I think the caption of this thread befits the Super Falcons more than any other football team (male/female). Really proud of their world cup performance and hope they can build on it.

caprikon:
This SE team ain't winning the upcoming AFCON with the current frailties of the team.

JP needs to give the impression that he is actually building something...

I think eye don begin clear for everybody!

The super optimists or better still illusionists can continue in their path.

Getting it right tactically is just a piece of the puzzle..though a major piece.

There is also the mental side of the game..how a coach should have some sort of talismanic effect on his players to get them fired up.

JP is currently mediocre in these aspects..

Rohr and JP are part of Pinnick's legacy...seeking the advice of Wenger and Mourinho on the coach for the SE.

The current NFF leadership are pretty anonymous at the moment. Can't tell their direction or focus.

The SE is going nowhere with this midfield set-up.

Shocked Onyedika didn't start in the DM role to allow Iwobi operate further up the pitch in a 3 man midfield.

Musa (Dan Kano) is Naija's record goal scorer at the mundial with some crackers to his credit.

It's best to die the Federal character talk.

This present SE team is reminiscent of the Drogba generation of Ivory Coast though that Ivorien team's deficiency was their Goalkeeper (Barry) and lack of depth in defence.

All other departments have like for like replacements except the midfield.

If one or more of the midfielders gets injured or suspended what happens?

Danielnino00:


Here we go!
Voting of Members of the Nomination Committee
Gentlemen and ladies of the thread, it is time for us to vote for those who will stand as representatives of this thread and partake in the selection of award categories and award nominees.
This year, the nomination committee will be made up of at least 7 members: myself, icon4s who pioneered the award will continue as an honorary member of the committee and at least 5 monikers from this thread.
Every member of this thread is eligible to vote and be voted for. But let's keep in mind that this isn't a popularity contest. Vote for those you believe have the knowledge and passion for Nigerian football.
Here's the rule for voting:
1) You're to vote for 5 monikers from this thread to join the committee;
2) Vote the monikers in order of preference, from top to bottom;
3) Points will be awarded to each moniker you vote for. Your first nominee gets 5 point, the second gets 4 points, the third gets 3 points, fourth gets 2 points and fifth gets 1 point.
4) At the end of the voting process, the five monikers with the most points will join the committee;
5) In the event that two or more monikers are tied on points, they will all be added to the committee, as the goal is to have as many monikers to contribute to the process.
6) You're allowed to nominate yourself 😉

Voting closes on Wednesday, November 8th 2023, 10pm Nigerian time.

Thank you.

1. TheGoodjoe. 2. Tbaba1234 (hope he returns actively to the thread)
3. BascoVanVelli
4. Kog45
5. TheSuperNerd

The goalie situation shouldn't be really surprising. ...the longevity of the careers of the quality Keepers we've had often masked the lack of real depth/quality options...Can recall a short documentary on the dearth of quality goalies from Nigeria.. surprisingly after AFCON 2000...not so long after, Enyeama and Ejide came to the fore... Leukaemia only made us face this stark reality. If Ikeme didn't suffer that illness, these conversations wouldn't take place.

The NFF should be intentional about fixing the problem....focus on building the standard of our local league...cos European clubs do not typically scout goalies from Africa unlike other outfield positions.

AndSunGorilla:

I love this!!!!! I love it when people write off our teams . I remember Keshi's 2013 team and then I recall the last "tiki-taka" team of 2022 and all the hype and we crashing out (doesn't matter hownwe crashed out, we crashed out in the 2nd round QED). So this may be a good omen!!!!!

Will be pleasantly surprised if the team does win.
Keshi's team had a surprising balance and was underrated probably due to the high number of debutantes.

This SE team ain't winning the upcoming AFCON with the current frailties of the team.

JP needs to give the impression that he is actually building something...

Kog45:
Sir,I don’t believe in old player would struggled in today’s football.Every player has their time and that time was modern.

We went to 2013 Afcon with average players and home based Sunday Mba did justice to Nigeria midfield.Did you know that Ogenyi Onazi was not even regular in group stage.

We just need bus conductor like Mikel in our team,Mikel gave liberty to Mba to operate further and we all saw the results against Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso.

That "bus conductor" is hard to find these days...reason Nwakali's name keeps popping up.

I'm looking at Akinsanmiro as the heir to Mikel in the long-run. In the mean time, the coach has to improvise.

Cecco90:
As great as Aghahowa was in SE colours, Iheanacho has equalled his goal scoring record with the national team.
I might be wrong but sometimes I feel we overate this past SE players.
With all the so called exploits in the 1900s, what did they really achieve?

Aghahowa remains one of my favorite SE players..stats can be deceptive...Aghahowa scored very important goals for Naija btw 2000 to 2002 when he was at his prime.
Naija was on the verge of losing to Senegal at home during AFCON 2000...man showed in with an equalizer in the 89th minute and winner during extra time. Almost pulled off a similar feat at Mali 2002 in the Semis.

Drogba wasn't too prolific but scored many key goals and was the go-to man at Chelsea during decisive moments.

Just like Neymar is currently Brazil's all time goal scorer but can he lace R-9 or Pele's shoes in the Selecao?

Nacho is still the most ruthless finisher amongst our impressive array of forwards.

He could be a supersub at AFCON..

The local league has always been the breeding ground for sound SE goalkeepers (Carl Ikeme was an exception).I hope someone hints this to JP.

football be like side hustle to Uzoho and Maduka. ..the former plays badminton while the later is a full-time model.

The stereotype about the physicality of African midfielders has contributed to stifling their offensive qualities in Europe.

This thing affected Mikel and Ndidi appears to have come up worse... I hope Akinsanmiro, Eletu and co do not suffer same fate.

Kog45:
If this description about Akinsanmiro is true then why not invitation.

Akinsanmiro is a fine prospect.

More brains than brawn. I hope his career blossoms as expected.

Napoleon55:
If we must play two strikers up front,I prefer V.Boniface with Osimhen.

without taking anything away from Awoniyi,Boniface is more comfortable with ball on his feet and more composed.
I'm impressed with his debut,not in a hurry to impress yet he did.

I wonder y some want Iheanacho out of the team because of many strikers we currently have, forgetting he can also operates from midfield,or behind the strikers,and he usually does well.
In absence of Iwobi,I actually prefer Iheanacho to Aribo as the playmaker.

For Ndidi,
it looks like playing in the championship under his new coach is not completely a bad choice after all.
The pass he gave to Osimhen that leads to the penalty was very good.

No disrespect to Iheanacho but the quality of the opposition was a big factor in his performance...Nacho has always had an eye for through passes in the final third.

Against higher level opponents, playing him as an AM will expose his weaknesses in that role which this Sao Tome team couldn't.

Deschamps has been successful with star studded France without relying heavily on dominating possession.... Wenger's Arsenal struggled against prime Barca while defensive minded Chelsea were a thorn in the flesh of that Barca team. Football itself would be so boring without the different styles and philosophies.

Mujtahida:
Zidane is the most graceful player that ever kicked a ball. My my!!

In Nigeria, the most graceful player is Obi. Kanu too but Obi wears the crown.

Zizou's elegance is unmatched in my opinion.

Made difficult things in the game look so easy. These are the sort of things that stats can't tell.

Pep has done a lot... impossible to deny. He cleverly refreshes his squad each year to keep them motivated...this is beyond his tactical flexibility.

His relative lack of success in Europe could be the dent on his legacy.

Welcome back Tbaba1234.

So glad the rumours were false.

European football has evolved to over-emphasize efficiency over flair ...giving us some of the boring functional teams we see today.

Zizou helped France achieve what their star studded counterparts in the 80's couldn't achieve with Platini.

De Bruyne is an exceptional player but comparing him to Zizou is football blasphemy.
This golden generation of Belgian players have largely underachieved.

Danielnino00:


It seems like CAF are struggling to come up with an efficient qualification format for the world cup... Seeing as Africa is guaranteed 9 automatic and one playoff slot, it's challenging for them...


Can anyone suggest a qualification format that can actually work?

AFCON isn't a bad idea but I think a group format with the group leaders qualifying will suffice. Teams on the continent don't play games as often as they should. .using AFCON could lead to complacency and poor performance at the Mundial.

I admire the South American format cos the games are really damn competitive but it's difficult to replicate it in Africa for obvious reasons.

Osimhen na real headmaster. Even with the close marking, Milan still conceded once he got his chance.

Funnily, can't remember a headed Osimhen goal in the SE. Our set-up doesn't do enough to utilize his aerial prowess.

Kog45:
Wetin technical Dey do for goal scoring self….Yekini was very poor technically and not even finest in his games but always delivering…Osimehn is a fighter who take ball to defenders.He is not a dodger but real man when it comes to the game.

Samuel Eto'o is most technically astute no 9 the continent has produced IMHO.

comodo:

Siasia moves with guile when with the ball. So much intelligence then. He was more like the architect in the early days of Yekini, until the USA 94 qualify match against Ivory coast. When he went for glory against laying the ball on a platter for Yekini. SE ended up losing the game 2:1. After the game came the era of Da bull. That was how he started warming the bench in the SE. But his goal against Argentina in the mundial said it all. SIA.1.

Wow... memories..

That goal against Argentina during US 94 was an absolute beauty.

Danielnino00:
We have forwards o 🥵

Osimhen
Lookman
Moffi
Awoniyi
Onuachu
Chukwueze
Simon
Iheanacho
Sadiq
Orban
Boniface
Akpom
Sor
Olayinka

Also eligible are Nathan Tella and Folarin Balogun...

The team is top-heavy at the moment. I don't get excited anymore when a new forward hits the limelight.

Waiting to see the prospects in other depts. in dire need of quality.

Brazil went to Qatar with so many talented forwards only to get found out by a team with a superior midfield.

andrewbaba44:


Fifa 11 was mostly last season early season/ World Cup

So they will skip this season performance and still be using last season performance for the apoty ?

Hope you know casemeiro made the list because of his last season performance with Madrid winning the ucl ,or can you tell me vvd and Joao cancelo business there if it’s this season performance that’s being used ?

CAF has an obvious francophone bias.. let's see how it goes.

Mujtahida:
I've still not gotten over Mbappe's phenomenal performance yesterday.

For his age, that was truly a special performance...he was more deserving of the golden ball in my opinion despite being a huge Messi fan.

Game on. The final is now a contest

It's remarkable how the French have managed to get the best out of their present golden generation ..on the verge of back to back world cup titles.

Germany was unfortunate that their recent golden generation peaked about the same time with that of Spain. England hasn't done badly but Belgium been a let down.

I hope this our NFF can learn a thing or two from these countries.