How to Break Into Nigeria U17 National Team Camp Through The "Back Door"

I guess the title of this post is funny: "Break into Nigeria U17 National team camp through the back door."
I'm just laughing!
Come on, if you break into Nigeria U17 national team camp through the back door, then you're a thief! And if you get caught you will face the music. So don't get ideas into your head. I am not  in any way suggesting you undertake any clandestine move or engage in any sharpe practices. Remember, big brother EFCC is watching...
 That's on a lighter note.

But seriously, you can legitimately or legally get into Nigeria U17 national camp, through the back door and even go ahead to break into the first team, if you're that good.

But the question is, why enter through the back door, why not through the front door?
The answer is obvious, there are lots and lots of players trying to get in through the main gate.
Lets be sincere, we know how difficult it is to get into Eaglets camp.

It is arguable if Open screening is the easiest way to get into the camp. Tens of thousand players come for the open screening, and hardly do anyone of them get enough playing time. So, usually a lot of good players are thrown away with the bad waters, because they are not given a enough time to show case what they've got.

Only players invited from some of the well known academies, or those recommended by some "strong connections" usually make the camp. Unless, of course, you are that kind of "shine -shine" player, who could easily showcase some futsal stunts that quickly get the coaches attention.

Well, not all the good players have the opportunity to be in Pepsi Academy, Kwara State football academy, Emmanuel Amunike football academy, Abuja football College... Good players from these popular academies usually get invited and properly tried out.

The thing is, once the first set of players are selected into the camp, it becomes a little difficult to get in...

 However, one thing you should know is this, the door of Eaglets camp never get completely shut, until the final list of players selected for Fifa U17 world cup is announced. The coaches are always looking out for that exceptional talent and better options to strengthen the team. But at this period, getting into the camp through the main gate may be so-so difficult. But you can get in through the back door!

How to Break into Eaglets Camp through the Back Door
Getting in through the back door means joining the players in camp through unusual means. One player we all know that got into the eaglets camp through the back door was Celestine Babayaro in 1993.

Celestine followed his elder brother Emmanuel, when the U17 just resumed and only few players has reported to camp. Emmanuel was one of the goalkeepers invited back to camp.

During the training session that evening, players were not complete and coach Fanny Amu beckon on Celestine to just make up the number of players on the otherside.

Celestine got onto the pitch with borrowed boot and rolled up trousers, but displaced such an exceptional defensive prowess... So much that coach Fanny Amu asked him to stay back. That was it. Celestine made the Eaglets team that won the 1993 Fifa U16 world cup and went on to sign for Chelsea in 1994.

Another player that comes to mind, who got into U17 camp through the back door was Victor Osimenhimen in 2015. Osimenhien play for Edo state academicals. The academical got to play a friendly match with Eaglets, where Osimenhien displayed so much attacking prowess  and went on to score a hatrick for the Edo academical. That was how Emmanuel Amunike, the coach of the U17 national team then, invited Osimenhien  to join the Eaglets team that also went on to win Fifa U17 world cup in 2015.

Today, smart academies do strategically arrange friendly or do I rather call it trial matches to showcase their players to the national team coaches.

We also saw 1995 Eaglets marred with scandals of how top players in Super Eagles then, smuggled their siblings into the U17 camp through the back door. Name them: Ogbonna Kanu, Kingsley Amunike, Sunday Babyaro, Azubuike Oliseh, Sunday Adepoju.... Well, it is still happening today, Super Eagles players, NFF Officials, top journalists, Senators, top politicians, army generals and popular business tycoons are still recommending players to Eaglets coaches through the back door.

Finally, one other way I found journalists use to get players into national team camp is media propaganda. Parents fund such advertorials for the child they want into the eaglets camp. A lot is written about the upcoming player in newspapers and other online sports channels... and the journalist incharge go ahead to let the Eaglets coaches see these write ups and persuade the chief coach to invite the player to camp.

In case you want to undertake such media exposure, you can contact us: +234(0)809 877 2556.