₦airaland Forum

Badosqi:
You are wrong joe. U17 & U20 are meant for discovering talents that can be groomed to form the foundation of the senior team. They are are grassroot development but our national team development. U17 and U20 is not a poverty alleviation or chop chop program to save the poor lads and poor families. We are talking about football here not some Aso rock national cake. Football is for all(poor or rich). According to ur point an U17 son of a senator which football talent should not come near our U17 team because he is not from the village. You be should be eligible to play for our U17 or U20 teams, once you have Nigerian blood flowing in you, the interest is there and whether you are in Japan or Mexico or Usa.


Funny how you twist everything about the Alaba saga. Alaba is not the villian here. The boy showed interest to represent our U17 team, our coaches blatantly rejected him. Austria gave him the opportunity to represent the Senior team at just age 17 and you expected him to reject the offer(to prove patriotism or wot?) . Why should he reject the offer when Nigeria have no interest. Austria is presently 10th on fifa ranking and they've also qualified for Euro 2016. One of the best teams in the qualifiers. Presently one of the best left backs in Europe and a strong force in the bayern team.. Alaba did nothing wrong in accepting Austrian offer.

Bros, you've said it all. Kudos.

TheGoodJoe:
[b]I though he was training with the first team of Bayern Munich as one of the Reserve youngster but he was not a reserve player of Bayern Munich until the next year, 2008 he joined Bayen Munich II.



Early career
Born in Vienna, Alaba began his career with SV Aspern, his local club in Aspern, in the 22nd district, Donaustadt, before joining the youth setup of FK Austria Wien at age 10. He rose through the ranks quickly, and in April 2008 he was named on the first-team substitutes' bench for a Bundesliga match.


This kind of player has what an average Nigerian Footballer would dream about. There was no way The Handlers of the U17 would take such a player to a tournament we use for grassroot development. It is not just Bayern Munich. He did not fit the grassroot criteria.

That was not enough for him to turn his back on Nigeria and run to play for Austria. That is all I am saying. He should have waited to join the team when they played the U20 World Cup. [/b]

Which criteria?

Who wrote it?

Can you please show a portion of that criteria for the world to see?

If there's none then he is qualified to play for Nigeria.

TheGoodJoe:
Are Nigerian foreign players, already in clubs your idea of grassroot development. At the time Alaba wanted to play for Nigeria, was he qualified to play for Nigeria as a grassroot player?

Coach Yemi Tella and Coach Manu Garba rejected Alaba because Nigeria uses the U17 to develop grassroot football of the country.

Were you had boys like Alampasu and Osimhen who were hawkers on the street, unknown in football, become big boys and National heroes.

Why do we go to the grass roots to source for players?

Where did we source our grass roots players from?

TheGoodJoe:
But, if the light wants to light another house, we should not beg him. We are contented with what we have. If not you, I do not think Alaba. I am checking how Juwon Oshaniwa is doing at Hearts of Scotland. Thinking of Alaba is like wondering why Messi is not playing for us.

The boy was rejected that was the case even when he was still eligible to play for Super Eagles. Well, not everybody will be content to have mediocre players..... I mean players that can't win you World Cup. Please, tell me one player in the National team better than Alaba?

I don't even watch him play because I share your sentiments of watching how Imoh-ezekiel and other Nigerian players still eligible for the National team doing for there various clubs.

Thinking of what Alaba alone would have brought to the Super Eagles always makes me think our scouting system is a failure.

TheGoodJoe:
Are you saying that we should play a foreign base player for grassroot development.

What part of grassroot development don't you understand. Are you saying you will be happy if we carry a foreign base under 17 team.

Grassroot development. That is what we use the U17 for. It is right and they should not change it. It is not only for discovering talents. Any foreign base player can fight for the U20 that is what Alaba should have done.

Are foreign players no longer Nigerians?

Is that part of Nigeria Football Association Constitution and Nigeria's constitution or your own opinion?

TheGoodJoe:
Are you saying that we should play a foreign base player for grassroot development.

What part of grassroot development don't you understand. Are you saying you will be happy if we carry a foreign base under 17 team.

Grassroot development. That is what we use the U17 for. It is right and they should not change it. It, not only for discovering talents. Any foreign base player can fight for the U20 that is what Alaba should have done.

At first, you said Alaba was already an established star with Bayern Munich because he was already training with the first team, and therefore, he should not be called. But I said that you are wrong. Alaba was just like any other Nigerians (not all foreigners are living large as you thought) looking for ways to boost their career in order to make ends meet(as you earlier said).

You also said that the U17 is not meant for those doing well but suddenly you change the gear by saying it is not meant for foreigner players. I think there are inconsistencies in your argument.

TheGoodJoe:
Who is blaming Alaba? Let him enjoy his youngest Austrian title. No competition. He would not achieve that playing for us.

He has Austria, so good for him. I prefer those who only want to play for us. Many of them have gone like that. It did not stop us from producing the likes of Kanu, Akpoborie, Finidi, Oruma, Amunike, Celestine, Yekini, Enyeama etc.

More are coming and more will fly the Green white green flag high. He can rush and play for Russia. Abi, he is even their youngest captain. I hope he rakes an international medal with his rush.

I want those devoted to Nigeria. Not those with one eyes outside and if they do not call them, then they want us their second choice.

Apart from National titles, he has won more titles with his club than any Nigerian.

One little lamp can lighten the whole house.

TheGoodJoe:
Who is blaming Alaba? Let him enjoy his youngest Austrian title. No competition. He would not achieve that playing for us.

He has Austria, so good for him. I prefer those who only want to play for us. Many of them have gone like that. It did not stop us from producing the likes of Kanu, Akpoborie, Finidi, Oruma, Amunike, Celestine, Yekini, Enyeama etc.

More are coming and more will fly the Green white green flag high. He can rush and play for Russia. Abi, he is even their youngest captain. I hope he rakes an international medal with his rush.

I want those devoted to Nigeria. Not those with one eyes outside and if they do not call them, then they want us their second choice.

Apart from National titles, he has won more titles with his club than any Nigerian.

TheGoodJoe:
[b]There is a difference between training and playing with the first team. Nwakali Chidebere has been training with Man City first team but he has not played for the team.

George Evans was training with the first team but they have not played.

I made a mistake then, at 2007 Alaba was already with the Bayern young team and they trained with the first team although they are not part of the squad.

Same thing goes on with Barca.

Nigeria is not as developed as the Europeans. That is why the Europeans can pick up players from top clubs to play the U17 World Cup.

The Nigerian way is the best considering the situation of the country. How many grassroot football programs do we have that expose our young boys to top scout oversees?

The Europeans have a lot. So Alaba was bound to become a star. We can not drop a young boy in a village in Nigeria whose only hope to make something out of his life. For a boy based in Europe who has all the facility, equipments and scout watching him.

Coach Tella and Coach Manu Garba were 100% right in rejecting Alaba.

We use the U17 as a tool for grassroot development. It is a nice ideology and I stand by it.[/b]

He was selected to train with the first team in 2010. He never trained with the first team while in the Youth team until 2010. Chima Okoroji was also with the Bayern Munich 19 until January 2015. As you can see, he was unknown to Tella.

Are you saying our under age team are for chop I chop and not to discover talented players?

TheGoodJoe:
Why do you keep bringing up Alaba's issue? Coach Yemi Tella and Coach Manu Garba did not do anything wrong. They all knew Alaba was a super talent. He was already training with the Bayern Main team before he contacted the coaches.

The U17 is for Grassroot development and not for those already doing well. We use the U17 to boost the local young boys in the country to provide better life for their friends and family. Bringing a boy about to break into Bayern Munich beats the whole grassroot development ideology.

Nothing stopped Alaba from waiting and alerting Coach Siasia for the U20 World Cup. There was no way Coach Siasia could have rejected him.

Alaba was wrong there and I hope he wins an international medal with Austria. I wonder what he was rushing for. He expected us to drop a grassroot player to play him.

To act as a reference point in order to avoid future occurrence. They don't know anything about Alaba because he was nobody then. Alaba started training with the first team in 2010. 3 years after the U17 World Cup.

Our philosophy is different, U17 is meant to groom talented players that will later in the future make the fulcrum of Super Eagles. Strong Super Eagles that will be able to challenge for the World Cup. That is what Argentina did when they brought Messi from Spain to play for the Under 20.

Alaba became the youngest player to play for Austria National team at the age of 17. So, don't blame the lad.

Icon4s:
How many of those players are better than the last U17 and U20 players? Trust me some of those players from those European academies aint better than the ones we raise fron our Nigerian academies.

Recall the result of the friendly between Amuneke's Eaglets and Nigerian U17s based in England? 9-0!

We can't know until we look into them. Like you said 'some of those players' but what about the genius ones among them? Remember, some said the same thing when Alaba issue came up but where are the better ones that won the U17 2007 world Cup?

Remember, Celta de Vigo trashed Barcelona by 4 goals to 1. The margin should have been even more than that if not for the misfiring strikers. So, Messi, Neymar and Suarez are bad players?

Icon4s:
Majority of those players are already playing for the U17, U19, & U21 teams of other countries that groomed them. According to FIFA rule u cannot play in d U17 & U20 teams of different countries. Reason y we have to wait for some of them to mature to play in d Super Eagles before applying to FIFA for their switch in nationality.

Elohor Ekpolo, Boluwatife Balogun(Barcelona), Bobby Adekanye (Barcelona now at Liverpool), Moses Odubanjo(hull-city), Kingsley Ehizibue (ZEC Zwolle) Tyronne Ebuechi (Ado Den Haag), Cedric Omoigui(Valencia), Chima Okoroji(he was formerly in Bayern Munich U19 before moving to FC Augsburg), Ademola Lookman(Charlton-athletic) etcetera are all still eligible to play for the U17 & U20 teams and even some have declared their interest but NFF has done nothing to bring them.

Some of them will soon break into the first team while some have already started playing for the first team.

Icon4s:
Nobody is saying we should nt give those foreign groomed players a chance. U forget that u cannot flood all of them at once in d national team. Except u want to discard the current crop of Super Eagles so we can invite and cap all those players.
The NFF this year alone have capped the following foreign groomed players: William Troost-Ekong, Elderson Esiti, Carl Ikeme & Alex Iwobi. They made attempts to invite Chuba Akpom late last yr bt it didn't sale through. Remember Leone Balogun, Austin Ukoh and Hope Akpan were brought in last yr too.

Such players are usually only introduced gradually. As I said before except u want us to cap all of them in one match of which nt more than 14 can b capped in dat 1 match. Our talents are jst so many. Not all of them will make it to d Super Eagles.

I don't mean we should bring them straight to the Super Eagles. What I am saying is that most of them are still eligible to play for under 17 & 20. So, let's start integrating them from there up to the Super Eagles. And those eligible to play for the National team should be quickly approached before other countries snatch them.

Icon4s:
Siasia is likely to pick d over-aged players from our present Super Eagles. So let Otigba break into d Super Eagles first.

But we never can tell until then I go just dey observe. Otigba can break into the National team any time any day if given the chance.

Icon4s:
U jst like those Euro-Nigerians sha.
Well, Leone will also b a good inclusion.
As for Otigba

Na so.

Anything wrong about the lad?

BlackAlbino6:
[color=#000000][b]
Sir, I once a fan of most of these Nigerian youngsters, but when I learnt most of them are not ready to honour the Green White Green, I lost interest in them, Dominic Solanke inclusive. So therefore, no basis for comparing and making him come close to our Gold Nacho who is the next big thing to happen to us.

I am not saying you shouldn't admire his talent, but what do I stand to gain when I know England is all over him.

Same thing with Gordon Ibe and Dele Ali. I just lay less emphasis on them these days.

Dominic Solanke looks promising and has Nigerian blood flowing in him, but he is not close to our Gold. He should be in a class lower than Nacho. Lol


Please Sir, while making your writeup bold, you don't have to make bold word by word, you can make it once. Hence the one per word will take you so much time.

For instance a whole writeup such as

"Dominic Solanke Pleased To Be Back AmongThe Goals For Vitesse"

can be made bold once.

You can quote this post and edit to see what I am saying, same for most of my senior ogas on the thread.

I must say I enjoy your arguments and contributions to this house, even though am not the oga of the house.

Your Monicker speaks volumes.
Thanks.
[/color][/b]

Bros, please, try to understand my point. The fact that we witness inconsistencies with some of our players born abroad, doesn't mean we should lose interest or totally shut the door on players of Nigerian descent ready to honor the Green White Green.

We have a lot of them willing to play for Nigeria. You should be aware of how we treated David Alaba when he came begging to play for the Under 17 team. Guess what, the coach didn't even look into Alaba's ability on the field. They just told him point blank 'we don't need you'. That's all. Where are those players now? Where is Alaba now.

Do you know that three Barcelona players of Nigerian descent (one is home born) had shown interest to play for Nigeria? Boluwatife balogun (Mother is French & holds Dutch passport), Sheyi Ojo (Holland but now in Liverpool) and Ekpolo Elohor(born in Nigeria) to be precise but the NFF has done nothing, I mean absolutely nothing to approach them now. It's after they become supper star they start chasing them. What should we expect when they know we firstly ditched them?

What I am laying emphasis on is that NFF should approach them first before we make any conclusion.

As long as Dominic solanke is eligible to play for Nigeria, comparison continues.

I still hold unto my sentiment that Dominic solanke looks more promising than our Gold Iheanacho to have achieved a lot at the age of 16. He was just 18 in September.

However sir, thanks for your advice and your pleasant complement. I will amend.

Thanks.

Icon4s:
So which experienced defender would u recommend?

It is either Kenneth Otigba or Leon Balogun.

BlackAlbino6:
[color=#000000]You are so funny. Why type his name in bold?[/color]

You should know now.

For Nairalanders to see.

Icon4s:
Well, all these Mikel argument by all parties involved is still all abt whether he should b included in the Olympic team right? My take on the issue is if Siasia wants to invite Mikel we still also need Onazi in d DMF. Mikel and Onazi midfield partnership has proven d best for the Super Eagles for d past 3yrs. For the other Over-aged player I would want a Central Defender, with Ambrose as my first choice. Kenneth Omeruo is U23 & can partner well with Ambrose in d centre of the defense. The best available U23 players can man d right and left backs positions.

We dnt need Ighalo and Musa in that team.

Cc: forgiveness, TheGoodJoe, Safarigirl, Tomtoxic, all other parties in d Mikel argument.

Yes, we need Onazi because we are building future Super Eagles but I don't think we need Ambrose. He's not exceptional at all to deserve a place in that team.

Apparently, we need at least one experienced striker and a defender. That's my take on this issue.

Icon4s:
Will Falcao and Dzeko be part of our U23 set up? Guys this thread is for our Olympic team.
The 2 of u can create another thread to discuss Falcao and Dzeko if u so like .
Enough jare.

To: forgiveness and TheGoodJoe
cc: Me.

OK na.

TheGoodJoe:
If you are to make a choice from the two, who will you pick.

How can I chose between two inform players, now that I know? It is not possible for me to choose any of them if I know their current form.

But if you ask me who to choose before this season began, I will choose Falcao.

TheGoodJoe:
If your a coach now, who will you sign, Falcao or Dzeko?

Of course, I will not sign both of them now.

TheGoodJoe:
Who said, I did not give Falcao a break because of his injury. While people screamed Eto'o at Inter Milan, I was screaming Falcao as the best. I remember his performance for Villas-Boas Porto in the 5-1 thrashing of Villareal. I was on my feet the whole game.

The guy was the man. I am saying Dzeko is better than him because he is not fit. I hope he gets better and reclaim his golden form.

I have been his fan for years. Since River Plate when CR7 was in Man Utd.

It is sad seeing such a striker score only 16 league goals since Monaco until now. 5 league goals from Manchester United until now. From 2014-2015 until now, only 7 goals. Falcao is bigger than that.

Falcao can do better. I hope he does better. At his prime, I rated him as the third best player behind Messi and CR7.

You didn't tell us that injury stopped him for 7 months, and that he had scored 13 league goals for Monaco before his injury in 2013/2014 season.

Tell us, how many league goals did the fit Dzeko score last season(2014/2015 season)? Make I talk am na, na 6 goals out of 32 matches

The fit Dzeko is only better with 1 goal.

Like I said said 2015/2016 is not yet over.

Dominic Solanke Pleased To Be Back Among The Goals For Vitesse

England youth - teamer Dominic Solanke was back among the goals as Vitesse Arnhem thrashed Twente 5 - 1 in their final game of 2015 before the winter break, to take his tally to 5 goals from 15 games.

The Chelsea loanee had been searching for his first goal in the Eredivisie since he found the net in Vitesse’s 3 - 0 thrashing of Excelsior at the end of October.

“Good win tonight to finish the first half of the season, back to England for a few weeks now for Christmas , ” Solanke tweeted shortly after the tie at the GelreDome.

Solanke played the full game for the home team while teammate Abiola Dauda watched proceedings from the bench for the entire contest.

Vitesse Arnhem tentatively occupy the fourth position on the table with 28 points garnered.

http://ww.allnigeriasoccer.com

TheGoodJoe:
See someone's comment on a Chelsea thread on Falcao, your faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar better player than Dzeko.


Players like Remy will not believe what they have to do to play. Especially when he sees a dead Falcao barely able to trap the ball. Imagine all the players who felt Ivanovic should be dropped. Even fans could see it. Jose persisted. If this irked ordinary fans, how about players?

Someone's comment is the personal opinion of that person but whose opinion cannot nullify Falcao's reports card for far.

TheGoodJoe:
There is no one here who would argue Falcao was not miles ahead of Dzeko when he was in form. That is why you chose to bring in his Athletico Madrid stats to make your faaar talk.

He was back to back highest goal scorer and maybe the best player in both Europa League he won with Porto and Atletico Madrid.

After his injury, you and I know he was no more the genius he was. So what is all these faaar talk.

Are you saying if you were a coach today and you had the option of signing the current Falcao or Dzeko,

Dzeko was the reserve striker. He raked some games after Aguero injured and he paired with Dzeko. Then, Negredo injured and he paired with Aguero.

16 goals in 31 games is good for a striker. Especially one who was not a starter.

So if your a coach today, will you sign Falcao or Dzeko?

Lol, because you asked for his form 3 seasons ago and
I dug out his records for the world to see. After injury was just 2 seasons ago. This season has not yet ended.

What is the difference between 38 and 23? Just 15. He even came in 8 times. Please, stop this already.

You blamed his performance on his inability to start matches but you couldn't spare Falcao for his injury during the same season.

So, is it bad for Falcao to have scored 11 goals out of 19, especially for one who could not complete the season due to injury? Just two seasons ago.

If I consider his form two seasons ago at the beginning of this current season, Falcao is a done deal for me. Because I know at the back of my mind that he is just back from lengthy injury.

Shebi dem don get new coach. Let's wait and see his report card at the end of the season.

TheGoodJoe:
By farr and then you use starter in Stats you want to use to justify Falcao and then use played in stats you want to use to justify Falcao.

In 2013-2014 season, Negredo and Aguero led the line. Dzeko was a reserved Striker. When Negredo injured Dzeko kept on scoring until we won the league.

So do not make it look like if Dzeko played all matches and scored a total of 26 goals.

I am a huge fan of Falcao. Watching him since his days at River Plate with Alexi Sanchez and Buonanote.

Since Falcao's days at Monaco, to Man Utd and Chelsea, he is no more the player he used to be. We hope he can get back his form but there is more to a player than goals.

Falcao at the moment is not reliable, let alone a player to get the farrrr tag.

In a dwindling Chelsea and a Costa scoring only three Premier League goals, Mourinho could not call on Falcao to help the team. Talk less of statistics says he is farrrr.

That is why I said Falcao is by faaaaaaaaaaaaar better than a reserve striker. While Dzeko was still a reserve striker in 2013/2014 season, Falcao had already led the line previously for one of the best team in the Spanish league and was as at then leading the line for one of the best club in the French league. In his first and only season in the Ligue 1, he scored 9 goals in 17 league games and 2 goals in 2 Coupe de france matches. he was able to achieve all these before he got injured at the middle of the season which entirely ruled him out of the 2013/2014.

Does that sounds like someone who lost form?

You said the reserve player didn't play in all the 38 League matches in 2013/2014, but how did he manage to play 31 matches(started 23 and 8 times as substitute) that same season? Remember, he only scored 16 goals in the League and the rest are from other competitions. Divide the 16 by 9 what do you get?
That was what Falcao scored at middle of the season before suffered injury that rule him out of the season(not his form).

I am not even talking about Dzeko's form last season which you have tactical ignored. If when put in the scale both are equally found wanting. Although, Falcao somehow surpassed him based on the statistics on ground.

However, Falcao season at Monaco was merely based on injury and not his form. While his season at Man United superceded that of Dzeko last season.

At Chelsea.... the season is still on.

So, we can boldly say without any contradiction that Falcao is better than Dzeko in recent times.


Na wetin we go take know striker again if no be by em goal again?

TheGoodJoe:
In the last three seasons, between Falcao and Dzeko, who has been the better player. Then you will get safarigirl's point.

Bros, statistics showed that Falcao is by faaaaaaaaaaaaar better than Dzeko in the last three seasons or at any point.

How many goals did Dzeko score in the last season? He scored 6 goals in all 36 matches while Falcao who just came back from long injury, scored 6 goals in all 32 matches(for both Monaco & Man United). Dzeko was a starter in 23 league matches while Falcao was a starter in only 14 league matches for Man United.


In the 2013/2014 season, Falcao had already scored 11 goals in all the 19 matches he played before he suffered injury on 23rd January 2014 which effectively ended his 2013/2014 season entirely. On the other side, Dzeko played a total of 48 matches and scored 26 goals.


Falcao blossomed in the 2012/2013 season with 34 goals out of all the 41 matches he played for Athletico Madrid. Meanwhile, the almighty Dzeko of Man City scored only 15 goals in all the 45 matches he played that season.

Is Dzeko still better than Falcao?

Note: This season is not yet over.

TheGoodJoe:
Paul Scholes was retired and Ferguson notice he lacked a genuine pass master to keep his team on top. He brought Scholes out of retirement back to the squad.

Coach Siasia plays an expansive football system. You can not do well in that system without a pass master. So he can carry a thousand midfielders who play regularly, it will not be the same as with a genuine pass master.

All those bench warmer talk is funny because we have seen guys go from the bench of many teams and dominate in others.

So, you mean Mikel is the only pass master Nigeria has ever produced and will be the only one Nigeria will produce?

Bros, Iheanacho na geniue pass master. Aneke na geniue pass master.

Note: I am an ardent fan of Mikel.

safarigirl:
lol....he scored the first goal? I thought you said he put up a MOTM performance.

Scoring against a better team than CP does not make him better or even anywhere close to an Iheanacho that got a goal and 2 assists on his full debut......and like thegoodjoe said, if the boy was that good, he would have been made third choice striker in Chelsea instead of being loaned out for a Falcao that Dzeko is better than.


Stop trying to market stale bread over fresh one mbok

Yes, maybe I was wrong..

I thought you said Mikel was a bench warmer prior to the AFCON. As you can see, he was not a bench warmer.

The boy was so good, that he was made the 4th choice striker in Chelsea last season behind Diego Costa, Drogba and Remy just at the age of 16.

Dzeko better than Falcao?

A player that scored almost 40 goals in 4 consecutive football seasons before he got injured for 7 month in Monaco. Is worst than Dzeko?

TheGoodJoe:
It did not go into details but the person is saying he was class. At the AFCON, Ruud Gullit read out Mikel's stats and said, how can they give the best player award to another player.

It is sad that despite the developments in technology, Africans lack behind in providing stats.

The journalist there is saying Mikel was clearly the best he just did not go into full details.

The issue is not about Mikel performance, the issue is Mikel was not a bench warmer prior to the AFCON.

Therefore, It is expected that no bench warmer will make the trip to RIO Olympics. That's all.

.