From going by fierce rivalries to enthralling younger gamers, Olowookere shares the secrets and programs in the support of the crew’s spectacular performances and unwavering motivation.
The road to the U-17 Ladies americans’s World Cup is never straightforward, but for Nigeria’s Flamingos, it has been a path marked by decision, self-discipline and a deep sense of pleasure.
Beneath the steering of Coach Bankole Olowookere, the crew has showcased resilience and brilliance in equal measure.
After a commanding 5-1 aggregate recover from arch-opponents South Africa, Olowookere sat down with PREMIUM TIMES to judge on the crew’s efficiency and what fuels their relentless force.
Breaking down the South African victory
When asked about the crew’s efficiency to date, Olowookere would possibly presumably no longer cloak his delight:
“Huge. Amazing, kudos to my girls. Kudos to them for a job neatly completed. It wasn’t that clear-nick after the preparation prior to South Africa.
“There was a lot of noise before South Africa. Firstly, it was not so easy for us, knowing the rivalry between Nigeria and South Africa. We went there, we got that done 3-1.”
The coach highlighted the crew’s level of curiosity and execution, namely in the decisive 2nd leg: “The girls responded to my instructions. What we wanted to do was to get a goal first, at least to increase the number of goals we got, and we did that in the first half. The second half became much easier for us.”
Keeping the fireplace burning: Motivation beyond the scoreline
Despite conserving a totally contented lead after the first leg, the Flamingos did no longer let their guard down. Olowookere printed the unfamiliar bond all over the squad that keeps them pushing forward:
“It’s a family thing. We call ourselves family. I’m the father, some of the ladies on my coaching crew are their mothers, all of them are my children. It’s just a family affair; we don’t want to lose, we want to move forward.”
For Olowookere, motivation runs deeper than tactics or pep talks. It be about instilling delight and motive:
“We resolve our occupation to count. Now we admire been to the World Cup two events, some of them admire been there once, the recent ones decide to be there.
“We’ve told them the story of how sweet the World Cup is, the excellent treatment we get there. It’s a way of psyching them up.”
A nation in the support of them
The coach also pointed out the mandatory role of exterior abet in pushing the crew to better heights:
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“Everybody played a role in getting to this level. The federation gave us backing; the afternoon before the game, the secretary and his entourage came in to motivate the girls. Seeing the crowd there — we could not afford to disappoint Nigeria.”
The Flamingos’ success is about extra than excellent-looking out winning video games; it’s about representing a nation. Olowookere made it definite that every match is any other to uplift Nigeria and get a legacy:
“Imagine the people at home, Nigerians all over the world. We decided to make it count for Nigeria. We decided to make Nigeria proud of us.”
Constructing needs and careers
Past the instantaneous goal of qualifying for the World Cup, Olowookere understands the broader impression of these moments on his gamers’ futures:
“At least for me, it’s a moral boost to my career as well. Very important to me because I asked them to play for me so that my career can still move forward.”
His vision extends to his gamers’ lengthy-term command:
“It’s a profile that I’m building, and for some of them, too. In the near future, some of them can feature in the U20 and the Super Falcons, playing professional football and becoming superstars. That’s what I encourage them to do.”
Coach Bankole Olowookere and his Flamingos admire no longer excellent-looking out chased qualification; they’ve embodied resilience, unity, and delight.
As they edge nearer to any other World Cup, their story is one in every of needs, dedication, and a burning want to get Nigeria proud.
