Flying Eagles head coach Aliyu Zubairu has admitted that his team remains a work in progress despite winning the 2024 WAFU B U-20 Championship in Lome, Togo, softfootball reports.
Nigeria successfully defended the regional title after defeating arch-rivals Ghana 2-1 in the final, but Zubairu believes there is still plenty of room for improvement ahead of bigger competitions.
Speaking during a meeting with members of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Kwara State Chapter, in Ilorin, the coach expressed concern over his team’s defensive performances throughout the tournament.
“I’m somewhat dissatisfied with our defence because we were conceding goals consistently,” Zubairu said. “This vulnerability cannot be overlooked on a bigger stage. We have to improve in that area if we want to compete successfully against stronger opponents.”
The coach also explained that his preparations for the tournament were far from ideal due to the limited time available after his appointment.
“I had just 37 days from my appointment to prepare for the WAFU B tournament,” he revealed. “We retained only three players from the previous squad, so we had to recruit new talents and build a competitive team within a very short period.”
Despite those challenges, Zubairu guided the Flying Eagles to another regional title, with the team showing resilience throughout the competition after recovering from an opening defeat to Burkina Faso to eventually lift the trophy.
The coach, however, insists the success in Togo is only the beginning and not a true reflection of the team’s full potential. He believes there is enough time to strengthen key areas, particularly in defence, as the Flying Eagles continue preparations for the 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations, where they will aim to compete for continental honours and secure qualification for the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
