Nigeria Content Online

After leading the
Falconets to a historic final against Germany, coach, Adat Egan, has
said he is satisfied by the performance of the U-20 women’s team.

In an interview
with NextSports, Egan said, “Of course, at least for leading the team
to the finals of the World Cup, and not in Africa; it wasn’t easy.

Nigeria beat
super-powers like America, Japan, South Korea which has been in the
sport for long. “I cannot say I am the best in this country as far as
coaching is concerned but it is just the grace of God. We are channels
that God has used to achieve this goal for Nigeria,” Mr Egan said.

In the finals
against Germany, Nigerians believed till the last minute that the
Falconets would equalise, and Egan revealed that the girls were ready
to die to honour their country. “Well, I don’t need to tell you
anything because it was a very big challenge. When we were talking to
them, the girls assured us that they will die. The goal came
unexpectedly because they lost concentration in those short seconds.
The girls tried their best and if they had utilized the chances we had,
the result would have been different but since it didn’t come, we take
it that the Lord knows best,” Egan explained.

The fittest team

The Falconets were
adjudged the fittest team in Germany and Egan said there was no secret
apart from hard work. “It is the determination and commitment of both
the girls and the technical crew because we took it up as a challenge
to return with a different result. ” All Egan’s words are regularly
peppered with the fact of God’s grace. After this success, he will like
to be involved in the continuous development of these girls but he has
to wait on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), who is his employer.
“Well, that is automatically in the hands of the NFF because I don’t
know their plans. They have plans already on ground set for the girls.
Certainly, some of those girls are going to be moved into the Super
Falcons for the soon-to-come competition. Without being told, some of
those girls must be in that team going to the African Women
Championship for us to be able to repeat what we have done in Germany.
Those are the things the NFF is trying to put in place so that there
will be a total graduation from one category to another. The plan is
promotion from where they are to a higher level.”

High discipline

The 2010 Falconets
displayed a high sense of technical and tactical maturity in their play
and never wavered from how they performed in Germany. Egan said
discipline comes naturally to him and he was able to inculcate that
into the team. “I am naturally a disciplinarian because I was brought
up in a disciplined home; it is a part of me and wherever I am, it is
part of my operational tool because it is important to know that
without discipline you cannot achieve anything. Without discipline, you
cannot meet up with the target your have set for yourself. They obeyed
instructions to the letter because they knew we had a lot at stake.”

The team left
Nigeria unheralded and came in as heroines but according to their
coach, just giving honour to the nation was enough motivation after the
threat of a complete football ban. “I thank him (Goodluck Jonathan) for
listening to the appeal by Nigerians from all walks of life, for having
the fear of God and I see our feat at the World Cup as a reward from
God for our President’s obedience to listen to the wishes of the
people.” Egan added that Patience Goodluck’s presence helped the team.
“Also, the presence of the First Lady in Germany did a lot to psyche up
the girls even when they were down; this encouraged both the girls and
the technical crew to do more.” Lastly, Egan wants more attention to be
paid to the female aspect of football in our country. “I strongly
believe that will change; I believe they will begin to give equal
consideration to female football. It is clear that the girls can no
longer be treated as second best; it is clear that with determination,
right environment, encouragement, right incentives, we can only imagine
where we will be. It will be disastrous if we go to sleep after this.
This is the right foundation to build on and I don’t think both the
government and the NFF will let that opportunity pass.