Amunike Says It's A Privilege To Coach Nigeria's U17 Team

Current Flying Eagles coach, Emmanuel Amunike, has disclosed that he was privileged to have been on the crew that won the FIFA U17 world cup for Nigeria back-to-back.

Amunike won the tournament for the country in Chile, after which he won it as an assistant coach in 2013 in the United Arab Emirates.

The former Eagles winger urged football agents and fans not to rush these budding talents, as they still need to grow before mounting pressure to play on the senior team on them.

"I'm grateful that I'm a part of this project which actually started in 2012 when Nigeria gave us the opportunity to serve them and we've been doing the best we can, even the Barcelona that we are talking about today have had their time of struggle in the past and at the end they were able to set a standard everybody admires, in African football, the game is changing and I think all the stakeholders, coaches, players, media, administrators all have their roles to play, and the truth is we must be bold enough to tell ourselves the truth, the game is changing, it's no longer about you know how to play, it's all about how intelligent you are, and if our players should have that intelligence I can assure you that the world cup in Qatar, we'll do something, that we will make an impact. I'm glad that we have young players coming up, and I think all we have to do is to encourage them, continue to guide them, we shouldn't rush them because we are in a country where we like to rush people, we must allow these young players to grow."

"Most of the players we played against at the U17 level will go back to their club, and continue their learning process and in the next four to five years, you will start seeing them, and I think these are the areas we should channel our thoughts, how can we be able to compete at the top level, football has gone beyond you know how to play, the more decisions he make to the advantage of the team and that's what we have to be telling our players."

I'm glad that we are coming out with a plan but from the media aspect, I think you guys have a role to play, we must be able and bold enough to tell our people the truth, we can only inform our people through your mediums, and the only thing we can tell them is the truth and we must tell them the truth."

"Ofcourse, sometimes, people will not buy the truth, but at the end of the day the truth will always be there. These are my believes and thoughts, and hopefully, we can categorically say these players are going to the world cup or any tournament to make us proud."

"I'm privileged to have trained these players, you know and I'm happy for them, I'm happy for them because they are making impacts for themselves and the country. Well, we can only talk of today, we don't know what tomorrow holds, but for as long as we are still alive, we'll continue to do the best we can, if the opportunity comes for me to train them in the future, of course that will be accepted, but for now, I have to focus on the job on ground."

"twenty years, I'm twenty years alive after the 1996 achievement, it was a good moment, a good memory, coming this summer in Brazil and we'll be having the privilege again to participate in the Olympics football, and I'm hoping we will do well in that tournament, I think it's a good think and I must say big thank you or big congratulation to those that came up with the initiative, we really thank them and importantly seeing our colleagues, people we've played together and against, having the privilege to show what we know how to do best, I think it's a good thing, and I thank God for that, for making it possible, and also to some of our colleagues who could not make it here, I pray that whatever is their situation, God should continue to strengthen every one of us individually, though we cannot play anymore, I still believe we all have a role to play in this country when it comes to the game because Nigerians want to know the truth and what we owe Nigerians is the truth, hopefully we'll continue to do what's best for the country."