Nairaland Forum

chucky234: Middlesbrough had a better team than current Liverpool spuad yet Suarez has scored more goals this season than what Desire manage in his entire Middlesbrough career.

you are not serious lol liverpool is a good team actually the level is just higher I mean others teams are great hence their struggle. EPL is not like la Liga

CAMEROONPRIDE: are you serious that's what you call extraordinary in Greece. Yes he was great in Portugal but not in Greece .
Patrick Mboma scored 48 goals in 79 games in Japan
With
28games and 25 goals for Gamba Osaka
23games and 13 goals for Tokyo verdy
Etc.....*lazy*
Italy 64games and 20 goals
France 83games 28goals.
Mboma played in better and harder championships with weak team. When yekini went in Portugal victoria setubal was the best team in the championship. And Portugal is a yeye league.
They are on the same level stop fronting.

Portugese league was rated far above the EPL from 56s to early 90s with benfica and FC Porto exploits in the Champions league.

J12:

Xavi is nothing more than an over-hyped Andrea Pirlo/Paul Scholes/Lampard/Gerrard.
Fùck those awards!

Did not want to log in but im sorry I had to after reading this

LOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLLL........HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Sagamite:
J12, you see why I opinions don't matter much?

Lol. He is a Cameroonian. He knows best about their football players

chic2pimp:

Did not want to log in but im sorry I had to after reading this

LOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLLL........HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Lampard, Scholes and Gerrard have more assists and goals than Xavi. Xavi plays in a good team, That's all

Jarus: That said, I don't fully agree with Saga's list. I agree with Top 3. I agree with 90% of the list, but not ranking. He underrated Kanu and JJ. Kanu should be in Top 10, and JJ not more than 13. It is not for nothing to be unanimously agreed as most skilful African player ever. All lists of Top 10 African footballers ever I have come across, even from Naija-rival media like RSA, have either Kanu or JJ in Top 10.

Well i think Abedi Pele would have a thing or two to say about that.

J12:

Lampard, Scholes and Gerrard have more assists and goals than Xavi. Xavi plays in a good team, That's all

When any of those three dominate a midfield like Xavi does then get back to me.
Xavi don't just play in a good team, he is the heartbeat of that team.

chic2pimp:

When any of those three dominate a midfield like Xavi does then get back to me.
Xavi don't just play in a good team, he is the heartbeat of that team.

They dominate a midfield in games, that's why they have a plethora of assists and goals. If Xavi was the heartbeat of his team, why do they have more assists and goals than Xavi?

J12:
They dominate a midfield in games, that's why they have a plethora of assists and goals. If Xavi was the heartbeat of his team, why do they have more assists and goals than Xavi?

What does goals and assists have to do with midfield dominance?

If they were that good how comes the three lions have never made past the quarters in any competition in a long while(even when they had the three of them as starters in Euro 2004)?

chic2pimp:

What does goals and assists have to do with midfield dominance?

If they were that good how comes the three lions have never made past the quarters in any competition in a long while(even when they had the three of them as starters in Euro 2004)?

England's failures in major International tournaments should be mostly blamed on the coaches and less on the players.
Argentina had the most powerful strikeforce in the 2010 worldcup but they flopped bitterly. That doesn't mean that messi, aguero, higuain, tevez and milito are big time flops. . . Does it?

Sagamite:

You will put Mboma over Etoo?

May Sango punish you! Yeye man.

J12, you see why I opinions don't matter much?

Negro shush!

Every Cameroonian would put Mboma over Eto.

Mboma is a leader of men. In his era, lions were truly indomitable and he scored hatfuls whilst Eto only scored one or two per tournament. And after he left, Eto did nothing and could not lead his men.


And I agree with those who say JayJay should not be in the list.

I am of the opinion Kanu should not be in the list either cos he is the only striker I know who went to 6 AFCON tournaments without scoring a goal (can't remember, maybe he scored 1 in his latter tournaments). Thats a disgraceful record!

The only 3 Nigerians deserving of the list in my era of watching footie are Yeking, Finidi and Oliseh.

As for those comparing Essien and Oliseh, khaki no be leather. Oliseh was the most technically accomplished central midfielder in his era in Africa. Wetin I carry my eye see whenever I went to watch Super eagles live which I did often, Oliseh always controlled the tempo of the game, never lost the ball and had a range of long and short passing beyond Okocha or any of his peers in Africa. He was peerless as a DM in Africa. Meanwhile Essien had many peers and superiors in his era, whether Yaya Toure, Momo Diarra, Ahmed Hassan, Aboutrika, Zokora, Appiah or Muntari and even Anthony Annan and Kwadwo Asamoah who always outperformed him for Ghana. So any ninja comparing Oliseh to Essien should stop it. Oliseh was PEERLESS on the African scene. Name one defensive central midfielder in the 1990s you can compare to Oliseh. I can put 7 or 8 names next to Essien.

Afam4eva: What did Finidi George do for the super eagles that other players did not do? Same with Segun Odegbami.

Is the list in order of how great the players were?

Did you just ask that question about the world's former best 7?

Ibime:

Negro shush!

Every Cameroonian would put Mboma over Eto.

Mboma is a leader of men. In his era, lions were truly indomitable and he scored hatfuls whilst Eto only scored one or two per tournament. And after he left, Eto did nothing and could not lead his men.


And I agree with those who say JayJay should not be in the list.

I am of the opinion Kanu should not be in the list either cos he is the only striker I know who went to 6 AFCON tournaments without scoring a goal (can't remember, maybe he scored 1 in his latter tournaments). Thats a disgraceful record!

The only 3 Nigerians deserving of the list in my era of watching footie are Yeking, Finidi and Oliseh.

I agree mboma should be on the list, Also JayJay has no business there

Mboma is not really a number 9 his a support striker yekini is a number 9. Essien to okocha, I like essien hustle and bussle but to be honest his not on jj Okocha level in terms of talent. You should compare okocha to abedi pele and not essien, I would still take jj even over abedi. A player like George wean scored only 16goals to win wpoy award, that can never happen in today football even scoring 33 would not win you wpoy, George wean was good but his year there weren't reallly many competitor. Overall is not a bad list my top 10 will be something like

FXKing2012:
....your signature: thank God you are not God cos the world would not have even existed if u were God.

Stay on the topic my dear @Sagamite. Besides, your signature, I don't see so much GREATNESS in your conduct thus far.

J12:
Xavi is nothing more than an over-hyped Andrea Pirlo/Paul Scholes/Lampard/Gerrard.
Fùck those awards!

If Lampard himself heard that statement from you, he would give you a slap on the face. Before you can say "what?", Scholes would slap you at the back of the head. As you turn to complain, Pirlo will kick you in the stomach. Before you even open your mouth to start begging for mercy, Gerrard will pick you up and body slam you.

J12:
Lol. He is a Cameroonian. He knows best about their football players

I think I have figured you out. You are the type to say completely anything just continue arguing.

You must be a joke to ever agree Mboma of the J-League is a greater player than Etoo.

CAMEROONPRIDE: are you serious that's what you call extraordinary in Greece. Yes he was great in Portugal but not in Greece .
Patrick Mboma scored 48 goals in 79 games in Japan
With
28games and 25 goals for Gamba Osaka
23games and 13 goals for Tokyo verdy
Etc.....*lazy*
Italy 64games and 20 goals
France 83games 28goals.
Mboma played in better and harder championships with weak team. When yekini went in Portugal victoria setubal was the best team in the championship. And Portugal is a yeye league.
They are on the same level stop fronting.

You either know nothing about football or you are too young.

Portugal was one of the top leagues in the early 90s. Even the Belgian League was prominent then.

J12:
They dominate a midfield in games, that's why they have a plethora of assists and goals. If Xavi was the heartbeat of his team, why do they have more assists and goals than Xavi?

Really? They dominate the midfield when they play against Xavi's team and they are not allowed to touch the ball and are used like training ground run-arounds volunteers?

Ibime:

Negro shush!

Every Cameroonian would put Mboma over Eto.

Mboma is a leader of men. In his era, lions were truly indomitable and he scored hatfuls whilst Eto only scored one or two per tournament. And after he left, Eto did nothing and could not lead his men.


And I agree with those who say JayJay should not be in the list.

I am of the opinion Kanu should not be in the list either cos he is the only striker I know who went to 6 AFCON tournaments without scoring a goal (can't remember, maybe he scored 1 in his latter tournaments). Thats a disgraceful record!

The only 3 Nigerians deserving of the list in my era of watching footie are Yeking, Finidi and Oliseh.

As for those comparing Essien and Oliseh, khaki no be leather. Oliseh was the most technically accomplished central midfielder in his era in Africa. Wetin I carry my eye see whenever I went to watch Super eagles live which I did often, Oliseh always controlled the tempo of the game, never lost the ball and had a range of long and short passing beyond Okocha or any of his peers in Africa. He was peerless as a DM in Africa. Meanwhile Essien had many peers and superiors in his era, whether Yaya Toure, Momo Diarra, Ahmed Hassan, Aboutrika, Zokora, Appiah or Muntari and even Anthony Annan and Kwadwo Asamoah who always outperformed him for Ghana. So any ninja comparing Oliseh to Essien should stop it. Oliseh was PEERLESS on the African scene. Name one defensive central midfielder in the 1990s you can compare to Oliseh. I can put 7 or 8 names next to Essien.

Oya, go back to your oil bunkering. When we open a thread for "the greatest African footballers for their national team" or "the greatest African footballers at the African Cup of Nations" come back.

12large1: Mboma is not really a number 9 his a support striker yekini is a number 9. Essien to okocha, I like essien hustle and bussle but to be honest his not on jj Okocha level in terms of talent. You should compare okocha to abedi pele and not essien, I would still take jj even over abedi. A player like George wean scored only 16goals to win wpoy award, that can never happen in today football even scoring 33 would not win you wpoy, George wean was good but his year there weren't reallly many competitor. Overall is not a bad list my top 10 will be something like

Jay Jay is a true Nigerian and most of you seem to be judging him like Nigeria: His potential.

He had the potential of being the best ever, he never achieved it.

Nightshift: Sagamite doesn't know about Emmanuel Okalla's quality either . He was very much like Thomas N'kono. Okalla can be compared to Germany's 'Titan' Oliver Khan as well. His generation didn't make it to Europe, but definitely belong to African's best .

If you ask me, I will say Okala is superior to Khan; maybe he can be compared to Sepp Maier.

In fairness though, I may be biased towards the ol skool.

Nightshift: I would have loved to leave Ernest Okonkwo to pass the judgment if he is alive, but Tolu Fatoyinbo would equally do. Those commentators saw these men in action over a dozen times . The sight of Okalla between the goal- posts terrified many strickers to hell, literally !

Correct, though on one occasion Roger Milla took advantage of Tonnere Kalala's policy of '10 men in our half and only Milla in Ranger's half' to score a goal in which he 'heighted' Okala (would you believe!) when almost all Rangers players had gone into the Camerounians' half hunting for goals.

I have been reading some of the arguments and it breaks my heart to see some of the truly great African players of the 1970s and 80s referred to as "local champions" because they did not play in Europe. In reality many of these greats were better than or comparable to their contemporaries in Europe.

It is important to be mindful of the circumstances at that time: in the first place, simply put, not many players went 'abroad' to play in a foreign league. Look even Pele did not play in Europe! He remained in Brazil, only going to America (I mean America! i.e. in footballing terms) at a very very late stage. What about all the other great Brazillians that never played outside Brazil?

Also, in those days while Europe and others had several teams in the World Cup Africa had just one (I think 2 by 1982?). And do you know one thing? In the 1982 World Cup the "local champions" from Africa i.e. Algeria beat West Germany ---- except that W Germany were only and merely European champions at the time.

And do you know how the Algerians were eliminated from that tournament? Only as a result of one of the most disgraceful oyinbo ojoro in World Cup history. Read this article called "The Day the World Wept for Algeria" http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/jun/13/1982-world-cup-algeria

Incidentally, that article brought up another name for me -- Merzekane Chabane!

Enigma: I have been reading some of the argumens and it breaks my heart to see some of the truly great African players of the 1970s and 80s referred to as "local champions" because they did not play in Europe. In reality many of these greats were better than or comparable to their contemporaries in Europe.

It is important to be mindful of the circumstances at that time: in the first place, simply put, not many players went 'abroad' to play in a foreign league. Look even Pele did not play in Europe! He remained in Brazil, only going to America (I mean America! i.e. in footballing terms) at a very very late stage. What about all the other great Brazillians that never played outside Brazil?

Also, in those days while Europe and others had several teams in the World Cup Africa had just one (I think 2 by 1982?). And do you know one thing? In the 1982 World Cup the "local champions" from Africa i.e. Algeria beat West Germany ---- except that W Germany were only and merely European champions at the time.

And do you know how the Algerians were eliminated from that tournament? Only as a result of one of the most disgraceful oyinbo ojoro in World Cup history. Read this article called "The Day the World Wept for ALgeria" http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/jun/13/1982-world-cup-algeria

Incidentally, that article brought up another name for me -- Merzekane Chabane!

When you hold on to such exceptional stories like this as if it is some gold, then it really contaminates your argument of parity.

I am sure West Germany would never refer to some victory over Mutabalalaland to provide proof of their competence. They have too much record of such, it is not worth mentioning. It is a nation/entity that normally feels inferior and is weaker that makes such statements.

I don't think Mike Tyson would remember or refer to any of the journeymen he knocked down, but I am sure any that ever put him on the floor would forever be boasting about it to his great-grand children.

It is all psychology.

^^^ If you say so. The fact is that the 'local champions' beat the European champions.

The performance of the 'local champions' and the oyinbo wayo that was used to eliminate them is what led to something that we now see today: that the final group matches in a group in major tournaments are played at the same time.

In that same tournament of 1982, the other local champions from Africa i.e. Cameroun did not lose a sigle match; they drew all their matches and were level with the other teams on points at the end of the group stage.

Let us even go back a little. In 1978 when Africa had only one team, the then 'local champions' from Tunisia beat the better fancied Mexico. News reports had it that some Mexicans committed suicide because their pride was dented that some 'local champions' from Africa beat their team.

Enigma: ^^^ If you say so. The fact is that the 'local champions' beat the European champions.

The performance of the 'local champions' and the oyinbo wayo that was used to eliminate them is what led to something that we now see today: that the final group matches in a group in major tournaments are played at the same time.

In that same tournament of 1982, the other local champions from Africa i.e. Cameroun did not lose a sigle match; they drew all their matches and were level with the other teams on points at the end of the group stage.

Let us even go back a little. In 1978 when Africa had only one team, the then 'local champions' from Tunisia beat the better fancied Mexico. News reports had it that some Mexicans committed suicide because their pride was dented that some 'local champions' from Africa beat their team.

Look, Zambia won last years Afcon with mostly home and African-based players. That does not convince me that Zambian league or African leagues are on par with EPL, La Liga, Bundesliga etc that players from other teams came from.

The logic just does not work for me.

To me, it just showed Algeria formulated a good team that played well or played their hearts out.

^^ But we are talking about players ----- not leagues!

And whatever league a person is playing in, if he is good he is good. Ti won ba nko iyan ninu ewe, eni ma yo a yo. Meaning: even if them serve several people pounded yam in inside leaves, some people go still belleful!

Enigma: ^^ But we are talking about players ----- not leagues!

And whatever league a person is playing in, if he is good he is good. Ti won ba nko iyan ninu ewe, eni ma yo a yo. Meaning: even if them serve several people pounded yam in inside leaves, some people go still belleful!

And what I am saying is that a team might win matches, that does not necessarily mean the players are exceptional.

I don't think the Zambian players are exceptional, neither do I think the players in the SA 1996 ANC win are exceptional. They played well as a team and with heart.

it is ok by me okocha should have come third

J12:

Lampard, Scholes and Gerrard have more assists and goals than Xavi. Xavi plays in a good team, That's all

Midfielders are not measured with goals

Lampard plays for himself

Gerrard plays for the camera or attention

Scholes is a poor-man's Xavi

I would still take jj even over abedi

REALLY!!!!!...... not in the same class

omar22:

Midfielders are not measured with goals

Lampard plays for himself

Gerrard plays for the camera or attention

Scholes is a poor-man's Xavi

lampard plays for himself,yet he has more assists than xavi.

solomon111: lampard plays for himself,yet he has more assists than xavi.

Lampard plays the game well, Xavi creates the game well.

J12:

The only time essien perfomed exceptionally against Barca was in 2009 semis and we didn't make it to the final. Our top perfomers against barca has always been Lampard, Drogba and Carvalho.

That said, I personally Essien is better than Oliseh. They have almost the same physical attributes - strong, filled with lots of stamina and energy, great tacklers, long range shooters, good midfielders. . . but Essien can play in AM and CM, while Oliseh is strictly a DM.

Oliseh could make long range passes, the Alonso type. recall that long range pass to yekini

CAMEROONPRIDE: I won't quote everything but you are disrespecting MBOMA ,thanks j12 for your support, Mboma is indeed a GOD in Cameroon.
2 Afcon(each time top scorer)
1olympic
And I don't see how yekini's stats are different abi for 4goals you crucify the guy?both played in yeye league. Find a place for MBOMA

This got me laughing sha. True talk though

solomon111: lampard plays for himself,yet he has more assists than xavi.

First and foremost Lampard plays in a more advance or forward role and Xavi plays from deep...

Now tell me how many Assist does Lampard have from open play? yeah he takes all the corners or freekick and when you have Drogba, Terry, Ivanovic, Ballack, Carvalho or Gallas who are powerful in the air why wont his assist stats go through the roof... Xavi can control the flow of the game.... Lampard is not bothered how the attack starts he want to be at the end of it..

chic2pimp:

Did not want to log in but im sorry I had to after reading this

LOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLLL........HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

She is a lady, so what do you expect! Just tolerate her, she is cute though