APA - Lagos (Nigeria) A member of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Stephen Gyebgon, says the federation is grooming the current U-13 players to represent Nigeria in the next edition of the FIFA U-17 World Cup tournament.

Gyebgon told journalists on Friday in Abuja that the move would ensure early preparation for the tournament, scheduled for Mexico in 2011.

``Our plan is to set out on time to assemble players to ensure that we have ample time to prepare them for the championship,’’ he said.

According to him, the move will further check the age controversy in the cadet championship.

Gyebgon said that the boys were already camping in Abuja since 2008 with the intention of nurturing them into skillful footballers to fit into the U-17 age requirement.

He said that more players would also be recruited from the academies across the country to form the new U-17 national team.

``We will even go to the school sports and the national sports festival to pick good materials.

``Wherever we identify any good player, we will give him a trial,’’ Gyebgon said.