Nigeria U21 Volleyball Coach, Elam Elishama says Nigeria can lift the 2018 U21 Men’s African Nations Volleyball Championship in the light of the preparations the association is putting in place, National Daily learnt.
The 17th edition of the U21 Championship will take place in Abuja from 10th to 20thSeptember, 2018.
Elishama expressed the optimism during the team’s training in Kaduna on Friday.
He said the U21 team were focused and ready not just to win the trophy but qualify for world championship next year.
The Army officer said that the country was well positioned now after it had overcome the challenges of selecting players for the championship.
“We are very well prepared for the Nations Cup. The spirit of the boys is high and ready to do the country proud. My target is to qualify for world championship and not only to qualify but to win”.
He said, “14 players will wear the green white green for the championship. I have already submitted my final 14 names to the appropriate authority waiting for the list to be make public later”.
“For the fact the North Africans played good volleyball especially Egypt and Tunisia, they cannot intimidate me as far as this championship is concern because we are well ready for the battle of Abuja”.
He commended the Nigeria Volleyball Federation, Engineer Musa Nimrod for his unflinching support to the players on and off the court.
According to him, the volleyball boss makes sure that the federation meets all its needs during the build up for the Nations Cup.
Elishama Elam will be assisted by Denis Eleri and Anthony Torbundeh in the coaching department for the U21 Men’s African Nations Volleyball Championship .