₦airaland Forum

For me, my best 11 players in the history of Nigerian football will be the following.

1. Peter Rufai (or Best Ogedegbe)
2. Austin Egwavon
3. Ben Iroha (or Celestine Babayaro)
4. Stephen Keshi
5. Uche Okechukwu (or Isa Shofolowe)
6. Taribo West (or Ademola Adeshina)
7. Segun Odegbami (or Finidi George)
8. Kanu Nwakwo
9. Rashidi Yekini
10. Jay Jay Okocha
11. Emmanuel Amuneke (or Friday Elaho).

I am entitle to my own best 11, pls note.

The truth be told. Whoever says Jay Jay Okocha was over hyped must be dreaming. Whichever way you want to look at it. No body ever over-hyped Okocha, but certain facts must be clarified.

The immediate past generation, and the current generation have witnessed different No. 10, starting from Henry Nwosu, to Etim Esin, to Friday Ekpo, to Jay Jay Okocha and to Mikel Obi. The truth be told. The most successful and till date, the best No. 10, is Jay Jay Okocha.

No one should compare his successes with Kanu, as both never played the same role, except on general achievements of both players. Doing so, simply belittle your knowledge of football.

Talking about international carreer, Okocha even in the days of Eintrancht Frankfurt, started as a great entertainer, which affected his kind of play greatly. It was during his playing days at Fernerbache, that he started playing a more purposeful football. His mesmerising dribbles, and crowd-pulling skills, are still yet to be equalled. Even Etim Esin's little spell, cannot rival that of Okocha's.

Narrowing down to winning African footballer of the year. He was just unlucky, and there are many players like okocha, who were unlucky too in their playing days. Perhaps, if Okocha was this free-giving-type like Kanu in Charity work, the prayers from this would have gone a long way, in reshaping his fortunes. I wouldnt say, he was or he is greedy (becos he has the right to spend his money as he so wishes), but little things like this helps. Ever since Kanu started his heart foundation, his already soaring carreer, became unrivalled. Go check history before his heart foundation and after. Huge difference is there.

In summary, never will Nigeria's soccer history book be written, without mentioning Jay Jay Okocha.

With the comment above, GEJ till 2019. Haters should go and hug transformer, or use kerosine to drink garri.

Useless people, with shallow way of reasoning.

I have never minced words. Most Islamic religious leaders are illiterates, and that reflects in their way of reasoning. Paint a picture of what this man is saying (if it was to be in a Jumat service), then I pity all Christians around that environment. It would have led to another massacre of innocent lives, just becos one illiterate who decided to drink full dose of Arabic, with little or no western education, decided to brainwash his followers.

With such comment, it is only Christian that is still keeping this nation, else when they decide to retaliate, the aftermath is better imagined.

Enjoyment1:
As part of his policy/mission statement in accordance with APC's transformation agenda, the former vice President Atiku Abubakar, has said, he will collect N1 every year, as his salary. His mission is to turn the country's fortune around for good, with less emphasis on the monetary gains. See link for full details.

http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/sunday/index.php/news/18531-atiku-to-receive-n1-as-salary-if-elected-president

Wot a shame...na wah ooooo

abdulabbakar:
Since they are non-muslims, are they terrorists??

Are you now saying that, ALL MUSLIMS are terrorists? Just curious by this comment...

Haba! Why leave Otuoke (Bayelsa) to come and bomb a bridge that links two states together (Cross River and Akwa Ibom)? If they had succeeded, it would have meant that, a journey of 1hr 45mins (between Calabar and Uyo), would have turned into 5 hours (if I am not wrong). As it would have meant, going through Ebonyi, before now linking Aba, and now connecting Akwa Ibom state. Heartless people. They would have just shot them at the bridge, and allowed the water to consume their corpses...

easyelliot:
You are absolutely on point. But I blame those born in the 70s for not passing on the history to those born in 90s.

Before Nigeria qualified for the 94 wc, our first ,my parents wouldn't stop talking about Segun Odegbami, muda lawal, Henry nwosu etc even though Nigeria never qualified during their time. I appreciate players like that for paving the way for the 94 team just as much as I appreciate Kanu and his exploits on and off the field.

Yekini will always be the man and he needs to be honored. I'm sure if they put a statue of him at the Abuja stadium, the kids will be more appreciative.

Hmm....I wont blame this generation. In fact, when YEKINI was still invogue, many started comparing him with Segun Odegbami. What a wrong comparism?

Segun played No. 7 all thru. Should you want to compare, you should compare Segun Odegbami with Friday Elaho, Finnidi George, Felix Owolabi. From that list, you will get who was better.

Even comparing Yekini and Kanu, is not proper, as Kanu played No. 8 (mostly), while Yekini was No. 9. As far as I am concern, without Yekini, there wouldnt have been Samson Siasia, and later Daniel Omokachi. They both rode of the fame of Yekini.

Should anyone wants to compare, it should be from this list:

No. 9 = Rashidi Yekini, Obafemi Martins, Emmanuel Emenike.

No. 8 = Kanu Nwakwo, Samson Siasia, Daniel Omokachi, Brown Ideye.

No. 7 = Segun Odegbami, Friday Elaho, Finidi George; Felix Owolabi.

No. 10 = Etim Esin, Friday Ekpo, JayJay Okocha, Mikel Obi.

No. 1 = Peter Rufai, Best Ogedegbe, Emmanuel Okala, Ike Shorunmu.

Thats the pattern of comparism that I want.

easyelliot:
You are absolutely on point. But I blame those born in the 70s for not passing on the history to those born in 90s.

Before Nigeria qualified for the 94 wc, our first ,my parents wouldn't stop talking about Segun Odegbami, muda lawal, Henry nwosu etc even though Nigeria never qualified during their time. I appreciate players like that for paving the way for the 94 team just as much as I appreciate Kanu and his exploits on and off the field.

Yekini will always be the man and he needs to be honored. I'm sure if they put a statue of him at the Abuja stadium, the kids will be more appreciative.

Hmm....I wont blame this generation. In fact, when YEKINI was still invogue, many started comparing him with Segun Odegbami. What a wrong combination?

Segun played No. 7 all thru. Should you want to compare, you should compare Segun Odegbami with Friday Elaho, Finnidi George, Felix Owolabi. From that list, you will get who was better.

Even comparing Yekini and Kanu, is not proper, as Kanu played No. 8 (mostly), while Yekini was No. 9. As far as I am concern, without Yekini, there wouldnt have been Samson Siasia, and later Daniel Omokachi. They both rode of the fame of Yekini.

Should anyone wants to compare, it should be from this list:

No. 9 = Rashidi Yekini, Obafemi Martins, Emmanuel Emenike.

No. 8 = Kanu Nwakwo, Samson Siasia, Daniel Omokachi, Brown Ideye.

No. 7 = Segun Odegbami, Friday Elaho, Finidi George; Felix Owolabi.

No. 10 = Etim Esin, Friday Ekpo, JayJay Okocha, Mikel Obi.

No. 1 = Peter Rufai, Best Ogedegbe, Emmanuel Okala, Ike Shorunmu.

Thats the pattern of comparism that I want.

[quote authort=easyelliot post=27457125]Yekini
If only he played more frequently early in his national team career 84 to 87 and during italia 90 qualifications .....imagine what his goal rate would have been. Of course Keshi and co sabotaged yekini at USA 94 and between 94 and 98 he was used sparingly.

By my math that is 30 games he didnt play ; then factoring that he scored on more than half his games he would have had an 19 goals.

58 caps plus 30 =88 caps
37 goals plus 19 = 56 goals

Yekini 4 life[/quote]I will not blame anyone who says, Kanu is Nigeria's best number 9. The reason is simple. Such a person will be btw the ages of 19 and 25. Or must have been born from 1990 upward. Again, becos many of our youths are fond of cutting corners (eg like JAMB and post-JAMB exams), they will never read to know true facts and compare results, or what they have read.

I wished they grew up to see Rashidi's statue at the national stadium in Lagos. This argument would have been totally unnecessary. That I want NFF and Nigerian govt to do, for this unrecognised legend.

Straight to the point. Abedi Pele is regarded as the greatest player ever in the history of Ghanaian football, yet, how many goals and trophies did he win for Ghana?

George Opon Weah, till date, (for me), is the greatest player from the soil of Africa (becos he won Euro and World footballer of the year), yet, how many goals did he score in the world cup?

You may still not want to use that as a basis. If Kanu is regarded as Nigerian best 9, please, how many goals does he have in the nations cup? Besides, in all the qualifiers for nations cup and by extension, world cup, how many goals has his number 9 shirt, scored for Nigeria? How many impossible stunts has he performed that ensured Nigerians victory in crucial events (out Japan Korea 1993 and Atlanta 1996)?

As for Rashidi Yekini, the list for his achievements is endless. This is a man who singlehandedly turned national stadium in Lagos, to a slaughter slab. No nation came there, and never left with a bitter experience. To list a few (tho I am not good in remembering years)...
1. Rashidi Yekini's exploit as in Moroc '88 is still fresh in our memories.
2. Algiers '90, he single handled took Nigeria to the finals (even with homebased squad)
3. As bad as Senegal '92 team was, Rashidi still stood out (not minding the blunders from Alloy Agu).
4. Tunisia 94, we all know how how became a household name, becos of his epxloit. We won. No one will easily forget his ballistic missile in Congo, that secured that all important victory against congo in Point-Noire.
5. Btw 1993 and 1994, no one will foget all his goals that led to Nigeria's qualification in nations cup and her first world cup. Is it the impossible goal (from impossible angle) against Algeria in Lagos)? Is it how he scored a beautiful goal against Ivory Coast in Abidjan (tho we lost). Is it the total annihilation of Burkina Faso, here in Lagos.

What took CAF and FIFA to moan a player, means, he did the extra-ordinary. Note, Yekini has always celebrated his goals, alone. In fact, he celebrated his goals more with security officials, than his team mates.

In summary, who ever chooses Kanu before Yekini, must have been born from 1990 upward. So, I forgive such a person. YEKINI...is the greatest KING of GOALS in NIGERIA.

Nigeria is not a serious football nation, yet, he won AFCON (as a player) in 1994. He came back to win it as a coach in 2013. Now I know that this man is clueless. He should go and rest. In fact, from now on, show me a serious football nation, that will employ him (with his lack of technical-know-how), and I will show you a nation that is not a serious football nation.

You cant blame people when they try to cut corners...becos of unnecessary exploitation. It serves DSTV right!

How I wished it was Military era...Giwa would have been forgotten in jail. Na by force to be NFF chairman? I dont blame them, but the most confused minister of sport, who gave them the backing and the opportunity to hold that fake congress. I wonder why GEJ is watching this mess?

gabe15:
hey it was ntva restaurant oh

Well, I watched it live when their media head on Channels tv, said, it initially used to be a restaurant. In fact, he went ahead to say, the licence they had, was for a 12 storey building, and that, that was their target. So, are we not sensing lies here?

phantom:
its official....nigeria is a country of irrational and deeply emotional people. behind your 'big grammar-laden' epistle up there,i see a christian fundamentalist who is filled with emotions.
he said he would try to be rational but to be honest,i dont see it.for example he said no confirmation was done to check if the foundation wasnt able to carry more floors. i agree! but he also didnt prove the foundation was able to carry more floors.

In as much as I respect his personal opinion, but it is deceitive. One fact remains, nobody will want the image of his investment to get tarnished (goodwill as some call it). Thats why we are seeing all this positive publicity. How come a building that was formally a restaurant, now a six storey build? Many questions begging for answers.

I promised myself not to comment on this matter, but with this sh*t I am reading here, I am tempted to say something.

1. No matter how you view ANY man of GOD, irrespective of the so-called humanitarian services rendered, have it at the back of your mind, without GENUINE SALVATION (on the side of the man of GOD and his humanitarian recipients), none shall see the Kingdom of GOD. In summary, wether he carries 3 bags of rice, as a form of humility, without SALVATION, he/no one can see JEHOVAH GOD.

2. Secondly, the church needs to tell Nigerians, and the world, why they prevented rescue workers from helping, and stop basking in the euphoria of saving 130 people, when we all know the figure could have been far higher. Pls note, all the rescue workers said same on national televisions. So, it wasnt rumour or speculations. Pls, I saw them too.

3. The issue of control demolition is laughable, as even till date, aeroplanes are still flying through that route. Also, the fact that a particular aircraft howered over that place a couple of times, justifiy that, the church is hiding something. I watched that video, and what I saw was an aeroplane, and not an helicopter. Its an helicopter that hovers, and not C-130. C-130 is a military aircraft, and it does not have the ability to hover. So, saying they saw a C-130 hovers, is a lie. Lets even assume that aircraft was hovering...I have flown in an aircraft, that "hovered" (as now being said) in the air, for about an hour, just because it was not given clearance to land, becos of so many aircrafts in the airspace as at the same time. Should anyone see us hovering, and coincidentally anything happens along that route, wont it be said that, this same aircraft caused it?

3. I have studied this man a bit, and I have discovered, he is fond of saying, "I prophesied it earlier" or "I saw it coming". GOD will not show any of HIS sons disaster, and not avert it (except they disobeyed HIM).

NB: Pls let me eat, I will be back to continue to say my mind. Nigerians are in computer age, and no longer fools...

This is a front page material. Maybe we have pro-DSTV moderators. Nice one though from the NASS.

OYIBN:
Wishful thinking!!! Supersport has already educated us on what CAF would do if Morocco pulls out and either South Africa or Ghana steps in to host assuming both countries qualify from their groups. CAF will pick the best 2 losers from across all the groups. l wonder why the author of the post thinks Nigeria will finish on 7points.. Can't Amodu win in Congo? l guess all those that want Keshi sacked think moving from Keshi to Amodu is progress! I dey laugh o. Where has Amodu coached since his sack from Super Eagles many years ago? The rejected Amodu that Osaze and his fellow players criticised for lacking modern coaching skills. The Amodu that qualified the country twice and was deemed not fit enough to take Nigeria to the World cup because fans and the sporting press accused him of giving them heart attack each time super eagles played. So what has changed? I suppose he is OK now as long as Keshi leaves. Until we do a critical assessment of our football and accept the fact that NFF is really the problem we will continue to take one step forward and 10 steps backward. Neither Oliseh or the best foreign coach in the world can succeed with the type of NFF we have. By the way is the foreign coach ready to live in Nigeria. Now we have money to pay foreign coach but could not pay Keshi for over 7 months! Nigeria we hail thee! l rest my case.

Hmm...Nigeria and Nigerians! What a pity. As it is now, Nigeria needs to beat Congo with more than 2 goals...becos of head-to-head rule, and come back here and finish the job.

seankay:
We would qualify if we win our next away game against Congo,its the most important match and we must also try to win with nothing less than 2goals. I believe we should be able to beat S.A in abuja. With this result,we would qualify automatically

Easier said...

Now that Ghana's health ministry have rejected the hosting right, what next? SA may be the next option...

femicyrus:
Since we have played 2 matches at 2 different locations in Nigeria without bomb blast nor ebola, then caf should approach us to host it. Atleast we will qualify automatically

Ebola is the issue, and I dont see Nigeria(rians) risking such...Its the only option, though (apart from backdoor qualification)...lol.

I for-see CAF shifting that Championship.

Under normal circumstances, that is what is expected of CAF (if SA host). Will Hayatou want Nigeria to return, knowing that it is another opportunity for Cameroun to conquer Africa, with Nigeria and Ivory Coast's Qualifications, looking diecy?

AIT and OGTV are showing the match....(LOCAL CHANNELS)

Both men should have been sentenced to jail. Apart from that, life jail is not enough for any man who puts in any object (other than the natural stuff), in a woman's private part.
It is wicked, and if like those days of Moses, both men should have been stoned to death. Whoever opposes this, should allow his wife, daughter, or sister pass through this.

APC have just ragained her lost state. This is good news for Nuhu Ribadu, though. As for the removed acting governor, he was already beginning to be full of himself. What a way to disgrace him. I hope our new NFF or NFA Chairman too will not be disgraced today? Chris Giwa...abeg oooooo!.

...

Ok.

...hmm.