₦airaland Forum

elyte89:
I don't get dis...are u insinuating we can beat France


D best we can get from dt game is a draw,wc I hope for


But we beating dem,I DOUBT IT

Don't mind them. Because we beat North Korea, the hype ha started.

We can't beat France. In fact we will be lucky to finish that match ith a draw. Our chances of drawing that match is 0.87%.

A good number of that french team play for good teams and they don't waste chances at goal. However, in my heart, I really want the girls to prove me wrong but I won't be surprised if they don't

Curtisaxel7:
To be honest, I wonder why Rohr has his mind bent on this 3-5-2 thing.

Why rule out two good wingers ( Onyekuru and Chukwueze) from the tournament?

How are you so sure he would?

edi287:
MANU GARBA: IHEANACHO DOESN’T EVEN CALL TO SAY HI

2 Comments / COLUMN, INTERVIEWS / By Solace Chukwu / June 10, 2019 / Africa Cup of Nations, Kelechi Iheanacho, Manu Garba, nigeria

There is a good argument to be made that, over the last decade, there is no more influential Nigerian coach than Manu Garba.

His name entered the mainstream consciousness in 2013 when he led the national under-17 team, the Golden Eaglets, to victory at the Under-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates. Before that, he was a part of the coaching crew for the previous success at that level, as an assistant to the late Yemi Tella back in 2007.

That is not, however, an achievement that is particularly unique. Nigeria is historically the most successful country in the world at that age group, and the likes of Fanny Amun and the late Paul Hamilton have also led sides with considerable talent but questionable eligibility to success.

What sets Garba apart, besides recency bias, is the style with which his side beguiled the world, and the sheer output of his group of youngsters. A free-scoring, counter-attacking style saw the team plunder 3.25 goals per game over the course of the competition, a staggering number considering football’s fundamentally low-scoring nature.

Understandably, Garba evinces a great degree of pride at having defied one of football’s fundamental truisms, and in his discussion he gravitates time and again to that 2013 side. So what made them so special, so cohesive, so irresistible as an attacking force?

“That team had an abundance of talent, but not only was the squad talented, we had ample time to stay with the players,” he says.

“Honestly, we had the opportunity to teach them all that you need to teach a player in terms of playing and performing at the highest level. To be fit technically, tactically, physically, psychologically and mentally.

“So we knew what every player could do at any moment. In fact, even in that team, you could close your eyes, pick a starting 11, and everybody would function very well, because there was a synergy. They were used to each other. The team was just like a family.”

Embed from Getty Images

“…just like a family.”

The base though, the platform on which it was all built, was talent. The ubiquity of natural footballing ability in Nigeria is now almost anecdotal, but it is easy enough to understand when one considers the mostly unrivalled popularity that the sport enjoys in a country of over 100 million people.

That fact has not always translated perfectly though, as the recent outing of the national under-20 team at the World Cup in Poland attests. However, in terms of identifying and harnessing the talent pool, Garba stands out: both in terms of quality and quantity.

This eye for talent in its primal state, along with his emphasis on creating the right mental and physical environment for his players – for instance, he talks up the underrated benefit of a proper night’s rest both as a key part of player performance and as an excuse to restrict the use of mobile devices – is what has defined a successful coaching career to date.

A midfielder in his playing days, he captained El Kanemi Football Club for over half a decade, winning back-to-back FA Cup (then known as the Challenge Cup) titles in 1991 and 1992, and losing out to Egyptian giants Al Ahly in the semi-final of the old CAF Cup Winners Cup with the Maiduguri side. He describes himself as having been “naturally gifted with an abundance of technique”, and while it is not beyond the realm of possibility that this assessment is slightly massaged, it has certainly informed his preference when it comes to talent identification.

“What I look for in a player is technical ability: if the player is able to control the ball very well, can pass very well. Technique for me is paramount.

“After technique, a little bit of awareness of what to do in particular situations. That too is very important, because they say a good player is oriented all over, including his movement with or without the ball. Even at such young ages, I try to find such players.”

It is that technical excellence, as well as lucidity in decision-making, that so defined his 2013 team, and made them lethal on the break. Set up in a 4-3-3 shape, and with Garba encouraging expressionism and near-total positional freedom, that Nigeria side tore through opponents, scoring 15 goals over four matches against Mexico and Sweden, the competition’s next best teams.

The front three comprised, first, Isaac Success and then Liverpool loanee Taiwo Awoniyi, lightning-quick forward Musa Yahaya – Garba insists he was the best player in that entire tournament, and is “surprised” at the lack of progression of a player with potential to be “one of the best players all over the world” – and a certain Kelechi Iheanacho, whose exclusion from Nigeria’s final squad to this month’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) has cause a stir.

The Leicester City forward has struggled to find his feet in the Premier League after an initial promising start at Manchester City. In the season just concluded, Iheanacho played barely over a thousand minutes in all competitions for the Foxes, scoring twice; in March, he was dropped from the national team after coach Gernot Rohr expressed concern over his focus and mentality. His inclusion in the provisional AFCON squad was widely considered a last chance to win back his place in the team.

Embed from Getty Images

Iheanacho has struggled to find his feet at Leicester

It is a long way to fall for a player who won the Golden Ball in 2013, and on whom the hopes of a nation had come to rest. It also means that, of the players who passed through Garba’s hands, only Wilfred Ndidi, Francis Uzoho and Moses Simon will be in Egypt.

While the 53-year-old admits it is his “personal joy” to see those players in the final squad, he is rueful about Iheanacho’s promise, which now appears to be ebbing away: he has been “watching from a distance” and directs some of the blame toward the player’s handlers.

“I don’t know whether it has to do with personal problems, psychological problems, or lack of adaptation with the players he plays with.

“We expect their managers to be monitoring their performances and their way of life too, which is very paramount. Even when they’re not at their clubs, even on holidays, they are supposed to be monitoring what their players are doing. But unfortunately most of such managers are just after the money.”

While he is wary of making any definitive judgements on a player who he admits “doesn’t even call to say hi” – the revelation, while devoid of rancour, is tinged with disappointment – he makes some pointed observations about African players in general, and why they fail to fulfil their potential.

“One of the greatest problems is that most African players don’t know how to manage success. The moment a poor boy from a poor family background begins to earn big money, some of them forget the career entirely that brought them into such fame. They lose focus and begin to buy expensive cars, and living expensively instead of concentrating on the game.”

This inability to manage success, in his mind, is down to a deficit in education.

Nigeria has a literacy level under 60 percent, and a lot of its most talented footballers through the years have sprouted in underprivileged areas and the inner cities. With footballers earning increasingly mouth-watering pay packages, that image of success sees a lot of them opt out of school in favour of pursuing a full-time career in football.

Garba, a graduate of the University of Maiduguri who paid his way through school by playing in and earning prize money from sub-regional football tournaments, is acutely aware of his responsibility to steer his young players toward education.

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“Education is a great bane to African players, because most of them lack the educational background to take care of themselves personally. So, (a combination of) education, getting huge money suddenly and then failing to manage that success are some of the causes of why African players cannot make it great.

“I tell some of my players that, for us, even when we were playing, we didn’t leave school.

“Life after football is very important. Even apart from regular school, there are some of these schools that they can employ teachers to come and teach them (privately), or part-time. Earn a certificate somewhere. At least they will be able to communicate very well, to know they dos and don’ts wherever they go. This will help to enhance their life after football.”

His passion in this direction is clear, especially when he speaks of his children’s academic achievements, eyes agleam, and he remains an avid learner himself. He holds a CAF A Licence, and admits he has picked up “one or two things in brainstorming sessions with colleagues”, as well as by using coaching resources available on the internet.

While he acknowledges that talent identification is not an exact science – “Players come in different generations,” he says – his desire to find and groom the best continues to burn brightly, even as he prepares another crop for the 2019 Under-17 World Cup in Brazil.


Source - thesupersub

This right here is the major problem with our players that were successful in their youths. It isn't NFF's fault that an individual can't handle success. It is the player's fault and as the article noted, it is tied to the orientation and mentality which is tied to poverty upbringing.

Managing success at a young age is very key

eazyjakes:
You do have a valid point here but you also must not turn a blind eye to d part of these criticisms dat will help d young man’s career if taken positively. Like you opined,he should focus on his club career,his public image will be sorted out naturally once he starts doing well again....peace bro!

Gbam!!!

Although many here questioned Rohr for inviting him in the first place but I guess Rohr just wanted to see what he had to offer in training and his poor run of form carried into training

andrew444:
You didnt sound like who is joking and besides seems you are joking why not say it earlier than to beat around the bush.

Stop being pained by mentioning the good joe and forgiveness

YOU ARE NOT JOKING

Over and out.

iSlayer:
Much talked about Algeria cou. ld not beat much maligned
Burundi yesterday. What does this bode for the national team of Nigeria?

Not just for Nigeria but for all the great "footballing teams"

Nobody came to joke in this tournament. We will have to work very hard to qualify with at least 6 points but it is doable and I feel our boys are ready. No more excuse of trying to avoid injury.

andrew444:
Yes Ndidi is better than him

But why do you call him overhyped ?

I guess you don't know the meaning of overhyped because you used it wrongly

If there is any DM overhyped in the Epl gueye is the least person

So because Ndidi make headline pass am means say the guy no sabi according to you ?i wonder how you dey Judge your own ball ,I guess you have never watch him play self

It's just like saying Mohammed salah makes the headline more than son and because of that son is an overhyped player

Smh

Oga, I was half joking. You should have figured it out from my reply about Ndidi better than him and the emoji.

ThegoodJoe must have been teaching you how to argue to a standstill but I'm not forgiveness and don't have the strength to engage

andrew444:
Idrissa gueye is a good DM even thou i prefer my Ndidi

He didn't almost join psg in January for playing nonsense ,Everton blocked the deal

If you are talking about one of the best DM in the Epl idrissa gueye is in top 10

You can't call idrissa gueye overhyped as if he has played for one big club ,this is a player who left relegated Aston villa some seasons back ,[b]so how is he over hyped ? [/b]As if the English media even rate him

Because Ndidi has been better than him for two seasons and hasn't been making as much headlines as him

Curtisaxel7:
YOU will do that. Not Rohr.

Rohr's a conservative. Once you impress him, you need to bleep up again and again and really hard before he drops you.

If Rohr plays 3-5-2, Musa is starting and Samu is getting benched. Take it or leave it.

Okay...till then

Jarus:
Everton's Iddrissa Gueye is not far off. Cheikou Kouyate of Crystal Palace too

This guy is the most over-hyped DMF of the last 5 years

He offers nothing but tackles and lots of yellows and red cards

Going forward, he is very abysmal

I don't care where you play. In today's football, you must offer something going forward regardless of your position

charlesemeka85:
Per the numerous training session of the Super Eagles of Nigeria Owngoalnigeria.com can exclusively reveal that some players have already seal their position in the starting eleven.

Newly signed Torino defender Ola Aina has dust himself up from the disappointment of missing out in the squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia ‎by making the right back spot his own.

Same can be said about Jamilu Collins at left back, a role Aina can also play. However in the absence of Tyrone Ebuehi it’s Aina that has won the battle to be first choice right back ahead of Shehu Abdullahi.

Samuel Chukwueze has also picked up the role of one of the three players in attack where he will likely play with the duo of Ahmed Musa who will operate from the left with Odion Ighalo as top striker despite the fine form of Paul Onuachu in training.

In goal is where the biggest shock has been noticed by our correspondent as former number one Daniel Akpeyi who dropped to third choice during the World Cup in Russia appears to have displaced Francis Uzoho as first choice.

Uzoho’s lack of game time has somehow affected his sharpness leaving coach Gernot Rohr with ‎no option but drop him as number one and when the number two Ikechukwu Ezenwa picked up an injury, Akpeyi seized the chance.

So far Akpeyi has impressed in training and would likely be in goal at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations unless something happen in the next few days, which is highly unlikely considering the fact that Ezenwa won’t take part in the friendly game against Senegal.

When AFCON start, we will know those that really came to play

This same news outlet over-hyped Joel Obi before WC but the guy flopped big time

Earthquake2:
Na just rumors we dey here about Naija players no transfer

lol

Na so we see am oo

Curtisaxel7:
My guess is that Rohr will start with the 4-3-3 and then change to 3-5-2 in the knockout stages when we face the big boys.

You have made a good observation, 3-5-2 means our darling Chukwueze won't play. Unless we will start him as a strike partner to Ighalo, and given Musa's performance in that role at the WC, I think the Musa-Ighalo strike pairing has come to stay.

Anyways, I think 4-3-3 is a sure bet for the group stage matches at least, if Chukwueze makes a huge impression, Rohr may be forced to pick him ahead of Musa to pair Ighalo in attack when he reverts to 3-5-2 in the knockout stages. Otherwise, Samu may have to sit it out like Iwobi at the WC. Sadly.

That's the way it is.

If you are basing your arguments on this, then it is flawed. The WC is ancient history now. I don't see Musa as the Ideal partner to ighalo, Based on form, i'll pick osimhen or chukwueze

EasterDell:
With Feminists like you, its always an insult/sarcasm competition. If you were so jobfull, you wouldn't be on NL like us.

1st wave and 2nd wave feminism has done the job! The fight has been won! In all western societies and world democracies.

Feminism should face Islamic countries and retrogressive states. Any other agenda in western countries is no longer about equality. It is just about bitterness, frustration and the lust for power.

My point exactly

I have hardly seen any of these Nairaland feminists protest here for equal rights of women in Northern Nigeria;I mean "core Northern Nigeria"

Many girls are still being forced into early marriages (as early as 12-13yrs) with men of over 50yrs. With men old enough to be their grandfathers.

I know one that was forcefully married to a gate-man; a girl of 10yrs and every night, this same gate-man will forcefully penetrate her in the name of sexual intercourse until he was fired by his master. Previously, he had lied that the girl was his niece until the neighbors started hearing her nightly cries.

I don't see any feminist here protest that...no, they come here for unnecessary arguments about superiority and who's at fault for whatever. That is why most folks here; both the trolls and mature minds alike don't take them serious at all. Their words reflect pure hatred and disgust for men which is not one of the ideals feminism stands for.

For all those claiming to be feminists, there are more pressing issues that need your passion for equality-the girl child education, forceful early marriages of girls that are kids, removing the glass ceiling at work for the married ladies, sexual harassment of Ladies, domestic violence. Last week, a news on nairaln spoke about a woman in Abia state that has been constantly abused by her husband but the latest one landed her in a hospital. I didn't see some famous "feminists" condemn that act. Focus on these things and leave boyfriend and girlfriend matter alone. You guys aren't teenagers now.....

A word should be enough for a wise feminist but I have decided to speak with many words in case some aren't wise

wayodude:
continued

Ivory Coast
Morocco
Nigeria
Senegal

What is Iheanacho doing there

chrisooblog:
guy you are completely wrong even if the girl came to your house stark naked spread eagle on your doorstep as long as she has not given you consent you have absolutely no right to touch whether she is tempting you or not.

if you cooked a delicious plate of food would you be happy if i ate your meal without your permission and i justify it by saying "i'm hungry na! and you tempted me by cooking this food"

dude for real change that mindset it's totally wrong

Omo na to run like Joseph from potiphar wife but it won't be easy

iSlayer:
Nduka Ugbade

When did he say it?

chrisooblog:
guy it's not as simple and straight forward as you are trying to paint it. the r kelly, bill cosby and harvey weinstein cases shows your point holds no water.

saying "why did the victim not voice out therefore she/he enjoyed it" is wrong because rape apart from being a physical violation is psychologically scarring for the victims as well. some voice out immediately some bottle things up.

now i'm not disputing some people will deliberately lie to tarnish someone's reputation and that is why we have the judicial system that guarantees innocence until proven guilty. it is this right of defence that neymar and CR7 are currently enjoying

But you can't jettison the fact that this is a trend among female rape victims. Wait until someone bells the cat and then pile on by saying "he did it to me too" sometimes several years after the incident. Is it not to make a quick buck?

krattoss:
Make I follow una derail small..

BTW.. school is overhyped

You can always drop out and play ball

iSlayer:
So. Iheanacho doesn't like training?!

Why do you say so?

Joebie:
Isaac Success is another player that is not serious about his career.

This guy case ehn...na for another day

Him own pass the satelite wey NASA don dey look before dem demote pluto planetary status

DrLikita12:
Maybe he's unaware it's 2019.
Iheanacho needs more people to encourage him not tear him down.

Semi actually needs the support more

He had a very good season and scored more than a striker (KC), yet he was still dropped

safarigirl:
when you lie with the devil, prepare your mind for what comes with it

As a celeb, even more, a footballer, whose earnings are common knowledge, extra care is a necessity. Casual sex is nor just casual sex to these women. The women a lot of these men go for, are women who are used to manipulating and getting their way with men, these are tested and trusted karashikas, yet, these footballers jump into bed with them


Tact and extra care are necessary, a lot of footballers have neither and pay for it

Sense won't kill you

safarigirl:
this Nigeria that we are?

Lol.....is this a question?

This Nigeria that one random Emeka will rape a woman, and people will ask her what she was doinf at his house?

This same Nigeria that a lady accused an aspiring Governor's sons of rape and people said even if they saw a video of her getting raped, they wouldn't believe her. This Nigeria wey dem go ask wetin carry her go hotel with man

This Nigeria? Let's be serious mbok.

While I don't support rape, I still feel strongly that women ought to be careful with the company they keep and WHERE THEY KEEP SUCH COMPANY.

A lady cannot claim ignorance about the intentions of a supposed platonic male friend that invited you into his hotel room. Your instincts ought to have kicked in to decipher at least some negative vibes coming from such man. I'm a man and I know that when men ate sexually hungry, its usually difficult to hide the strong sexual pheromones (kind of) from their victim.

Now, I am against rape and I feel it should be treated like attempted murder cases, so please don't get me wrong....

andrew444:
Omeruo play small sha

That championship take style hard make I no lie ,to get promotion come Epl there na wahala ,the games are 2 much and no resting

Championship should be the best 2nd division in Europe

I agree with you

kellycute:
let me cry in peace. Is it your tears?

But I'm concerned about you

kellycute:
same way your comments shows your low self esteem and negative attitude to life. I ain't ever see anyone as pessimistic as u are. U go about with your defeatist mentality. Nonsense

Cry all you want but you can't change the fact that nacho didn't make the squad. I wasn't in support of Mikel but he made it and really balled against Zimbabwe so the best I can do is support the team regard less. I won't go about crying like a spoilt Kid whose breast milk was taken from him.

Missense

obiekunie2:
WITH ALL THIS SWAG, HE IS STILL UNDER A LOCAL GOVERNMENT CHAIRMAN WHO CAN DECIDE TO MESS HIM ANY TIME AND ANY DAY!


NAIJA! VERY FUNNY COUNTRY WITH VERY FUNNY SETUP!

As in ehn......

Upon all the juju, just one drone from the US and the kingdom will be levelled. Na why we no dey progress

TheGoodJoe:
You are talking from the spectacle of being a Liverpool fan forgetting Brendan Rodgers was someone who took a team with little quality talents, Swansea and played beautiful possessive football and helped them stay up. So good that he got the interest of Liverpool.

How you guys try to class him average beats my imagination.

By the end of next season, we will know...okay?

terzurum5:
Super Falcons broke my heart yesterday.

Positives from the match:

1. Francisca Mrumun Ordega - The most exciting player for the Super Falcons.

2. Chidinma Okeke - Has the balls(brains) to go far in the game if she puts her head down.

I wish she starts in our next match.




Our Goalkeeper Tochukwu Oluehi fine sha

Not true. Now precious dede was finnnneee

TheGoodJoe:
Rodgers has been doing it for too long to ruin his name in less than a year. His Swansea team was sharing passing stats with the best teams in the league.

Where they winning enough gmes to be in top four

MOurinho never had time for unnecessary passing, yet he has a better resume than Rodgers

Humility017:
wish I was there...to beat him up.
when he missed that glorious chance against man city...he never knew that miss alone ruled him out of afcon
he denied Rohr compatriot the chance to win the EPL

Fews weeks to AFCON and he went to hire fitness trainer so that he can gatecrash....

Him think say Rohr no get sense. Fitness trainer he didn't hire all season