Head coach of the Nigeria U20 team Ladan Bosso says his team can only be mentioned in the same breath as the 2005 U20 team of Nigeria if they are able to win the U20 World Cup, which gets underway on the 20th of May in Argentina.
Bosso’s team are already in Argentina putting their tactics together ahead of their opening group game against Dominican Republic on the 21st of May. They will round up their group games with games against Italy and Brazil respectively.
Speaking to OGN, the Niger state born coach was asked if he believe his team can go one step further than the 2005 set led by coach Samson Siasia, Bosso said it is their aim at the tournament but it’s a one step at a time starting from the group stages.
” You see we have targets for ourselves and it has been a case of so far so good. When we went to WAFU, the idea was to pick a ticket to the AFCON. At the AFCON our immediate goal was to pick a ticket for the World Cup. That again we achieved”, he told OwnGoalNigeria.com.
” Now at the World Cup, we are working on our first group game and the next one will follow. We want to get out of the group first then we take it from there. But I will make it clear that if we want to be better than the 2005 team then we have to win the tournament. It’s part of our target but not the immediate for now”, he said.
When asked if he thinks the team’s attack which was their achilles heel at the AFCON is better down, the coach said it’s an exaggeration to lament their attack as they scored eight goals in six games at the AFCON but assured that it’s a better attack now.
” That issue was over flogged to be honest with you. Look at it we scored eight goals in six games. Conceded two in return giving us one of the best goal difference in the tournament. But that said we have new and better options now. The midfield wasn’t that effective at the AFCON. We have a better one now”, he stated.
Mohammed Mowiz
