goldfish80:

It was a pleasure to read through your post. We obviously share the same vision. If only Caf and the Nf shared the same vision.
Sometimes I wonder what the job description of these Caf executive Committee members are. Many armchair analyst like us can do better job.

Caf should integrate an U21 tournament into their calendar, also an expansion of the Caf champions league is long overdue, maybe an alliance with a few Arabian gulf countries to have their teams play in the Caf champions league could prove to be a master stroke. This will attract larger followership of the tournament and more TV money to participating clubs.
The recent Chinese infiltration should be a food for thought to Africa. We must re-strategies. The Europeans have succeeded in developing a UEFA youth champions league while Africa still operates a half baked 8-team champions league,without an U19/U21 championship.

In my opinion, Issa Hayatou cannot take Africa to next level. The status quo will remain intact if he's still there.

goldfish80:

You obviously missed my point.
Yes, it makes sense to invite young players with the intention to expose them to international football and integrate those who are ready to the team.
My point is that, the so called young players need to buy a ticket to be considered for such invites.
Our national team is our pride. We can't have Junior who plays in the German amateur division for Hannover U19's to be invited for such expos. We are not in the mid 2000's where an Abbey George playing non-league football will be holding sway in our Super Eagles. The criteria should be that such player must have broken into his clubs first team to get such invite. Ovie Ejaria qualifies for such look in.

The u21 team as suggested by Icon4s is a good one but funny enough, the Nff is downsizing the number of national teams in their portfolio due to cash crunch.
Again, Caf should consider having an U21 championship like Europeans do. The game needs to develop further in Africa due to the world cup expansion.
It's innovative having CHAN championship but the U21/19 championships will go along way in shapping talents from our continent.

Further more, the Caf champions league and confederations cup format should be tweaked to meet the demands of the 21st century.
An 8 team, 2 groups format in the Caf champions league is laughable. It looks like an amateur league structure.
The Caf champions league format should be expanded to 16 team formate in a group of 4.

We need to do what is necessary to raise the game in Africa. The extra world cup slots should count to our advantage.

Icon4s:


You believe it is because he is a young player now. But I thought peeps here once said age does not matter.

All those "If you are good enough you are old enough" stuff.

goldfish80:

You obviously missed my point.
Yes, it makes sense to invite young players with the intention to expose them to international football and integrate those who are ready to the team.
My point is that, the so called young players need to buy a ticket to be considered for such invites.
Our national team is our pride. We can't have Junior who plays in the German amateur division for Hannover U19's to be invited for such expos. We are not in the mid 2000's where an Abbey George playing non-league football will be holding sway in our Super Eagles. The criteria should be that such player must have broken into his clubs first team to get such invite. Ovie Ejaria qualifies for such look in.

The u21 team as suggested by Icon4s is a good one but funny enough, the Nff is downsizing the number of national teams in their portfolio due to cash crunch.
Again, Caf should consider having an U21 championship like Europeans do. The game needs to develop further in Africa due to the world cup expansion.
It's innovative having CHAN championship but the U21/19 championships will go along way in shapping talents from our continent.

Further more, the Caf champions league and confederations cup format should be tweaked to meet the demands of the 21st century.
An 8 team, 2 groups format in the Caf champions league is laughable. It looks like an amateur league structure.
The Caf champions league format should be expanded to 16 team formate in a group of 4.

We need to do what is necessary to raise the game in Africa. The extra world cup slots should count to our advantage.

BascoVanVeli:


What game are we playing this month? Obviously we are not saying invite him right now without him playing a game in Germany but at least give him a chance if he proves himself in Germany.

Icon4s:


You believe it is because he is a young player now. But I thought peeps here once said age does not matter.

All those "If you are good enough you are old enough" stuff.

Icon4s:


You have said quite a lot from this post.

I so much agree with you on the issue of young players' invitation to the national team. It seemed I was alone on that argument for long but thank God other analysts are pointing it out. A player needs to break into his clubs first team first and play a couple of games from which the coach would assess him and decide whether he is worthy of a call up.

As for the U21 team proposal, the Europeans so much value this age grade competition. CAF can scrap the CHAN and replace it with the U21 competition and let the tourney be played at the end of the league season. The AYC can be made U19 and be played a year before the WYC. The U21 be played a year after the WYC with that there would be an easier progression into the U23.

What do you call it when Nigeria has won 5 U17 tourneys and yet we have only played in 2 U20 WC finals and not winning any. The transition from U17 to U20 is what is not there. But why is that we perform better at U23 than U20?- Another food for thought.

I have followed the game far well enough. I watched live the maiden edition of the U16/U17 world cup. I have over the years studied team selection for the U20 team two years after the U17. It was even U21 in the 80s and 90s. I think it became U20 from 1999 or there about.

Nigerian coaches have not gotten right at the U20 level. The only two coaches that got to the final-Samson Siasia and Tunde Disu understood the challenges/competition at that age grade. Look at the structure and composition of their teams.

I some time ago highlighted to this great house the failure of Chile '87. Shockingly Emmanuel Amuneke said he could not remember anything about that tourney. That tells a lot. Not because he was too young to remember (after all he was my senior in school by 4 years) but because he probably choose not to commit the event to memory. The selection of players for that U21 Tourney was the recipe for the catastrophe that followed. A group of boys played U16 in 1985. Two years after in 1987 they were playing U21. Mind you, a lot of those boys were 15 years in that 1985 it means they would be 17 in 1987. The oldest being 18yrs. I recall Thompson Oliha and Etim Esin were dratfted into Chile '87 squad but that was not enough. They were walloped 4-0 by Brazil, 2-0 by Italy and played 2-2 draw with Canada.

Tunde Disu took over the Flying Eagles in 1989. What he did was to select from the 1985 Eaglets who were 19 and 20 yrs old by then and the best of the 1987 Eaglets. He also added some players from the local league. That Flying Eagles squad in my opinion remains the best till date.

Players like : Nduka Ugbade, Jonathan Akpoborie, Taiwo Enegwea from the 1985 Eaglets. Dimeji Lawal, Philip Osondu, Christopher Nwosu, Bawa Abdulahi, Anthony Emeodofu and Peter Ogaba from the 1987 Eaglets. Others came from the local league: like Mutiu Adepoju (shooting star), Chris Ohenhen (Calabar Rovers), Samuel Elija (shooting stars), Tunde Charity (Bendel Insurance), Mike Onyemachara (First Bank), Jimoh Balogun (Julius Berger) among others including the goalies: Angus Ikechi and Emeka Amadi. Note that most of these boys were already professional players. A couple of the Eaglest graduates were already in European clubs. At least I recall Philip Osondu was in Anderlecht of Belgium. This was a matured U20 Team.

Looking at the Siasia's team of 2005. Kennedy Chinwo was the only player picked from the 2001 Eaglets because he was the only 15years old when the U17 tourney was played in 2001. The other were not eligible age-wise to play U20 in 2005. From the 2003 Eaglets: Isaac Promise, Chinedu Ogbuke-Obasi, John Obi Mikel, Solomon Okoronkwo, Kola Anubi and Ambrose Vanzekin. The other players came mostly from the local league: Taye Taiwo (Lobi stars), Onyekachi Apam (Enugu Rangers), Monday James (Bendel Insurance), Daddy Bazuaye (Bendel Insurance), Solomon Abwo (Enyimba), John Owoeri (Bendel Insurance), Sani Kaita (Kano Pillars), Dele Adeleye (shooting stars),Gift Atulewa (Bayelsa Utd) Olubayo Adefemi (Israel), Yinka Adedeji (Sweden) and Daniel Akpeyi (Gabros International). Those NPL boys, where no feeder team players. They were regulars in their team. I vividly recall a rampaging David Abwo during Enyimb's 2004/2005 CAF chmapions league campagne.

Manu Garba tried with his 2015 Flying Eagles. Firstly he called back the boys that failed the MRI. Players like: Wilfred Ndidi, Ifeanyi Mathew, Bernard Bulbwa, Ibrahim Alhassan, Abdul Mustapha( I always forget his name-the one u guys call picture boy). You could see the great input made by those boys. He also called Kingsley Sokari from the NPFL, Moses Simon from Gent and Enahoro-the goalie from MFM. However, majority of the team were still from his former 2013 U17 set up. By that time in 2015 majority of them were still academy players. Only Isaac Success, Wilfred Ndidi, Moses Simon and Kingsley Sokari professional players. The squad was largely lacking in experience compared to the Tunde Disu's 1989 and Samson Siasia's 2005 squads.

Peeps who can recall from the U20 thread would remember how I lamented this deficiency in Manu's U20 squad.

Looking at the Amuneke's U20 squad. Amuneke I feel did not recognize the level of competition he would face. The team was made up 90% of his 2015 U17 players. The team was too young and greatly lacking in experience just like what happened with the Chile '87 boys. Well, Amuneke said he could not remember what happened at Chile '87 so no lessons learnt.

I have always said it that the U20 is for young professional players. If you go and parade academy players there talents will fail them where experience is needed. The Amuneke's U20 were playing passing game on a flooded pitch in Lagos while the Sudanese boys were playing long balls. Victor Osimhen scored Sudan's winning goal that day.

We need to really take the U20 age grade level more seriously. Of late we seem to be underrating the competition at that level.

Icon4s:


You have said quite a lot from this post.

I so much agree with you on the issue of young players' invitation to the national team. It seemed I was alone on that argument for long but thank God other analysts are pointing it out. A player needs to break into his clubs first team first and play a couple of games from which the coach would assess him and decide whether he is worthy of a call up.

As for the U21 team proposal, the Europeans so much value this age grade competition. CAF can scrap the CHAN and replace it with the U21 competition and let the tourney be played at the end of the league season. The AYC can be made U19 and be played a year before the WYC. The U21 be played a year after the WYC with that there would be an easier progression into the U23.

What do you call it when Nigeria has won 5 U17 tourneys and yet we have only played in 2 U20 WC finals and not winning any. The transition from U17 to U20 is what is not there. But why is that we perform better at U23 than U20?- Another food for thought.

I have followed the game far well enough. I watched live the maiden edition of the U16/U17 world cup. I have over the years studied team selection for the U20 team two years after the U17. It was even U21 in the 80s and 90s. I think it became U20 from 1999 or there about.

Nigerian coaches have not gotten right at the U20 level. The only two coaches that got to the final-Samson Siasia and Tunde Disu understood the challenges/competition at that age grade. Look at the structure and composition of their teams.

I some time ago highlighted to this great house the failure of Chile '87. Shockingly Emmanuel Amuneke said he could not remember anything about that tourney. That tells a lot. Not because he was too young to remember (after all he was my senior in school by 4 years) but because he probably choose not to commit the event to memory. The selection of players for that U21 Tourney was the recipe for the catastrophe that followed. A group of boys played U16 in 1985. Two years after in 1987 they were playing U21. Mind you, a lot of those boys were 15 years in that 1985 it means they would be 17 in 1987. The oldest being 18yrs. I recall Thompson Oliha and Etim Esin were dratfted into Chile '87 squad but that was not enough. They were walloped 4-0 by Brazil, 2-0 by Italy and played 2-2 draw with Canada.

Tunde Disu took over the Flying Eagles in 1989. What he did was to select from the 1985 Eaglets who were 19 and 20 yrs old by then and the best of the 1987 Eaglets. He also added some players from the local league. That Flying Eagles squad in my opinion remains the best till date.

Players like : Nduka Ugbade, Jonathan Akpoborie, Taiwo Enegwea from the 1985 Eaglets. Dimeji Lawal, Philip Osondu, Christopher Nwosu, Bawa Abdulahi, Anthony Emeodofu and Peter Ogaba from the 1987 Eaglets. Others came from the local league: like Mutiu Adepoju (shooting star), Chris Ohenhen (Calabar Rovers), Samuel Elija (shooting stars), Tunde Charity (Bendel Insurance), Mike Onyemachara (First Bank), Jimoh Balogun (Julius Berger) among others including the goalies: Angus Ikechi and Emeka Amadi. Note that most of these boys were already professional players. A couple of the Eaglest graduates were already in European clubs. At least I recall Philip Osondu was in Anderlecht of Belgium. This was a matured U20 Team.

Looking at the Siasia's team of 2005. Kennedy Chinwo was the only player picked from the 2001 Eaglets because he was the only 15years old when the U17 tourney was played in 2001. The other were not eligible age-wise to play U20 in 2005. From the 2003 Eaglets: Isaac Promise, Chinedu Ogbuke-Obasi, John Obi Mikel, Solomon Okoronkwo, Kola Anubi and Ambrose Vanzekin. The other players came mostly from the local league: Taye Taiwo (Lobi stars), Onyekachi Apam (Enugu Rangers), Monday James (Bendel Insurance), Daddy Bazuaye (Bendel Insurance), Solomon Abwo (Enyimba), John Owoeri (Bendel Insurance), Sani Kaita (Kano Pillars), Dele Adeleye (shooting stars),Gift Atulewa (Bayelsa Utd) Olubayo Adefemi (Israel), Yinka Adedeji (Sweden) and Daniel Akpeyi (Gabros International). Those NPL boys, where no feeder team players. They were regulars in their team. I vividly recall a rampaging David Abwo during Enyimb's 2004/2005 CAF chmapions league campagne.

Manu Garba tried with his 2015 Flying Eagles. Firstly he called back the boys that failed the MRI. Players like: Wilfred Ndidi, Ifeanyi Mathew, Bernard Bulbwa, Ibrahim Alhassan, Abdul Mustapha( I always forget his name-the one u guys call picture boy). You could see the great input made by those boys. He also called Kingsley Sokari from the NPFL, Moses Simon from Gent and Enahoro-the goalie from MFM. However, majority of the team were still from his former 2013 U17 set up. By that time in 2015 majority of them were still academy players. Only Isaac Success, Wilfred Ndidi, Moses Simon and Kingsley Sokari professional players. The squad was largely lacking in experience compared to the Tunde Disu's 1989 and Samson Siasia's 2005 squads.

Peeps who can recall from the U20 thread would remember how I lamented this deficiency in Manu's U20 squad.

Looking at the Amuneke's U20 squad. Amuneke I feel did not recognize the level of competition he would face. The team was made up 90% of his 2015 U17 players. The team was too young and greatly lacking in experience just like what happened with the Chile '87 boys. Well, Amuneke said he could not remember what happened at Chile '87 so no lessons learnt.

I have always said it that the U20 is for young professional players. If you go and parade academy players there talents will fail them where experience is needed. The Amuneke's U20 were playing passing game on a flooded pitch in Lagos while the Sudanese boys were playing long balls. Victor Osimhen scored Sudan's winning goal that day.

We need to really take the U20 age grade level more seriously. Of late we seem to be underrating the competition at that level.

TheGoodJoe:


My own remains, if Rohr thinks there is a possibility of Osimhen doing better than some of the strikers in the Super Eagles squad, assess him closely. If he is better, give him his chance.

What is the use of rating players by their professional affiliation of an amateur teen is better.

Osimhen also showed promise in our Olympics team too.

tbaba1234:
Manchester City Legend Shaun Goater :

"Kelechi is a great young talent but Guardiola’s actions make it clear that he doesn’t believe he’s good enough."

BascoVanVeli:


I think its best to let them break into their teams starting lineup first, like Osimhen will have plenty of time to adjust an hopefully make his mark, march is a long time away if he breaks into wolfsburg there will be no excuses.

TheGoodJoe:


It is not a waste if we are hunting for quality. Rohr is not satisfied with the full back situation. It is a key ingredient of his attacking play. Rohr is not going to make a guess list. He will call up those who will come to camp after careful deliberation.

We spent money camping different full backs that did not convince Rohr. Will we call that wastage? No. It is a continuous process. If Fabian Senninger can become top quality, investing money in camping him can not become a waste because the aim is to keep making our team stronger.

komekn:


I seem to have to repeat myself, I have seen him and he is not senior team quality yet.

I don't care what Balogun supposedly said or what other journalists and Nike coaches have said who have obvious vested interest.

Until he can start playing for his team which in reality is probably lower than the English championship he should not be invited. You have to merit a call up not be called up by speculation without substantiation.

Across the premiership there are u number of Nigerian boys who are not featuring for thier club sides but have way more quality than he does. For instance Aina at Chelsea, even Iorfa at Wolves to name a few.

BascoVanVeli:


since when? We already told u that and u said no let him wait. If he is playing week in week out he would be proving himself.

TheGoodJoe:


I think it is best to pick the player when he is better than any of the squad members. Why should he not play or get invited, if he is better. That is the key word. Better.

TheGoodJoe:


That is the difference. You do not care about others opinions. Some others do. At the end, Rohr will take a close look and decide if Fabian is good enough.

As for Aina and Iorfa, are those not the same players making Shakara like Shakira for us? What do you want Rohr to do, wash their clothes?

We are interested in those who want to play for us.

BascoVanVeli:

I am not completely disagreeing with u on this but i just feel It is best to allow the player to earn his chance. Right now i would give the nod to the lad at Eupen. Osimhen is our Lebron James he could play now as u said but it would be best for him to know he earned a call by helping his club.

komekn:


I care about other opinions and I am not conceited to think my opinion is best.

However, just by sheer coincidence I actually watched the boy over three 90 minute full games live. Then analysed the three 90 minutes matches on video which I still have.

From that assessment I didn't see anything of outstanding quality, good player yes. Consider Burnley which is not the best of quality teams did not offer him a contract. Furthermore, scouts from other teams who were there did not consider him. On the other hand a Nigerian origin player who was on trial as a striker was then invited from those matches by Manchester United. That tells you that my opinion was not unique to myself.

TheGoodJoe:


Onyekuru is brilliant and sure looks quality. At the end, I am not crazy about where you play but pin pointing who is the better player.

If Rohr watches Onyekuru and feels he can add to the team. He is free to invite him and check if he is good to go. If Onyekuru is better than Ighalo or Ideye, we then work on blending him into the squad.

Osimhen has already trained in camp with Rohr. Rohr has watched him closely. Rohr has a direct contact in Wolfsburg who he trust and feels Osimhen is good.

Why wait for the German club to give Osimhen a chance?