Former Junior International, Femi Opabunmi, has called on the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) to implement robust plans for the preparation of national teams ahead of tournaments.
Speaking with Brila.net, Opabunmi emphasized the importance of early and extensive camping to ensure the team performs well on the continent and globally.
“We played a lot of friendly games. We camped in Ibadan, in Abraka, in Kaduna. For you to see a long process, more than 6 months in camp. It goes a long way. We even played a friendly match in Mali,” Opabunmi recalled.
He stressed that thorough preparation is crucial for success, noting the benefits of extended camps and numerous friendly matches.
Opabunmi highlighted his own experience, stating that long preparation periods significantly contributed to their achievements.
“Good preparation goes a long way, it helps the team to perform at a high level,” the former.forward stated.
“When we went to the U-17 Nations Cup, we were the first set to win it. We went to Trinidad and Tobago, and we came second in the World Cup. When they are in camp for a long time, it helps a lot. With a short period of time, they would not understand themselves a lot,” he added.
The Golden Eaglets will not participate in the forthcoming FIFA Under-17 World Cup which they have won five times.
