TheGoodJoe:


How Shehu played 90 minutes baffled me. Croatia was there for the taking but Rohr was too scared to make the right calls.

Even an amokachi will not lose to that poor Croatian side. Rohr has himself to blame but this is not the first time a german is ruining our national team. Even a Berti vogts could not take us beyond an afcon quarter final. For me am done with foreign coaches.

They lack good knowledge of our players and we are not realising this

Oga... See ehn... Understand something.

This has been the same clichéd argument for the local players. That they will play their lives out, spill blood on the pitch, and rather die on field defending the GWG better. Lol... But all that is just sentimental hogwash.

The local players cannot and will not give what they don't have. And what they don't have is the ability and mentality to cope and fare against top quality opposition on the biggest stage of the beautiful game. WE WILL BE SO ROASTED EHN... IN FACT, THE PASSION WILL MEAN NOTHING AGAIN, because passion without the requisite mentality to compete will only work to kill off that passion the more and make us look like fools.



The best way to go with the local lads thing is to improve our league and channel our focus on stepping up the quality. That way, our local lads can be trusted but right now, it is not even close. So it is not about belief in the local league my man, it is about the huge gap in quality... This is the FIFA World cup... The highest level of the beautiful game. And gathering a bunch of locals motivated to make names for themselves will not be enough I am afraid.

I know some may wanna refer to Iceland but Iceland have some players in top leagues too. And their league is possibly even better compared to ours.

Sheuns:


That's the problem we always have, we believe the local players can't do well in international tournaments cos we believe we have a poor league. Yes our league is poor but don't forget no one knows these guys, they'll play their life out just to impress the world and that'll make a difference. All the years we've been taking foreign based players what has been the result? They've not done any better. You can't keep doing one thing same way and expect a different result. That Lokosa you're shaming scored more goals than Ighalo last season. He was the top scorer of NPFL which we all know is hard to score goals in. Forget all the hype around the foreign based players they're useless and hardly get playing times in their clubs. Looking inward and local is our best bet, we'll get better players than those over fed ones abroad.

TheLoneCitizen:



Now listen to yourself, all fairweather followers, you've never stated Mikel a big waste before today. Define competition, a league that is not televised is more competitive than global leagues? Ask yourself.


180M. What would you say to USA who aren't in the tournament, China who had no chance, India who had no hope. They have citizens twice that of Nigeria. Not mentioning Indonesia or Pakistan, that shows shortsightedness on your part.


Look at Argentina going for an underperforming Higuain over a proven 30-goal Icardi. If you're a displaying imprudence on things everyone can see, how will you judge the hidden things, brother?

Those nations you mentioned don't parade themselves as a football nation remember. We always claim we are a footballing nation yet we never live up to the hype, maybe in the 90s we did. Forget all these crappy foreign players, they will never be of any good to us, BONE them and go local. As for Mikel I've never advocated for him as a good player, he's not GOOD and that's the pure truth. He might do better as a DM but as AM he's ERROR. Let's always learn to tell ourselves the truth. Our league is even much competitive than Chinese league the only lacking thing is adequate funding. Take it or leave it local players are out Best bet.

elyte89:





Una no don start,una no dey give up

Why should we? We lost to a team that is better than us by default. They are better than us position for position. We have two more games. Should we just bow out??

But he did create chances yesterday did he not?

He did press high up the pitch did he not?

He did match and even bested Modric at times did he not?

He did fall back a couple of times to even help bring out the ball from defence and build from the back did he not?

Mikel is still our creative hub alongside Iwobi... That is a fact.

The best option I expect anyone to tell me is to move Mikel to CM while Iwobi plays AM and we can have a true discussion because I am also (as an option) for a Ndidi-Mikel-Iwobi midfield against Iceland with Iheanacho and Moses up top.

We need to break down that Icelandic Juggernaut wall.

Sheuns:


Compare both 10s on the pitch yesterday. Fact is Mikel is a defender and not an Attacking Midfielder. He played most of his football as a DM in Chelsea, it's only here we see him as a Messiah.

Currently, the Icelanders are going into our game with gate crashing confidence as they drew with the Argies. On top of this, they'll literally have home advantage as THEY CURRENTLY HAVE WAY MORE SUPPORTERS THAN US IN RUSSIA. It'll feel like we're playing in Reykjavik. Our technical crew must take note of this.

Good Morning Fellas. Someone of us are just smiling on Nairaland, but seriously bitter in reality even while making the Posts.

Truth be told , Rohr is the Architect of his own downfall. You experimented the same Formation (4 - 2 - 3 -1), perhaps the same set of Players during the Pre-World Cup Matches and got no positive Results.

You switched to the Formation that got you a resounding Victory against Stars-studded but Messi-less Argentina Team in the 2nd Half of the Friendly Matches and the Team starred and fruitful.

The Question is; Didn't Rohr learn anything from the Friendlies?! Didn't he obviously know we ain't gonna be successful at the Mundial sticking to the 4 - 2 - 3 - 1 Formation?!

On several Occasions I suggested on this Thread that Mikel should form a Pivot with Ndidi as DMs in a 3 - 4 - 1 - 2 Formation, but Dudes keep saying Mikel is the most creative Player in the Team and Iwobi is better off on the Wing.

Guess our Eyes are clear now?! I've tried to get rid of the Pain, but it's still haunting me cos how can a Coach be so stubborn to do the necessary Changes the Team required?! You've seen it in the Friendlies, yet you failed to capitalize on it!

Mikel is a massive Failure playing as a No. 10 for the Team, also playing with a lone Striker won't help the Team to get the needed Results. It's not over for the Team - Iceland and the Argies are beatable if Rohr could get the Formation and the Lineup right.

Rohr should know he can't be rewarding his core Players at the detriment of football loving Nigerians, being loyal to some Players in the Team because they helped us to qualify for the World Cup. Keshi, Siasia were accused of feeding their Boys in the Lineup, ain't Rohr doing the same?!

I beg Rohr to please, bring back the Happiness to the Camp of Eagles Supporters across the World by doing the Needful; play the right Players in the right Positions in a 3 - 4 - 1 - 2 Formation, and we gonna be unstoppable.

-------------------- Uzoho ---------------------

------ Ekong ---- Balogun ------ Omeruo------

Tyrone ------- Ndidi ----- Mikel -------- Moses

--------------------- Iwobi ----------------------

---------- Iheanacho ----- Ighalo --------------

Hope ain't completely lost, if Rohr can summon the courage to jettison his Conservativism, Cowardice and plays the above Formation and Lineup we will make it to the next Round.

Oasis007:







Be a Man and keep to your Words Dude. You are tearing apart the Team now ba?! The same Team you believed they are good enough for the World Cup?!

Wawu!

He's having a field day instead of keeping to his word. I remember when another moniker (Eleniyan15 I guess) made the vow, ChrisKels was the only person on this thread who yabbed the guy and told him to keep to his word.

Now you too should do same . even your man elyte89 don call you out to keep to your vow

I don't want you to leave the thread but don't talk again like a man who keeps to his words because you didn't keep to your vow.

TheGoodJoe:
By the way I agree with Doctor Yazzy.

Hahahahahahahahaha.... Perfect timing to hit on pics posting now... Chaaaiiiii...

Remember how I was reserved and expressed my vote of no confidence when a hint of our starting line up yesterday was flashed. Rohr is so clueless for crying out loud. I pulled a statistics for you guys with the 3 5 2 where we average 1.3goals every 45mins and concede zero goal. But the white onigbinde doesn't know zilch. He played 4-3-3. Iwobi out wide. Shehu offered absolutely nothing going forward. Watch that game again and you notice the primary cause of the goals we conceded is shehu. Perisic had a field day. I pray Rohr doesn't play ebuehi in this tournament again. I really wish for him to be a world star but Rohr doesn't just fancy him. He should wait for for Holland call up.


We're back to our calculator days. Oh how I miss that. Let's solve some little algebra

If Croatia beats Argentina and we beat Iceland, it will be

Croatia - 6
Nigeria - 3
Argentina - 1
Iceland - 1

If Croatia draws Argentina and we beat Iceland, then

Croatia - 4
Nigeria - 3
Argentina - 2
Iceland - 1

If Croatia loses to Argentina and we beat Iceland, then

Argentina - 4
Nigeria - 3
Croatia - 3
Iceland - 1


Our qualification solely rests upon our shoulders. Beat Iceland then we have chance.


YES WE CAN


Rohr should get his tactics right. 3 5 2 with the right players is the way to go

TheSuperNerd:
Oga... See ehn... Understand something.

This has been the same clichéd argument for the local players. That they will play their lives out, spill blood on the pitch, and rather die on field defending the GWG better. Lol... But all that is just sentimental hogwash.

The local players cannot and will not give what they don't have. And what they don't have is the ability and mentality to cope and fare against top quality opposition on the biggest stage of the beautiful game. WE WILL BE SO ROASTED EHN... IN FACT, THE PASSION WILL MEAN NOTHING AGAIN, because passion without the requisite mentality to compete will only work to kill off that passion the more and make us look like fools.



The best way to go with the local lads thing is to improve our league and channel our focus on stepping up the quality. That way, our local lads can be trusted but right now, it is not even close. So it is not about belief in the local league my man, it is about the huge gap in quality... This is the FIFA World cup... The highest level of the beautiful game. And gathering a bunch of locals motivated to make names for themselves will not be enough I am afraid.

I know some may wanna refer to Iceland but Iceland have some players in top leagues too. And their league is possibly even better compared to ours.

Sunday Mba was a local player before going for the AFCON remember and he did well. I know our league needs improvement yes, we need to focus well on that aspect. All I'm saying is our foreign players are more or less just like the local players, even with their EXPOSURE and INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE of what good are they? Did or Have they shown they're good or natch the occasions? These guys hardly play at club level and some even underperform and we expect them to do any reasonable thing at the world cup. We need to build from ground zero and add those players(foreign) the good ones o as supports. We can't continue with these players abeg. They're poor and didn't play like they came to win. We should be honest with ourselves.

Finally

TheSuperNerd:
But he did create chances yesterday did he not?

He did press high up the pitch did he not?

He did match and even bested Modric at times did he not?

He did fall back a couple of times to even help bring out the ball from defence and build from the back did he not?

Mikel is still our creative hub alongside Iwobi... That is a fact.

The best option I expect anyone to tell me is to move Mikel to CM while Iwobi plays AM and we can have a true discussion because I am also (as an option) for a Ndidi-Mikel-Iwobi midfield against Iceland with Iheanacho and Moses up top.

We need to break down that Icelandic Juggernaut wall.

Okay o. I hear you if you no wan hear me. Let's see how far they go against Iceland

Sheuns:


That's the problem we always have, we believe the local players can't do well in international tournaments cos we believe we have a poor league. Yes our league is poor but don't forget no one knows these guys, they'll play their life out just to impress the world and that'll make a difference. All the years we've been taking foreign based players what has been the result? They've not done any better. You can't keep doing one thing same way and expect a different result. That Lokosa you're shaming scored more goals than Ighalo last season. He was the top scorer of NPFL which we all know is hard to score goals in. Forget all the hype around the foreign based players they're useless and hardly get playing times in their clubs. Looking inward and local is our best bet, we'll get better players than those over fed ones abroad.

That's injustice in your perspective.


Do you know a player called Mohamed Eisa or Danny Hylton?

What about Jack Marriott or Brett Pitman?


If not, then I believe you must know Leon Clarke or Bobby Reid?


One team common among these players are that they are English and they all scored at least 19 goals. Yet they did not get close to the England preliminary squad. An inconsistent Jesse Lingard was selected over high-flying Bobby Reid. Why?


Because all the aforementioned players play in League 2, League 1 and Championship level of English football. A loaned out Ademola Lookman was even above any of these players.


That's the point, you have to play at the highest level of football to play at the highest tournaments. Yes, there was a time the NPFL was regularly supplying the national team with great players like Enyeama, but the league as steadily deteriorated. Now every news that stems out of there is just hear-say, with little evidence.


Could you compare one of the biggest leagues in Asia with a league that was stripped off a slot in the Champions League. Show unbiased and non-sentimental judgement, brother.

Mujtahida:

He's having a field day instead of keeping to his word. I remember when another moniker (Eleniyan15 I guess) made the vow, ChrisKels was the only person on this thread who yabbed the guy and told him to keep to his word.

Now you too should do same . even your man elyte89 don call you out to keep to your vow

I don't want you to leave the thread but don't talk again like a man who keeps to his words because you didn't keep to your vow.

Don't worry Bro, he would soon come back to claim he's just teasing us.

TheLoneCitizen:



That's injustice in your perspective.


Do you know a player called Mohamed Eisa or Danny Hylton?

What about Jack Marriott or Brett Pitman?


If not, then I believe you must know Leon Clarke or Bobby Reid?


One team common among these players are that they are English and they all scored at least 19 goals. Yet they did not get close to the England preliminary squad. An inconsistent Jesse Lingard was selected over high-flying Bobby Reid. Why?


Because all the aforementioned players play in League 2, League 1 and Championship level of English level. A loaned out Ademola Lookman was even above any of these players.


That's the point, you have to play at the highest level of football to play at the highest tournaments. Yes, there was a time the NPFL was regularly supplying the national team with great players like Enyeama, but the league as steadily deteriorated. Now every news that stems out of there is just hear-say, with little evidence.


Could you compare one of the biggest leagues in Asia with a league that was stripped off a slot in the Champions League. Show unbiased and non-sentimental judgement, brother.

Is Chinese league the biggest or one of the biggest leagues?

LieDetector:
Remember how I was reserved and expressed my vote of no confidence when a hint of our starting line up yesterday was flashed. Rohr is so clueless for crying out loud. I pulled a statistics for you guys with the 3 5 2 where we average 1.3goals every 45mins and concede zero goal. But the white onigbinde doesn't know zilch. He played 4-3-3. Iwobi out wide. Shehu offered absolutely nothing going forward. Watch that game again and you notice the primary cause of the goals we conceded is shehu. Perisic had a field day. I pray Rohr doesn't play ebuehi in this tournament again. I really wish for him to be a world star but Rohr doesn't just fancy him. He should wait for for Holland call up.


We're back to our calculator days. Oh how I miss that. Let's solve some little algebra

If Croatia beats Argentina and we beat Iceland, it will be

Croatia - 6
Nigeria - 3
Argentina - 1
Iceland - 1

If Croatia draws Argentina and we beat Iceland, then

Croatia - 4
Nigeria - 3
Argentina - 2
Iceland - 1

If Croatia loses to Argentina and we beat Iceland, then

Argentina - 4
Nigeria - 3
Croatia - 3
Iceland - 1


Our qualification solely rests upon our shoulders. Beat Iceland then we have chance.


YES WE CAN


Rohr should get his tactics right. 3 5 2 with the right players is the way to go

LMAO...... Sir Kog45 is not happy with the description.

TheSuperNerd:
Mikel will retire possibly after Afcon 2019. I cannot see a Mikel playing beyond that tournament. I don't even want it to happen. Afcon 2019 should be his final bus stop. He will retire a true legend.

But uhmmm... as for Moses... lol... he is still just 27. We will be seeing more of him beyond 2019. So just chillax

I know he wouldn't thrive under a system other than Conte', what he doesn't understand is that if he loses his coach he has also severed the chance of getting a new club with his self-centered attitude.

Goke7:


Even an amokachi will not lose to that poor Croatian side. Rohr has himself to blame but this is not the first time a german is ruining our national team. Even a Berti vogts could not take us beyond an afcon quarter final. For me am done with foreign coaches.

They lack good knowledge of our players and we are not realising this

Okay Rohr set up a purposeless team but I won’t pick any indigenous coach for Nigeria right now. They are not only tactically just as bad if not worse, they are 100% worse when it comes to player selection. For example if Siasia was the manager we will have Stanley Amuzie and Seth Sincere in that squad and Efe Ambrose starting. This is the truth.

TheSuperNerd:
Nope... wrong on two counts. The ball was heading off target and secondly, it did touch Etebo before going in. But take nothing away from Etebo. He was outstanding Yesterday and showed why Onazi should get a tighter seatbelt to stay really glued to that bench.

And you are right, we are still in with a chance but that is only if we start our best and bring our A-Game against Iceland. Iceland is far more disciplined than Croatia and will be super hard to break down.

Hopefully Iceland will not park the bus against us like they did against Argentina.

What do you mean by we should not continue with these players? So you wanna disband the team?!

This is a young team and this is their first tournament together. The likes of Iheanacho, Iwobi, Ekong, Etebo, Ndidi, Ebuehi, Idowu, Uzoho, Simy, Awaziem, Shehu, etc are all young and talented and are among the players
that offer us great hopes for the future.

The likes of Balogun, Ogu, Ezenwa, and Ighalo are having their first WC experience.

This is a team on the rise and you wanna take us 50 years backwards by disbanding them? What will that achieve?



Also, one thing you must understand is that Our coaching decisions also killed us off yesterday apart from those two errors.
We matched and contained the Croatians but we just didn't do enough in the final third to threaten Subasic and by the time Rohr decided to act on what we all here already realised and saw, it was damn too late. Rohr should man up and take the blame. He caused this loss.

For the first time in a long while at a world cup game, we had a good bench with some players even better than what we had on the field and Rohr failed to act on that.
The team matched the Croatians but were undone by poor coaching decisions, two errors from setpieces fear (which we must deal with going forward), and lack of adventure upfront for the most parts. Ighalo offered little movement as the no.9, Moses chose to keep falling instead of staying on his feet some times, and Shehu failed to offer himself up as an attacking outlet down that right where Moses was causing all sorts of problems for Strinic.

Sheuns:


Sunday Mba was a local player before going for the AFCON remember and he did well. I know our league needs improvement yes, we need to focus well on that aspect. All I'm saying is our foreign players are more or less just like the local players, even with their EXPOSURE and INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE of what good are they? Did or Have they shown they're good or natch the occasions? These guys hardly play at club level and some even underperform and we expect them to do any reasonable thing at the world cup. We need to build from ground zero and add those players(foreign) the good ones o as supports. We can't continue with these players abeg. They're poor and didn't play like they came to win. We should be honest with ourselves.

Sheuns:


Is Chinese league the biggest or one of the biggest leagues?

Without a doubt, China sports the biggest league in Asia. Nigeria is not among the top 5 in Africa, so where are you sighting the competitiveness?

We are the youngest team but we played like the oldest team.

Instead of exuberance to have killed us, it was conservatism that finished us.

eph12:

Who and who said these players are above average?

I no Wan call names. They know themselves.
One even said this team is better that the one we had at US 94.

Sheuns:


Those nations you mentioned don't parade themselves as a football nation remember. We always claim we are a footballing nation yet we never live up to the hype, maybe in the 90s we did. Forget all these crappy foreign players, they will never be of any good to us, BONE them and go local. As for Mikel I've never advocated for him as a good player, he's not GOOD and that's the pure truth. He might do better as a DM but as AM he's ERROR. Let's always learn to tell ourselves the truth. Our league is even much competitive than Chinese league the only lacking thing is adequate funding. Take it or leave it local players are out Best bet.

"Not footballing nation, not footballing nation " all the time.


Then why aren't you ashamed that non football nations have working leagues than our competitive league, huh?

Oasis007:


Good Morning Fellas. Someone of us are just smiling on Nairaland, but seriously bitter in reality even while making the Posts.

Truth be told , Rohr is the Architect of his own downfall. You experimented the same Formation (4 - 2 - 3 -1), perhaps the same set of Players during the Pre-World Cup Matches and got no positive Results.

You switched to the Formation that got you a resounding Victory against Stars-studded but Messi-less Argentina Team in the 2nd Half of the Friendly Matches and the Team starred and fruitful.

The Question is; Didn't Rohr learn anything from the Friendlies?! Didn't he obviously know we ain't gonna be successful at the Mundial sticking to the 4 - 2 - 3 - 1 Formation?!

On several Occasions I suggested on this Thread that Mikel should form a Pivot with Ndidi as DMs in a 3 - 4 - 1 - 2 Formation, but Dudes keep saying Mikel is the most creative Player in the Team and Iwobi is better off on the Wing.

Guess our Eyes are clear now?! I've tried to get rid of the Pain, but it's still haunting me cos how can a Coach be so stubborn to do the necessary Changes the Team required?! You've seen it in the Friendlies, yet you failed to capitalize on it!

Mikel is a massive Failure playing as a No. 10 for the Team, also playing with a lone Striker won't help the Team to get the needed Results. It's not over for the Team - Iceland and the Argies are beatable if Rohr could get the Formation and the Lineup right.

Rohr should know he can't be rewarding his core Players at the detriment of football loving Nigerians, being loyal to some Players in the Team because they helped us to qualify for the World Cup. Keshi, Siasia were accused of feeding their Boys in the Lineup, ain't Rohr doing the same?!

I beg Rohr to please, bring back the Happiness to the Camp of Eagles Supporters across the World by doing the Needful; play the right Players in the right Positions in a 3 - 4 - 1 - 2 Formation, and we gonna be unstoppable.



Hope ain't completely lost, if Rohr can summon the courage to jettison his Conservativism, Cowardice and plays the above Formation and Lineup we will make it to the next Round.

.
If that were the case,he wud have started Ezenwa.

Guess we can finally come to terms with some Critics of Rohr and his Team, especially Mickael2. They don't hate the Team, only being realistic with Rohr Tactics, Lineup and Conservatism.

They ain't like some Folks that believed in the Team only to sharply turn around because we lost a Match out of 3 in the Group Stage.

Who says we can't still make it to the next Round?! Mathematically we are in the Competition. Realistically we ain't a walk-over Team, and hopefully our Boys will bounce back and do us proud again.

#SoarHigherEagles

TheLoneCitizen:




"Not footballing nation, not footballing nation " all the time.


Then why aren't you ashamed that non football nations have working leagues than our competitive league, huh?

Because they see football as business that's why their leagues work. They invest more.

COOL10:
.
If that were the case,he wud have started Ezenwa.

If that's not the Case he would have started Tyrone.

....being loyal to some Players in the Team because they helped us to qualify for the World Cup.

By the way, did I say all or some?! Bro, don't pour your anger and Frustration on me pls. Read well next time before you quote.

TheSuperNerd:
But he did create chances yesterday did he not?

He did press high up the pitch did he not?

He did match and even bested Modric at times did he not?

He did fall back a couple of times to even help bring out the ball from defence and build from the back did he not?

Mikel is still our creative hub alongside Iwobi... That is a fact.

The best option I expect anyone to tell me is to move Mikel to CM while Iwobi plays AM and we can have a true discussion because I am also (as an option) for a Ndidi-Mikel-Iwobi midfield against Iceland with Iheanacho and Moses up top.
We need to break down that Icelandic Juggernaut wall.

Can we break this Iceland defense? That's where the problem lies. Those guys are more technical than this croatia team. And I dnt see Rohr changing tactics and play our players in the right positions, I dnt expect any changes dnt be surprised to see the same set of players in our next match. That Rohr is too stubborn Abi Wetin I go call this thing wey he dey do to us... He is dashing our hopes.. I watched the match with over 100 people at view center yesterday, none of them were happy.. Everybody was sad with the result this shows how Nigerians are passionate about our team. I couldn't sleep well last night. Rohr needs to get it right against Iceland. Can we still make it?

wayodude:


Okay Rohr set up a purposeless team but I won’t pick any indigenous coach for Nigeria right now. They are not only tactically just as bad if not worse, they are 100% worse when it comes to player selection. For example if Siasia was the manager we will have Stanley Amuzie and Seth Sincere in that squad and Efrain Ambrose starting. This is the truth.

I don't like them one bit. Corruption, tribalism and favoritism will motivate the selection rather than merit.

This is what obtains in all sectors of our national life.

And if you expect our coaches to be without corruption you only dreaming. Football is now so much a money thing. Even FIFA is corrupt not to talk of Nigeria wey na we be the Albert Einsteins of corruption.

No merit in all aspects of national life. Restructure the country, dem no gree.

I doubt if Nigeria can succeed as a nation. We are too mixed, we are babel.

Unlimited22:

I no Wan call names. They know themselves.
One even said this team is better that the one we had at US 94.

Abomination!!!!