PDPGuy:
Holding the three friendlies in Abuja (or any other Nigerian City) is certainly an ambitious plan on the part of the NFF.

It’s ambitious because the cost of flight tickets (business class/premium economy), and hotel lodging for the visiting teams would amount to no less than N80 million.

However, as the NFF will receive $1 million and $500,000 from FIFA and CAF respectively for WC preparation, hosting the 3 matches wouldn’t be a big financial burden to them.

moreover it will remit more money for our hotels and promote business activities round the match avenue....

Certitude:
Bad day for me as I lost my dear father this morning.

Quite a pity man. I pray God gives the bereaved the fortitude to bear the loss and may his soul RIP

ChrisKels:


Quite a pity man. I pray God gives the bereaved the fortitude to bear the loss and may his soul RIP

Thanks a lot sir

please accept my sympathy bro. may God bless and see your family through this time

Certitude:
Bad day for me as I lost my dear father this morning.

Dedebanky85:
Thank God u said by one side - Nigeria. Which is a lie if this friendly is being hoped for March. England's playing Netherlands and Italy. It's already pre-planned. Most of these countries tend to book their schedules ahead. The most we can get England is June....

I actually had confirmation about this over a month ago. But not from Nigerian sources things have not been totally worked out yet.

How far can the Super Eagles go at the 2018 World Cup? (Part 2)

By Deji Ogeyingbo
December 4,

Prior to the FIFA 2018 World Cup draws being made, we brought you Part 1 of how far we think the Super Eagles can go at the World Cup, judging by their past performances.
But with the draws already being made, we would now take a comprehensive look at the opponents in their group and potential paths in the knock-out round.
The Super Eagles have been pitted against Croatia, Iceland and Argentina, with their first match set to be against Croatia.
Photo Credit: FIFA.com
While this is not the best possible group the Super Eagles could have fallen into, it is surely not the worst.
Argentina
Nigeria has a knack for drawing Argentina in a FIFA World Cup group as they will be meeting with La Albiceleste for the fifth time at the Mundial. The five times they have met – in 1994, 2002, 2010 and 2014, the Super Eagles have lost against their South American rivals on each encounter, albeit by a slim margin. The only time the Super Eagles have been able to get one past the Argentines have been in friendly matches as they put 4 past them on both occasions.
Lionel Messi would look to help Argentina win their first World Cup since 1986. Photo Credit: @FIFAWorldCup
The most recent game, which took place almost a month ago, saw the Super Eagles match the Argentines man for man as they came out tops, winning by 4 goals to 2.
It must be said though, that the Argentines were without their talisman, captain and leading goal scorer, Lionel Messi. That game certainly showed a lot of loop-holes in the Argentine team – especially in the defence, that Nigeria can exploit as Gernot Rohr will be hoping his team can replicate such a performance when they meet in Russia.
Croatia
The Super Eagles have got a decent record against European teams at the World Cup having won five, drawn one and lost two of their previous eight games against teams from the continent.
They beat Bulgaria in 1994 and 1998, Greece in 1994, Spain in 1998 and Bosnia in 2014, drawing with England in 2002, and will be hoping to get at least four points heading into the final fixture against Argentina.
Luka Modric is one key player to watch out for in Croatia’s team. Photo Credit: worldsoccertalk.com
The Croats, however, will pose a different kind of threat for the Super Eagles. Incidentally, they placed second (six wins, two draws and two losses) in their World Cup qualifying group that saw the Icelandic team emerge tops.
Nonetheless, they navigated their two-legged playoff match against the Greeks with so much adroitness as they obliterated them 4-1 before drawing 0-0 in the second leg.
Luka Modric (Real Madrid), Ivan Perisic (Inter Milan) and Nikola Kalinić (AC Milan) have been influential players for the team in the past few years as they can cause havoc to opposing teams in the blink of an eye.
Iceland
It must be worth noting that the man who started the renaissance of Icelandic football from the early 2010 is former Nigeria coach, Lars Lagerback. While Lagerback was in charge of Nigeria at the 2010 World Cup, the Icelandic team narrowly lost out in the playoffs to Croatia on their way to that same mundial.
Officially, they are the smallest nation to ever clinch a FIFA World Cup spot. It’s definitely not how big your team is in terms of population but how big your heart is as well as the fight you’ve got within you.
The Iceland team have become known for their “Viking Clap” celebration. Photo Credit: telegraph.co.uk
This team are certainly not lacking in the latter as they showed the spirit of Vikings on their way to reaching the quarter finals of Euro 2016 – their first ever major tournament, where they lost to the French team.
Furthermore, the Island, which can only boast of 21,508 football players (fewer than the city of Kano in Nigeria), topped their World Cup qualifying group ahead of the likes of Croatia.
Everton’s Gylfi Sigurdsson is the only player of note that is doing great exploits for a big European club. However, it is the team’s collective effort that has seen them get to the current place as they would be looking to upset the applecart once again at a major tournament.
Potential paths in the knock-out round
They say that one should never count their eggs before they hatch – as the Super Eagles once did in France 98’ when they were preparing to face the Brazilians in the quarterfinals, having not yet navigated past the Danish team.
However, it doesn’t hurt to take stock of how the team can progress if they get past the group stages. As is the norm at any major footballing competition, the winners of each group would face the second place finisher in the next group.
With the Super Eagles being drawn in Group D, they would surely meet a team in Group C in the round of 16. With the Argentines most likely to finish at the top of Group D – on the grounds that they sort out their problems before the World Cup kicks off, a second place finish is probably what Nigeria would have to jostle for with both Croatia and Iceland.
Peradventure they place second, they would have a potential date with France, who are the odd-on favorites to come first in Group C. If things go according to plan and the Super Eagles go past the French team and book a spot in the quarter finals, they would lock horns against either Spain, Portugal, Russia or Uruguay, as these are the teams that are most likely to come through unscathed from both Groups A and B.
Football, like they say is not Mathematics, but if the Super Eagles play their cards right, they might just become the first African team to get to the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup.

[quote author=Certitude post=63276114]
I am so sorry for your loss bro, stay calm and trust God.

Certitude:
Thanks a lot sir

May his soul rest in peace

I think I can guess whom the SuperEagles person is: based on his style of writing and the method of argument. Those of you who have been to the Cyber Eagles forum (not sure whether it still exists), you might recall a guy we call "AyoAkinfe". I can put my money that the SuperEagles poster is the same AyoAkinfe guy. The writing style and the argumentative circular reasoning ... down to the 10 pointers (we used to call Ayo Mister 10 Pointer) all betrayed him on that post.


O pari

nelszx:


Whoever posted that under the guise of SuperEagles just sold us on a platter. Just exposed everything and made himself (Not us) a mockery and laughing stock

Thank you!


O pari

somehow:
Well I don't know why they were chosen, I also wouldn't play England if I have a choice.

Word!

But unfortunately the lure of EPL might not let him hold off.


O pari

junnyjake:


If Onyekuru is wise, he shouldn't be in a rush to go back to Everton by January, or else he'd end up like Nacho. There's Calvert lewin, Lennon, Lookman, Rooney, Sandro, klanssen, so there's no walking straight into their starting 11.

I definitely hope so. Rohr is a cagey coach so he would probably start our reserve team.


O pari

Abusule007:

I think that match will be played with utmost carefulness from both parties because world cup will be days away from the friendly and no parties would want to sustain any form of injuries be it minor or major.

England may as well field their 2nd eleven against us or even if they field their stars, 2nd half, they're out of the pitch.

I see that game as 1 boring game that will end in draw.

[quote author=Magink post=63278365][/quote] Thanks

Eseose9:

May his soul rest in peace

Thanks dear. Amen

chrisooblog:
please accept my sympathy bro. may God bless and see your family through this time

Thanks sir.

Icon79:
Nigeria would not like to lose to England, hence, I can see them taking the game much more than a friendly. And the English style kick and follow football is going to frustrate our players.


O pari

English football has moved on it hasn't remained static.

Consider, Kane, Dele, Rashford, Stones, Cahill, Raheem, Dier Lalanna, Sturridge, Oxlade-Chamberlein, Walker, Rose are all kick and rush players Abe

Omo, the best English player I know is a Nigerian named Bamidele Ali
Does that tell you anything?


O pari

komekn:


English football has moved on it hasn't remained static.

Consider, Kane, Dele, Rashford, Stones, Cahill, Raheem, Dier Lalanna, Sturridge, Oxlade-Chamberlein, Walker, Rose are all kick and rush players Abe

MetalJigsaw, you are doing a great job, but try spacing each of your paragraphs to make it more easier for our consumption.

Thanks in anticipation.

SUPER EAGLES ARE AWFUL, REMARKS LIONEL MESSI

www.nairaland.com/attachments/6409701_messi1_jpegdf80ad47d4ee9d58653afe00b650e93a

BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

Argentina’s captain, Lionel Messi has analysed each of his team’s Russia 2018 opponents in a sentence, giving the Super Eagles, the least regards in what appears a building up mind games.


If his comments are anything to go by, the Nigerian goalkeeper will have to pick the ball from his net many times when the Super Eagles face Argentina on June 26 at Russia 2018.


In an interview with FIFA online, the prolific striker summed each of Argentina’s Group D opponents in a phrase. Sports Village Square feels the iconic player believes that the Super Eagles are the least of headache for his team.


On the Super Eagles, Messi remarked: “Nigeria: “one day they score four goals, the next one, they leave plenty of space for you to do anything”. This differs sharply from his views on Iceland, the World Cup debutants and the smallest country ever to qualify for the global tournament.


This is Messi’s views on Iceland: “Might seem easy, but they are tough and well organised”. Croatia, the team that placed third in their World Cup debut 19 years ago is rated thus by Messi: “they give you more room to playbut have great players”.


Messi’s views on Nigeria compares very well with that his fellow star player of the Argentine side, Sergio Aguero who saw Nigeria’s 4-2 win last month as mere fluke occasioned by his absence in the second half and the fears his teammates were having for him while he was rushed to the hospital having collapsed in the dressing room at half time.


While Nigeria had a relatively easy passage to the World Cup despite being in a qualifying group of death in Africa, Argentina had a patchy path and traumatic campaign had had to depend on last gasp of breath and effort from Messi to secure qualification.


After Argentina qualified for Russia 2018, Coach Jorge Sampaoli remarked that football owed Messi a World Cup, and the Argentine captain believed so too, saying, “I hope football pays its debt to me”

https://www.sportsvillagesquare.com/2017/12/14/super-eagles-awful-remarks-lionel-messi/

terzurum5:
MetalJigsaw, you are doing a great job, but try spacing each of your paragraphs to make it more easier for our consumption.

Thanks in anticipation.

Noted, bro.

Icon79:
Omo, the best English player I know is a Nigerian named Bamidele Ali
Does that tell you anything?


O pari

What about Kane?

I really don't rate Kane that highly, despite the hype. And I won't until he learns how to create and score instead of waiting for the final pass to tap in, a la Cristiano Ronaldo


O pari

MetalJigsaw:
What about Kane?

Good foresight so far.
Nothing more than proactiveness.
We want more.


AMBASSADOR HOPES FOR NIGERIA, RUSSIA WORLD CUP FINAL
2days back

www.nairaland.com/attachments/6409751_amajuandrussianambassador858x445_jpega914e5ddbf92383873de81ecf427fc48

The Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Nigeria, Nikolay Udovichenko dreams of Russia –Nigeria clash in the final match of the 2018 FIFA World Cup at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow on Sunday, July 15 2018.

According to a media release from the Media Department of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), the ambassador on Tuesday stated: “I want to congratulate the NFF and the Super Eagles for Nigeria’s qualification for the FIFA World Cup.

“Please be assured that the Russian Federation is fully ready to host the competition. We have received a lot of requests from the host cities on what special characteristics the Nigerian team have. They want to be fully prepared in all aspects to receive the Super Eagles.

“From the depth of my heart, I am hoping that your team makes it to the final in Moscow on 15th July, to play against Russia.”

Udovichenko spoke on Tuesday afternoon as he received a delegation from the Nigeria Football Federation, led by its President, Amaju Melvin Pinnick.

Pinnick thanked the Ambassador for his good wishes, while noting that Nigeria’s first feel of Russian soil ahead of the FIFA World Cup ended in a sweet victory over Argentina in a friendly match in Krasnodar.

“We helped you to beat Argentina because they had beaten your team in another friendly a few days earlier.

“We have good relationship with the Russian Football Federation, and we desire to establish good relationship with your embassy here so that ourselves and other Nigerians going to the FIFA World Cup will have no problems with regards to entry visa.”

Pinnick stated that the NFF has come forward this early to parley with the embassy because the football body is keen to have all visa applications treated and dispensed with latest end of April 2018.


Consul of the Embassy, Diuitri explained that football fans wishing to be at the FIFA World Cup finals in 2018 must have their match tickets and Fan ID, “which will enable them to travel round Russia during the finals at no extra cost.”


Also at the meeting were Dr. Mohammed Sanusi (NFF General Secretary), Ivan Lydkin (attaché), Ademola Olajire (Director of Communications), Tunde Aderibigbe (Head of Protocol), Calistus Ebare (Pinnick’s media aide) and Ayo Olu Ibidapo (NFF Communications Department).

https://www.sportsvillagesquare.com/2017/12/12/ambassador-hopes-nigeria-russia-world-cup-final/

Which stadium in abuja does the NFF and ant to okay this friendlies in??

Icon79:
I really don't rate Kane that highly, despite the hype. And I won't until he learns how to create and score instead of waiting for the final pass to tap in a la Cristiano Ronaldo


O pari

You have a point but Kane is still better. Or at least on same rating with Dele

PROVERBZ:
Which stadium in abuja does the NFF and ant to okay this friendlies in??

Which friendly? In Nigeria? On what pitch

PROVERBZ:
Which stadium in abuja does the NFF and ant to okay this friendlies in??

Which friendly? In Nigeria? On which pitch

Joebie:
All those talking down all leagues but the EPL, do u ever get to watch those games. I watched Den Haag versus Roda today and the competition was quite fierce. These leagues are not trashy as some of us would like to think.
Even the Jupiler league - the few games I’ve watched so far — is pretty good.
Some of our players are underrated. I will be vindicated when they come up against the so called EPL great players in the WC hopefully.

A indicative way of looking at things to measuring the superiority of the league.

Look at the top 10 rated FIFA national teams and ascertain what % of these players play in the EPL comparative to other leagues.

Belguim as a national team the bulk of thier quality players do not play in Belgium.

True. But that's only because I think Dele, like all English players, is highly overrated too.


O pari

MetalJigsaw:
You have a point but Kane is still better. Or at least on same rating with Dele

MetalJigsaw:
You have a point but Kane is still better. Or at least on same rating with Dele

Dele Ali has been very poor this season. As a matter of fact, he's been so poor this season that he's rated top2-3 flop of the season by many British rags.