Izuchukwu OkosiFormer Golden Eaglets head coach, Manu Garba is upbeat that goalkeeping bowlers will not undermine Nigeria’s CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations campaign in Egypt, Prime Business Africa reports.
The seven-time African champions will be hoping to pick one of Africa’s four slots in the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Indonesia this May.
The continent will be represented at the tournament by the semifinalists.
Garba, who led the U-17 side to a historic title in the U-17 World Cup in 2013 spoke to the media on the performances of Flying Eagles goalkeeper, Nathaniel Nwosu in the tune-up friendlies played so far by the team.
The U-20 Eagles side coached by Bosso defeated Zambia 4-2 in a friendly game at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja.
READ ALSO: Flying Eagles Coach Unfazed By CAF U-20 AFCON Tough Draw
“We also noticed that,” Garba said in reference to the goalkeeping gaffe of the keeper as noticed in recent matches.
“I think the boy has problems with his grips. On several occasions, some harmless balls came and he could not grip the ball.
“I spoke to (Abiodun) Baruwa, the goalkeeping coach, to work on those mistakes and as a tall goalkeeper too there was a ball they gave to him that he controlled with his leg, he slowed down and the attacker almost won the ball from him.
Garba further added that Nwosu needs to improve on another key aspect of his game.
“He should be very quick too when it comes to distributing the ball with his legs too.
“Above all the greatest mistake from him today is his grips and I think the goalkeeper coach will do a great deal to work on those grips,” Garba stressed.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
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