₦airaland Forum

komekn:
He is playing in a carpenter team Blackburn and unable to play his trade mark passing game ball on the ground box to box. Which saw him playing the premiership at 21 for Reading.

He's worth an invite to camp.

The championship is a mixed bunch of inconsistencies some playing good football even excellent football like Fulham and then Brighton, Newcastle, Derby, Reading and a few other's.

I was at Leeds United last week was shocked to my bone marrow at the low level of technical ability. I am convinced that Warri Wolves go teach them football lesson.

The Championship is an OK league. Just that the national team handlers aren't favourably disposed to Nigerians who ply their trade there.
It's just stereotype, I guess.

My favourite championship team is Huddersfield. The German guy there David Wagner is doing a damn good job. The Jurgen Klops protégé have really turned Huddersfield into an all round pressing machine. They are disecting teams and scoring goals for fun.
David Wagner is a very very good young manager. He has big future in the game.

I wish to see Huddersfield gain promotion to the Premiership

AIG07:
Na only Aluko's case I pity. The guy don suffer for naija's coaches hand- de no even invite am again after 2goals in a competitive match. Make Rohr look im side for the upcoming friendlies.

For Akpan, who do u think he can displace in this current team?

I don't really know Hope Akpan too well. At the long run, we should be looking for Mikel's successor.
He could be one of the stop gap replacements for Mikel, in my opinion.

komekn:
Victor and Hope have undiluted and unadulterated parents who are sold out for Nigeria. These two kids dreamed of playing for Nigeria. They didn't have to be convinced they were already waiting. Victor had been going to Nigeria as a Child.

Victor even get house for Naija sef, his babe is Naija I mean what more.

George and Yobo played in township playing fields Ph. George played for Sharks first then Yobo met him there. George left for England his Welsh Mum enabling him to access British passport easily.

What happened to Sone Aluko is a disgrace putting his career on hold to play for Nigeria. He was frozen out because he refused to settle and follow arrangement. What they did to him is just disgusting.

All said and done, after all that they have experienced if invited I can assure you Hope and Sone will turn up, No Shakin !!! They love Nigeria no doubt.

They only problem when returning back they may carry material back with them. Them never marry yet so all the Naija babes, that can cook Edikang Ikong Soup, your in with a great chance Lol.

I think Sone Aluko's dad has mad connect being a senator. Settlement couldn't have been his problem.

What is working against Aluko is the level which he plays. Nigerians don't regard players who play in the Championship and second divisions.
He has always been invited whenever he plays in the top division.

Playing in the lower division is affecting Hope's chances too. Can't these guys seek née adventures in other countries like France, Italy and Spain? The pay in these countries can't be that lower than what they get in the championship.

tbaba1234:
Not SE quality

How did he gatecrash into the team in the first place? Was he properly scouted?
What was the idea behind his invite?

forgiveness:
How many of our CB can make the Liverpool team and not to talk of Bench?


This same guy played regularly for Sporting Lisbon 'FIRST TEAM' before he was sold to Liverpool.

He played in the Spanish league with Granada and in the French league with Bordeaux.

How can you say he is not fit for the national team?

The truth is, he doesn't suit the English Football. That's all.

Like I said earlier, thiago Ilori was considered a special talent in his early teen years. However it's been downward spiral since turning Pro.
His loan spells at Granada and Bourdeux were futile. He didn't make up to 20 appearances put together in both loan spells.
Not considered good enough to be on the bench for a Liverpool aide which had an unstable Sakho, a below average Flanagan and an under performing Loveren says a lot about how unregarded he is.

Ilori cannot bench Omeruo and Ekong who are just a year older than him neither is he better than Ndidi who is about same age as he is.

I honestly will prefer you list players who are probables not people who obviously aren't in the picture.
I will consider James Okwuosa a million times before before this fellow

ChrisKels:
Sir goldfish80 did you mean the 1cap SE player Stephen Ukoh of Fc Bel Bien Switzerland?

Yes. How about that guy? He seems to have disappeared in a flash.
Nothing have been reported about him. Have he retired into oblivion?

komekn:
Goldfish80,

Problem deh sometimes the family circumstance can impact negatively. But you could have highlighted those who did play and gave thier all.

Hope Akpan, Sone Aluko, recently then in the past Danny Shittu, George Abbey.

Chuba is not good enough simply, although he is willing. Ibe great kid you know say deh original Dad is not on the scene, it's his step Dad that brought him up. Solanke matter even more complicated just like Dele Alli absent Nigerian fathers have impacted negatively.

There are a few up and coming who we should be courting as future prospects.

Aina at Chelsea should be invited now. I don't know if he will I haven't asked him directly. Ibe I can say conclusively for now it's a No.

Aina I believe will play for us. Not so long ago, he sent some of his personal boots down to Nigeria to some academies. Something Jay Jay Okocha have never done.


There's this Switzerland guy Olishe capped. I have heard nothing about him. You know him?

komekn:
Goldfish80,

Problem deh sometimes the family circumstance can impact negatively. But you could have highlighted those who did play and gave thier all.

Hope Akpan, Sone Aluko, recently then in the past Danny Shittu, George Abbey.

Chuba is not good enough simply, although he is willing. Ibe great kid you know say deh original Dad is not on the scene, it's his step Dad that brought him up. Solanke matter even more complicated just like Dele Alli absent Nigerian fathers have impacted negatively.

There are a few up and coming who we should be courting as future prospects.

Aina at Chelsea should be invited now. I don't know if he will I haven't asked him directly. Ibe I can say conclusively for now it's a No.

Of course down the years a few of them have turned out for us. The likes of Anichebe took a lot of persuasion from national team captain then, Yobo before he opted for us. I don't know so much much about Hope Akpan. Abbey George is a pure naija boy. He cut his football teeth in Nigeria with Sharks in Ph. I think Yobo knew him from Ph, his relationship influenced his call up to the national team.
Sony Aluko is one stand out from the lot. The guy loves naija to the core. In interviews he can't stop talking about the national team. If all them forming borns were as committed and in tune with naija like him, we won't be having this discussion.

forgiveness:
And how can we confirm they are not within reach when we have not approached them?

We can't keep assuming without concrete evidence that they don't want to play for Nigeria.

I know it could be difficult to get the German but it worth trying to get him.

I don't know much about Adarabioyo unwillingness to feature for Nigeria neither do I think Tiago solidarity for the Portuguese national team is enough to close the door on him.


Maybe he thinks he doesn't stand a chance of getting a call up to the Super Eagles hence the need for him to play save.

If these lads are good, I don't think there is anything wrong trying to convince them to play for Nigeria.


However, I don't care if they are mercenaries or not. All I care is 'are they better than what we have'.

France won the world cup with mercenaries, remember.

Truth is that we have been kicked in our teeth by virtually all these foreing born Nigerians in the past.

I still have an old 2003 magazine where Charlton Cole identified his Nigerian/Sierra Leonean heritage and indicated interest in playing for Nigeria.
Even Celestine Babayaro was astonished by the somersault when England came calling.
How about Shola Ameobi? I still remember clearly in an interview by Dare Esan, where he said he pledged his alliance to England " for all the right reasons". Patrick Owomoyela flirted with the idea of playing for us. Immediately Klinsmann called off he went.
You remember Sidney Sam was invited by Siasia as a guest with his father in the friendly in Abuja against Argentina? Sidney Sam claimed he was ready for international football with Nigeria, a few months later he denied he ever considered Nigeria. How did you feel when you read him lie to the world?
How about Nedum Onuoha? His mom want out of her way to make sure he didn't accept playing for us.
The list is almost endless, you still have Jordan Ibe, Chuba Akpom Solanke at one time in he past declining.

The see guys aren't loyal to us, I don't blame them really. That's the Gospel truth.

komekn:
Goldfish80

I deh see Thiago well a lot, I can talk to Sakho, Ojo as per it's African black ting but not Thiago.

He's been playing U23 youth football at Liverpool for years hasn't cut it for me. He's just been sold to Reading If I'm right. He is not ready for Eagles he might play as per he isn't getting into Portuguese national team. But he has played regular at youth level for Portugal so might believe he can get into senior team. To me he's a non starter.

Ilori was highly rated at Sporting Lisbon academy. He was their best player in the academy and later he emerged as the Portuguese youth team captain,a team which dominated European youth tournaments.
But for what it's worth, his progress haven't gone as anticipated. At 23yrs old, he should be inside the first team of his club. A footballer still playing youth football at 23 usually goes on a downward spiral.
I said the same of Semi Ajayi at Arsenal before he was binned by Arsenal.

Ilori is not good enough to displace any of our CBs. A player who can't make the Liverpool bench cannot make the super eagles bench.

Happy St Valentine's day people.
Let love lead.

@forgiveness
I think you should make a more realistic list. There's no need building Castle in the sky involving names like Tosin Arabioyo, Thiago Ilorin and the other guy in Germany.
I think when compiling a list like this we should list those who are within reach and not some of those names.

For starters, I follow Thiago Ilorin on instagram and there's absolutely nothing to show his affinity to Nigeria.
He's all about #proudtobeportugesse on his posts and lots of solidarity to the selecao.

It's not worth it we hired mercenaries to play for us when we have talents in abundance who are willing to sweat blood and tears to defend the jersey. The Cameroun example is still fresh.

Elxandre:
He didn't have a British passport as at when he played for the Spanish youth team.

What do you think about Ferdinand?
wasn't he England's captain?

Many blacks are always quick to play the race card, even when other factors might have led to favouritism or discrimination against them!

Mikel Arteta was qualified to have a UK passport as at the time of calling, having worked in UK over 5 years.

Rio Ferdinand for all his endvour and status as the most expensive defender and antecedents captained England just 7 times. Mostly as a deputy to John Terry.
Here is the list of all England captains till date. Spot the black players you can find.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_England_national_football_team_captains

davidif:
That's the job of the ministry of commerce right? to set standards for pretty much everything we do from construction standards to the metric system abi do we have a consumer advocacy board like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that over here?

Like you rightly put the standard organisation of Nigeria have an over site over quality control and metric system. I think the equivalent of FDA is NAFDAC

Elxandre:
Arteta wasn't qualified to play for England, according to the old FIFA rule because he didn't hold a British passport when he represented Spain in the youth competitions.
Diego Costa was fully qualified to play for Spain according to present FIFA rules.
Even Costa attracted mixed opinions.
It's not the same thing when you are an older player.
Some must feel you are an opportunist.

Has all these discrimination stopped France from parading an even 'blacker' team than some African nations?
Aren't the rest of them Arab Muslims?

There will always be racist bigots anywhere.

Many always said an African guy would never stand a chance with England, but the truth is most of them were never good enough.
Agbolanhor, and the likes.

Dele Alli has proven you guys wrong!

Germany is a more racist country, but some of their biggest players are Arabs and Africans

If a mixed player is world class or bothering on world class, these guys will quickly put an arm around him and make sure they exploit his talents to their advantage.
However if the said player is average, priority will be given to equally average natural indigenous player than the black or Arabian player.
That's the discrimination we are talking about.

You expect the English FA not to give Delle Ali a shirt in his present form?

Why do you think they choose Andros Townsend repeatedly over Wilfred Zaha even when Townsend was playing for relegated New Castle and now Crystal Palace, a team Zaha plays for.

I've made my points with the French example and racial comments attributed to Lauren Blanc.

Sol Campbell voiced out after retirement that he missed out on being England captain even when he was the most senior member of the squad due to his race.
You don't know more than Campbell my friend.


The English FA renegaded on the decision to have Arteta after the bad publicity generated. Arteta had a valid UK passport. He's a British citizen.

Standard organisation is not active in Nigeria.
Imagine buying 157g of toothpaste to discover half of it filled up with air.
We are at the mercy of manufacturers. Anything goes in Nigeria.

Elxandre:
I would say favouritism, not even discrimination.
Tevez didn't get a look for several years in the Argentine national team despite his ridiculously obvious talent, while lesser players had a shot at a spot.

Zaha is better than Ox, but he plays in lowly crystal palace?
You think reputation of clubs don't matter?
I can bet Zaha would have been an auto starter if he was a starting player for Man United.

I am not even sure who Jack Greilish is

Mikel Arteta was also left out by Spain for several years, even when he was some stunning form, he never was given a look.
Arteta wasn't accepted with open arms by some because his case was a unique one sort of.
A player who saw England as a chance to go to the world cup despite having not participated at the qualifiers.
Some People must have seen him as an opportunist, because that's what I saw him as also.
I also remember he couldn't play for England at the end because a certain FIFA rule at that time disqualified him from representing England.

Owen Hargreaves didn't get a Hero status in England because he started out from Germany.
Messi is worshipped in Spain, but despised by many in Argentina for the same reason.
Is Dele Alli more of an Englishman than Hargreaves is?
Everyone loves Dele, and he's certainly not white!


I stopped believing in all these discrimination crap when Ballotelli became a starter for Italy; a very much racist country.
Ballotelli was loved by everyone. The only reason he fell out of the national team is his stupidity.
Ballotelli benched promising strikers and had praises sang of him.


Eto'o, Drogba, Yaya Toure all show us that "if you're good enough, you're good enough".


I had to reply this night even though I'm sleepy, cause I might not remember to do so in the morning.

Granted, Zaha is better than Chamberlain. How about Andros Townsend who was playing for relegated New Castle getting to the team ahead of Zaha? You avoided that one.


Owen Hargreaves was always a starter for Bayern Munich whenever he was fit but guys like Scott Parker and Nicki Butt were given a chance ahead of him.

Mikel Arteta qualifies for naturalisation having spent 10+ years in the UK. It wasn't just world cup he would have played for them. He would have played qualifiers and Euros too for them. And his services would have helped England immensely if he was called up.
Justapose Mikel Arteta's case with Diego Costa who got to Spain in his 20's from Brazil,yet the Spaniards didn't hold back in getting him to play for them.
How about Marcus Senna?
When David James was fumbling, the former Arsenal goalkeeper was mutted to be interested in repping England, what later came out of that? Nothing. Instead England took one of their own Robinson and it was howlers upon howlers which cost them an Euros ticket to Croatia.
I can go on and on.... But let me stop.

When in France, there's nutted discrimination against players of Muslim North African heritage. Google about Laurent Blanc's discrimination case which almost cost him his job. Its almost unbelievable a guy like Ben Yedder is yet to be capped. Why do you think Algeria and the likes have it easy getting their French born players to rep them?
Belive it or not, their is racism and discrimination in football. Its not all cut and dry. A lot of sh!t goes behind the scenes.

Elxandre:
This is rubbish!
If you're good you're good!

You people can't even point to one quality black player that has been affected by this!

First of all, discrimination is real. That is an established fact even among native English people.

Wes Morgan of last season was better than any defender England took took to the Euros. He started turning out for Raggae boys not so long ago after waiting in vain for an English call up.
Wilfred Zaha is absolutely better than Chamberlain and Andros Townsend. where is he now?

Alot of dust was kicked up when England tried getting Jack Greilish (spelling) to commit his future to them. Phrases like England for English kept popping up from everywhere.
Mikel Arteta was open to playing for England, a lot of people were up in arms, saying their national team will no longer be their national team if Arteta was capped.
Owen Hargreaves didn't get the recognition he deserved in his prime years at Bayern Munich because he was born in Canada. Apparently they didn't find him English enough due to his Canadian connection.

Discrimination is real in professional sports, as simple as that.

safarigirl:
many actually don't. What I find funny is that these people are grappling to play for an English team with no achievements of note since last century.

What is the juju English FA is using to hold people that have the chance to win a ton of awards in other countries, but rather stay with them and win nothing?

I think most of the players look at the business side of things when making career decisions such as country allegiance.

Bournemouth paid £15M club record fee for Jordan Ibe. If he was a Nigerian youth international, they wouldn't have paid more than £3M for him.

I think guys like Iwobi have shown these guys that you can be a marketing success even if you play for Nigeria.
Alex Iwobi has inspired a lot of foreign born African players.

BascoVanVeli:
Onazi was named man of the match as his club won on the road.

The guy have been pretty solid for the past 4 months. Happy times

I beg everyone to please sheat your swords. I would have listed all monikers involved one by one to beg them on a personal level but I've lost track of everyone involved. Enough of the insults and clap backs, we've added enough colour to the thread already.

I don't know if this altercation started on this thread or it was a spill over from another thread but I plead with you all in all humility to stand down.

This thread until now was gradually building up a reputation as a good platform for fans of the Super Eagles across the world to share information and analysis of Nigerian players. We must strive to keep it that way.

Not so long ago, a student writing his thesis called on this thread for information and members here obliged and helped him out. Probably the said student will cite this thread in his reference on his project. It will be a shame we infest this thread with diatribes and direct insults.

I beg you all in the name of whatever you worship. Please stand down.

komekn:
A lot Of Nigerian origin players haven't come to the realisation that. There is still a preference for white players. You are there because there isn't a white boy to compete with you.

Then you may be given one cap so you can't play for anyone else. Zaha was lucky that his England cap was not in a competitive game.

Now he is playing for Cote de Ivoire.

Any player who don't know this, is not intelligent. Come on this is 2017.

TheGoodJoe:
Longevity.

Answer the question. Stop dodging.

TheGoodJoe:

Longevity.

Costa was offered £1m a week by the Chinese while Mikel is on £120k a week in China. If longevity was a decider, Mikel would have been valued more.
Infact let me ask you, the brand Mikel Obi and the brand Diego Costa which one is bigger, even in Nnobi town where Mikel hails from?

TheGoodJoe:

Not a World class player.

You believe Mikel is world class but Diego Costa is not world class. How can you reconcile this kind of statement?

TheGoodJoe:
Not a World class player.

What class is he?

TheGoodJoe:
Playing with World Class form does not make the player World Class. It is World Class form. A World Class Player maintains his World Class form for r a long time. After a long career, you can judge if the player was truly World Class or if the form shown earlier was just a flash in the pan.

What class is Diego Costa? Premier league class? Or local class? You must be kidding me.

tbaba1234:
Zlatan at his prime was consistently among the top 5 or 10 in the world. Costa is probably at his prime now and can not really be considered to be at that height.

Seriously? Diego Costa is not considered in the elite category of strikers around at this moment? I must be in a freaking twilight zone.

I will suggest the lad isolates the battery further away from the burning furnace to save the cell from explosion.
The boy deserves to be applauded.

tbaba1234:
When it comes to individual honors Zlatan is miles ahead.. It is not even comparable.

Zlatan has won the league everywhere , he has gone apart from Man Utd.

He has won the Fifa club world cup which Costa has not won.

This makes him more decorated than Costa not more. World class.

TheGoodJoe:

If you think Kante is World Class, that is good for you. I have explained it clearly, Kante is just starting his career.

Kante in his present form is world class. Griezman in his present form without winning any major trophy is world class. Dmitry Payet have produced world class performances over the past few years in a world class league, he is world class.
If the aforementioned players form drop then we can safely say they are no longer world class. It is that simple.

TheGoodJoe:
How can you put Costa and Zlatan in the same post? Zlatan has done it for ages. Costa would celebrate if he has a career like Zlatan.

You don't know where this began clearly. Chrisooblog is of the opinion that league performance counts little, according to him anyone can be a bully in the league. What counts is champions league and world cup.
I beg to ask what has been Zlatans record in the champions league and world cup?
What have Zlatan won that Costa haven't? They both haven't won the world cup and champions league, so?