’s U-20 national team, concluded the screening after Wednesday morning’s training session at the FIFA Goal Project Pitch in Abuja.
According to our reliable source Coach Maikaba expressed satisfaction with the quality of players available and revealed that attention has shifted from talent assessment to team building, tactical organization and fine-tuning strategies for the competition.
“We have concluded the screening exercise and our focus now is on building a strong team that can successfully defend the WAFU U-20 title and qualify for the Africa U-20 Cup of Nations,” he said.
Nigeria will head into the WAFU B Championship as defending champions, with the tournament also serving as the qualification pathway for the next U-20 AFCON scheduled to be hosted by Ghana next year.
The Flying Eagles opened camp in Abuja with a 35-man provisional squad comprising players drawn from domestic clubs and a handful of foreign-based prospects.
Following several days of intensive training and assessment sessions, the coaching crew has narrowed the group down to 30 players.
Maikaba, who succeeded Aliyu Zubairu as head coach, is expected to further shape his squad before the team’s departure for Côte d’Ivoire, where Nigeria will seek to retain its regional crown and secure a place at the continental championship.
With preparations gathering momentum, expectations remain high that the seven-time African champions will once again assert their dominance in the WAFU B region and continue their rich tradition at youth level football.
