Nigeria claimed the U-17 World Cup in Korea for the 3rd time last weekend, after earlier wins in China (1985) and Japan (1993). They did it playing excellent soccer too, and for that much kudos to coach Yemi Tella and his well-drilled team. But, beyond the high of another win – and the players’ hopes of European contracts - what does that really mean for Nigerian soccer?
A friend actually got me thinking about this earlier in the week when he asked how come the Eaglets successes had not translated to better fortunes at senior level. Big question, that, and one I’ve pondered often over the years. I’ve heard many arguments too, the most common of which is that the alleged use of over-age players means that the boys are spent – too old – by the time they should be performing for the senior team.
Others blame the inevitable exodus to European clubs that makes it subsequently impossible to camp a team for several months, as we are wont to do with our U-17 teams. In fact, my friend wondered why, if we could raise a wholly home-based U-17 team to win the world cup, we couldn’t do the same at senior level. Now, that’s a thought.
Here’s what I think. There’s plenty to suggest that over-age players have often been used and there’s no question that moving abroad robs us of the easy camping logistics. But I don’t think that’s why our U-17 and U-20 successes have not translated to senior success. Frankly, I don’t think age-grade success is ever an indication of success at senior level. Just look at the evidence: Of all the past winners of the FIFA U-20 World Cup, only Argentina, Brazil and Germany have gone on to win at senior level, and only very rarely has any players been involved at both levels. Maradona (Argentina), Taffarel, Dunga, Bebeto (Brazil) – that’s the list of players who’ve won world cups at youth and senior level. Of course, when you consider that these major powers – all past World Cup winners before the advent of age-grade world cups – would probably have won the World Cup anyway, the value of their youth successes pales even further.
More starkly, consider what became of the other U-20 winners: USSR won in 1977 and the peak of their senior achievement was a European Championship final appearance in 1988; Yugoslavia, champions at Chile 87, did show promise at the World Cup in 1990 – reaching the last eight – but the subsequent Balkan split robbed us of a true evaluation of that team, even if Croatia did reach the World Cup semis in 1994 featuring some of the stars of that youth team. Portugal are perhaps the best example of the potential of a sound U-20 foundation, with the emergence of their “golden generation”, following consecutive World U-20 cup wins in ’89 and 91. But, despite giving us the likes of Luis Figo and Rui Costa, that side too ultimately under-achieved at senior level. Remember too, that Qatar were runners-up in 1981!
More recently, Argentina have won five of the last seven U-20 finals, playing great soccer and producing some of the best young talent in world soccer. Yet, the South Americans have not won a senior trophy in 14 years, and their last World Cup triumph was in 1986 when Maradona ruled the roost.
The evidence at U-17 level isn’t any more encouraging. Taking Brazil out of the picture, not one U-17 champion has repeated at U-20 level. Both Nigeria and Ghana have been beaten finalists at U-20 level years after being crowned at U-17 level; Argentina and Spain finished 3rd in 95 and 97 respectively, and then followed that with U-20 championship wins two years later. On the flip side, Saudi Arabia beat Scotland in the 1991 final, Guinea, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman have all finished third and Australia were runners-up in 1999.
Even with the players, standing out at youth level doesn’t ever guarantee a successful senior career. The truth is that nobody really knows how a sixteen year old is going to turn out. It all depends on attitude, character, clubs, coaches, luck, health etc. Remember the top scorer from the 1987 U-17 World Cup? I do. His name is Yuri Nikoforov, and he was a superb striker for the USSR team that beat Nigeria in that year’s final. He was good enough to play at U-20 level two years later and eventually made it to the senior Russia squad in the mid-90s. By then, of course, he had become a capable centre-back for Moscow club, Dynamo. From top-rated striker to central defender - who could have predicted that - yet he’s one of the lucky ones who made it all the way. Many others fall by the way side: James Will won the Golden Boot at Scotland 89, and then what?
Having said all that, age-grade soccer certainly has its merits, no more so than as a shop-window for clubs to view tomorrow’s potential stars. These championships also provide a valuable learning experience for young players on their way to the professional grade, and hopefully, to senior international prominence.
In this regard at least, Nigeria has not fared badly. Our Nations Cup winning squad of 1994 involved several players who had come through the age-grade ranks: Nduka Ugbade (U-17 85, U-20 87,89), Samson Siasia (U-20 83), Stephen Keshi (U-20 79), Willy Agbonavbare (U-20 83), Thompson Oliha (U-20 87), Mutiu Adepoju (U-20 89), Austin Okocha (U-20 93), Emmanuel Amuneke (U-23 91), Victor Ikpeba (U-17 89), Alloy Agu (U-20 85). And many more have been involved since then – think Nwankwo Kanu, Celestine Babayaro, Taribo West, Jonathan Akpoborie, Garba Lawal, Mobi Oparaku, Victor Agali, Yakub Ayegbeni, Julius Aghahowa and more recently, John Mikel Obi and Taiye Taiwo.
But curiously - and this is really interesting -we’ve also produced loads of players who never went through the age grade process. In fact, one could argue that the Super Eagles most successful years, between 1991 and 2000, was at a time when the core of the team was formed by players who had never been involved at age-grade international level. Goalkeeper Peter Rufai, defenders Uche Okechukwu, Chidi Nwanu, Ben Iroha, midfielders Sunday Oliseh and Finidi George and strikers Daniel Amokachi and Rashidi Yekini. Even today, a look at the current crop of Super Eagles regulars hardly shows a large number of age-grade graduates. Vincent Enyeama, Joseph Yobo, Danny Shittu, Chidi Odiah, Seyi Olofinjana, Yusuf Ayila, John Utaka, Osaze Odemwingie, Christian Obodo, and Obafemi Martins, all never played for Nigeria at U-17 or U-20 level. On the flip side, not one of the U-17 team that finished 2nd at the 2001 World Cup – six years ago – is even on the fringes of the senior team today. Makes you wonder how much value these teams really offer in terms of senior international success.
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