Coach John Obuh of Nigeria’s national Under-20 team, the Flying Eagles, has said being a coach in the country “is a very high-pressured job.’’
On Thursday in Istanbul, Turkey, Obuh steered his team to the Round of 16 of the ongoing 2013 FIFA Under-20 World Cup, after they pip Soutth Korea 1-0.
“The pressure on coaches in Nigeria is very, very high,’’ lamented Obuh after the Group B match at the Ali Sami Arena in Istanbul.
“We hope though that we will also be supported and given the confidence to do the job to the best of our ability.’’
Nigeria finished second in Group B with six points, a point behind group winner Portugal.
The country now awaits a knockout match on Tuesday in Istanbul against the runner-up in Group F, which has Croatia, Uzbekistan, Uruguay and New Zealand.
Two years ago, Obuh led the Flying Eagles to the quarterfinals of the tournament in Colombia.
The Nigeria Football Association (NFA) has tasked the team to win the tournament in Turkey.
Nigeria reached the final of the competition in 1989 and 2005.
Apart from Nigeria, three other teams – Ghana, Egypt and Mali – are representing Africa at the two-yearly age-grade competition.
