₦airaland Forum

Unfortunately, there aren't any out there that are in that class yet - we need to groom them.
Identify the key attributes we want in our full backs and find players that have such and groom them.
Alozie has some of those attributes. The coaches need to work with her on the rest.

Schemerkhiz:
Glory Ogbonna still very much average, she's not that kind of Left Back we need right now. Her deliveries (pullouts) from the left wing wasn't okay at all, she would definitely improve very soon with her move to Sweden especially since its very certain that UMEA Ok is moving up to the OBOS DAMALLSVENSKAN next season...

I remembered vividly when Faith Ikidi was Faith Ikidi, the likes of Helen Ukaonu, when Ngozi Ebere was top notch from 2013-2016 which made PSG to sign her, Ugo Njoku did a great job too until she fell out..

We need the kind of Lucy Bronze of England, Hannah Glass and Anderson of Sweden, Sakina Karchaoui of France and USA Meghan Klingenberg type of full backs.. These Ladies boses the Full back position with pace, strength, defensively and excellent work rate..

That seems to be common place across the line with our Falcons - Oshoala, Ordega in particular, Oparanozie, Okobi and a host of others are guilty of that. Their default move is to first dribble, when a simple pass would be the most logical option.
Randy had a lot of work to do in coaching that out of them. South Africa seems to be well ahead of us in that regard.

PDPGuy:
There was a moment in the game when Uchenna Kanu had the chance to pass to Oshoala (I think) and put her through on goal, but Kanu chose instead to try to dribble a SA defender.
Then the defender successfully robbed her of the ball

I was so incensed as to how a supposed senior player lacked basic soccer intelligence

Ebi has worked extremely hard and she has been a faithful servant. She has been our most dependable CB for years and more than deserves to earn her 100th cap. She stays, in my opinion. Zogg, Plumptre, Demehin, Okeke and the likes can all learn a thing or two from her.

Regarding NWSL, there were several players from Rivers Angels that were good enough to be in the mix, but were at the U20 camp - Tosin Demehin, Mary Saiki and Debbie Abiodun come to mind. Maryann Ezenagu is another one that should be in the mix.

Patricia George certainly needs time to heal - her injury was a very serious one and we need to be patient with her. In terms of quickness, I will still believe the fastest of the bunch is Nicole Payne of WVU. That girl sprints for her college and is pretty fast. On the whole, we do have a dearth of midfielders and full backs. We need to scout - there are players in Nigeria, Europe and the US that need to be reached out to. Elish Sulola and Rinsola Babajide are two players we need to aggressively go after. There are a TON of players out there that can be Super Falcons if we seriously go after them.

Player availability WILL always be a problem for a team like Nigeria. Happens in the men's team also. Good thing is our player pool has to be big enough to absorb any of those kind of shocks. That is what Randy is doing (that is why a country like the US will always be in the top 5 countries of the world).

Schemerkhiz:
I think Onome Ebi is already at 90+ Caps..
38yrs nor easy, a younger CB can come in immediately..

Time to Scout in from the NWFL....

My greatest pain right now is the injury to Patricia George at the wrong time, she's another quality option as a Full back or a Winger, Skillful, Strong and very fast.. I bet non of our current Defenders are as quick or skillful as her.. Just hope she recovers fully before next month.

Our major problem is getting quality full backs and Midfielders..

One Major problem we have been having of recent is the availability of the Players.. one issue or the other might deny them the chance of coming around...

And what exactly has Assisat done on the continent to deserve winning it?
Just because she played for Barcelona (as a reserve) and won the UEFA Cup?
Truth is, outside of that, she has been a major flop for the National Team this year (even as captain).
This tournament will be what most analysts will use to judge who is the best African player.
No doubt, Thembi was the better and more impactful player.

CoolJulian:
She's actually not done enough to deserve it - Asisat will win, mark my words!

Agree.
She was like that during the Summer Series and has been that was for a while now.
Not sure what's going on with her, but its not looking good.

do4luv14:
not just in this tourney, majority of her game for us had always been like this, always walking like a passenger in a speeding expressway

Ariyo's lack of pace is clearly a big problem. I would rather play Ajibade in the midfield, alongside Payne and Regina Otu.
I think the best attacker we have now is Iffy Onumonu.

GeneralDae:
I have watched Ariyo, I don't really see her as a game changer when her team is not dominating. I think one of the best attackers we have at the moment is Rasheedat Ajibade.

Nothing wrong in ranting, sometimes its cathartic.

You're right. Nigerians love living in the past. Our overreliance on players who have passed their 'sell by ' date is what holds us back. Desire Ellis did a fantastic job in blending new players with the old. Nigeria was still looking for salvation with spent players like Oparanozie, Ordega, Chikwelu and Okobi.

I was particularly interested in what the SA coach, Desire Ellis and SA CAF rep Danny Jordan said during their post-match interview. SA knew our weak spot and exploited it to the fullest, by "playing the ball on the ground, passing the ball quickly around the midfield and exploiting the holes left in trying to cover Kgatlana". Both mentioned 'playing on the ground and passing the ball quickly'.
Nigeria were always trying to dribble their way thru and playing long balls. Clearly, SA knew our soft underbelly was a weak and sluggish midfield, as well as our strikers not passing quickly and always trying to dribble their way through.
We need to move the ball much quicker than the way we play, and play the ball on ground (not all these long balls that have a very low pass efficiency rate). The best teams in the world do not play like that anymore. SA know that and they have started to master it.

carbonado:
Let all man fight for shirt, no preference, may the best man/woman pick the shirt and not based on big names, after all, the so called big names where not known at a point im time. There always someone else to be the next big thing... Sorry guys for my rant, am just angry.

All in all, a great tournament for the development of women's football in Africa.
For Nigeria, a good slap in the face for us. We've been coasting along all these years and were derelict in refreshing our team and doing away with the old guard. The team has been LONG overdue for that. The likes of Ordega, Oparanozie, Okobi, Chikwelu need to be done away with. Bring in the new girls and groom them.

Randy Waldrum clearly has his work cut out for him. In fairness, we missed the likes of Ajibade, Payne sisters, Onumonu, Okeke & Ohale, to name a few BUT the best team of the tournament won today. Nigeria NEEDS to move forward. We still have a good team to win it all on the continent BUT we need to be serious about our refresh program and the building of a younger and more competitive team to ensure our qualification for the Nations cup and indeed and most importantly, the World Cup. We have a LONG way to go and we need to be serious about it!!!

As VP Akinwunmi said after the game, glad this happened NOW and not when we are playing Ghana, when there is ZERO margin for error.

Kudos to South Africa and the 2021 African Women's Player of the year (in waiting), Thembi Kgatlana.

This woman has been short 1 since she came in.

AkinDS:
Okobi, dribbling unnecessarily and losing the ball.

Okobi, dribbling unnecessarily and losing the ball.

Oshoala has been a complete joke in this tournament.
Very mediocre performance by her.

Tolulopefinest:
Is it that Oshoala can't be substituted?

Looks like Regina Otu that's injured. Darn!

Tolulopefinest:
Is it that Oshoala can't be substituted?

Fantastic goal from Obianuju Ikechukwu (Vivian). Fantastic goal!!!
Young player, again.

Vivian Ikechukwu pulls one back from a brilliant cross from Gift Monday. New, younger players.

I had said this many months ago that the likes of Oparanozie, Ordega, Chikwelu, Okobi and several of the old guard need to be dispensed with. People here were arguing.
Hope y'all now see what's happening - SA has refreshed its team with the likes of Salgado, Magaia, Kgatite and other new faces, who have blended and integrated into the team seamlessly and made them even stronger. Nigerians were fighting and loosing sleep over Oparanozie being left out.
Nigerians always love living in the past.

carbonado:
How many opportunities with oparonozie need to score... Azizat is absent... Alozie is not a natural right back from the way she plays.... Great lesson for super falcons ahead of qualifiers and afcon... Also time for the coached to make bold moves, some playets time at the national team should come to an end or atleast move to the bench...

Looking at some of the first half key stats:
Shots on target (Nigeria (0) - (6) South Africa)
Corner Kicks (Nigeria (2) - (3) South Africa)
Goalkeeper Saves (Nigeria (3) - (0) South Africa)

The SA keeper was pretty much on holidays. Talk about a dominating performance by SA, in our own backyard!

A weakened Ghanaian team? Ghana didn't concede 3 goals in the first half.
Like I said, we may be withnessing a dramatic changing of the guard in African women's football.
South Africa has played and is playing the BEST football in this tournament. Its not about gra-gra (Nigeria), its about playing intelligently and taking your opportunities (South Africa). That's how you become a world class team. Kudos to Desire Ellis who has built a very strong SA team over the years.

Nigeria is still relying on the likes of Chikwelu, Oparanozie, Ordega who are not only tired legs, but have been scouted for years by other African teams, to the extent they know their every singular move. Time to change out the old guard.

Lets hope this doesn't end up worse, as nothing stops the SA team from scoring more goals

CoolJulian:
They are playing the best football cos they defeated that weakened Ghanaian team? From the highlights I watched, I did not notice anything special in their play, or... You watched the full match?

Didn't see this coming. Kudos to Ghana.
This scalp will most certainly boost their confidence for their game against Nigeria next month.

labas370:
Now 2:0.. ghana winning

No disputing that they are still our best centerbacks. However, you cannot discountenance the fact that Thembi has improved dramatically from 2018 and she is in top form now. Sharper, smarter and quicker on the ball. Her playing in the Spanish Iberdola has really helped her improve her overall game. She is a whole better now, than in 2018.
The problem we have is the likes of Ngozi, Ebi, Ohale, Chikwelu, etc, have tacked on a few more years and have slowed a bit since 2018. Thembi is only 25 and is near or at her peak.
The SA / Nigeria game will definitely be a very good test of the 2 best teams on the continent.

GeneralDae:
But Ebi and Ohale ( though slow or aged ) are probably our best defenders at the moment. I blame Oluehi for that Kgatlana goal at the first match (AWCON) than Ebi, and in the final when they met again, kgatlana had no answer to Ebi, Ngozi, Chuckwunoye, and Ohale. She was lost in that final.

...The same experience that let Kgatlana blow by Ebi and score the winning goal in the last AWCON, or the same experience that led Randy Waldrum to substitute a sluggish Rita Chikwelu in the Mali game for the much more dynamic and quicker Regina Otu?
Sure.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5kFZrz9OLc
- watch from min. 1:08 and see how she left Ebi for dead to score the brilliant goal.

Pidginwhisper:
it’s not about being fast but experience. Kgatlana has nothing on ebi. Experience defenders wouldn’t need to be fast with you stop your attacking threat. I don’t see anything special in her. Ghana has lost it. That’s just it.

Kgatlana is faster than Ebi. And I have little or no confidence in Akudo Ogbonna.
It will be an interesting game as after the first set of games, South Africa seems to be playing the best football of the six teams.

PDPGuy:
We got Onome to handle Kgatlana. No shaking

Thanks.

isan:
Here https://www.facebook.com/AishaBuhariCup/videos/386462546306164/

Can someone kindly provide the link?
Searched frantically online but to no avail.

No vex. My bad.
Was thinking it would be shown on NFF TV.
Didn't know it was being broadcast on those platforms.

isan:
What do u mean ? I watched it live very clean stream

Shouldn't be.
A lot of African countries are now taking women's football seriously.
In the case of North African teams, there are a ton of Arab women of North African decent playing in the top clubs in Spain, France, Switzerland, Germany and other top womens leagues who are being very actively recruited as we speak.
These countries aren't playing.
Gone are the days of whooping a team 5-0. We all saw how competitive Mali was yesterday. They are only going to get much more competitive.

Olafav:
what!
This is a shock

Wasn't even shown live. Sad.

isan:
Cameroon 0 - 1 Morocco. FT

Ordega!
Hasn't improved since the Summer Series.
Need to trial someone else on the flanks, please

Considering the fact that it is being played in an official FIFA window, and also the fact that this 'window' is for Type 1 friendlies (in lieu of a FIFA competition - WCQ, etc), those friendlies are therefore bound by the prevailing regulations - a team cannot play 2 consecutive matches within a 72 hour window. That means the old format is null and void.
If you want this to become an official FIFA friendly event (Like the Turkish Women's Cup, the Algrave Cup and 'She Believes' Cup, for example) THEN you have to abide by these rules.
At the time of the draws, FIFA approval had not yet been granted for this event (that happened on Thursday, I believe). Therefore, things had to be amended.
This tournament will help improve the FIFA rankings of the African teams participating - unlike before when those teams would go for months without a match and end up dropping in their standings due to inactivity.
Look at the big picture, guys.

BascoVanVeli:
It is in no way shape or fashion better than the original idea. Its a shame that it was changed to this because it would have been a great tournament.

Now THIS new schedule makes perfect sense!
Every team has at least 1 competitive game to play during this invitational.
The fact that, because of the FIFA Type 1 friendly rules, meaning at least, two days of rest between games, forced this adjustment to be made is a very good thing. The ladies will get the same dispensation afforded the men. Good move on the part of the NFF and the participating Federations.

Also, the fact that these matches WILL indeed count towards each teams FIFA ranking means ALL 6 teams are obligated to take the matches seriously and present their best foot forward, meaning the games will be competitive. Fans can watch a quality match each day of the competition, so fans will get to see the very best of African women's football over a whole week. Great! S. Africa vs. Ghana, Cameroon vs. Ghana, Nigeria v S. Africa, Morocco vs. Mali, Nigeria vs. Mali - these will be very interesting games...

My one suggestion for a change will be the start time - games should be slated for 6 or 7pm instead of 4pm, due to the Lagos heat. Otherwise, the changes make perfect sense!

PDPGuy:
Updates fixtures for the Aisha Buhari cup

I had previously quoted an article from an interview she had with the 'Atlantic', in which she spoke about her Camp experience during the Summer Series.
She is a naturally shy person and she is eager to learn more about Nigeria.
The fact that she opted out of the First Lady Tournament for personal reasons should be respected.
In her article, she kinda hinted that she was going thru an identity crisis (through no fault of hers). The Nigerian (and African) kids here in the US, especially the girls, really go through a rough time trying to identify and find themselves (culturally, societally, etc) in this society. I have 3 daughters and I am privy to the different challenges they go through, daily.
Fact is that Iffy is a beautiful, intelligent Nigerian girl and we need to support her as best as we can and make sure she feels at home whenever she associates with Nigeria or the Super Falcons. Ditto that with Zogg, Plumptre, Ariyo, Okoronkwo, Payne sisters, Balogun, George, Alozie and all the other young 'Nigerian' ladies in diaspora who want to connect with their motherland. Let them ALL know that they are all very welcome and that they are important members of the Super Falcons! We love and respect their decision.

She is naturally shy and I think she felt a bit out of place, not in a bad way though, as she mentioned in an article I read yesterday...

Ifeoma onumonu’s first games with Nigeria were a cultural education
https://cdn.theathletic.com/app/uploads/2021/06/25131409/GettyImages-1233543030.jpg

By Steph Yang Jun 25, 2021 10
Ifeoma onumonu’s first national-level cap came as a substitute, coming on for Nigeria in the 55th minute against Jamaica in U.S. Soccer’s Summer Series. Then came a start against Portugal, and then 25 minutes against the U.S. It was another step in onumonu’s steady ascension after the California native was approached by Super Falcons head coach Randy Waldrum late last year.

But while onumonu seemed to fit right in on the field, off the field it was a more complex situation.

“I’m an introvert. I’m not very good at being the one to talk first,” onumonu said in a phone call after returning to Gotham FC after the Summer Series.

There were familiar faces. One-time U.S. youth soccer teammate Toni Payne, whom onumonu said she considered a good friend, was also on the Nigeria roster. Former NWSL favorite Franny Ordega also helped her acclimate to the group.

“She was definitely one of those people that was like, hey, come here, sit here. Tell us more about yourself,” onumonu said.

Still, onumonu said she felt a disconnect in the locker room as someone who has gone through life as a Black American while being taught her parents’ Nigerian culture.

One of the most obvious divides between onumonu and her teammates was the language. “There are three main languages in Nigeria. So there’s Hausa, there’s Yoruba, and there’s Igbo. I am Igbo. I do not speak it at all,” onumonu said. She was raised in Southern California where her parents would speak Igbo to each other, but not to her.

“I think they kind of had that approach like, we’re in American now. And we really have to integrate ourselves into American culture, if you want to survive,” she said. “It’s just like, you’re an American. We’re here. We worked so hard to be here. And we worked so hard to make you an American. So that’s what you’re going to be.”

onumonu qualifies to represent Nigeria through her parents, both of them dual citizens who were born in Nigeria, and it was that duality that onumonu pointed to as part of her biggest adjustment in joining the team, more than any on-field tactics. “Soccer is soccer,” she said. The essentials of the game are the same wherever you go. But learning who your teammates are and the dynamics of a locker room — that can take a different kind of adaptation, especially when you come from different countries and cultures.

“I was raised in America and have kind of, like, an American mindset-style,” she said. “I am Nigerian, but obviously haven’t been there since I was very young. So, I think for me, that was the biggest adjustment I had to make. Trying to fit into the team, fit into the culture, integrate myself into the culture again. So, yeah, I think that’s really the biggest learning I have to do. But the women there were amazing, very welcoming, and it is such a bright and warm culture at the same time.”

“It’s like, sometimes I didn’t feel fully Nigerian,” she said. “But obviously, that’s not my fault. I think when (my teammates) see me, I’m supposed to be Nigerian. But at the same time, I’m like, okay, yes, but there’s also this part of my experiences and how I was raised, where I was raised, that shaped my thinking, shaped who I am that is different from you.”

Her teammates reacted with disbelief when she couldn’t speak any Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, or pidgin, and would mention that she should learn. “And I’m like, I understand that. But you act like I had a choice in all this,” onumonu said with a gentle laugh. That was often her tone as she thoughtfully considered her place among a squad that made her feel welcome, but sometimes could also make her feel isolated due to their differences.

“I’m looking forward to just learning more about my heritage and knowing more about the Nigerian side of my culture,” She said. “Because I feel like there has been, because I was raised in the US, there has been lacking on that side. So being with the team has opened my eyes to, you know, that there’s so much more.”

It’s a common experience among American immigrants, seeing their U.S.-born children grow up completely immersed in a culture different to their own, only to become adults without strong ties to their parents’ home. It’s not universal of course; immigration stories run an enormous spectrum of experiences and emotions. Some immigrants do their best to keep to the traditions and beliefs of their mother culture; others leave their histories behind and attempt to assimilate into local culture. There’s no one authentic story of immigration. But many first-generation children find themselves searching for connections and histories, trying to reconcile experience and identity into one coherent life instead of two distinct lives that straddle an invisible line – a line that can shift depending on where you are and who is perceiving you.

Among any culture or ethnic group there’s a range of identity and experience, but often these groups tend to get flattened into homogeneity in the United States

“Because I am Black in America – I consider myself Nigerian – but in America, when people see me, I’m Black,” said onumonu. And in a room where everyone saw her as Nigerian, just as everyone else in the room was Nigerian, onumonu felt something she didn’t even realize was missing until she had it.

“You don’t really realize that there’s that lack there until you find out that there’s so much more,” she said. “I didn’t realize like, wow, this is what it feels like to have, and be surrounded by other people that are not necessarily Black but Nigerian, in being there and experiencing that and the way they think and how they feel. And I’m like, wow, I didn’t really know that I was missing all of this and that there is so much more that I can add to my experience.”

(Photo: Robin Alam / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Schemerkhiz:
Ifeoma Onumonu is a quality player and would add a lot of Dept upfront

But We shouldn't be begging any Player to play for us.. Let's hope things go the way we're expecting it

Roosa Ariyo debuts for UD Tenerife Grandilla against Barcelona.
Came on in the 59th min.
Full Match here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BT5hal5BaU8

How the heck is an old mama like Faith Ikidi still being considered for international call ups? Someone that has not even featured for Nigeria in over 3 years? What the heck is Ordega doing on the list?
Who on earth are these jokers recommending over the hill players to Randy Waldrum, when we should be building for the future? Nigerians want to watch exciting new and youthful players, not 40 something year old women. Faith Ikidi? I mean, seriously

Schemerkhiz:
Nigeria name 23-woman provisional list for tournament



Head Coach Randy Waldrum has named a 23-woman provisional list for the maiden edition of the Aisha Buhari Invitational Women’s Tournament, taking place in the City of Lagos, 13th – 21st of this month.



The list includes first choice goalkeeper Chiamaka, defenders Onome Ebi and Osinachi Ohale, midfielders Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene and forwards Asisat Oshoala, Francisca Ordega and Rasheedat Ajibade.



THE FULL LIST



Goalkeepers: Tochukwu Oluehi (Maccabi Kishronot Hadera, Israel); Chiamaka Nnadozie (Paris FC, France); Yewande Balogun (California Storm, USA)



Defenders: Onome Ebi (Minsk FC, Belarus); Glory Ogbonna (Umea FC, Sweden); Osinachi Ohale (Deportivo Alaves, Spain); Faith Ikidi (Pitea DFF, Sweden); Michelle Alozie (Houston Dash, USA); Akudo Ogbonna (Edo Queens); Oluwatosin Demehin (Rivers Angels)



Midfielders: Rita Chikwelu (Madrid CFF, Spain); Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene (Eskilstuna United, Sweden); Tony Payne (Sevilla FC, Spain); Regina Otu (Minsk FC, Belarus); Goodness Onyebuchi (Edo Queens); Joy Bokiri (AIK Sweden FC, Sweden)



Forwards: Asisat Oshoala (FC Barcelona, Spain); Rasheedat Ajibade (Atletico Madrid, Spain); Francisca Ordega (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Gift Monday (FC Robo Queens); Uchenna Kanu (Linkopings FC, Sweden); Desire Oparanozie (Dijon FC, France); Esther Okoronkwo (Saint Etienne, France)