IHF Men’s Junior Championships: coach urges early preparation
File photo of a handball game
Ahead of the 2019 International Handball Federation (IHF) Men’s Junior championships scheduled for July in Spain, Coach Fidelis Obi, has called on authorities to ensure early camping for the national team.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the U-20 national junior team picked the tournament ticket at the Nation’s Cup which served as qualifiers, held in Kigali and Morocco.
Obi who led the team to the victorious outing, told NAN that early camping had beome necessary for the coaching crew to sharpen the boys’ skills and do the needful.
“Our qualification for the tournament is one goal down, but a lot of work needs to be done to adequately prepare the team ahead because its a world class championships.
“What I am saying in essence is that there is the need for early camping of the national team to enable us have enough time to implement necessary build up programmes.
“The federation and sports authority must live up to expectations by providing the needed support that will help us to complete the victory we started at the Nation’s Cup,” he said.
He said the players were observing training in their various stations, but there was the need for them to come together early enough under the supervision of seasoned coaches in order to prepare as a team.
The coach added that the preparation would include friendly matches whereby the team would engage other nations as part of build up programmes, giving the coaching crew opportunity to access them.
“The boys are training day in day out and they even featured at the Prudent Energy League held in Abuja and Lagos but we must imbibe team spirit in them in the national camp.
“There will be a grade A friendly matche between our national team and other country’s national but most importantly with France to precede the competition coming up in July,” he added.
NAN reports that IHF Men’s Junior Championships is the official competition for men’s national handball teams of U-21 category, organised by IHF which takes place every two years. (NAN)