ATTAH EXPLAINS LAGERBACK’S LAST 23
Monday, 31 May 2010 16:14 Written by BrilaFM

Reactions are blowing like wild fire over the official list of 23 players for the Super Eagles’ campaign at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

With the listed players named early Monday by Eagles’ coach, Lars Lagerback, varied opinion has met the exclusion of Akpan Bassey, Apam Onyekachi, Terna Suswan, Peter Utaka, Victor Anichebe, Ikechukwu Uche and Brown Ideye from the Nigerian squad to Nelson Mandela’s country.

However, Eagles team coordinator, Emmanuel Attah told brilafm.net during a live chat from London that a lot of factors were considered before Lars Lagerback arrived at his final hit list to the Mundial.

“The coach has given the reason and we understand what he wants. Ideye had visa problems and was given some tests in training but could not meet up.

“Victor Anichebe also had some training to confirm his fitness, but we saw that he is injured. The coach said we cannot take injured players to the World Cup.

“As for Ikechukwu, he is still rehabilitating,” said the chairman of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Football Association


okay now it ames sense but i still would have dropped john utaka at least suswan would contribute in right back utaka is just too useless to go to world cup











so no

Weak excuses, Is Mikel not also injured? why didn't he drop Mikel too since he's also injured? So he's trying to say Anichebe suddenly got injured after playing like a star against Saudi, a 25% fit I.k Uche is still better than John Utaka.


this coach is just pathetic to me, but then i won't blame him, who won't take Nigeria for mugu after being offered #30m naira per month just to come while away time (5 months?)

u r clutching at straws. all day you Amodu's cohorts been using Anichebe's injury as a weapon against Lagerback and now that a reasonable reason has been proffered you dont want to accept it just so that you will still have something to use against lars. mikel suffered a relatively mild injury which he has recovered from. Anichebe just got injured presumably during the camp. Mikel was certified fit before he left chelsea for camp and had been certified fit upon arrival in camp.

mr man, go sit down somewhere and stop quoting me abeg, i dont have time to debate with you, i am saying what i should say, so just let me be.

what i am saying is how i feel and no matter what you think, I'd still maintain that Largerback's appointment is a mere waste of money, if they knew he won't be using new faces, why then was he contracted in the first place?

anyways, whatever he can do, he should do, he's not to be blamed, he got a very easy offer with loads of money from fools called nff and some silly Nigerians who would never see anything good in their own things with loads of money, and he's got the right to jump at it which he did.

Wait a minute,

Is Mikel not injured?
Did he play in any of the friendlies?

Yet he was still picked.

How serious is Anichebe's injury? Should it even matter? He performs, yet he gets dumped?

FVCK DIS!!!!

Yall know if Victor Anichebe made the 23 man roster and could not play in any matches due to injury you guys will be angry at Lagerback

^ You are so right.

Injured or fit, does Anichebe really deserve to be in SA? Other than a 1st half cameo against Saudi, what else? We made this mistake in 2002 when Barthlomew Ogbeche was selected based on his performance against Paraguay and notably a bicycle kick that came off the post. We really dont know what to expect with Anichebe, he could turn up or otherwise and given his antecedent in Nigeria's colours, there's a high probability that he wont perform in SA.
Ike Uche's exclusion is what I dont agree with. Injured or fit that guy is always dangerous. He could dropped either Etuhu or Ayila for Ike Uche.

medjai:

Injured or fit, does Anichebe really deserve to be in SA? Other than a 1st half cameo against Saudi what else. We made this mistake against in 2002 when Barthlomew Ogbeche was selected based on his performance against Paraguay and notably a bicycle kick that came off the post. We really dont know what to expect with Anichebe, he could turn up or otherwise and given his antecedent in Nigeria's colours, there's a high probability that he wont perform in SA.
Ike Uche's exclusion is what I dont agree with. Injured or fit that guy is always dangerous. He could dropped either Etuhu or Ayila for Ike Uche.

Did you watch him in Olympics?

The injury for which Anichebe was dropped ended 4-6 months ago. Claiming it is cos of injury he was dropped is a weak excuse.

The boy is supposed to be in South Africa. There is no need carrying old men who can't run to SA. Yakubu has never turned up in Nigerian colours.

All of this don't matter anyway. So long as Osaze is the point man in SA I will be satisfied.

^^^ Anichebe at the Olympics, c'mon men. Nsofor, Odemwingie, Obasi and Kaita were the stars at the olympics. Anichebe played 3 or 4 games, most were as a sub and he scored a goal.
Prior to the Saudi game, Anichebe didnt have these much fans. He played well in that game but we have better options

I'm pissed Kanu and Utaka are going to the world cup. Half-fit Anichebe and I. Uche would have served us better. NFF definitely had an input in Lagerback final 23 -man list.

medjai:

Injured or fit, does Anichebe really deserve to be in SA? Other than a 1st half cameo against Saudi, what else? We made this mistake in 2002 when Barthlomew Ogbeche was selected based on his performance against Paraguay and notably a bicycle kick that came off the post. We really dont know what to expect with Anichebe, he could turn up or otherwise and given his antecedent in Nigeria's colours, there's a high probability that he wont perform in SA.
Ike Uche's exclusion is what I dont agree with. Injured or fit that guy is always dangerous. He could dropped either Etuhu or Ayila for Ike Uche.

But Ogbeche had no full international experience before that set of friendlies in 2002. Not to mention he was 17 years old at the time, while Anichebe is 22. Of course Ogbehe might have been faking his age, but that's irrelevant even if so.
He was playing in the French League for one season as well, whereas Anichebe has four Premiership seasons under his belt and had tournament experience with Nigeria in the 2008 Olympics. So Anichebe has more experience going into this World Cup than Ogbeche had going into Japan/Korea 2002. Not to mention he has more ability that Ogbeche.

OH, and that overhead kick by Ogbeche against Paraguay was saved  , it didn't hit the post.

^^^ anyways, Ogbeche's over head kick didnt score. I think the keeper tipped it over. Anichebe has been in Everton for 4 seasons but how many games has he played within these period? Has he broken into the Everton first team? Age doesnt really matter, Pele like Ogbeche was 17 when he made his worldcup debut. Before the Saudi game, who reckoned with Anichebe in the Eagles attack? He tried against Saudi but if he hadnt beaten that defender and taken that shot, this thread wont be up. My point is that people clamouring for Anichebe's inclusion are doing so because of they saw in the 1st half of the Saudi game. Is that enough to earn him a place at the mundial? Anichebe had not really proven himself enough to have made it to SA

medjai:

^^^ anyways, Ogbeche's over head kick didnt score. I think the keeper tipped it over. Anichebe has been in Everton for 4 seasons but how many games has he played within these period? Has he broken into the Everton first team? Age doesnt really matter, Pele like Ogbeche was 17 when he made his worldcup debut. Before the Saudi game, who reckoned with Anichebe in the Eagles attack? He tried against Saudi but if he hadnt beaten that defender and taken that shot, this thread wont be up. My point is that people clamouring for Anichebe's inclusion are doing so because of they saw in the 1st half of the Saudi game. Is that enough to earn him a place at the mundial? Anichebe had not really proven himself enough to have made it to SA

No, the keeper punched it out, the ball didn't go out of touch . Don't forget he's playing in the toughest league in the World, the French league is much easier for younger players breaking in. Regardless, age does play a role in this because he has more experience that Ogbeche, not to mention football is far more competitive now than it was around Pele's time. IMO He'd struggle he was to play in the present.

I don't know about the others but I always wanted Anichebe in the squad because he provides what the rest of our strikers aren't delivering right now. Same for Peter Utaka.

whoever is comparing mikel to anichebe is smoking rotten beer.mikel is very important to our SE and Chelsea,can you say same for anichebe
anichebe has osas,yak,k uche,nnsofor,utaka to fight against for the shirt while mikel just has basically etuhu since we all can see kaita really giving the right wing a fight and of the 5 attackers i mentioned,only 1 has WC experience(utaka)maybe yak too and of the 3 remaining,i would take them over anichebe anyday

@ blood_shed
Its like you were in the stadium when Nigeria played Paraguay or you have the video somewhere. I think you were awe struck by Ogbeche's over head kick. You remember it so clearly. I was still quite little when i watched it.
The thing with Anichebe is that you really dont know what to expect. He had not proven himself enough. Taking him would have been a gamble

Which injury are they talking about? Anichebe has been holding first team shirt at Everton for the past 4 months.

Until a link is dropped, i wont believe this

he has 2 take a gamble b/w d injured players and he choose mikel.

I was very impressed with what anichebe did against saudi too, but if he is injured then what can a coach do? A lot of us did not believe in him this much before the saudi game.

Some are even comparing mikel's injury with anichebe, forget all that talk. Even a coach as big as capello is prepared to take a half-fit gareth barry ahead of carrick.

Mikel at the moment is one of our biggest players in terms of experience in high-profile matches, and doctors from club and country have certfied him fit.

Another aspect we seem to be forgetting is the scores players get from their performance in training. Some of the players we feel are not good enough may have done excellently in training.

Ibime:

Which injury are they talking about? Anichebe has been holding first team shirt at Everton for the past 4 months.

I dont think so.

medjai:

@ blood_shed
Its like you were in the stadium when Nigeria played Paraguay or you have the video somewhere. I think you were awe struck by Ogbeche's over head kick. You remember it so clearly. I was still quite little when i watched it.
The thing with Anichebe is that you really dont know what to expect. He had not proven himself enough. Taking him would have been a gamble

LOL I WAS there. It was at Loftus Road (QPR's ground) in London.


But once again, taking Ogbeche with no experience was much more of a gamble than taking Anichebe who has proven himself enough in my opinion. Ever since coming back from injury he was playing regularly for Everton.

Why Kalu Uche and John Utaka were taken over him I'll never know. Disgusting!

And there are no other attacking midfielders besides maybe Lukman. They should play him as an attacking midfielder, we already have too many defensive midfielders. I'm almost inclined to say that even Emmanuel Ekpo and Ahmed Musa would have been better choices than Kalu Uche and John Utaka. I'm yet to see them play though.

wut has anichebe proven?
so playn in the u20 wc in holland, playing at the olympics aint ebuf experience ofe a 23yr old?
drop this obasi thing abeg!
anichebe hasnt done half of wut obasi has done at hoffenheim for everton!

tosinaded@:

wut has anichebe proven?
so playn in the u20 wc in holland, playing at the olympics aint ebuf experience ofe a 23yr old?
drop this obasi thing abeg!
anichebe hasnt done half of wut obasi has done at hoffenheim for everton!

Is this comment @me?

I'm happy Obasi is included, I just dont see why they like to play him as a winger, he's much more effective as a forward.
My point was that Obasi was given a chance in this squad and he's shown that he's capable. I also argued that he has more experience leading in to a World Cup than Bartholomew Ogbeche did ack in 2002. Ogbeche didnt have any full international experience leading to Korea/Japan. And Anichebe didn't play at U-20 level at all. He started at U-23.

my bad tut u meant ogbuke, didnt know it was ogbeche

tosinaded@:

my bad tut u meant ogbuke, didnt know it was ogbeche

Learn to read then init.

anichebe was injured in the Saudi match

safex101:

anichebe was injured in the Saudi match

yes, he got injured in the midnight, rats came to eat his toes

How I wish uche and anichebe could come out and say their own side of the story.

wat side of the story do you want to hear? how lagerback does not like Anichebe because he did not prostrate and greet "good monin sah"? or how NFF came and threatened to beat up Lars's swedish assistant if they did not drop Ike Uche? there is no story to be told

Kgdavid:

wat side of the story do you want to hear? how lagerback does not like Anichebe because he did not prostrate and greet "good monin sah"? or how NFF came and threatened to beat up Lars's swedish assistant if they did not drop Ike Uche? there is no story to be told

are u part of the NFF?

[size=18pt]Confusion over Anichebe injury[/size]
Last updated: 1st June 2010

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, Everton have taken issue with Nigeria over the omission of Victor Anichebe from their World Cup squad, claiming the striker's injury is not serious.

The club say he has only a bruised shin, not a cracked shin as initially reported.

Anichebe, 22, was one of the most notable omissions when Swedish boss Lars Lagerback named his final 23-man party.

It was assumed Anichebe, who was part of the Nigeria team that reached the Olympic final in 2008, had simply been overlooked.

However Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi, the chairman of the technical committee at the Nigerian Football Federation, reportedly told the Nigerian Tribune he was left out because of injury.

Everton are furious at what they see as misinformation while Anichebe is devastated at not making it to South Africa.

He was selected as the man of the match in the friendly against Saudi Arabia but did not feature against Colombia on Sunday in Nigeria's final warm-up match.

Ogunjobi also revealed Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel could play in the team's final warm-up friendly against North Korea on Friday after recovering from knee surgery.

"In the case of Mikel Obi, he is 100% fit but the coach decided to allow him enough rest," he said. "He may play in the last friendly match against North Korea."

Meanwhile, Nigeria's departure for South Africa has been delayed after problems with the plane that was due to take them from Stansted on Monday night.

Kgdavid:

wat side of the story do you want to hear? how lagerback does not like Anichebe because he did not prostrate and greet "good monin sah"? or how NFF came and threatened to beat up Lars's swedish assistant if they did not drop Ike Uche? there is no story to be told

see thinking

In the animal farm some animals are more equal than the other.

If Anichebe was playing in Barcelona, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Ac Milan, Chelsea, Arsenal or Man U he will be considered
like Mikel even if injured.