₦airaland Forum

ChrisKels:
Can Ikouwem Udoh be Nigeria's left-back solution?


Ikouwem Udoh's commanding performance and goal for Enyimba in Sunday's 5-1 CAF Confederation Cup demolition of Rayon Sports was the latest in a series of impressive outings from the left-back.

Has the defender done enough to be handed a maiden Super Eagles call-up by Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr?

His composed display, impressive all-round team contribution and well-struck goal in Aba further highlighted the qualities which have made him such an influential figure for the People's Elephant during their continental competition.

The youngster played all six group games and both legs of the quarter final, and continues to go from strength to strength.
The much improved 18-year-old has seen his stock rise in the past 18 months, since he was promoted from the Enyimba Feeders team in March 2017.

He's featured in the African Nations Championship and the CAF Confederation Cup, was named the 2017 Nigeria Young Player of the Year, and captained the Flying Eagles of Nigeria as they secured qualification to the 2019 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations.

Perhaps faith played a leading role in Udoh's accelerated progression.
The player was preparing for the league season with Enyimba when he received an impromptu call-up for the CHAN in Morocco, following a spate of withdrawals and injuries.

An injury to Daniel Itodo at the conclusion of the group-stage matches led to Udoh being handed a first-team role, an opportunity he grabbed with excellent displays as the home-based Super Eagles finished as runners-up.

His rise should prompt parallels with a former Super Eagles left-back, Taye Taiwo, who was renowned for his deadly canon shots in the green and white of Nigeria.
Back in 2004, Taiwo was the breakout star in the Nigerian top flight, featuring for Lobi Stars.

His standout qualities were too exceptional for the national team selectors to ignore as the team struggled for adequate options in the aftermath of Celestine Babayaro's retirement.

Like Udoh, Tawio featured for Lobi in CAF's second-tier club competition - the CAF Cup - and was a member of the Flying Eagles before eventually making his Super Eagles bow against South Africa in the Nelson Mandela Challenge in November 2004.

A similar scenario appears to be on the verge of repeating itself for the Eagles, with Rohr opting to drop the team's only experienced left-back - Elderson Echiejile - ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against the Seychelles.

While Brian Idowu and Ola Aina, right-footed players who are comfortable playing in both full-back positions, might be considered options, the former's unconvincing displays could free up a spot for a credible and natural left-back challenger.

Rohr recently had the opportunity of working closely with Jamilu Collins and Ebube Duru, but regardless of his assessment of the pair, a combination of age, consistency and international exposure could see Udoh get Rohr's nod.

If Udoh continues to excel at the projected rate at Enyimba, then he could become the latest in a long list of Elephants to make the step up to the Super Eagles.

Surely, it won't be long before the talented youngster is handed an opportunity to make his international debut for the national side, and potentially even lock down the position for the next decade.

Udoh is not there yet if I may say. He keeps getting bailed out by Anaemena cos he keeps leaving gaps behind which opponent's do run into. He is good going forward but leaves his primary duty of defending.

Icon4s:
Success is a very clinical striker. Playing him from the wings all these years has not really helped his career. He is a Natural Goal Poacher. He can easily score from half chances. His style of play is very suitable for a lone CF.

I am not Rohr but if you ask me I think I have seen enough of Success this season to recall him for the games against Libya.

Deeney has not been impressive this season. But he is an English man. But soon fans will push for Success case once they loose 2 -3 matches in a trot.
His on & off d ball movement today was top notch. His ball control too. Our man is getting back to his best self.

Joebie:
Hahaha I hope say this interview na true. The other day to dug out something for a comment section.

Its been a long while d dude declared for Nigeria.

forgiveness:
He has already started playing and has scored 3 goals with one assist in 8 matches before he got injured.

Past tense. Started playing ( check)
Present Tense (injured) check
Confirmation. Using crutches. Not playing at d moment.
Matter closed.

Farzat:
Rhor played gamble on Uzoho and its paying off. I am expecting him to take such gamble on a striker and i'm suggesting Akiyemi. As for Ujah, I'm 100% sure he wont be better than ighalo.
Meanwhile let d clamour for the invitation of Ebere Eze be loud on every corner because we cant afford to loose him.

My bro, just allow Rohr invite anyone he chooses to. If u shout too much for Ebere, there is no type of names u no go hear wey suppose get call up before him. Even ones wey dey use clutches dey waka & some wey dem use bolt & seat belts tie for bench.

Watched Enyimba vs Rayon Sport match. Afelokai should be in SE. I am no longer sold out with this Ezenwa thing. That dude has improved so much.

Paderborn vs Cologne game is over. 5:3 it ended against cologne. Jamilu Collins on from start to Finish. Pray tell, they may be in bundesliga next season.

Troost Ekong starts for Udinese. Ola Aina on d bench for Torino. Orji starts for Bologna. Good news everywhere. Uzoho was on d bench for Elche after his cup game heroics. Gradually he will claim d no 1 spot.

ChrisKels:
Thank u bro. We all know this but I wonder why people are now trynna change history. Igweocha remains Igweocha even though the British gave it another name, portharcourt. Maybe some day, dey would come up with another theory to tell us Igweocha isn't an igbo word anymore but an acronym.

Abeg Make we leave poo for lawma as history can never be changed. Happy Sunday bro. Keep my own rice oo

Loool, my bro nutin do u. Your rice with one extra chilled Budweiser with iceblock dey. But na fish & stockfish dey am oh. Stopped eating beef the day I saw one of our brothers from d "nut" making out with cow.
Udo diri ndi choro udo.

ChrisKels:
My dear leave shit for lawma. Dey claimed Dennis coined the name, they also claimed there was a Yoruba minority olukami But they didnt tell us why Dennis failed to add the village in the acronym to make it ANIOMAO. It di just a coincidence that the name Anioma corresponds with the collection of the first alphabets of the names of the villages that make up the town Anioma, otherwise what does the MA represent? All these yeye theories without fact are in a bid to discredit the name Anioma, just to make it a non igbo word as the Ikwerre people have suddenly named all their towns in the metropolis from the central igbo language UMU to now RUMU. Nwa to them is now Wa. Reason u see Wike instead of Nwike(powerful child) but as wise as the they are Ezenwo in s still Ezenwo, why not also omit that N in the middle to make it EZEWO instead?

EZENWO NWIKE not Ezenwo Wike. It was and should be umuokoro(okoro's children) not RumuOkoro which of course, has no meaning

We don't read history again. We don't research. Nutin. The Portharcourt we all know now has a name before. It was Igweocha. Please research 1st before attacking me. Our history has been destroyed & twisted. Make I stop small. Edi abali is d name of the man u call Asari. I was privileged to meet my grandfather. A merchant during his days. So all these areas we got now used to have a local name tey tey. Anyway since we believed that Mungo park discovered Niger, we can believe anything. Like say pipu no dey fish there before him come. Dem no get name for d river ba??

krattoss:
Just learnt Kaduna has won the bid to host our tier against Libya..
I hope Egypt saga doesn't repeat itself..

We lost out of 2016 world cup playing in Kano. The same thing against Egypt for past AFCON. Now we re taking these SE to Kaduna against Libya in a must win match. My hand no dey am.

For Lovers of basketball. DTigers has qualified for world cup. They beat CAR yesterday 114 - 69. To pick their ticket. Though one more formality match against Senegal still remain sha.

Joebie:
You go surprise say he will get called up by Rohr, before Ejaria, Onomah and the like.

Possibility is high. Rohr is looking out for more left footed players. In SE

edi287:
Abegi make this ANS guy go sitdown. No be Nollywood movie be this

Instead of telling us that Vicmo gambled, thinking that it will favour him. The amulet no catch Ekong & Balogun including Aina & Iwobi. The dude wants to make a return to SE. Sarri don use bench reset him brain sharpally. Take it or leave it National teams can increase a players worth like HBP

Danielnino00:
Those who were calling for the inclusion of Aiyenugba and co into our world cup squad had a valid reason though.. Uzoho lack of experience was the major reason..it was a huge gamble making him the first choice.. If u remember when tbaba posted clips of some of his game here,there was panic .
But just like in Enyeama case, taking Uzoho to the world cup seems to have paid off.. He was in the 3rd division last season..now he is in d second division.. we might b seeing him in d la liga next season,who knows?

The boy is growing and its very good for us..

Ehem, someone carry pic where him conceed goal dey show. The ones wey him catch no dey. Bros leave dirty for lawma. Like say Aiyenugba na ball magnet. With him we don carry world cup. Na forward we dey move bros. Gamble ko. Gamble in.

gamaliel9:
How can we be discussing Uzoho,Igbekeme and others...and some are talking about Chelsea and Babayoko!


We now have at least three Nigerians full games for their clubs...Azeez at Lugo,Igbekeme at Real Zaragoza and Uzoho at Elche

Biafra Amaka
Oduduwa Amaka
Nigeria Ajoka

That Igbekeme dude na baller, though his movement off d ball is not top notch but I believe he will improve on that.
Pls can someone confirm if Ademola Lookmans switch is official. I just heard that NFF has applied for his switch.

tbaba1234:
Uzoho's debut for Elche.. Some good saves


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2IWXTvKZh0

I don't want to mention names. Some pipu no go happy about this. Dem sabi themselves, they were even calling Rohr, Aloy Agu even d new GK coach cheats for not taking Aiyenugba in their voice, the best Nigerian GK to world cup ahead of Uzoho. Them no sabi say d gods na dem dey roast palm kernel for d young man. Uzoho carry go na dem hand go soil for sand sand. Expecting Sebastian Osigwe to join d SE.

tbaba1234:
Uzoho's debut for Elche.. Some good saves


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2IWXTvKZh0

I don't want to mention names. Some pipu no go happy about this. Dem sabi themselves, they were even calling Rohr a cheat for not taking Aiyenugba to world cup ahead of Uzoho. Them no sabi say d gods na dem dey roast palm kernel for d young man. Uzoho carry go na dem hand go soil for sand sand.

Yyeske:
100% indeed, go to Awka road and tell us what all those keke and private cars are doing along the road

The man wey dey live for Onitsha & Oyigbo. I salute. Once u hear IPOB na so u go rush in begin spread lies like say tomorrow no dey.

AIG07:
All I wish for these lads is that they qualify for next year u-17 world cup. We should not miss out on two consecutive occasions.

All the best Golden Eaglets of Nigeria.

It hurts Africa will present only 1 team & others.

tbaba1234:
Niger has not conceded or scored in the tournament.

And they have conceded & will conceed more.

ChrisKels:
That lunatic called Rohr is a crook. He invited Nwakali with the xcuse that he is looking for a creative midfielder and here he is playing him out wide even though we have the finest wingers right now in Africa? Only he knows the games he is playing because it beats me how the Nwakali brothers got invited by him for no good reason. I want this man sacked, honestly. He is killing our national team, we need to act fast, otherwise, he gets it decimated. He is a fraudster because to me, he is only here for the money, not to help build our team. He is a thief.

Carry placarded & start the protest.

Car no be your own. Church bought it for you. Why holding unto it??. I am just angry.

Earthquake1:
I'll take a dead lion

Meat dey hungry u ba!! Oya take am with one bottle of Budweiser for ur new month enjoyment.

In another news Joel Obi dey ball na na for Chievo Verona.

JoebieII:
Solanke's situation is better than Nwakali. if you are going talk down on Solanke, what would you say as regards Nwakali? guys they are both Nigerians lets show some love and not tear any of them down.

modified.. that's how the other day somebody dey call Etebo benchwarmer.

Live dog & dead lion which one I go take. I'd rather take live dog. Upon all d tutorials & handouts & opportunities wey de solanke don get from 4 years reach now, him dey where him dey. U think say if Nwakali get such him for Neva blow. Abeg leave refuse for lawama. Lizard wey go be male, we dey know am from pikin.

forgiveness:
It is good you use your brain.

How does debunking fat lies in regards to pass event relates to current event?

Na wa for you ooooo.

Solanke win motm 2015. Win this win that. As okeke go soja finish, wey him Booth dey. Abeg comot coins for road make I count money. Wetin we dey do with past impossible tense. Wetin him dey do now.?? Person wey dem use seat belt tie for bench.

forgiveness:
Did Kelechi Nwakali win one MOTM in the Eredivisie? Mbanu!

Did Dominic win one MOTM in the Eredivisie? See for yourself.

7 goals and one assist in 24 games from a 17 years old lad just coming from an academy tells alot.

No wonder Chelsea retained him the next season. The rest dey say his history.

I get am before no be property.

sureheaven:
Good one from federal government. These are the things needed to be done.

I’m expecting the same set of people shouting marginalization to call it propaganda.

Pls read the topic again. One man donated the land. The same person is sponsoring the infrastructure. Get it. What's d contribution of the federal government??

Farzat:
Pls someone should take out time to watch Sylvester Igboun of fc Ufa. This guy is one of d most consistent Nigerian player in Europe in d last 3seasons. Why is no one is looking at his direction but instead we are busy begging some FB that only consider us as second option.

Sly was in SE under Oliseh I think. But we fans wan kii d guy with bad mouth. Truth Oliseh kept using him cos d guy get big tank no be small. Huzzles every ball. Always full of running. Don't think it will be possible for him again this time. Unless he continues doing the unthinkable in his club.

pek:
You watched it and assumed it is natural? Something I saw when they laid it. FYI, it is synthetic pitch.

Where u dey see am?? Its hybrid guy. More like 80% natural & 20% what I don't know. The pitch is not synthetic.

Chrismario:
Lakosa was given the chance as fans are calling for his provisional inclusion to know what he can do in camp. Not a good reason anyway.

Kayode has been doing good after racial discrimination from his coach at Girona. Dude been banging goals since he moved to Shaktar Donesk, a club that beat Almighty man city in UCL. Don't forget that he has won 4 consecutive MTM this season in 7th best league in Europe. I wonder why Rohr invited a lowly rated Serie B player in place of tested professional that disgraced Roma in Europa league.

Blood of Habakkuk. 4MTM in 3 games. Guy fear God small na. Kayode wey injury Neva even gree make him waka well not to talk of kicking a ball don win 4MTM . Must we tell lies just to discredit other pipu