U-17: FIFA tasks Nigerians on successful fiesta

By Fidelis Ebu & John Egbokhan
The Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA), has backed Nigeria to host a successful Under-17 World Cup, which kicks off today, with two matches each in Abuja and Lagos.

Eaglets at a training session in Abuja

After several months of speculations regarding the suitability of hosting the tournament in Nigeria and the perceived poor preparations by the Local Organising Committee, FIFA Friday at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja, said challenges experienced by the host country were commonplace in other countries which had hosted similar tournaments in the past.

Speaking through two of its principal heads-Jack Warner, vice_President and Jerome Valcke, Secretary_General, FIFA thumbed up Nigeria for rising to the challenges of hosting such a tournament in the time frame given by the body.

Warner, whose office is saddled with the task of organising the Under_17 World Cup, said, “at this moment, we at FIFA can say that Nigeria is ready to host a successful Under 17 World Cup. Though some challenges were faced in putting up facilities in place, these challenges are not peculiar to Nigeria. Previous hosts of our tournaments experienced similar challenges but the bottom_line is that Nigeria has been overcoming these challenges.

“At this stage, we can only expect a successful tournament and it is the duty of Nigerians to rise up to the challenges, which they are doing and we expect them to continue doing things that would make these tournament a successful one”, added Warner, who when pressed to open up on the sort of challenges faced by Nigeria, said the following.

“In terms of challenges, we faced some, as should be expected when hosting such a tournament. But we have dealt with them. Nigeria has overcome these challenges and with a day to the start of the tournament, we know that Nigeria is up to finding solutions to them.”
Warner said that Nigeria should strive towards ensuring that the tournament ends on a perfect note because in his own words “I am not satisfied with what I have achieved because I know that I can still do more and that is what I expect from Nigeria. I am satisfied with what is on ground but Nigeria can achieve more

“FIFA cannot lower its standards and it was up to Nigeria to rise to the standards, which they did. In 1999, Nigeria hosted the Under_20 World Cup and I know that your country can do better this time around by working hard to put things together,” he added.

On his part, FIFA’s scribe, Jerome Valcke, said he was happy that in the face of the challenges that come with hosting the tournament that Nigeria was still able to pull things together, adding that it is now time for the country to further justify the decision of hosting by ensuring that the work of staging the 21-day event receives maximum attention.

“A few months ago, we were contemplating taking the tournament from Nigeria but your government rose up to the challenges and gave us guarantees and provided the facilities and generally responded to them. We all must work together to make this tournament a huge success and I think Nigeria has done well so far.

“If there had been complications with Nigeria’s preparations, we would not have been here. The fact that we are here means that this country is ready for the tournament and what is needed is for all to work together to make it worth the while, so that a legacy would have been built”, he said.