U-17WC: Oliseh counsels, prays for Golden Eaglets

Erstwhile Super Eagles captain, Sunday Oliseh proved yet again why he
was regarded as a born leader when he strolled into the Golden Eaglets locker room to counsel and pray for the budding youngsters after their 2-0 over Uruguay on Saturday in Sharjah.

Speaking against the team’s impressive performance at the FIFA U-17
World Cup UAE 2013, Oliseh who is on the Technical Study Group (TSG)
said the players deserve commendation but warned them against
complacency.

“Working with FIFA, you have made me very proud because of your
playing style and overall conduct in this competition,” began Oliseh
who cried like a baby when Super Eagles finished runner-up when
Ghana-Nigeria co-hosted the 2000 African cup of Nations.”But be that
as it may, I don’t want you to start counting because nobody remembers the team that comes second next day except the champions.”

Oliseh said the Golden Eaglets should not regard themselves as
favourite yet to lift the trophy despite playing some of the best
matches at this championship.

Noted the former Ajax and Juventus midfielder:” You don’t start
counting until the battle is won and I want you to learn from a team
like Brazil who are already out of the competition because they
started counting before the job was done.”

The two-time World Cup star further warned the players against
complacency even as he charged them to pay attention to instruction
from ‘the most competent Under-17 coaching crew.’

” In my village, we were told that you cannot be dancing and look at
your buttocks,” Oliseh said philosophically.” What that means is that
you need to listen to your coaches because they are the ones that can
look at your back while you on the pitch playing.”

He later offered prayers asking God to bless their bidding careers as well as all efforts towards the team’s success at the FIFA U-17 World Cup UAE 2013.