komekn:


It really depends on what you define a successful as, in the first instance.

KC went to Leicester by thier standards a very big transfer fee of £25 million with very high hopes to be high scoring striker.

He has failed woefully.

However, they are not a big club they cannot afford to bench him.

KC would have signed a long term contract of at least 5 years. I expect him to be on at least with yearly increments in consideration £75k a week.

Now tell which serious club will pay £75k a week plus transfer fee for a striker like KC, that guarantee you nothing.

So KC will run out his contract to the last £££. Leicester will also try to revamp him and give him some opportunity that maybe his value may rise and hopefully one club will carry the liability from their hand.

why are you always Pessimistic about the lad? Why are you always like this? Who made you into a pessimist.

Oga ooo. Enjoy your pessimism.

Long time ago it was
Jay Jay, Oruma and Odiah Kanu Nwankwo on braids.

Today we are towing same part with a different style
Iwobi, Aribo, Ejaira, and Eze belong to the dreadlock geng!

If hairstyle wins trophy Aritside Bance of Burkina Faso would be an African Champ by now. (

solonnachi:


The SE is gradually becoming an enviable team. This is one of the benefits of employing Rohr. We need him to get more foreign born back home.

not just that, we are gradually easing out carpenters(in ChrisKels voice) from the team.

I only hope Joe can provide the needed technical support to the coaching department.

Ejaria in term of playing style is the closest to Jay Jay.

Imagine looking at your bench and you see in form players like
-Ejaira
-Eze
-Saka
-Iheanacho
-Dessers
-Etebo
-Balogun
-Ebuehi
-Henry

All sitted waiting to be called upon for action! The thing go just de to tori d coach for side line.

Clementoke:
Super Eagles coach Rohr hits back at demands to use Nigeria-based players

COLIN UDOH



At 66 years old, the Nigeria coach has seen and experienced just about all there is to be seen and experienced. Attempts to rile him, whether contrived or not, continue to fall flat in the face of his measured disposition.

Throughout his tenure as Super Eagles coach, and in recent weeks, there have been calls for him to select more Nigeria-based players in the national team; but Rohr shut that down, telling ESPN in a lengthy interview that the country's best players are in Europe not Nigeria,

"We cannot find all the time players in the local league who are better than the other ones," Rohr told ESPN.

The criterion for us, the first criteria is the quality of the players. Everybody knows, not only in Nigeria, that the best players are in Europe or somewhere else in professional leagues. That is the fact."

As true as that statement may be, it is bound to put Rohr firmly in the line of fire with critics. As if he were not already the centre of attention.

With football -- like other sports -- on a coronavirus-enforced pause, few topics have dominated Nigerian sporting discussion as much as the Super Eagles coach, his contract, his technical abilities (or perceived lack of), and everything else in between.

Early this week, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president Amaju Pinnick stoked those fires in a television interview in which he disclosed certain conditions in the new contract to be offered to the coach.

In typical style, Rohr doused that particular fire in a quick reaction to ESPN, but it did not quite seem to be enough to address the other issues.

Among those issues were the NFF's recent decision to fire Imama Amapakabo, one of Rohr's more trusty assistants, and replace him with the inexperienced former Nigeria captain Jospeh Yobo.

Both the manner of the decision (without the coach being consulted) and the speed of it, not to mention the relative lack of certification of the replacement, would have been enough to rile any other coach.

Not Rohr

"It is interesting to have such a former player with us," Rohr said.

"I was satisfied with the job of Imama. He was a very good assistant. But NFF decided to change so I have to accept, and I accept. I see that this person now is in a good spirit and I am happy about it. There will not be any problem in our staff.

"I think it only could be so easy to say let's do two years more. Nothing special from my side that I want more. So it could be very easy."

To demonstrate his lack of ill-feeling, Rohr said he had already put the newest addition to his staff to work

"We spoke together; he gave me a first call and then I called him back and we are in touch regularly. I even asked him to help me already because I cannot move for the moment to take connections and contact our players in Nigeria.

"I asked him to meet and speak with Ikechukwu Ezenwa, with Ifeanyi Ifeanyi who was with us for one of the last games. There is also Samuel Kalu, who is also in Lagos because he was able to take one of the last planes out of France. So I asked him to be in touch with some of our players who are in Nigeria, and that is what he did.

"I am happy to see that he has good motivation and is in good spirits and I think we can have a good working relationship together."

Ezenwa and Ifeanyi -- whom Yobo will be monitoring on Rohr's behalf -- are part of the German's rebuttal to suggestions that he does not give players from Nigeria's domestic league a chance in his national squad.

Ezenwa has been a permanent fixture of Rohr's squad from the get go, and he was even first-choice goalkeeper for the majority of the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Ifeanyi was called up for games while was an Akwa United player before he left for Europe.

Rohr pointed out that the numbers back him up, if not the players who run off after call-ups.

"I invited already more than 23 or 24 local players since I have been in charge of the Super Eagles," he said, adding with a slight chuckle, "but we invite them and then immediately they are going to Europe. It is wonderful for them but maybe not for us."

With the B Super Eagles team, which is comprised of domestic league players, failing to qualify for the Africa Nations Championships (CHAN), a tournament for players who play in their country, Rohr said his job had been made more difficult.

"CHAN team and under-20 team must play all the time. The coaches who are responsible for these teams, must work with me together. And normally the best of the league are in either CHAN or under-20 or under-17."

And Rohr says he still has his scouts looking for young prospects in the country, and advises the league clubs to look to the academies for talent.

"I think they should also look at the academy to find the best young players. This could be a new chapter of this next future. That is why I have also my assistants like Victor Agali, like Alloy Agu, who are watching for me, looking for players in the local league. Especially for the goalkeepers, for Alloy to bring me goalkeepers from the league."

Young players have always been Rohr's focus in his time as Nigeria coach.

At the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Nigeria had the youngest squad. At the Africa Cup of Nations a year later, the team were the second youngest, and the German says it was deliberate.

With players such as Victor Osimhen, Samuel Chukwueze, Francis Uzoho and Wilfred Ndidi growing into leading roles with the team, Rohr says the next step on the ladder is the development of a uniform playing philosophy that cuts across all the national teams.

"I don't know now how the NFF will organize it but there must be a good collaboration between us with under-23, with under-20, with the under-1 -- and even with the women's team. I had a good solidarity with the women's coach before [Thomas Dennerby] but now he is gone.

"This unity [is something] we need to have in our different teams. To go in the same direction, to play with the same philosophy. The philosophy is to play offensive football with good wingers, with quickness with strikers, young players but also experienced players, too.

"We have good players, great players, young players. Now let us have football that plays well with their talent. Let us lay a good foundation from the back, and then go forward quickly to find our wingers. Then I think we have a good chance to go to the World Cup again and do better than the last time.

"We can do also the same for the local team.

"You know they are not playing the Afcon but there is a lot of things to do for them, to get right the playing philosophy the same as the others. But I am not the coach for the local team. The coach was before my assistant, and we had good work together. Now we have to see what happens."

For the here and now, though, Rohr has an immediate concern. The potential fixture congestion that will follow the end of the coronavirus pandemic.

"When you see the calendar which will come, there will be so many games in the second half of the year. And already decisive games for the World Cup will start in the end of the year. The qualification for Afcon, too, will have to finish before.

"So there will be so many games. Next year, I saw the calendar, perhaps we will have around 20 games.

"If we are in the Afcon, and I think we can do it, we will have one or two friendlies to prepare and then I hope seven games again until the finals. Small final and big final, could be nine games. And then you have the World Cup qualifiers; can be 10. A friendly again or two, 11. A lot of matches to come in a small time.

"This is why it is necessary to know everybody, to talk to the players regularly, because there is no time to make new experiences, to make a test or experiments with new players for something like that."

For now though, none of that matters with COVID 19 still in the air.

Source: espn.com

Do people still clamor for the inclusion of home based stars? Mediocrity is written in some people's DNA. What value addition are we going to get from the technically bereft home based players.

This reminds me of the TV series titled "ZOO" themed[i](...animals shall inherit the earth)[/i] directed by James Patterson. It was based on professionals who investigates a mysterious pandemic of animal attacks upon humans all over the world. It was a story around a sort of mutation in the animal kingdom that saw animals unite to take over their lost habitat from humans.

Though, what we have today is a pandemic resulting from an error in the lab which has sent all humans indoor. The reason for seeing these animals come around. I wonder must be going through their mind...

It seems the ecosystem is experiencing a sort of reshuffling!

The list is very much ok.

Wishing the new invitees the best.

nelszx:
Cyril Dessers scores against Ajax
A bullet of a goal
They lead 1-0
77 mins played

He's making a case for his inclusion to the squad
Highest goal scorer in the Dutch league

Watch goal here
https://www.flashscore.com/match/K6nggJnG/#video

Nice volley! Absolutely brilliant.

I hope he gets called up and replicate same in the GWG. I so much want the guy to succeed with our national team. If not for anything, for his loyalty to the GWG. His unwavering desire to play for us is second to non. Not some FBs who enjoys seeing us chase them up and down.

tbaba1234:


2nd time against Ajax

No better way to state his readiness for international football. I hope he makes Rohr's list.

February 17, 2020

Cyril Dessers
Dutch league goal king will be deadly, says NFF boss

Ejaria’s paperwork still in progress

Johnny Edward

Cyril Dessers has been cleared by Federation International Football Association to play for Nigeria at international level ,
Sports Extra has reliably gathered .
Dessers, the son of a Belgian father and Nigerian mother , declared his intention to play for the Super Eagles ahead of Belgium in 2019 .

This means Dessers could make his international debut next month with the Eagles , who host Sierra Leone in a 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba .
“ Dessers is sure for Sierra Leone, what a squad that will be once he joins the rest of the squad, a deadly attack ,” the President of the Nigerian Football Federation , Amaju Pinnick told Sports Extra
exclusively.

The Heracles Almelo forward is expected to provide both competition and backup for Lille ’ s striker , Victor Osimhen if he translates his club form to the international arena.

Osimhen has scored four goals in his first eight games for the Eagles since his debut .
So far this term, the 25 -year-old Dessers has scored 17 goals in all competitions .
Sports Extra also gathered that the paperwork for the duo Ovie Ejaria and Ademola Lookman are still on .
“ Ovie’ s paperwork is still on but that of Lookman , not yet , ” Pinnick disclosed to Sports Extra exclusively.

punch News

Good news... Where is Truidstar? The Bobo must be smiling somewhere.

Double post

TheSuperNerd:
Osimhen bags his 18th of the season!!! This Boy is a Monster-Machine!!!

Scoring yet again in another big game in France! Osimhen is the realest deal!!

Reason why the coach can't afford to put him on the bench. One word 'Indispensable'

Our national team has greatly improved over the last 4years. We are making progress though slowly.

We now have club regulars who are also indispensable.
Ekong
Ajayi
Omuero
Awaziem
Aina
Collins
Ndidi
Aribo
Moses Simon
Osimhen

Hopefuls
Dessers
Eijara
Eze
...

Gone were the days when 80% of our first team was made up of bench warmers. With time we should be able to phase out those not commanding starting shirts in their respective clubs.

safarigirl:
Being a good analyst, doesn't make you a good coach

We saw that with Henry and Oliseh

Sunday was a good coach. Though a poor manager.

Sportilitica:

Yobo sha!!! SMH...
National team coaching staff is not for learners. Lets be truthful to ourselves, it is just shocking. Those who are clamouring for him should not also complain when thry throw on an unknown player with no statistics into the team.Let me ask, what if doing a tournament or suddenly Rohr resigns, is it Yobo that we expect to take over the super EAGLES!!! So so sad..
Time has a way of sorting things out.

hmmmm...

Sportilitica:

I said this long ago, we don't really have wingers that cross the ball.

or perhaps, we don't have strikers that can efficiently utilize long balls and crosses. This Same Onuachu won zero aeriel duel in his last two outing for the super eagles.

Mujtahida:

Hahaha hahaha @onuachu

you got the gist. I think it's time we drop the notion of getting a lanky player that will fill in the shoe of The Great-Kanu Nwankwo. We have failed in all our quest to find a like for like replacement. Michael Uchebo, simmy Nwankwo and now Paul Onuachu have all been a failed experiment.

Earthquake2:


U don come again

Because Iheanacho and Onuachu no dey score

Kelechi will surely return. He surely deserves a recall.

But Onuachu should be allowed to rest. Dude hasn't contributed anything baring his goal against Egypt.

TheSuperNerd:
Moses Simon scores again!!!!

Equaliser for Nantes. Now Dijon 1-1 Nantes.

#OnFire

not surprised.
I was almost eaten raw here for defending this lad during the AFCON. He seem to have gotten his mojo back.

ChrisKels:
Cyriel Dessers in all comps this season:


- 25 games
- 17 goals
- 6 assists




Victor Osimhen in all comps this season:


- 34 games
- 17 goals
- 4 assists

Top Maskmen

spots on!

But don't be surprised to see Rohr name
Victor Osimhen
Kelechi Iheanacho
*Paul Onuachu*
As attackers for next month's qualifier.

isan:
The owner is going to make a whole of money when they start producing young talented players

definitely!

The appealing part of the whole thing is the structure they have in place. Doing things the modern way. Came across a news that suggest that they intend launching an internet TV.

BascoVanVeli:



They need to change their colour. I can't understand how 3 teams in the same state will pick orange as their main colour. Akwa, Dakkada and vandrezzer.

with time, they'll fix that. Gaining promotion should be their utmost priority now.

isan:
Vandrezzer fc is the best organized club in nigeria

you can say that again!

They are actually setting the pace for others to follow. I only hope and wish they sustain the tempo.

My SUPER EAGLES CELEBRATION OF THE DECADE

you can post yours.

In the beginning, it was Rashford, Martial for the Reds and Iheanacho for the citizens. All three made cover pages of newspapers week in week out. Then the unexpected and unexplainable happened! all three sank down the drain.

They were quickly overshadowed by upcoming stars. They became objects of ridicule, written off and tagged fraud.

But as time will have it, They are gradually getting back to their very best. Churning out performances that mirrors that which brought them to limelight. Most surprising all three at the same time in the same league but different cities.

Hope they can sustain the tempo for a while.

Nuno is an amazing coach. I knew there was no way man city with a man down will survive the onslaught against Wolves.

Great game.

Liverpool should watch their back. Wolves might just end their unbeaten run.

Cyriel Dessers with a goal
Heracles 1 VS 0 Dordretch

andrewbaba44:


I know you wanted to say back up role

It’s better you say let the competition to displace osimhen continue ,no player is hustling to play a second fiddle to anyone bro

If Isaac success and nacho have been doing better in the Epl you won’t say this sha

For sometime, the above named players have been out of the team. Getting a call up should be their priority now and not displacing the regulars. It is not as if Osimhen is doing badly.

Another weekend of football actions.

Let the competition for the back role to Osimhen continue!

nairalandankrah:
Looks a completely different player to the one we've usually seen before. That moment he held onto the ball after 3 challenges recently stands out to me. It's clear his attitude and workrate is much improved. I've no doubt Rodgers has had a lot to do with this,

Fabulous for one that Leicester suddenly have their back up striker for Vardy, but then they start to link up and become a different animal altogether.

Well done to all involved, especially Kelechi and Brendan.

He looks more like a footballer now than he appeared with some security men couple of months back.

Nacho doing take ons is worth testifying next Sunday.

Area of Improvement
-First Touch - CHECK
-Passes - CHECK
-Shot Accuracy - CHECK

You can add yours!

DrKlever:
Iheanacho scores, yes but what i love is his huge passing instinct. His passes are orgasmic. Massive!!!

I noticed it too. That's what Confidence can do to a player

Goal Iheanacho
He is back!