U-20s work out at Super Eagles home stadium
By Shaun Fuentes (TTFF)Trinidad and Tobago’s National Under 20 footballer’s had the opportunity to get close up on one of the famous Stadiums in Africa which some of Nigeria’s greatest footballers have graced over the years as they trained at the Abuja International Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.
After arriving here at 5am on Wednesday (12 midnight T&T time) for three more warm up matches ahead of the 2009 FIFA Under 20 World Championship in Egypt in September, skipper Leston Paul and his teammates worked out at the 60,000 all-seater fully covered stadium in Abuja which is the host venue all of Nigeria’s international matches including their World Cup encounter.
The likes of Nwankwo Kanu, Jay Jay Okocha, Rashidi Yekini, Emmanuel Amunike, Sunday Oliseh and Daniel Amokachi all graced the venue at various times during their international careers.
“It’s a great stadium,” said T&T captain Paul. “We’ve been to a lot of top stadiums on this tour but I think one is maybe the best. Knowing that this is where the Nigeria national team trains and plays it matches gives us a great feeling to know we are also training here and will also be playing on it later this week,” Paul added.
T&T will get the chance to play on the venue on three different dates. They are carded to play Nigeria’s National Under 20 team on May 12 as well as Niger Republic’s National Under 20 team two days earlier. There are options to either play Nigeria’s National Under 17s, a Professional club or another match up with the Under 20s on May 8. T&T were also carded to play Ghana but that African nation is unable to field a squad that is even up to half strength at this time.
Having visited United Arab Emirates and South Korea over the past couple weeks, the T&T contingent will now spend the next seven days on African soil. It is the first team a Trinidad and Tobago National Team will play on Nigerian soil in an international encounter leading up to a World Championship.
Nigeria’s LOC Project Manager and Association Assistant General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi was all to happy to welcome the junior “Soca Warriors”.
“We are really excited to have Trinidad and Tobago in Nigeria. We have been old friends and we hope this visit and friendly matches will further consolidate the already existing relationship,” Sanusi told TTFF Media as he looked at the T&T team train under relatively dry conditions with the temperature being just around 27 degrees.
Sanusi spoke too about Nigeria’s admiration and relationship with FIFA Vice President Jack Warner.
“We have always said that Jack Warner is a Nigerian also. He has shown a lot of understanding and liking for Nigeria and whatever Nigeria has to do for Jack Warner we will always be willing to do it,” Sanusi said. Nigeria are also preparing to host the 2009 FIFA Under 17 World Championship in October.
The entire T&T team is based at the Bolingo Hotel in Abuja with the exception of defender Akeem Adams who returned to Port of Spain on Wednesday because of College Exams commitments later this week.
