Reports went viral recently that the result of the MRI which took place at the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) designated centers came out negative against some of the players Manu Garba has started training in Abuja for the WAFU B Under-17 championship.
But in an interview with NFF.com, Garba said those that the results screened out were the players their academies tried to lobby into the system despite failing an initial MRI test conducted at the level of the academies.
The 2017 under-17 World Cup winner stressed that his team is intact and the preparation for the WAFU B Under-17 championship which will take place in Ghana later this month has been going on smoothly.
“Let me clear the air on this matter. The genuine U17 players, according to their official document made available to the NFF and the MRI tests conducted by the football body are still in the camp preparing for the WAFU B U17 tournament,” Manu Garba said.
“When the camp opened last month, the very sincere football academies had to withdraw their players after the MRI tests they conducted showed that their players were in Grade 5. These players had to leave the camp immediately.”
He added, “Those who were not sincere and thought they could find a way through one way or the other have been exposed after the NFF conducted its own MRI a few days ago, and found the results earlier presented by their players before entering the camp did not tally with the requirements of the NFF. The NFF insists on players whose results are between Grade 1 – 4. Players in Grade 5 have been asked to leave the camp.
“The good news is that most of the players recorded good grades in their MRI results done at the NFF-approved medical centre, and the team is looking forward to a favourable outing at the WAFU B U17 tournament in Accra, Ghana.”
Manu Garba and his boys will commence their WAFU B Under-17 campaign against Burkina Faso on May 16. Note that the Nigerian team who have won the FIFA under-17 World Cup a record five times are current holders of the WAFU B Under-17 Championship.