Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets were knocked out of the WAFU B Under-17 Championship after a 1-1 draw with Côte d’Ivoire on Saturday. The team finished bottom of Group B. The result ends their chances of reaching next year’s Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) which also serves as a qualifier for the FIFA Under-17 World Cup. It is the fourth consecutive time Nigeria has failed to qualify for the tournament.
Head coach Eboboritse Uwejamomere acknowledged the disappointment saying fans ‘probably hate me right now’ but that such reactions were understandable given the expectations placed on Nigerian teams.
In an interview shared on Brila FM he asked supporters to forgive the team. He urged the players to learn from the setback describing the tournament as the start of their elite careers and a foundation for future improvement.
‘For the fans back home it is a bitter feeling. A lot of them probably hate me right now hate us right now but this is normal because they are fans and proud Nigerians’ he said in an interview shared on Brila Fm. ‘They expect us to win every game and every tournament. That is normal. If I were back home I would feel disappointed as well.
‘If there is anything I can say to them it is for them to forgive us. That is really it.’
The Eaglets struggled against both Niger and Côte d’Ivoire. Uwejamomere a Super Eagles video analyst was absent from the touchline during the matches because he does not hold a CAF coaching licence.
Despite the failed campaign Uwejamomere has reportedly been named assistant coach of the Nigeria U23 team according to SCORENigeria .
The squad is due to begin training camp ahead of a 2027 U23 AFCON qualifier against DR Congo next month.
SCORENigeria attributed the appointment to a ‘very powerful official’ at the Nigeria Sports Commission (NSC) who is also said to have been behind his original appointment as Golden Eaglets head coach. One source told the outlet ‘He is the Favoured One.’