Flying Eagles’ goalkeeper trainer, Francis Ewulu, on Friday urged old and new players in the team to either “shape up or ship out.”
Ewulu gave the charge in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja, after the team thrashed FC Abuja, a Nigeria Nation-Wide League side 7-2 in a test match.
The match was played at the FIFA Goal Project pitch, located at the package `B’ of the National Stadium, Abuja.
Ewulu told NAN that the team was gradually improving on its performance as it continued to use test matches to perfect strategies for next month’s African Youth Championship qualifiers.
He said, “It is our duty to let them know that they have graduated from U-17 to U-20, where you have a different standard altogether.
“They must raise their game and know that it is tougher here in U-20; the psychological aspect of it we are also working on it, for them to understand that.
“The noticed the aspect of overconfidence. We have been talking to them to understand that the game of football should never bring overconfidence.’’
Ewulu added, “We are going to meet a tougher opposition in the African qualifiers and you know that it is always physical.
“So, we are trying to let them understand what they are going to see and that is why we are bringing them up toward that.’’
He noted that Benin Republic U-20 national team was chosen for their last international friendly match before their main game against Kenya or Tanzania, in the African qualifiers because of their physical strength.
“I think Benin is good and they play almost the same type of football with the Kenyans and the Tanzanians; they are physical.
“So, that is why we need to play Benin. I think it is a good choice and it will afford us the opportunity to see exactly what the game will look like,’’ Ewulu added.
NAN reports that the Flying Eagles are scheduled to face the winners of the first round of the AYC qualifier between Kenya and Tanzania ,which will be decided this weekend.
Both team played to a goalless draw in Kenya two weeks ago.
The AYC is scheduled to hold in Senegal in 2015. NAN
