The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) has appointed Manu Garba as coach of the Under-17 male national team known as the Golden Eaglets.
The board of NFF confirmed Garba’s permanent appointment on Friday in a statement on its official website.
“The former Nigerian international will now immediately resume the role and take charge of the team’s preparations for next month’s WAFU B U-17 Championship, taking place in Ghana,” NFF said.
The NFF had initially thrown the coaching job of the Golden Eaglets open just like that of the Super Eagles.
This is not the first time that Garba would be placed in charge of the Golden Eaglets.
Garba led the Eaglets to win the FIFA U-17 World Cup for Nigeria in the United Arab Emirates in 2013.
That was Nigeria’s fourth triumph at that stage with the Golden Eaglets earlier winning in 1985, 1993 and 2007.
Emmanuel Amuneke who was Garba’s assistant in 2013 led the Eaglets to win Nigeria’s fifth U-17 World Cup in 2015.
Garba’s world-conquering squad in 2013 included some players who have gone on to become super stars in world football.
These are the likes of Kelechi Iheanacho, Taiwo Awoniyi, Isaac Success, Musa Mohammed, Chidiebere Nwakali and goalkeeper Dele Alampasu.
The 2013 squad had finished as runners-up at the African U-17 Championship in Morocco after a penalty shootout defeat by Cote d’Ivoire.
They, however, improved greatly to defeat Mexico 6-1 in their opening game of the 2013 U-17 World Cup.
They played out a 3-3 draw with Sweden and hammered Iraq 5-0 to register seven points in the group stage.
Nigeria walloped Iran 4-1 in the round of 16, defeated Uruguay 2-0 in the quarter-finals and spanked Sweden 3-0 in the semi-finals.
Garba’s boys met Mexico again in the final and beat the North Americans 3-0 to win the trophy.
