Ogunjobi told Goal.com that the country’s Under-17 team arrived Nigeria this morning and assured that the NFA would make sure that they begin earnest preparations ahead of the African championship, which also serves as qualification for the World Cup.

But the former NFA Secretary-General opened up that it was a difficult match in Morocco, adding that he was happy that the boys were composed throughout the match despite the antics of the North Africans in Sunday’s return leg.

Ogunjobi also said the boys coped well under the harsh weather of the North African country.

“You needed to see these boys on Sunday. Although they lost by a lone goal to their Moroccan counterparts they gave really good account of themselves even when the Moroccans tried to play some tricks in the match.

“Besides the antics of the Moroccans, the weather was very, very cold. These are boys who never played under such weather and I believe they learnt a lot in that game against Morocco,” he said.

The NFA board member, who was the head of delegation of the team to Morocco, also singled out the team’s coach, Deacon Yemi Tella, for doing such a good job on the players, adding that the players would make the country proud at the African Under-17 championship
next year.

“The coach has done really well with the team I must confess. We should all recognise that handling the age-grade teams especially the Under-17 is the most difficult job, because most of the players have little exposure in terms of playing outside the country and in front of large crowds. So the coach has done well and I believe that with what I saw on Sunday in Morocco that these boys will go places,” he said.

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