As the 2024 WAFU B U-17 tournament approaches, Manu Garba, head coach of Nigeria’s U-17 national football team, the Golden Eaglets, has addressed concerns surrounding Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) tests within his camp.
Garba dismissed worries about the tests, providing clarity as the team gears up for the forthcoming tournament in Ghana.
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Earlier reports highlighted the challenges Garba faced in finalizing his squad, with MRI tests playing a pivotal role in the selection process.
An initial list of 51 players was reduced due to complications arising from these tests.
Garba, recently appointed as head coach, underscored the importance of players meeting the criteria for genuine U-17 status, as confirmed by official documents and MRI tests conducted by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
He affirmed that players with authentic U-17 status, backed by verified documents and satisfactory MRI test results, remain in the camp despite initial setbacks.
“The genuine U-17 players, according to their official documents made available to the NFF and the MRI tests conducted by the football body, are still in the camp preparing for the WAFU B U-17 tournament,” Garba clarified.
He also highlighted the NFF’s stringent requirements for MRI test results, emphasizing grades between Grade 1 to 4 as acceptable.
Players with Grade 5 results were asked to leave the camp. Garba noted that players who provided misleading MRI results upon entering the camp were detected and sent home.
Despite these hurdles, Garba expressed confidence in the team’s readiness for the tournament, noting that most players received favorable MRI grades at the NFF-approved medical center.
He affirmed the team’s determination to have a successful outing at the WAFU B U-17 tournament in Accra, Ghana.
The Golden Eaglets, five-time world champions and current WAFU B U-17 titleholders, will commence their title defense against Burkina Faso on May 16th.
In the lead-up to the tournament, the team has participated in nine friendly matches, winning six, drawing two, and suffering one defeat.
