Golden Eaglets Coaches In The Bad Books Of NFF Over Treatment Of Chelsea Starlet

Allnigeriasoccer.com understands that the Nigeria U17 coaches led by Manu Garba have incurred the wrath of Nigeria Football Federation President, Amaju Pinnick and Vice President Seyi Akinwunmi after they decided not to hand minutes to Adrian Akande at the 2019 U17 Africa Cup of Nations.

The Chelsea wonderkid is courted by the English Football Association and was called up to their U16 team for the recently concluded Montaigu Tournament but was advised by his father to reject the invitation.

Pinnick is believed to be in the possession of the winger's invitation letter sent by the English FA and also played a key role in the player rejecting the advances of his country of birth.

The Golden Eaglets coaches have not hidden the fact that Akande is talented and remains in contention for a World Cup roster spot and have explained that he was not fielded in the ceremonial third place playoff against Angola because he's number 21 in the pecking order of players taken to Tanzania.

They also said that they wanted to win the third place playoff to appease Nigerians, hence the need to play a strong squad in yesterday's game

Though Akande is being backed by Pinnick and Akinwunmi, Manu's godfather in the Nigerian Federation, Shehu Dikko, who is the chairman of the League Management Company Limited (LMC), was not in support of the player making the 21-man roster.

Dikko personally ran the rule over Akande at the FIFA Goal Project before the team's departure for Tanzania and wanted him to be replaced but was overridden by his superiors, Pinnick and Akinwunmi.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel