Uncertainties trial CHAN Eagles’ camp resumption with two-week to Tanzania clash

With 14 days to Nigeria versus Tanzania tie, the technical crew of Nigeria U23 team are in darkness as to when they will hit camp for the qualifying fixture against the East Africans on October 20, NigeriaFootball.ng understands.

The CHAN Eagles are expected to hit Tanzania on 17th October, 2022 ahead of the first leg of the Second Round qualifier. Surprisingly, as at 7th October, there is no sign of when the team will resume camping.

Two member of technical crew who spoke on condition of anonymity to Nigeria Football lamented how the team has been neglected and worried about the silence from the Nigeria Football Federation over preparations for the U23 AFCON qualifier which serves as Olympics qualifier.

“We have been neglected and are in the dark on whether or not we are going to play our match against Tanzania on 20th this month, one of the technical crew of the team lamented.

Corrobarating, the other said, “No one is talking to us regarding preparations for the important match. It is a trap set for us to fail automatically. It is the responsibility of the Secretary General of the NFF. He should know that the coaches need enough time to prepare the team before going into the field against Tanzania.”

Also speaking, a top official of the Ministry of Sports when our correspodence spoke with him stated that the federation has not contacted them over the match. He insisted that the team’s programme is strictly under the NFF.

“We are not aware of any match coming up between Nigeria and Tanzania because no one contacted the Ministry. The preparations and programme of the team is under the purview of NFF. Until they qualify for the Olympics, that is when the Ministry takes over the team from the NFF.”

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Football Federation failed to comment on the resumption date for the team when our correspodence spoke with the General Secretary, Sanusi Mohammed.

When he was asked about the resumption date, he said, “I am in a meeting and will call you back immediately after the meeting ends.” He said and quickly dropped the call.

All efforts to get back to him afterward proved abortive. The dates for the  second leg matches of the qualification dates is October 21–23 for the first leg and October 28–30, 2022 for the second leg matches.

The 2023 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations is the fourth edition of the Africa U-23 Cup of Nations, the quadrennial international age-restricted football championship organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for the men’s under-23 national teams of Africa. It will be hosted by Morocco in June 2023.