Icon4s:


Of course you know the exceptional ones were nt released by their clubs while the others(majority) are still trying to put themselves together career-wise.

A lot of them are still U20 which makes them elligle to play in the next WYC and 2020 Olympics.

A player like Awoniyi for me is nt ready for the level of competition has been made to go through( I have been saying this all along).

The truth is same goes to a lot of that U17 set. MRI made sure there was little or no age cheating. Alot of them are still kids. 90% of those guys playing U23 would have failed the MRI had it been it works for 23yrs olds.U understand what I mean.

My opinion is Awoniyi should b sent to d U20 camp. At that level he will compete more favorably, contribute more and would also develop his skills more. Same goes for Chidera Ezeh and Musa Yahaya.
Zaharadeen Bello was at the CAF U23 bt was dropped after that first game against Mali. Nothing has been heard of him ever since. He too should go compete for position with d current crop of U20 defenders.

I need nt also tell u what Ifeanyi Mathew can bring to d U20 team. The thing is Amuneke would need to know how best to combine him and K. Nwakali in d same team, for though they play similar position bt in contrasting styles.

I personally believe in career progression. Not all players' development are rapid. Some exceptional ones like Iheanacho and Success have already started making waves while some others are enjoying some loan spells and expecting some thing good at d end of it.

Some of that U17 class are even no where to b found! Eg where are Edwin Okon and Chigozie Obasi?

Okon i know recently got married.

Napoleon55:
It's a shame none of the players that won us U-17 world cup three years ago will be representing us in an U-23 football event.
In '96,a similar scenario presented itself and we were able to present for about five players from the all conquering '93 U-17 set for the Olympics.

This year,players like Musa Mohamed,Success and even Iheanacho ought have been the main players representing us,if proper negotiation were been carried out.
How about Ifeanyi Mathew and Musa yahaya that no negotiation was needed.
At least,Yahaya could play from the wings which there was no natural winger on the list.

Napoleon55:
It's a shame none of the players that won us U-17 world cup three years ago will be representing us in an U-23 football event.
In '96,a similar scenario presented itself and we were able to present for about five players from the all conquering '93 U-17 set for the Olympics.

This year,players like Musa Mohamed,Success and even Iheanacho ought have been the main players representing us,if proper negotiation were been carried out.
How about Ifeanyi Mathew and Musa yahaya that no negotiation was needed.
At least,Yahaya could play from the wings which there was no natural winger on the list.

Icon4s:


Of course you know the exceptional ones were nt released by their clubs while the others(majority) are still trying to put themselves together career-wise.

A lot of them are still U20 which makes them elligle to play in the next WYC and 2020 Olympics.

A player like Awoniyi for me is nt ready for the level of competition has been made to go through( I have been saying this all along).

The truth is same goes to a lot of that U17 set. MRI made sure there was little or no age cheating. Alot of them are still kids. 90% of those guys playing U23 would have failed the MRI had it been it works for 23yrs olds.U understand what I mean.

My opinion is Awoniyi should b sent to d U20 camp. At that level he will compete more favorably, contribute more and would also develop his skills more. Same goes for Chidera Ezeh and Musa Yahaya.
Zaharadeen Bello was at the CAF U23 bt was dropped after that first game against Mali. Nothing has been heard of him ever since. He too should go compete for position with d current crop of U20 defenders.

I need nt also tell u what Ifeanyi Mathew can bring to d U20 team. The thing is Amuneke would need to know how best to combine him and K. Nwakali in d same team, for though they play similar position bt in contrasting styles.

I personally believe in career progression. Not all players' development are rapid. Some exceptional ones like Iheanacho and Success have already started making waves while some others are enjoying some loan spells and expecting some thing good at d end of it.

Some of that U17 class are even no where to b found! Eg where are Edwin Okon and Chigozie Obasi?

Okon i know recently got married.

adrainuche:


Lol we are talking of mikel not Paul pogba !! I just feel mikel will disgrace us this tournament these are u23 fast, athletic the last time we took Osaze u saw how good he was ... I really doubt Nigeria if going to reach the final ... next I really want to see d next generation of super eagles I would love to see ndidi, mikel should rest left to me anyways Siasia ish !!!

Daninya11:
I think this is one of the Unbalanced team Nigeria will ever parade at the Olympics..

Why waste one of the 3 slot for Overage players??. Is Emmanuel Daniel not good enough?? The guy heroic performance at the U23 nations cup was top notch. why should Siasia hand over the baton to Daniel Akpeyi??. He should have gone for Carl Ikeme.

Why would Siasia go to the tournament with 3 left full backs??.

Aside Mikel in midfield, the other midfielders are below average.

The arrows chosen to Pierce the heart of Opponents are looking as if they can't bite..


I hope Siasia will not look for a Scape goat to be blame if he fails to clinch the trophy..


We will fare well in the tournament.

terzurum5:
[b][size=14pt]
Rio Bound Besiktas Target Aminu Umar Lifts Team To Europa League Victory With Hat Trick
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[img]http://owngoalnigeria.com/2016/07/21/rio-bound-besiktas-target-aminu-umar-lifts-team-to-europa-league-victory-with-hat-trick/[/img]
Aminu Umar celebrated his inclusion in Nigeria’s final squad for the Olympics in Rio with a hattrick in Osmanlispor 5-0 victory over Zimbru in the 2nd qualifying round of the Europa League.


Umar who has four caps for the Nigeria senior national team struck his first goals via the spot in the 16th minute before adding another in ten minutes later to give them a 2-0 lead going into the half time break.


The forward who is still being heavily courted by Turkish league Champions Besiktas earned himself the match ball five minutes after the break with his third goal to put his team 3-0 up with less than an hour played.


Erdal Kilicaslan increased the tally for the Turks with a 4th before Raul Rusescu rounded up the comprehensive victory over the Moldovans with a 5th to give them a 5-0 win, confirming their passage to the next round on a 7-2 aggregate score.


Since moving to Europe in the 2013/2014 season from Nigeria Premier League side Wikki Tourist, this is the first time he is scoring a hattrick in his professional career ironically it is also his first taste of European continental football.
owngoalnigeria.com/2016/07/21/rio-bound-besiktas-target-aminu-umar-lifts-team-to-europa-league-victory-with-hat-trick/
[/b]

terzurum5:
[b][size=14pt]
Chuba Akpom Dad Reveals Iwobi CANNOT Influence His Son To Play For Nigeria
[/size]

Arsenal striker Chuba Akpom is not close to committing his international future to Nigeria, contrary to speculations in the local media that he might be invited for the World Cup qualifiers.


Teammate and very close pal Alex Iwobi became permanently cap-tied to Nigeria when he made his competitive debut against Egypt in an African Nations Cup qualifier back in March.


But Chuba’s dad Azu Akpom has stressed that the decision will not influence his son’s choice to play for England rather than the Super Eagles, adding that he wants to tie down a regular place in Arsenal’s first team.


“Alex’s decision may not sway Chuba, as in football every player finds his path eventually, you can’t say what applies to one will apply to the other, ” said Azu Akpom to papilonews.com.


“Right now, Chuba is only focused on establishing himself at Arsenal.


“After that, and at the right time he will decide which of the national teams he feels more comfortable to play for.”


Born in London 20 years ago, Chuba Akpom has caps for England U16s, U17s, U19s, U20s and U21s .

Ifeanyi Emmanuel
www.allnigeriasoccer.com/read_news.php?nid=19839
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terzurum5:
[b][size=14pt]
Nigerians react to Dalung’s statement on Siasia’s team
[/size]
By Patrick Omorodion

Nigerians were shocked when news broke out that the national U-23 football team preparing for the Rio Olympics were threatened over lack of fund to cater for their stay in the US where they had gone to train for the Olympics.


Following the cash crunch being suffered by the Nigeria Football Federation, a friend of the team, we gathered, offered to foot the bill of their stay there for a few days until their money is sent to them.


Rather than ask questions about the team’s predicament, the Youth and Sports minister, Barrister Solomon Dalung denied knowledge of the team’s trip to the US, stressing that if anything happens to them, he would not be held responsible. As if that was not shocking enough, he went on to accuse the team officials of engaging in human trafficking.


“I don’t know about the trip to the US and if they are suffering that is the business of those who sponsored them, not my business,” he had said.


This statement has incurred for the minister the ire of football stakeholders, some of who condemned him in their reactions on the social media. Adekunle Salami put his own words this way in his column last week:


The Minister of Sport Solomon Dalung is good enough for a role in the Nigerian movies industry, Nollywood. I wonder what actors like Desmond Elliot, Ramsey Nouah, Chidi Mokeme, Olu Jacobs, Mike Ezunronye, Richard Mofe-Damijo are doing that Dalung cannot do or even better.


From the very beginning, Dalung did not strike me as somebody ready to move sports forward. He came in talking about how he was cheated of his estacode at Mali 2002 Nations Cup where he claimed he was given about $2,000 instead of over $6,000.
After investigations, it was revealed that the highest ranking government official at the competition did not get more than $3,500. One wonders what Dalung was talking about.. .


This minister no doubt is bad news to Nigerian sports. He seems not to have studied the books on his table.. .The minister however shocked the world also on Tuesday with his reaction on the predicament of the national U-23 team currently preparing for the Olympic Games football even in Atlanta, USA.


Dalung said whatever happens to the team was not his business. “I don’t know about the trip to the US and if they are suffering that is the business of those who sponsored them not my business,” he said.


That was very reckless and absurd. The Nigeria Football Federation even despite its internal issues went as far as sending the U-23 team on tour and rather than commend the football body, the minister publicly condemned the federation.


Dalung should simply resign or tell Mr President to assign him to another ministry. He is not worthy of leading Team Nigeria to Rio Olympics. He knows nothing and he is not ready to learn. It is a SHAME.


Hereunder are some of the excerpts from the postings on social media when I commented on Salami’s column:


Temisan Okomi
If the NOC is in charge of athletes, isn’t the NFF in charge of football/footballers? Why is he ‘giving’ athletics “autonomy” but meddling in football? Does he know something the rest of us don’t?


Tonnie OkparaPat O If only our sports journalists can be as open and voice out the real truth and even unearth issue like you do, honestly, things would have taken shape in our sports
Patrick Omorodion Ben on this matter o, I don’t support Dalung.


Yakmut said he left some money, over N640m from the N2.9 billion PMB approved and released for the All Africa Games and Olympics preparation. Dalung ordered some money out of that to be released to the NFF, then Yakmut was removed as DG. And suddenly, the minister is telling Nigerians that Yakmut didn’t give him account on the N2.9 billion. Haba, is he talking to kids? PMB should call Dalung to explain the whereabouts of the money.


Yakmut is available for questioning, why has Dalung not invited him? Dalung is hiding something and we must unearth the truth. We owe Nigerians this....

Read more here;-www.vanguardngr.com/2016/07/nigerians-react-dalungs-statement-siasias-team/

[/b]

safarigirl:
cc kaboninc, so that when we that know how all these government ministries work are talking, you won't come here and tell us about procedures.

TheGoodJoe:
Former Brazil superstar Ronaldo is a fan, saying: “I’m betting on two talents, they’re still developing but have a lot of quality.

"Gabriel Barbosa of Santos and Gabriel Jesus of Palmeiras are very young talents and haven’t even turned 20."

Manchester City secures Gabriel Jesus, (New Ronaldinho) and he is coming with Gabriel Barbosa to the Olympics.

Sad our young attacking talents will not compete with these promising footballers.

enomakos:
is gabriel jesus and gabriel fernando the same person?

TheGoodJoe:
Gabriel Fernando de Jesus. Yes.