Nigeria’s cadet women national team, Flamingos’ coach, Bankole Olowookere has added a philosophical angle to his aspirations for a ticket to the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, as he disclosed his burning desire to go back for ‘what he left behind’ at the last championship.
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Sports247 reports that Olowookere first led the Flamingos to a bronze medal finish at the 2022 edition in India, as they lost to Colombia via penalties in the semi-final, after defeating USA in the quarter-finals, but fell 2-0 to the Americans at the same stage last year.
Olowookere is now thinking of going one step further at this year’s edition in Morocco, but admitted that his side must first work hard to overcome the threat of Algeria in the last stage of the African qualifiers.
The Flamingos’ tactician said ahead of Saturday’s first leg at Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, “Every coach in my level should be a bit worried; especially when you look at the situation … in the sense that you have to be more focused.
You have to start plotting new strategies of how you can scale through to the next stage and then go to the World Cup.”
Bankole Olowookere equally admitted that he has to keep an eye on the second leg, which will be a decisive away fixture to decide which of the two teams go through to the Women’s Cadet Mundial, ahead of which he also disclosed that he is making different plans for each stage that his team progresses to.
He continued, “I plan ahead of each game. So, for these fixtures versus Algeria, I have a good plan, which I am following up with my technical crew.
We’ve watched their videos, we’ve seen a few things, and we try to work on ourselves as well. We have to work hard, so that we’ll be able to have a glorious day.”
The smooth-talking gaffer then spoke about the previous two experiences he and some players in his present squad enjoyed at the U17 Women’s World Cup, which he pointed to as a huge motivation for them all towards picking this year’s ticket.
“I’ve tasted the World Cup twice, and I want to see it for the third time by qualifying again. I have something that I left over at the World Cup, which I want to go back and take.
“I also tell all the players who are going there for the first time that they have to be there. Those who were there the last time, we all knew what they saw, and they want to go there again. They also want to do something for their careers.
“These are the motivating factors that are pushing us and everybody has agreed that, once we do the right things, we’ll get the right result,” Olowookere posited matter-of-factly.
