Agree 100% remove one goalkeeper and that's probably the squad right there.
Marjoribanks: This is actually close to my prediction! Ahmed Musa experience is needed in the team especially in competition like this where our foreign born might struggle based on January-Feb weather situations in West Africa. Awoniyi absence gave room for Musa's inclusion. The other options are not in any way better than Musa.
My only objection is the 4 goalkeepers! Remove one goalkeeper for Nwakali and we are good to go!
My heart is so full right now when a number of us tipped Osimhen for greatness we were mocked, called delusional and wallowing in mediocrity thank God we have been justified.
I see one or two monikers who were vehemently against Victor in the beginning now shining teeth but hey it's all good love and light
To be fair JJ didn't really do anything of significant note that year. Many African players sef were ordinary in 1998 so CAF probably just awarded to the person whose people lobbied best for him.
Have you not come across an old video of the premier of the north Ahmadu Bello explaining to a british journalist why he wouldn't employ Igbo people in the Northern Region civil service.
As bad as it is now people were more unexposed and clannish back in the day. It's just the brazen stealing that was not an issue then.
BlueRayDick: I disagree with the bold; tribalism was not this rife in the first republic. The rivalry/tension bwtween Awo and Azikiwe was more of two highly educated men who had different perspective on nation building/national politics.
There was nothing like weaponized tribalism until the first coup, the counter coup, 1966 progrom and the Civil war that followed. Try and trace Nigeria's history prior to the aforementioned period and u will discover most of the tribalism u have today stemmed from the first coup and matters arising therefrom.
I think there were two projects. One was supposed to run through Niger all the way to Algeria but is obviously stalled now. The other is a deal with Morocco and the pipeline will cut across West Africa to link up somewhere like that.
raumdeuter: I think there is a gas pipeline project to Europe from Naija. I dont know the level of completion though
I think it's a good idea. In terms of weather the heat is not far off from a what to expect in CIV. UAE has good training facilities plus it will reduce distractions from too much media, family or hangers on.
Probably basing his prediction on their performance at the 2022 WC. Realistically them, CIV, Senegal and maybe Algeria/Egypt are hot favorites. Cameroon, Nigeria and Ghana due to their history in the tournament can't be completely written off even if they are playing nonsense before the competition proper.
Marjoribanks: Morocco win AFCON on West African soil? That would never happen! Egypt although a poor team actually knows how to play on the African soil! However, I don't see a well rested Super Eagles team losing to any team on the continent!
The sad thing is I'm not particularly shocked. The modus operandi of the Nigerian military and the security over the years from the Biafran war to present has always been one of brutality, massacres and extra judicial killings. Sadly again this is the consequence of conflict all sort of horrific actions are taken under the cover of military strategy.
This week report is unlikely to find a much sympathy among the general manager Nigerian public who are already up in arms why some 'repentant' Boko Haram fighters were given amnesty.
I remember that time vividly even PDP governors like Jang, Mimiko and Akpabio (then) that claimed to be backing GEJ didn't trust him to continue to save their state's share of the ECA.
Ibime: NOI talking about saving in 2014 when her principal has already shared the money with Governors in 2009-2010 so.they can support his 2011 ambition
Go and check the time period NOI was minister, she was not on ground when GEJ shared the money finish. She is just giving narrative to defend her time. GEJ done clear the account before she became Minister in August 2011.
She is talking of attempts to whitewash their record with small Sovereign Wealth fund of $1bln when $20bln has already been eaten. Who are they fooling?
You mixed it up chief. Chijioke played under 20 which doesn't use MRI and we know that level is the pits for people lying about their ages. Imagine they took a player claiming to be 16 years old to the U20 WC and did it with a straight face
Ibime: This one even happened last month when our Under17 keeper from 2022 got called up against Lesotho, he claimed he was 18 and Uzoho and Osimhen were laughing at him
And one foolish Capaldi will say "MRI has been perfected since 2010"
Komekn you can pass your point without exaggeration or agenda.
Players have been leaving Nigeria for greener pastures for eons.
The last time the Nigerian league had a decent level of the talent was between the 1990s and early 2000s even then barely two or three players barely made the first starting XI most times.
Keshi invested time and effort into grooming home-based players at the end of the day he still went for the tried and trusted foreign pros.
komekn: It's either youthful exuberance or a lack of knowledge on your part.
The times were very different then information technology was essentially non existent by comparison today.
In addition the naira if I'm right had not been rendered useless, nobody wanted to JAKPA.
Good players were not fanatical and obsessed about leaving Nigeria for anywhere and still played in the NPFL.
Stubborn till the end. I'm surprised you didn't also blame Ike Uche for the two goals we conceded, or the loss against Congo in Calabar, or the loss against Sudan away from or the draw with SA since he's the reason we didn't qualify abi?
TheGoodJoe: Musa missed in the early part of the game and Ike Uche missed towards the end.
Ike Uche was not even in the team in 2005 to participate in the WC qualifiers so I don't know what scenario goodjoe is blaming him for..
Amedino99: keshi was not in charge of the 2006 world cup. He was in Mali at that time. Amodu qualified us for 2010. He was in charge when we qualified for 2014. Rohr qualified us for 2018 And keshi was already in the Bossom of the lord when we did not qualify last year so na which one you dey talk about.
TheGoodJoe: The game is clear. I already stated it. World Cup qualifier that stopped Nigeria from qualifying for the World Cup under Keshi. Uche had a good opportunity and skewed it. Meaning he was not a guarantee for our success.