Manu Garba has backed Flying Coach, Ladan Bosso against critics who term his 40-man list of invited for camping ahead of next year’s U20 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt as bogus.
Responding to varying comments on popular WhatsApp platform, World of Legends in the wake of the announcement of the list on Saturday, Garba, a renowned and highly successful age-grade coach, gave his expert opinion, which went over well with most members of the group.
“Forty players isn’t too much. It will give room for competition among the old players and the new invitees,” stated the 56-year-old who won the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2013 and the African U-20 Championship in 2015.
Bosso, in a release on the official website of the Nigeria Football Federation, announced a 40-man list of five goalkeepers, nine defenders, 13 midfielders, and 13 forwards, who are expected to commence camp on Monday, November 28 at Serob Legacy Hotel in Wuye, Abuja.
The seven-time African champions triumphed at the WAFU B U20 Championship held in Niger Republic in the month of May and thus qualified to represent the zone at the 2023 Africa U20 Cup of Nations, which will be staged in Egypt from February 18 through March 12.
All four semifinalists at the U20 AFCON will fly Africa’s flag at next year’s FIFA U20 World Cup finals, which will be held in Indonesia.