Hayatou's Surprise Visit To The Golden Eagles Camp

Isa Hayatou (67), the President of the Confederation of the African Football, paid a surprise visit to the Golden Eaglets at the Intercontinental Hotel where they are camped for the ongoing FIFA under-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

He praised them for their high level skills and intelligence in the tournament which he said was lacking for quite some time now from African teams. The CAF president told the youngsters, that he was not surprised at their progress in the tournament, because he saw their performance at the CAF under 17 championship, this year in Morocco and was highly impressed.

 

Issa  Hayatou (President of CAF)

''You have displayed a high level of skills and intelligence in this tournament, that we have not seen in an African team for a long time.

''I am not surprised at your progress here, because I saw you at the CAN
U-17 championship in Morocco and I was highly impressed.''

''I am particularly excited with your performance against Uruguay, despite missing a number of injured players. I believe you are already in the final. The African football family is fully behind you,'' he said.

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Hayatou who was accompanied in the visit by the second vice president of CAF, Almamy Kabele Camara and the FIFA executive member, Mohammed Raouraoua, urged the young Nigerian players to forget that Nigeria has won the title thrice before and concentrate on writing their own names in gold, by winning the tournament a record four times.

''Yes, Nigeria has won the competition three times before but that was done by other players. Now, it is your opportunity to write your own names in gold. I believe you have the talent, intelligence and resilience to go all the way,'' he added.

After Hayatou's encouraging words the Nigerian Football Federation, president Aminu Maigari thanked him for his visit and assured him that the Eaglets are fully motivated and ready to do Africa proud.

''It is a huge honour to have the CAF president visit any team in the middle of a tournament, because of his very tight schedules. We are assuring you that our boys are able and ready to do the African continent proud,'' he said.

On his own part, the chief coach of the Golden Eaglets, Manu Garba, said that the boys whom he called ''great warriors of Africa'' is motivated by his visit and will not fail Africa at this stage of the soccer mundial.

''We will take our remaining challenges in the tournament one at a time, starting with the semi final against Sweden on Tuesday evening,'' he said.