U20 AFCON: Flying Eagles need foreign-based players in four positions for starting XI

Flying Eagles head coach Ladan Bosso is keen to have a very strong team to prosecute the 2023 CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

The Flying Eagles will campaign in Group A of the tournament where they will face Egypt, Mozambique and Senegal.

Several foreign-based players have been invited to join the team's training camp.

While it is certain that not all the foreign legion will make the squad, it's imperative to pick the right players who would add quality and competitiveness to what Bosso has had thus far. 

The team won the WAFU Zone B tournament to  qualify for the AFCON with homegrown talents  but not all the players that had prosecuted the WAFU tournament would make the final 21-man squad. 

An entirely home-based team is also not expected to constitute 100% of the team. 

So in the light of this, allnigeriasoccer.com here presents the four positions in the team that needs to be occupied by first choice players comprising of foreign-based stars in the starting lineup. 

Definitely, players from Europe are expected to be more than four but our article highlights the starting eleven. 

What Will The European-based players offer? 

Some of them may not have begun their careers in the Nigeria domestic league but they have been trained by some world class coaches and at world class facilities. 

They will bring a measure of professionalism and technical ability to the team. 

What they may be lacking is understanding the Nigerian culture which in the senior team, the likes of William Troost-Ekong and Leon Balogun for instance, have surmounted. 

In addition to skills, Nigerian nay African football is known for power and defensive solidity. 

It has a thing to do with the Nigerian resilience and spirit. 

However upfront, the Eagles will need the technical brilliance of forward players who have had their games improved at some of the best clubs in the world. 

The three attacking positions comprising of the two wingers plus the striker who possess skills and pace would suffice. 

The creative midfield position is another that needs a clever player to be entrusted with. 

In recent times, the Nigeria Premier Football League have failed to produce generational talents like Austin Okocha, Etim Esin, Nwankwo Kanu and Henry Nwosu who held the fans spellbound. 

The creative positions could be best suited for the incoming players from Europe at the U-20 AFCON. 

This may be slightly different in the senior setup albeit our best players at the moment like Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, etc are based abroad. 
  

Izuchukwu Michael
 

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