Akinjide Idowu (C) of Nigeria and his team-mates celebrate their victory with the trophy during the FIFA World Cup UAE 2013 Final between Nigeria and Mexico at Mohamed Bin Zayed Stadium on November 8, 2013 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo FIFA)
Golden Eaglets coach, Manu Garba (MFR) has dedicated Nigeria’s fourth record FIFA Under-17 World Cup victory to both President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Hajiya Babita Garba after the team’s 3-0 thrashing of Mexico on Friday in Abu Dhabi.
Away from the battery of cameras and in the hallowed corridors of Al Jazira’s dressing room in Abu Dhabi, Garba said both President Jonathan and his jewel of inestimable value more than anybody deserved praises for the feat he achieved with his team.
He recalled it was only President Jonathan that hosted the team upon their team’s return from the African U-17 Championship where they came second.
”This trophy is for President Goodluck Jonathan who had a strong belief in us despite the fact that we came second at the African championship,” he said, adding, “We were really fired up when he hosted us after the African Championship and we are looking forward to meeting Mr. President again with the World Cup trophy.”
Garba described President Jonathan as a very lucky man after the Golden Eaglets followed the footsteps of the Super Eagles for winning a major trophy in 2013. The senior national team started the year with a glorious outing at the AFCON in South Africa and the Golden Eaglets World Cup win is more than an icing on the cake as 2013 drags to an end.
He revealed that the first person he called immediately after the final whistle of the match that saw his young guns dethrone Mexico was his wife.
“In fact, for the past four months I was not able to see my wife because of the nature of this job and I’m so happy that all the efforts we put into this work was not in vain,” he said, adding,
“I want to use this opportunity to thank my wife so much for taking care of the home front.”
He also heaped praises on both Senator Liyel Imoke, Governor of Cross River State and Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, His Excellency Ibrahim Auwalu who rode on the team’s bus in company of the NFF President, Alhaji Aminu Maigari for a dinner reception hosted by Nigeria’s Embassy in the UAE.
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