The Nigeria U20 team failed to reach the final of the ongoing Africa U20 Cup of Nations in Egypt after losing 0-1 to Gambia in the semi final played on Monday.
However, the fact that they made it to the semis means qualification for the U20 World Cup, which will take place in Indonesia in May. Already head coach of the team Ladan Bosso has revealed that he will beef up the team before the tournament.
One of the players he will be looking to having in the team is Arsenal’s prospect Joel Ideho. The 19 year old who was born in the Netherlands was in the camp of the team and impressed the coach and his technical crew, but administrative issues plus a breakdown in communication made him lost out of a spot in the team for the AFCON.
Ideho trained twice with the team before it was discovered that he doesn’t have a Nigerian passport yet as he was born in the Netherlands but it is expected that he will be given one before the tournament starts in May. Bosso however assured the former Ajax prospect that he is very much in his plans for the World Cup.
He appears to have put that disappointment behind him and channel his energy to his development at club level. He has been one of their best players in the last few games for the U23s. So good is his form that he has now being added to the squad for the Europa League.
According to Jorge Bird, who covers the Arsenal’s youth team he could be in the squad for the game against Sporting Lisbon on Thursday with teams allowed to have an enlarged amount of players on the bench in the tournament.
Mohammed Mowiz