₦airaland Forum

edi287:
What has Henry done to show he isn't a poor coach?

Nothing. Neither has he done anything to show he is a poor coach either.

He needs time to turn things around

Baxter calls up Serero for Nigeria clash


Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter has named Thulani Serero in his squad to face Nigeria in a 2019 African Nations Cup qualifier at FNB Stadium on November 17.

SAFA banned Serero from representing Bafana in February after he refused to report for national duty unless he was guaranteed game-time in Baxter's side for 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Senegal last year.

However, the national association have now lifted Serero's suspension.

Baxter has had to re-arrange his squad due to injuries to several of his key players – the latest being England-based Kamohelo Mokotjo.



Other influential men set to miss this fixture are Dean Furman, Bongani Zungu, Keagan Dolly, Sibusiso Vilakazi and Bradley Grobler, all out with long-term injuries.

“It has really been a tough task to select the team to face Nigeria without some of our regular players, but we have to soldier on. These injuries could not have come at the worst of times when we really need to collect all three points because we are well aware the importance of doing this,” said Baxter.

“The positive side, however, is that this gives us a chance to introduce other players into the squad, and these are players we have been monitoring, so it not like a knee-jerk reaction. This helps us to ensure that when we qualify for the tournament we have an even bigger pool of players to choose from. I am also confident that the players brought in will do a good job.”

Nigeria lead Group E with nine points, just one ahead of South Africa with two matches remaining.

Bafana will conclude their qualifying campaign with a trip to Libya in March.

“I must admit this makes the upcoming clash all the more interesting. Remember we beat them 2-0 in the first leg in their backyard, so they will come here trying to avenge that. On the other hand we want to regain the top spot which we relinquished with the draw away to Seychelles. The good thing is that qualification is still in our hands,” added Baxter.

Bafana are expected to assemble for camp on Sunday in Johannesburg. The match next Saturday at Soccer City is scheduled to kick off at 15h00.

The 2019 AFCON will take place from June 7 to 30 in Cameroon. The Indomitable Lions are the defending champions.

BAFANA SQUAD:

Goalkeepers: Itumeleng Khune (Kaizer Chiefs), Ronwen Williams (SuperSport United), Darren Keet (Bidvest Wits).

Defenders: Ramahlwe Mphahlele (Kaizer Chiefs), Motjeka Madisha (Sundowns), Siyanda Xulu (Maritzburg), Thulani Hlatshwayo (Wits), Innocent Maela (Pirates), S'fiso Hlanti(Wits), Buhle Mkhwanazi (Wits) Thamsanqa Mkhize (CT City).

Midfielders: Vincent Pule (Pirates), Lebohang Maboe (Sundowns), Hlompho Kekana (Sundowns), Fortune Makaringe (Maritzburg), Teboho Mokoena (SuperSport), Tiyani Mabunda (Sundowns), Thulani Serero (Vitesse), Thembinkosi Lorch (Pirates).

Strikers: Lebo Mothiba (Strasbourg), Percy Tau (Royal Union), Dino Ndlovu (Zhejiang), Themba Zwane (Mamelodi Sundowns).


Source :Kickoff.com

Danielnino00:
I really won't mind if Success starts ahead of Kalu in that RW..or even Chukuwueze

I agree with you Bros.

Danielnino00:
Chief...u know too well that training and playing an official game aren't the same thing...
Why did Musa lost his starting spot in the team in d first place?
Why is Kalu currently ahead of Simeon in the team?
Why was Awazeim dropped from.the list??

Its all due to lack of playing time....it affects players performance like you know it...Balogun display against Libya wasn't convincing enough and he was partly to blame for Libya's second goal...

We have Omeruo who is playing regularly now...why not start him?

Good point raised but using Omeruo against SA?, I dey fear o

komekn:
My advice is in the general and not unique to Curtis. It's not an attack on you. It's advice from pure intentions.

Your response to so many people on this forum that have different views from your own, has been very far from civil.

You use vitriolic rhetoric without restraint and without any justification, quite regularly. It's simply not good.

I really don't want to derail the thread.

But I still believe there is no need for anybody to use caustic abusive language.

safarigirl:
issorait.

As long as we can still discombobulate with big English so that the jab is subtle, we good

Please, let's not continue derailing this thread. This is not an English class

Danielnino00:
Good lineup. .But there's really no need for a 3-5-2 IMO.. Balogun doesn't have to start cus he is match rusty.. Starting Omeruo and Ekong with him won't prevent him from performing poorly... it was evident against Libya.

Me sha prefer 3-5-2 unless Kalu no go waste hin slot for field. Not yet convinced about that guy in the GWG

elyte89:
I
Salam alaekum brother..

Walaikum as-salam Sir

Curtisaxel7:
Lol. John Ogu is no libero. He can't play there. If only we had Mikel.....

Since we don't have av Mikel nko, We sha must play the match. I think Ogu has been modest in that role while on SE duty. We will manage him like dat. When the desirable isn't available, the available becomes desirable

elyte89:
With d way u guys dey expect much from.iwobi so,I hope say baba no go flop,e no go funny o

Bros, let's be positive in our thoughts



Baba go show for pitch that day insha Allah

Joebie:
My vs SA starting lineup

Very good lineup.
Except that Collins was said to have been subtituted 15 minutes to the end of his club's match. I hope it isn't serious.

I want to see those wicked passes from Iwobi.


November 17! Where art thou?

Icon4s:
Bia Cutisaxel7, you like my sister so just let us know straight and stop using reverse psychology here lol.

Be a gentle man bro.

Abi o

Na so e dey start sometimes

andrew444:
I hope you don't find fault in safari girl Because there is no fault and not because she is a woman

There are so many ass lickers on this thread who ass lick safari girl just because she is a woman

I hope you are not one of them

I speak what I think

Peace

Thank God you speak what you "think". I also spoke what I thought.
I joked about this with Curtis yesterday. He didn't deny the attacks at all

Abeg, make we troway quarrel. God punish devil.

Any update on Collins?. Allnigeria reported he was injured

Curtisaxel7:
Such haughtiness and arrogance. Hmm.

Lol. Quiet mode

Sorry for the double post

komekn:
Are you being fair and balanced❓

Free mind is not licence for caustic rhetoric and condescending diction designed to ridicule and pull down.

There are some people on this thread who cannot have a conversation without abuse.

There are people I disagree with and we can be on the opposite sides of the coin. But you will not find BascoVanVeli or TheGoodJoe descending to caustic rhetoric.

You can still disagree and be gentlemen and ladies.

In this regard your comments do nothing to diffuse the situation as they don't dissect the issue rather you give unjustified support to one side.

Clementoke:
To be fair, I think you attack Safarigirl unnecessarily. Infact, after such attacks, I do read her posts again to check her faults but usually don't find any. I didn't raise the issue with you until yesterday because the person being severally criticized (Safarigirl) have chosen not to respond to your fault-finding, so I just kept quiet.

Let's continue to interact with "free minds". My Opinion

Bros, from my post, I said "LET'S CONTINUE......". This refers to everyone including myself. I'm not for anyone using abusive and insulting posts. All my submissions ever posted on this thread shows that.

TheSuperNerd:
It is truly a meteoric rise for the young Chukwueze who was even more than a year behind the likes of K.Nwakali, Osimhen and Orji Okonkwo professionally. These three bagged pro deals before him and began their pro careers before him. Many may not recall that Samuel Chukwueze only got signed by Villarreal Youth in the summer of 2017 few months or so after his 18th birthday and rose through the ranks from Villarreal U-18s (played his first major game for them on April 15 this year towards the final weeks of the 2017/2018 season) to the main Villarreal team today. He may have started behind the others but he is certainly ahead of them all now in terms of the level of football he is playing and doing so with consistency.



On him benching Nicola Sansone for the levante game, I am not really stunned because the boy does offer real attacking impetus and creativity from the right of the Villarreal midfield especially when you consider he executes the role with his sweet and quick left foot. He is faster, has more drive and daring skills which the Villareal coach feels he needs now to get them far away from the position just above relegation zone in la liga. I pray he keeps getting more games and earning more and more of the coach's trust. But I wish more than anything he continues to justify such faith shown in his talents by being more directly involved in goals for the team either by scoring or via getting assists. He won't play all games but he will certainly get enough as he continues his growth into the Villarreal first team.

When The supernerd gives review of some of this players, you almost fall in love with them unless you are a "sworn enemy" of the player he wrote on

Curtisaxel7:
If being criticized makes you so mad, social media is probably not a place for you. All these insults and mudslinging rhetoric you pour on me are only because I dared to criticize your views.

My mind is free. I will continue to interact with and react to any posts I see fit to. INCLUDING YOURS. Yes. I can't start keeping malice with somebody I don't even know. You can insult me all you want, I won't insult you in return.

To be fair, I think you attack Safarigirl unnecessarily. Infact, after such attacks, I do read her posts again to check her faults but usually don't find any. I didn't raise the issue with you until yesterday because the person being severally criticized (Safarigirl) have chosen not to respond to your fault-finding, so I just kept quiet.

Let's continue to interact with "free minds". My Opinion

ChrisKels:
Chukwueze with a man of the match display in his Laliga debut.

Wao, that's nice. Source pls

Joebie:
“Is he Messi?”

I think so. For them to be thinking of calling such an arrogant and disrespectful player, he must be Bafana Bafana's Messi

SAFA to lift Serero ban?


SAFA are looking at recalling Holland-based midfielder Thulani Serero for the AFCON qualifier with Nigeria next month.

SAFA banned Serero from playing for Bafana Bafana in February after he refused to report for national duty unless he was guaranteed game-time in Stuart Baxter's side for 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Senegal last year.

The Vitesse playmaker was benched in the previous three internationals, twice against Cape Verde and against Burkina Faso.

In a Dutch media report in November 2017, Serero was infamously quoted as saying: "The sofa in Arnhem is more comfortable than the South African bench.



"If the national team wants me, then I must play. As the situation is now I don't want to go."

But according to sources at SAFA, the national association are making efforts to patch things up with the former Ajax Amsterdam man.

"There has been contact. SAFA are keen to bring back Serero to Bafana Bafana," says a source.

"He could be included in the squad to be announced by Stuart Baxter for the game against Nigera."

Group E leaders Nigeria have already named their squad to face Bafana, which is notably without ex-Chelsea star John Obi Mikel.

The Super Eagles have nine points from four games - a point more than South Africa with two matches left.

Bafana will host the West Africans on November 17 before concluding their campaign with a trip to Libya (four points) on November 23.

The top two sides in each group will qualify for Cameroon 2019.

Source : Kickoff.com

Mokotjo ruled out of Bafana


Posted: 4 November 2018Time: 08:18 am

Midfielder Kamohelo Mokotjo is set to miss Bafana Bafana's upcoming assignment against Nigeria later this month.

Mokotjo suffered an ankle injury in his side's 1-0 defeat away to Norwich City in the Championship last weekend and was substituted out after 30 minutes.

He was subsequently ruled out of his side's 2-0 victory over Millwall on Saturday and, following further assessments, will be sidelined for up to six weeks.

This means the 27-year-old will not be amongst the names set to be announced by Bafana coach Stuart Baxter on Monday for the penlutimate 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifer against the Super Eagles on November 17.



Mokotjo had started and completed the last three qualifiers including the recent back-to-back clashes with Seychelles as well as the goalless draw with Libya in September.

The former FC Twente star has tallied five starts and nine substitute appearances in the league this season, also managing a goal and an assist prior to The Bees' thrid round league cup exit at the hands of Premier League giants Arsenal.

Bafana are currently second in Group E, with eight points from four games, and need just three more points to guarentee their qualification to next year's showpiece in Cameroon.

Nigeria are top of the standings – one point ahead, while Libya are on four points and Seychelles sit bottom with just one point.

Others set to miss this month clash include France-based duo Bongani Zungu and Keagan Dolly, as well as local-based Dean Furman, Bradley Grobler and Sibusiso Vilakazi.

Source : Kickoff.com

AFCON: Baxter urges S/Africa fans to come out en masse to intimidate Nigeria

By Ayo Olu Ibidapo - November 3, 2018 148 0


Ahead of their must-win clash against the Super Eagles of Nigeria in Johannesburg, South Africa Coach, Stuart Baxter has urged their fans to come out en masse to support them to ensure they get all three points, ”
The 65-year-old, who spoke through a video posted on the team’s twitter handle, further urged the fans to give the Super Eagles an intimidating atmosphere to ensure South Africa picks one of the two available slots in the group.
“As you know, we have a big game coming up, a very important game against Nigeria in AFCON. It will be good to give them a sought of intimidating atmosphere here in Johannesburg as they gave us when we visited Nigeria.
“So, get behind the team, get behind Bafana, enjoy your day and let’s try to pull this one off,” Baxter said.
Similarly, former Bafana Bafana captain Neil Tovey also urged the fans to come out en masse and cheer the team to victory against Nigeria.
“Hi South African football fans; please come out and support Bafana Bafana against Nigeria, you need to give us all the support in a very tough qualifying match. Come show your love,” Neil Tovey posted.
Despite beginning the qualifiers on a high note, South Africa find themselves second in the group, needing a win to fend off Libya from reaching the tournament in Cameroon next year, while a draw will send Nigeria to their first AFCON since 2013.

Source : aoifootball

ChrisKels:
Not really bkus I was switching it between the ManU match. About the SA match, I would rather the three CBs were deployed in a 3man defense, this would be in a bid to maintain the synergy between BaloKong and at the same time contain the in form Omeruo. Balo has been pushing hard to win that starting shirt at Brighton.

Yeah. Supported

3-5-2 will be nice

Curtisaxel7:
She smashed my brand new LCD TV screen .

Tohr....In that case, to err is human but to forgive is divine. Forgive her please

Curtisaxel7:
I know this trick. It's called reverse psychology. Pretending not to want something you actually want in order to win people's sympathy and support.

I won't be surprised if people start begging her and apologizing for both real and imagined wrongdoings. It's a simple psychological trick.

You can't fool everybody at the same time girl.

Bros, been wanting to ask, please forgive my curiosity, what's up with you and Safarigirl? You toast her, she no gree ni?
I noticed you always attack her posts.

Curtisaxel7:
This is not an attack. I'm only airing my views.

Like you said, I'm only airing my views

Icon4s:
Firstly, I still insist you owe this house an apology.

We are no kids here. I don't think anyone is less than 18 and so we are all full grown adults and should always treat each other with respect. I never expected some of those words to be emanating from a respected member like u. That said.

This nomination system may not be perfect, but I can tell you that most of the nominations were done with objectivity.

I have observed the nomination pattern and done collation up to the last nomination done here. The leading 7 nominees are well grounded and have what it takes to deliver the goods. Trust me in this.

So just relax and participate bro. We are still expecting ur nomination.

Gbam
I don't know what's there to be misunderstood in terms like "mediocrity", "excellent few", "my humble self" etc again

Icon79:
Oga mi, I think you guys totally 100% misunderstand my post. I wasn't tryna put anyone down or call anybody a mediocre. gosh, I don't even know the folks who have been nominated sef. I might check them out over the weekend but I haven't had time to check yet. Anyway, I was just making a generalized statement ... a general assumption, if you will, that we might end up with square pegs in round holes if we throw the nomination open, as an all comers affair.

If you come down to it, I am NOT asking to be nominated. And if nominated, I might not even have the time to be effective in the committee due to the pressure on my time right now. However, I was just pointing out the need to have the right people in that committee. Not to sound conceited or anything but some of us have played this game to a very decent level. Some of us have the right connections and contacts in high and low places, both at home and abroad (a la Tbaba1234 and Joebie). Some of us have followed this game and even coached this game long enough to understand the game (a la Icon4s etc.).

That's what's driving my recommendation. My intention was never to put anybody down or for a shameless self promotion. Having said that, I formally withdraw my name from the nomination, but let's give the other 5 candidates a very good consideration.

Those are just thoughts but I would implore y'all to give those thoughts a very good consideration if we want to achieve our aim of forming this committee. There's a saying in my village that na "ora adighi atu ero". Even in the Bible, when they were about to replace Judas Iscariot, they established some standards/qualifications for the ideal candidates. They didn't threw the whole thing open for all comers.

Just thoughts ....


O pari

A Simple apology can never be this long in my own opinion

Icon79:
Egbon! Kabiyesi o!! Here's my 10 cents worth.

I think you have a very good idea but we may probably need to tweak it a little bit to make it work effectively. In my humble opinion, the purpose of this committee would be defeated if the wrong people were "nominated". I haven't followed this thread or the nomination process closely but, like everything Nigerian, I am quite sure that merit is being sacrificed in place of mediocrity and nepotism. Yes, by the nomination process we can ensure that it is the power of numbers at work, but then that becomes the democratic formula for mediocrity.

Hence, to make sure that the excellent few are not sacrificed for the many mediocre my recommendation is that we select the following 6 members and charge them to get the job done. To me, this proposed committee is too important for us to reduce it to a popularity contest. Anyway, here's my 6 member committee:

1. Icon4s
2. Joebie
3. TBaba1234
4. Safarigirl
5. Supernerd
6. My humble self (Icon79)


O pari

Omo na wa o

Pride and haughtiness is when someone addresses himself as "my humble self"and counted himself among the "excellent few" while he views "many" as the "wrong people" and "mediocres"

Lol

Let me just reserve the rest of my comment

ChrisKels:
Aint nothing stopping Chukwueze's growth, but, remember Chuks does not play in France or Germany, neither does he play for Bordeaux nor bayern.

Do u know the only reason Rohr gave for chasing Ademola lookman? Lol that he saw him play for RB Leipzig

Lol.
I've not been totally convinced of Rohr's preference for Germany based players though. I'm still monitoring the Man before I make up my mind.

As regards the SA vs Eagles match, Papa Gassama of Gambia has been chosen to officiate the clash. I remember he was the umpire when we trounced Algeria 3-1 in Uyo and also the one all draw with the Indomitable lions in Yaounde.

Humility017:
pray it works...then the naughty rohr will see reason to play him being that he adores German based players especially bayern munich.

we just have to give it to Henry...He is an example of a player that rose to stardom, pave way for himself without national team caps...

had it been rohr never invited him or possible overlook him...dude would have still come this far.

I so much love this boy....pray he keeps working hard.

I agree with you absolutely. If the transfer works and Chukwueze continue his rapid progress, I fear for Ahmed Musa and Samuel Kalu. Musa might be back to his super sub days