₦airaland Forum

quickberry:
You are the one deviating, because he won the Nigerian league before the world cup, he was good enough to face that England squad?🤣🤣

Thats the same point i was making. So he has the right ingredients to make the SE squad albeit not the first choice. Nwabali lacks that as his team is not competing anywhere near the top

quickberry:
They were not an elite team as at 2002. Stop this misinformation. Their rise actually started in 2002, but they were not already an elite team🙄

A team that won back to back league title in Nigerian league in the early 2000s are not elite? 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣. Nigerian teams are some of the best in Africa at that time. For Enyimba to win the Nigeriam league that time back to back they are elite. And in any case Enyeama was not the first choice GK in 2002 na. He only became first choice in around 2004 when Enyimba was dominating African football. His fellow Team mates at that time where even Super Eagles players already. So Enyeama wasnt just lifted from No where.

Cocony:
CapitalCe, it seems you are getting the explanation wrong. I corrected the error of the person with my explanation which you quoted and I rightly know Enyeama won 2002 league with Enyimba. Read through the posts that led to my answer.
As per the National Team Enyeama was regarded as a newbie at the time when we had Ndubuisi Egbo, Murphy Akanji and Ike Shorunmu.

My second paragraph was about Ezenwa

quickberry:
Benjamin Frederick says hi😂😂

Fredricks is not a GK, he has a Defensive leaders in Bassey and Ola Aina who who plays in EPL to guide him. And he is only on loan in that team, he only made his debut recently so will definitely move back to his parent EPL club. Nwabali on the other hand got exposure nearly 2 years now, yet hr couldnt get a move to the top 4 teams in SA or even top African teams or Europe.

Cocony:
Enyimba were a force to reckon with before Enyeama's arrival having won the 2001 NIGERIAN PREMIER LEAGUE VIA THE SUPER 4
Where you play for and who you play against matters.

Excellent. Enyimba was an Elite team by the time Enyeama csme to SE. By that time Nigerian league was among the best in Africa. Teams like Julius Berger and 3SC and Kano Pillars were competing very well in CAF competition. If Nwabali was keeping for Al Ahly , Memolodi Sundowns, Orlando Pirates or Experance or any of the Casablanca teams, no one will be worried. A bottom placed team keeper in SA should not be our first choice in SE. Heck even that Rwandan GK is in Keizer Chiefs. Washinton Arubi of Zimbabwe id the GK of a team far higher than Chippa utd.

quickberry:
The Ike Shorunmu you are talking about, go and check the kind of goals he conceded at 2000 AFCON final.

If you are good, you are good.

You are diviating. The point you are making is that Enyeama never had winning mentality and elite attitude when he debuted in 2002 world cup.
It has been proven to you thst he has it.
His team had won the Nigerian league which at that time was really good, and was competing in CAF Champions lesgue.

And it has slso been proven to you thst he was not the first choice at that time. He only became first choice when he wn 2 CAF champions league titles and multiple league titles in Nigeria. The mistakes of Shorommu in 2000 is ot the discussion here

Cocony:
False they never lost 7:1. It was 6:1 and Enyeama did not feign injury. They later beat the same ISMAILY 4:2 in the same group phase

The Season Enyimba lost to Ismaily 6-1. The later top that group and met tge same Ismaily in the final and won the trophy and that didnt have anything to do with Enyeama or winning mentality. That Enyimba team with Enyeama is among the greatest if not the greatest team the Nigerian league has seen

quickberry:
Enyeama was fumbling with crosses in his early stage. He was always having problem dealing with crosses, he improved on it later.

Enyeama waz never fumbling crossess in SE shirt. He was solid throughout his time in SE.

Cocony:
My brother, Ezenwa was not a newbie going into the game against Cameroun in 2017 on our way to 2018 WORLD CUP. After being part of the 2007 U20 TEAM BOTH AFCON AND THE WORLD CUP FOR U20s HE HAD BEEN A REGULAR IN THE NPFL.
YES ENYEAMA WAS NEW BUT NOT JITTERY AND WAS ALREADY TESTED IN A FRIENDLY AGAINST KENYA AND HAVING LOST OUT ON QUALIFICATION, THE RIGHT THING ANY COACH WILL DO IN HIS 3RD MATCH THAT WILL NOT CHANGE THE TURN OF EVENTS AS PER QUALIFICATION IS TO GRANT APPEARANCES TO SOME OF HIS PLAYERS. ENYEAMA WAS NOT JITTERY, COCKY NOR DID HE DISPLAY ARROGANCE TOWARDS ANY OF HIS CAPTAINS IN THE SUPER EAGLES.

Enyeama was a calm head and he has already won the league with Enyimba, you cant call him a nee bee.

The Ezenwa he was mentioning was one of the most experienced GKs in the league at that time and was a first choice for Ifeanyi Ubah FC, at thst time are plsying Confredration cup

quickberry:
What I am trying to tell you is, Nwabali playing at Chippa Utd does not mean he is not good enough.

He might be good, but his mentality and situational awareness is poor, as evidenced by his errors and attutude in the recent rounds of qualifiers. Football is not about ability you need the right mentality and awareness especially for a GK.

quickberry:
Nigeria vs England(2002)

I watched the match, Enyeama did well, but like I said it was a dead rubber game. If we had drew or won Sweden in the previous match, and needed a result against England, Ike Shorommu would have been in goal. That match was not a pressure cooker match, so no need to panic and England only needed a draw.

In any case Enyimba has already won the league in NPFL in 2002, so Enyeama was coming from a team with winning mentlity, not relegation fodders

quickberry:
Talking about winning mentality, Enyimba did not really have that as at 2002. Infact, they were beaten 7-1 in the CAF champions league, Enyeama had to feign injury after conceding four goals, Aiyenugba conceded the remaining three.

Note: My argument is, the club a goalkeeper is playing does not really determine how good he is.

Enyeama was not the first choice GK in 2002, it was Ike Shoronmu. The match Enyeama played was a dead rubber game, if we needed that game, Ike Shoronmu would have been in goal. By the time Enyimba won 2 CAF champions league in 2004, he(Enyeama) , became the undisputed number 1.
Enyimba won the league in 2002. What are you talking about? That they lost 7-1 in CAF champions league does not mean he doesnt have winning mentality. When Aston Villa beat Liverpool 7-2, or Liverpool beat Man Utd 7-0, does it mean DeGea and Allison doesnt have winning mentality? So AthleticoMadrid beating Madrid 5-2 means Courtious dont have winning mentality? The issue is Nwabali is playing bu default to reduce damaging scoreline or preserve a draw. Enyeama was at that time playing to win and win the league.

Kog45:
I disagree totally....Ezenwa was not even regular in NPFL he faced Cameroon during 2018 WC qualifiers...Enyeama a rookie in NPFL was in goal against good shooters Paul Scholes and David Beckham...yes Nwabali is messing up of late but the same Nwabali of Chippa was great during last Afcon.

I will only bench Nwabali now for his attitudes not cuz of Mbeumo or Aubameyang

I lived at Nnewi during that World cup qualifiers. Ezenwa was the first choice Goal keeper at Ifeanyi Ubah unuted. They won FA cup the previous season and were playing Confederation cup by that time. Infact Ezenwa was in goal when Ifeanyi Ubah FC defeated Almasry if Egypt 1-0 at Nnewi. I watched the game live.

quickberry:
Did you watch the match?

Which Match?

forgiveness:
Have you watched Chukwuemeka played? If you did, you will agree he is a better CMF than Iwobi. Iwobi is only better at SS.

I have watched Chukwuemeka, he is not better than Iwobi

QueenJazz:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVgZgg8BpMQ&pp=ugUHEgVlbi1HQg%3D%3D

Either this Nwabali goes to therapy or Chelle replaces him with Okoye for the time being. He's a ticking time bomb waiting to happen. I just pray that the day he finally blows up, it won't be during competitive games like the playoffs, AFCON, or in a World Cup game (if we make it).

For those of you cstigating me for being critical of Nwabali, you guys are just being emotions not realistic. The truth is that any top level manager will not play Nwabali as his first choice GK with his performance and attitude within the last year.

1. Against Lesotho in the penultimate game, players like Lookman, Osihmen, Ndidi and I think Moses knew we needed more goals and were playing to that target. But once we scored that penalty you see Osihmen going to pick the ball to quickly restart, but Nwabali was wasting time. Even when Akor scored the second goal you can see these players baying for another goal. Nwabali instead gave away a goal and almost gifted them the equaliser.

2. Versus Benin, at 2-0, Nwabali was not aware that we needed 4 goals. He was already delaying the game and showboating. Infact they had to send someone from the bench to warn him to stop wasting time at 3-0. He repeatwd this delay tactics in our home game against Rwanda when we scored.

MY CONCERNS: A footballer who is unware of the position of his team is very dangerous on international stage. Someone like nwabali may not have known the tiebraker rules and that might cost us at crucial stage. Now even if we do not necesarily need goals to progress. A home game agaisnt teams like Benin, Rwanda and co. 1-0 is never enough. Infact 1-0 versus these teams at home is a poor result normally for tthe SE. But when you hve a keeper from bottom based Chippa united, 1-0 is always enough.

3. In our game against Rwanda at home, Nwabali commited 3 red card offenses, and 2 penalty offences, unprovoked, in a FIFA organised match. Lol. In our game against Benin, he was harrasing a Benin player who just challenged for the ball and finally dropped the ball which based on the rule of the game it is a goal, in a match where the margin of error is very slim.
Like in this video in the unity cup when he commited an error, and also the error that led to the Lesotho goal, he was blaming others refusing to take responsibility.

MY CONCERNS: The attitude of violence agaisnt opponents need to be eradicated completely from the SE, Sani Kaita cost us in 2010 due to this. Nwabali is a ticking time bomb, he is always unaware of the situation and importance of occasions, he just acts out of place no matter the situation. And when the leader on the pitch Ndidi cautioned him on 3 ocxasions, in 3 different matches he disrespected Ndidi. We need to eradicate that attitude too.

Given all thses, he doesnt need to be the first choice.

forgiveness:
I don't think so if CMF in regards to cmf position.

Iwobi is better than him, in whatever position in Midfield

Amedino99:
the keeper from chippa united was quite sufficient in our afcon final run facing angola, south africa and cameroon. Why should gabon be the almighty exception now

A lot of people will argue that the forwards that we faced versus Cameroon, Angola and SA are not really top quality. Evidence Magcopa who started for SA only scored 1 goal for over 1 year and it was even a penalty. Magri, Nkoudou and Mounbagna are not worl d beaters.
When he faced Simon Adingra, Sabastine Haller, Nicolas Pepe who had a bit of a quality in the final he let in 2 questionable goals.

TheSuperNerd:
This argument is funny so just kill it. There are angles to consider. When Ghana came to Abuja and won the 2022 WC ticket, remind me again where their GK at the time was playing. Jojo Wollacott. Where did he play prior to that crucial game?

If we went by where a player plays 100%, even Benjamin Frederick wont be in the Super Eagles today.

Okoye just returned. Let things take shape. Not cho cho cho.

When they got to the world cup and AFCON later, what did they do? They replaced him. They recognised that a goalkeeper in lowly competitive enviroment should not be their first choice.

Odunayaw:
You go tear ACL with all this gymnastics to throw Nwabali under the bus

You are once more resorting to insults.

quickberry:
Where was Enyeama as at 2002? He was at Enyimba, go and check his performance against England at Korea/Japan world cup.

Enyeama was not the first choice at 2002 world cup, he played in a dead rubber match where there was no pressure. And England needed just a draw to confirm qualification.
Meanwhile, the mentality at Enyimba in 2002 is miles better than that of Chippa United. I am talking about psychology and winning mentality. By that time Enyimba was in a period where they are winning NPFL and CAF champions league. They faced Very good teams like Zamalek, Al Ahly, Esperance, USM Algiers etc.
If Nwabali is the first choice at Pirates or Sundown or Al Ahly or Pyramids then fine, these teams are always motivated to win, they are always at a pressure cooker moments and high stake matches. At Chippa united thats not the case, nothing much at stake, thats why Nwabali can easily misbehave, because he doesnt know how important games are by default.

Papi85:
where a player plays doesn’t matter 😏

It matters. Where you play, determines your mentality. As for GKs the quality of the strikers you face will determine how you react. In the play offs we may likely face Mbeumo, Yohan Wissa, Aubameyang, Etta Eyoung, Bounga, Cedric Berkambu etc. the quality of their shots will be different from that of Lesotho and even Benin Strikers. We cannot have a goal keeper from Chippa United as Super Eagles first choice when Morroco are having Bouno, Ivory coast are Yahia Fofana, Cameroon Onana, Senegal are parading Mendy.

For me Okoye should be brought back as first choice for the play offs. First Choice GK in Udinese over Chippa United GK anyday anytime.

semid4lyfe:
◾Goal Keeper - Stanley Nwabali
◾Right Back - Bright Osayi
◾Left Back - Zaidu Sanusi
◾Centre Back - Calvin Bassey
◾Centre Back - Benjamin Frederick
◾Defensive Midfield - Frank Onyeka
◾Box to Box Midfield - Chrisantus Uche
◾Attacking Midfield - Alex Iwobi
◾Right Wing forward - Samuel Chukwueze
◾Support Striker/Left Wing forward - Ademola Lookman
◾Centre Forward - Victor Osimhen.

Formation: 4-3-3.

23 Man Squad for the PlayOffs.

Goal Keepers
Stanley Nwabali
Maduka Okoye
Adebayo Adeleye

Defenders
Calvin Bassey
Troost Ekong
Benjamin Frederick
Zaidu Sanusi
Bright Osayi
Igo Ogbu
Bruno Onyemaechi

Midfielders
Alex Iwobi
Raphael Onyedika
Frank Onyeka
Wilfred Ndidi
Chrisantus Uche
Ebenezer Akinsanmiro

Forwards
Victor Osimhen
Ademola Lookman
Samuel Chukwueze
Akor Adam
Moses Simon
Tolu Arokodare
Chidera Ejuke

On Standby to replace injured players
Terem Moffi
Anthony Dennis
Olisa Ndah
Paul Onuachu
Nathan Tella

Where is Fisayo Dele Bashiru?

Cocony:
Noted. I will rather introduce Lookman and Moses as subs in the game against Gabon assuming the needed result is not achieved on time. This for me should be the era of getting 3 or more goals before the 60th minute that is not to berate our opponents but from the last 2 games I think it is achievable. Chukwueze will start for me barring injuries and a Fred Onyeka will do well physically to give cover for Ekong and Bassey.

Chukwueze can start but Ademola Lookman will start ahead of Akor Adams as a second striker. He is way better than Akor who i. Like. Fisayo can replace Chukwueze later. Moses Simon will likely play 90 minutes likewise Lookman

Cocony:
There are high chances of Nwabali's consistent errors putting paid to our dream of qualifying hence my choice of Maduka Okoye. Semi Ajyi's suspension for me needs an Ekong recall. Let Fredrick continue his good work at the Right full back. Creativity in the midfield is where a Chidera Ejuke comes in instead of starting Alex Iwobi. Fisayo is a good midfielder and can play to instructions from a coach either assisting the DM of the team or advancing forwards and he has same kind of positive vibe for success like Akor in Attack.
Please kindly criticize constructively and make your own variations.

The only new addition for that lineup is Fisayo Dele Bashiru coming in for Chuwkueze in midfield together with Ndidi, Iwobi, Moses Simon in midfield and Lookman will pair Osihmen in a 442.

And the idea of letting Ekong face Bounga and Auba is giving me Nightmares. We need another CB or RB to be able to move Fredricks to CB

forgiveness:
I don't agree Iwobi is better than him in AMF and CMF position. Iwobi lacks ball control and skills to maneuver like Pedri and Caicedo.

He is a better SS. We need a ball playing CM and AMF that can control and wringle himself out of tight space and I think Chukwumeka is better at doing these.

However, you may have a point about the gate CRASHERS and opportunist but remember Victor Moses, Lookman etc once rejected us openly but see what they brought to us now.

We can't pretend we don't like better thing. We need to lure them to achieve glory for our country.

That's what successful and advanced countries are doing.

I understand he wasn't steady then and Nigeria never beckoned on him hence the need to play safe.

Iwobi is head and shoulders above Chukwuemeka .

Cocony:
Once upon a time a certain Willy Okpara left the shores of Nigeria to become the Number One man at Orlando Pirates and was instrumental in the Club and by extension South African Club first African Triumph. You are on point my brother and that is why I still maintain he is subpar. That someone is subpar does not mean the person cannot improve or go to greener pastures

He needs to upgrade that his team. We don’t need just ability in the super Eagles oo, we need elite mentality, that is the reason why his default mode is time wasting even when we needed goals, and his mentality is not forward thinking. The Coach needs to tell him to find another club or be dropped. European and many southAmerican National teams coach do that too, they will tell you that you current team is big enough in terms of mentality to match the NT target.

TheSuperNerd:
Absolutely. That guy's speed and attacking instinct is deadly. But even he struggled vs Angola.

Mbeumo will always struggle with the African game due to the physicality. If Cameroon 🇨🇲 makes the world cup, he will be dangerous.

semid4lyfe:
I did not make reference to Ghana and I do not see the correlation to my post. The Tammy Abraham example you cited only reinforces my stance.

We have a solid unit and should focus on hitherto uninvited players without divided loyalties like Ebenezer Akinsanmiro, Anthony Dennis etc

I doubt Caney Chukwuemeka, Lesley Ugochukwu, Noni Madueke etc will turn down Super Eagles invitation now because we are almost at the World Cup.

After the world cup, we can invite these dual national players to take part in the AFCON qualifiers and ascertain their commitment. Trust me, many of them no go show up.

Which Madueke? The guy will make the England squad to the world cup. He is just injured now, and if he wants to play for Super Eagles, we should be all over him

semid4lyfe:
I will never be in support of dual nationality players crashing the party only when its convenient for them to do so. It's opportunistic, parasitic and could spoil team chemistry and cause disunity in the squad.

I recall this same dude was asked about playing for Nigeria 2 years ago, and he said, (I paraphrase) "at the moment I'm focused on playing for England but lets see what the future holds which is a subtle way to turn us down.

The guy no even better pass Iwobi for AM. Iwobi is a better orchestrator and passer. The issue with Iwobi is wrong deployment, midfield partnerships and formation by our National team coaches which negatively impacts on his output.

We can do without him. Between Alex Iwobi, Frank Onyeka, Raphael Onyedika, Wilfred Ndidi, Fisayo Dele Bashiru, Chrisantus Uche, Ebenezer Akinsanmiro, Alhassan Yusuf, Anthony Dennis and even Samuel Chukwueze we have enough players to cover in midfield.

Any dual national who wants to play for Nigeria should do like Ashleigh Plumptre, Alex Iwobi, Cyriel Dessers, Ademola Lookman, William Troost-Ekong etc and come out to declare their interest with their full chest, not use Nigeria as Plan B.

If they didn't declare interest and commitment when the work was being done, they shouldn't benefit from it by going to the world cup.

Make hin wait until after the world cup when the next AFCON qualifiers will begin, no be now.

Honourable mention are Ola Aina, Semi Ajayi, Joe Aribo and Calvin Bassey. Those ones no even think am twice to play for SE.

Sugarboyy:
How often do you watch Nwabali to make this assertion that his club performance has been subpart? Nwabili has been doing excellently well for his club, his teammates are not just good enough and that's why they are last on the table. Nwabili usually makes atleast 3 saves per matches and he recently saved a 90mins penalty that helped his club to a draw

If he is that good, and wanted to remain in SA why is Orlando Pirates or Memolodi Sundowns not signing him? I see big clubs like Pyramids, Al Ahly, Esperance, Zamalek etc needing a competent goalkeepers why are they not going for him. If he relegates with this his current club as it is looking, Erik Chelle should dare not play an SA 2nd division GK for Super Eagles oo. We don pass that level