₦airaland Forum

Icon4s:
Simply bc u are both on the same side of the argument

Are you sure we are on the same side of argument? TheGoodJoe will come for my head before tommorr morning, just watch and see

TheGoodJoe:
I agree with goldfish80, I say sometimes, we boost our players. We will have friendly games and I believe Rohr will want top friendlies. We can market our quality home based players with it.

We won the AFCON with some home based players. We also pushed home based players like Oliseh before with the National team. The exposure made these home based players shine.

I believe Rohr knows about Nwobodo and will know the best time to give him a chance if he does not secure a European move by then.

This is one of your finnest posts for the better part of a month. Keep up bro

Icon4s:
Let Nwobodo go to Europe so we can properly assess him.

Let theophius Solomon and Nwakali come down to Npfl and play a season, I personally want to watch them play live and assess them properly

tbaba1234:
Let the boy grow and prove himself. Kanu and okocha proved themselves in Holland and Germany. I am optimistic for the kid but let him face better challenges. There have been more failures than successes when it comes to star league players that played abroad.

In other words you're saying "proove yourself abroad before we believe you're good enough"
Is it not time we emansipate ourself from that sort of mental slavery?
Why not watch his game and say categorically he's not good enough?
He has seen more action than Musa Muhammed but at a push you will list Musa as your choice right back against Algeria just because he cools off in Turkey.
Had Musa not being given a chance against Tanzania, most people would not even consider him good enough for the SE bench.

Nwobodo deserves a place at least a chance in a friendly.

Icon4s:
Infact, this hailing of Nwobodo is becoming something else.

What happened to the likes of Chikeluba Ofoedu, and Jude Aneke when they left our shores?

What has even happened with Gbolahan Salami since he left to Europe? I have not even heard anyrhing abt Ifeanyi Mathew and Chisom Chikatara since they went to Europe. What of Sunday Mba, the ogbu enyi1 of Super Eagles(Elephant Killer)

You just mentioned Chidi Nwakali and Theophilus Solomon as two youngsters doing great in their clubs yet no one has even called for their inclusion in this current Super Eagles.

"Nwobodo this, Nwobodo that". * In Osuofia's voice* "What kind of this is this"

cc:goldfish80

What happened to Kanu, Okocha, Olisadebe, yakubu, Omeruo, Enyeama, udenze, Yobo to name a few since they left the Nigerian league?

tbaba1234:
Nigerian league is not even the strongest in Africa. Not every player that has shined in Nigeria has become a success.

Let Nwobodo face tougher challenges abroad then we can really guage him. Mind you, Nwakali is carrying his team in Norway by himself. He is already their best player.

Same with Theophilus Solomon in Croatia.

Even though, these players are shining, we recognise that they are in lesser leagues.

Wait till they prove themselves at a higher level.

The word you used earlier was that the Nigerian league is not tough. My brother, if you know what these players go through you won't use the word tough.
The Nigerian league is not for the faint hearted.
Can Theopilus and Nwakali travel by night from Enugu to Kaduna and play a a game by 4pm same day?

Do you know how many teams had accidents on their way to matches this past season?
At the top of my head, I can name Ikorodu, Heartland and Plateau.
Kano pillars the other time were attacked by armed robbers durring one of their night journeys, Gambo Muhammed was shot.

Any young player who stands out, head and shoulders above the rest in this circumstances do not need much to excel in a decent environment.

You talk about the players who have not made big since they left Nigeria, you also know that there are thousands out there who have etched a career straight out of the Nigerian league.
Kanu - Iwuanawu
Okocha - Rangers
Emmanuel Olisadebe - Jasper United
Martins - Ebiede
Aiyegbeni - Julius Berger

The list is like a bottomless pit.
It's not Nwobodo's fault he was born in Nigeria. Let's not penalise him for it.

tbaba1234:
Let's see the boy in tougher leagues first.

You think Nigerian league is not tough? Name one tougher league than Nigerian league. Its a challenge

AIG07:
for now I'll like Nwobodo to concentrate more on his club career and wait till next year before been called up...
Reason been that he might not get to play considering d already established players in his position(get me right, I'm not saying he is not good enough) but no coach will like to experiment in a competitive game of such a magnitude and been in d squad n not playing may not be good for him-remember Adi(he was called but never given a chance to show what he can bring to the table) . So a friendly match will be good for him.
*NO DOUBT HE IS A WONDER KID THAT CAN WONDER GOALS* so sooner or later he'll get his chance.

This is exactly what am advocating. He should be tried out in a friendly game.
Sometimes, we just have to build our own up so he can attract the attention of those big and shinny clubs we all adore.
The Brazilian press have mastered this trick over a long time.
It will do us no harm to boost his profile by capping him in a friendly.
His talent deserves to be at least within the fringes of the Nigerian national team.

zoboizee:
Personally, i think Nwobodo's undoing is his playing in the Npfl. if he had gone abroad, i am very sure he will be playing mikel's role while mikel will be playing onazi's role in the super eagles. He is most suited for that role. In Nigeria, we hold high regard for foreign base players. Nwobodo is too good not to be in the super eagles if iwobi & iheanacho can be there. My passion for him is higher than watching iwobi or iheanacho play. He is a midfield meastro. A delight in his art. His mistakes on the ball are very little. And i believe this is his generation.

Whenever I watch Nwobodo play, it strengthens my opinion that life is unfair.
Had it been that guy was born abroad, he would have been totally out of Nigeria's reach. You can't have such a talent and just ignore it because he plays in the NPFL.

Imagine if he was at Sao Paolo, Real Madrid and Barcelona would have been paying illicit money as inducement to his club president to sign him up.

Nwobodo is the real deal, am sticking my head out for him.

princesuko:
Well his wikipedia page diasgree.
Rangers FC
After signing for Rangers International Football Club, Obinna was promoted straight into the first team within a matter of weeks. He was handed his preferred number 8 shirt and registered as a central midfielder. He was described as possessing an unusually-high tactical awareness, good passing range and the ability to pass and shoot with either of his feet. Rangers fans were excited to watch one of Nigeria's U-17 and U-20 players who is comfortable in the deep-lying playmaker role or regista and has been compared to Xavi and Riquelme by followers of the youth teams due to his early success.

You prefer what wiki tells you than what someone who has watched him play live more than 10 times? OK

princesuko:
Its Funny how people are suggesting Nwobodo who Is a deep-lying Playmaker should be used as a winger. Its like saying Pirlo or a Regista like Busquets should play as a winger.
This a Youtube Video of him.
[url=
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xw89rh_cVqI][/url]

I had to comment when I saw this. Obinna Nwobodo has never ever ever played as a deep lying midfielder. Christian Madu is Rangers deep lying midfielder or Emeka Eze.
Nwobodo formed an attacking quadruple with Clement, Aguda, Egbuchulam which was called the "CANE ".
Any human being who has watched Nwobodo play will not even try to question his abilities.
The sort of goals and assists he bagged this past season will leave you gasping for breath.
Type on YouTube enugurangers and watch highlights of their games this last season. You will understand why the noise about Obinna Nwobodo's genius.
Had it been he was Brazilian, playing for Corinthians. Man city, Barca and Real Madrid would have been outdoing each other to get him for £40m.

On his role in this team, I think Barcelona and Spain has proved to the world that technically gifted players can be integrated into a team and the balance of play won't be affected.
I think Nigeria missed a trick in the late 90s and early 2000's with continuous benching of Oruma. Its a pity our coaches believed that only one no 10 can play at a time.
Had it been we had creative thinkers in our national team management then, they would have found a solution to play Oruma, Kanu and Jay Jay in midfield, just like Spain used Alonso, Busquests, Xavi and iniesta in their golden generation.
Integrating Nwobodo, Iwobi, Mikel, Iheanacho in this team will be quite close to the Spanish team that dominated the world and Europe.

TheGoodJoe:

You are on to something here. The sleek combinations with Iwobi, Iheanacho and Mikel was sweet to watch and looked deadly. I felt S. Moses did not fit the combinational play and the team needed another passing player. Nwobodo can join the three in the forward players of the midfield.

I agree with you.

I hope Rohr gives it a thought inviting Nwobodo in a friendly as we don't have Afcon to negotiate. The total midfield dominance will be unreal if he DARES integrate Obinna Nwobodo in this team.
On Iwobi's style, yes he is a retainer in the final third like Hleb but watching him over and over again, I see a lot of influence from Pires. They have the same sleek style of getting away from people, quickturn if pace and that eye of a needle pass. Its not surprising because Robert Pires is a part of arsenal coaching staff. He trains with Iwobi everyday.
There's a bit of Kanu in Iwobi's game too, just that he's quicker.

I know what am about to say would not be a popular opinion as most people would love to see Etebo, Victor Moses and Isaac Success. But for me, someone who I would love to see integrated in this team would be Obinna Nwobodo.I don't care if he plays for Rangers or Real Madrid but his vision, panache, ping balls around tight spaces and sometimes breath taking skills married with Alex Iwobi's distributions, little 1 - 2s and deft touches around the box, turn of pace and vision.
In all seriousness, a lot of Nigerians will pass out of excitement when those two combine with Iheanacho. It will just be too sweet to watch, I tell you guys.
Rohr will do well to integrate Obinna Nwobodo early next year in a friendly...

BascoVanVeli:
Oga i do not agree, he could have easily cleared that ball with his leg. U can go back to the first half he did the same thing and conceeded a corner kick. He should have know that he could take no chances, just clear the ball.

I think Ive highlited our three centre back stats earlier on this thread. Omeruo, Ekong and Balogun. From what the stats say, Ekong is the better passer of the three, Balogun is a better ariel ball winner than the three, closely followed by Ekong because of height advantage (they both are 1.90m,while Omeruo stands at 1.85m),but Omeruo generally in defensive actions like tackles, blocks, interceptions and clearances was better than the other two.
Today, he proved me right! In terms of his all round defensive contributions, that is interceptions, blocks and clearances he was a monster. Numbers don't lie,the match today proved that yet again. Although, his distribution is still not up to scratch.

TheGoodJoe:

Very nice points. At the bar I was, someone screamed. This Ikeme is playing like Man City keeper. I laughed.

I think we have a big problem at the left back. There was too much gap there. The coach needs to sort Echiejile's positioning. Omeruo's work rate covered the gaps.

As for the changes, I felt the coach wanted Iwobi and Iheanacho to learn how to cope with the running under the sun. It was obvious they needed a midfield support. When the goal entered, it was time to protect the lead.

Ikeme really surprised me with his sweeping. I know he's a god shot stopper but I didn't know he could sweep. He looks more like a fat lazy guy to be honest.
Omeruo virtually covered for every one. He handled the weather challenge better than the others probably because Turkey is a "warm country"... Onazi also didn't gas out, you can connect to dots.

Iwobi is a gem. A genuine world class player in the making. I don't know any midfielder within his age who finds the eye of a needle like pass Iwobi makes. He plays like a veteran. Its always a pleasure watching him play. The guy is so well coached at Arsenal, if you watch him closely, his first touch gets him away from his markers, just like Bergkamp and Pires. The boy is insanely talented

3 points in the bag and a heart warming victory for the eagles.
I can't remember the last time the eagles started a world cup qualifier with an away win.
All the components of the team came together nicely.

For once, I noticed Carl Ikeme getting out of his line quickly to sweep and nullify threats. I was surprised by his agiilty and his burst of pace to do this because I never really saw him Athletic enough to win short sprints like he did today.

In defence, Omeruo was very tidy today bar the error which leads to the goal. He won almost all duels he engaged with against a bigger and stronger guy like colins Mbesuma. Of all our defenders today, I believe he had the most defensive actions and came out tops.

Moses Simon, for all his running and endeavour should really do alot of shooting practice. Most of his shots went straight out of the stadium.

The only suspect position was the right back, manned by Ndidi. Rohr will do well not to experiment playing him at right back again. The ndidi I know, played at CB, his club converted him to a midfielder and the national team is playing him as a right back, this sort of constant change will definitely affect his game as he will be like a Jack of all trade and master of non. Shehu is a better right back by a country mile, Rohr seems not to trust him, I don't know why.

Finally, from my observation, Rohr made his substitution 4mins late. I believe we would have walked away with a clean sheet had he pulled in Anderson Etisi earlier.
Immediately Etisi came on, the wave of Zambian attacks stopped as Eddy Onazi played slightly further and suffocated the Zambians in their own half. He is always at his best when he does this.

The partnership between Iwobi, Ideye and Iheanacho was breath taking at times.... All hands must be on deck to win the Algerians in our next game.

Icon4s:
Gospel truth that what?

Who doesn't know d olympic is an age grade competition.

It is down graded yet Neymer and Brazil celebrated as though they have won the World cup.

So we should keep celebrating an age grade competition after 20 years because Neymar and Brazil celebrated it like a world cup?
I hope Argentina are still celebrating their 2008 success and making songs and dance about it.

TheSuperNerd:
*Yawns* no need for the long epistle.....

You can't change what history has put down. Kanu is Nigeria's No.1 Finest of all time. Loollll.... I didn't make it so... It is just what it is...

Tu comprends??


Note:

- @first bolded.... I was not afraid to say a name. Nigeria's finest striker or Nigeria's finest defender are all different from Nigeria's finest player ever putting all parameters together. Period!

- @second bolded... Stop playing the "pioneer" card... Even today, there's still discrimination against blacks in football. Today, it still takes Hardwork, Awesome effort and stand-out talent to stand in the league of "World-Class".

- @third bolded.... Yekini and Keshi are Truly African legends. Who says they aren't?? Using "Proper" shows disrespect for what Kanu, Eto'o, Finidi and a couple more achieved. So these are "improper" African legends abi?? Looollllll.... Na wa oooo....

- Finally, if a kid searches on Google and this page comes up. HE WILL SEE THE TRUTH. He will understand that These legends all have their place in History's Hall of Fame. And he will see that it is not out of place for him as a kid to say, "I wanna be greater than the former.... I wanna outshine the finest that ever was". HE WILL SEE THAT NO MATTER WHAT PEOPLE OF THE PAST HAD ACHIEVED IN WHATEVER FIELD, HE TOO CAN DO IT AND EVEN SURPASS IT.... HE WILL UNDERSTAND THAT YOU MUST NOT BE A "PIONEER" BORN IN THE 80s or 70s to be regarded as THE GREATEST. THAT KID WILL BE ABLE TO DREAM AND ACTUALLY THINK HE CAN BECOME THE GREATEST EVER.

But ofcourse, HE WON'T LOSE THAT SENSE OF APPRECIATION FOR THE LEGENDS OF THE PAST AND MORE.

That Kid will only see the Truth. Not watered down facts and sentimental comments coz of attachments to the past.

I added "these notes" for the sake of posterity also and especially for "that kid" that will surely show up.

This argument is going way out of line and quite nonsensical. Do you think you love Kanu more than me?
I have no problem if you think he is the greatest Nigerian export. But driving home your argument while making back hand compliments against Keshi and Yekini like the rubbish "top ten sef" snide remarks is something I take exception to.
I can see you lots are already saying Yekini is a local champion. A man whose record has yet to be matched. Nigeria's first APOTY.
It's like a French man calling Michelle Platini a local champion to drive home how much he adores Zidane.

What exactly is wrong with you guys?

You can continue belittling Yekini's achievement and make jest of his record, but I promise you , as you get older and develop more in your though process, you will realise how way out of line you gave gone in putting Yekini down just to win an argument online.
Am done with this gutter argument

TheSuperNerd:
Nigeria's Greatest and finest of all time is based on all parameters which encompasses most successful, most decorated and more.....

So is it I who is shifting or you who asks for Nigeria's greatest striker?? What sort of question is that sef??

We are talking Nigeria's finest legends of all time and you select just "striker"... Who's the post shifter then?? Loolll

You guys just love to drag a dead argument. Kanu is no.1 so live with it!!!

If you say Kanu is Your no1 all time greatest I have no problem with that. But when you swing comments like Yekini being just top 5 or top 10 sef like you put it, one will begin to sense an agenda, a rude one at that.
This was how you mumbled the other day "Keshi being just top 10 sef " like it's a back hand compliment because he wasn't decorated with your favourite UEFA Champions league and other shinny things like that gives you away like you're forcefully pushing your opinion and repeatedly, which becomes an inherit agenda.
15yrs from now a kid could type on Google who Nigerians greatest players are, this page will definitely come up, the kid will probably walk away from after reading this thread believing people are lying to him about how good a Yekini and Keshi was judging by the quite absurd "just top 10" comments.

I asked you who Nigeria best striker of all time was, you were almost at pains to say the name Yekini. If I asked who Nigeria's best and finest defender was, you will definitely go out of your way to avoid mentioning the obvious. African football like we know it will not be where it is today if not the sacrifices made by the early generations. The stereotype in the 80's and early 90's against people of color was beyond crazy at that point. Without the duggedness and achievements of greats like keshi, Yekini, Rabba Madja, kalusha Bwaya, even Richard owobokiri, etc etc etc people like iheanacho, Samuel Eto, kanu etall will be serving coffee at coffee shops in UK and Belgium.
Back in the 80's Keshi was provided with a private jet to fly him between Africa and Europe by Anderlerch. In that era, it was unheard of to provide a person of colour with such executive treatment, who born you. Apartheid was well and truly alive back then. Yekini took Europe by storm and scored 34goals in 32 games. Imagine the accolades Messi and Ronaldo get when they get those numbers, juxtapose this with what an African achieved 25+ years ago, you begin to understand how huge he was.

To name the best defender and the best striker Nigeria has produced as being just "top 10 sef" going by whatever matrix you use is plain wrong. I took my time to write this long epistle for posterity sake and nothing more. Yekini and Keshi are proper African legends.

TheSuperNerd:
This is rhetorical..... I have indirectly answered this sef.

Nigeria's greatest striker of all time is NOT EQUAL TO Nigeria's Finest and most successful player of all time. Tu comprends?

Are you switching the argument to finest and successful now? I thought the argument was on legendary status? Why shifting the goal post?

TheSuperNerd:
because of goals? So Finidi wasn't feeding him eh?? Finidi didn't stand out eh? Amuneke nko? Amokachi that was his foil nko??

Yekini wasn't even our stand-out performer at USA 1994. Or u wanna say the contrary?

Who is Nigerias best/greatest striker of all time? Serious question

AIG07:
You've said it all...

But the numbers of our players out cos of injuries is worrisome. Moses and Success...(hope these european clubs are not playing on our intelligence)

with the two wingers out. We only hope musa(hmmm... He hasn't play for a while now) can up his game.

I think we should Start with a 4-3-3 formation with Musa, Nacho and Ideye leading the attack.

Musa will definitely start, Ideye is experienced enough to lead the line. I expect

Iwobi...... Ideye...... Musa
.......... Iheanacho
...... Mikel
................... Onazi
Elderson.... Troost.... Omeruo.... Shehu
....... Carl

This game have a draw written all over it

Get well soon Ifeanyi. We love you

BascoVanVeli:
Very sad news Victor Moses and Isaac Success have been ruled out with injury. Obaje and Chisom from Wikki and Rangers have been called as replacements.

This should serve as a lesson for future engagements. Rohr should always give a suplimentary list while naming his team.

I hope Chisom is up for this. He was totally frightened and devastated by the nasty injury to Ifeanyi Egwim last night. When players witness such kind of leg breaks it affects their confidence level.
Arsenal players surrendered the league as they couldn't handle the psychological trauma of the Ramsey/Eduardo's nasty leg breaks. I hope Chisom is in the right from of mind, if he's not, he will do well to excuse himself.

TheGoodJoe:

George Weah was amazing at AC Milan. He did not need International football to get to that level. Kanu did.

Kanu Nwankwo would not make that list without his Olympics heroics. The simple fact is that, FIFA recognised Kanu's heroics.

If it was about the Olympics, more Nigerian players would have made the FIFA top 10 list, don't you think?

TheGoodJoe:

Kanu would not make the FIFA Top ten without the Olympics.

How come George weah came 2nd and actually won the player of the year with little or no international football and Olympics?

TheGoodJoe:
When it comes to football and Nigerians who achieved a lot on football, Kanu is more legendary than Yekini.

Kanu from Ajax, to Inter Milan to Arsenal played with some of the best players of the game.

No doubt about that, Kanu is more renowned and popular across the he globe. His exploits on the football pitch and his humanitarian works down the years have endeared him into the hearts of people across the globe.
He is more than a footballer.

TheGoodJoe:
When it comes to football and Nigerians who achieved a lot on football, Kanu is more legendary than Yekini.

Kanu from Ajax, to Inter Milan to Arsenal played with some of the best players of the game.

No doubt about that, Kanu is more renowned and popular across the he globe. His exploits on the football pitch and his humanitarian works down the years have endeared him into the hearts of people across the globe.

zicky:
Olympic was part of it, don't forget finidi was part of the Ajax team but Kanu won the APOTY and was included in world top 10, if it was base on club form alone then finidi won come before Kanu that year

Had Kanu been playing at Asec but won the Olympics, will he have made the FIFA top 10?

BascoVanVeli:
I agree but u can't be blind to the fact of how competitive it was in 96.

Obviously it was down to the emerging talents Brazil and Argentina presented at the tournament more than anything else.

TheGoodJoe:

When we talk about Nigeria's greatest players, we are not talking strictly of players wearing the green white green but great Ambassadors of Nigerian football.

In 1996, FIFA recognised Kanu as one of the best players in the World. He was among the top ten players. This was due to his contribution for Club and Country that year.

If FIFA recognised his Atlanta contributions, how do you guys want us to downplay it. If I remember correctly, the best two teams of the year in 1996 were the Nigerian Olympics team and Ajax team. Kanu Nwankwo was in both.

fifa has always been biased in giving individual awards based on club form than country.
For example, George Weah came second behind Ronaldo in the 1996 award purely based on his exploits with Ac Milan, whatever he did with Liberia was not in the blue print atall obviously because war-torn Liberia, I strongly doubt played any international game durring that period.

Kanu didn't get on the top 10 list because of his Olympics form, but because of his exploits at ajax. Ask yourself this question, had kanu been playing for Slovan liberec and he won the Olympics gold medal, will he have been considered in a FIFA merit list of top 10 world best in 1996? I need an honest answer

forgiveness:
Olympics football game remains an underage competition regardless of who participated. It is for U23 Tatas.

It is' NOT A FIFA RECOGNISED COMPETITION'. sorry.

Or is it?


Now, tell me what glory Kanu Nwankwo brought to Nigerian National team Football.


Did Kanu Nwankwo help Nigeria to qualify for the FIFA World Cup?

Did Kanu Nwankwo help Nigeria to win a AFCON?

Did Kanu Nwankwo win AFCON best player of the tournament?

We are not talking about winning laurels as a substitute player but as a influential player. Sorry.

I made this argument sometime ago and was almost eaten alive by TheGoodJoe and Icon4s. Truth is always there in plain sight irrespective of how we feel about it.

That singular act by the FIFA and the Olympic Committee which made Olympic soccer event an underage tourney downgraded that event. That's the Gospel truth