Emmanuel Babayaro has stated that players from the Nigeria U-20 side, may find it hard to adjust in the senior team.
This week, Alampasu Dele Sunday, Bernard Bulbwa, Taiwo Awoniyi, Mustapha Abdullahi and Musa Mohammed, were all called up by Samson Siasia ahead of the crucial All African Games qualifier against Zambia.
Babayaro said that for the transition to be smooth, the same pattern of football must be played at all levels.
“Integrating [the Flying Eagles] into the senior national team will be very difficult. For instance, the Nigeria U20 team plays total football and should they get to the Super Eagles, they will find it very difficult to adapt because the senior national side plays a completely different pattern,” Babayaro told Goal.
“In view of this, there has to be streamlining and harmonization of the technical crew of our national teams; the U17, U20 and U23 to play a style that conforms with the way the senior national team plays.”
The former Nigeria international, also went ahead to explain how this will impact the growth of Nigeria’s football.
“With this in mind, the technical department of the Nigeria Football Federation and the head coach of the senior national team will come out with a unique pattern. We used to have a style and I remember under Westerhof, we had a system of play,” he added.
“The implication of this is that all national teams cadre will play likewise so that when they are coming up, it is easy to integrate.
“Manu Garba’s lads will definitely progress to the senior national team because they are youngsters but the problem would be that they will be exposed to an unusual playing system when they get there and it will be hard for them to give their best.
“The players we had in the past did not progress because they were old men playing age grade competitions at their peak, and that is why after six months or at most one year, they disappear. I don’t expect these ones to go that way because they are much younger and have many more years to give to the game.”
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