NFF approves MRI test for Golden Eaglets  

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) at the weekend approved the number of players selected by national U-17 coach, Manu Garba for the mandatory Magnetic Resonance Imagery (MRI) scan, which would be conducted on the Golden Eaglets ahead of the zonal qualifiers for the 2019 Africa U-17 Nations Cup scheduled for Tanzania.

The Eaglets are billed to begin their campaign in the qualifiers against Republic of Niger on September 2.

About 60 players will take part in the test to ascertain if they truly fall in the age bracket for next year’s championship and also whether they are fit enough for the hostilities.

Speaking with The Guardian yesterday, NFF Secretary General, Mohammed Sanusi said plans were concluded for the players to undergo the MRI test in few days from now as the federation is bent on following all the guidelines for assembling a formidable squad ahead of the African championship.

“All the logistics for the test have been put in place,” he said, while pleading that additional information on the issue should be sought from “the coach, who is in a better position to give you more details.”

Nigeria is in Group B of the Africa U-17 Nations Cup qualifying series alongside Burkina Faso, Benin Republic, Cote d’Ivoire and Niger Republic.

Qualifying for the Tanzania 2019 U-17 African Nations Cup will put the Golden Eaglets in the position to vie for one of Africa’s tickets to the FIFA U-17 World Cup.