₦airaland Forum

Kog45:
Yea but Nkono was Cameroon number one in 1990 cos he kept most of their qualifiers.

I remeber he was in goal against Nigeria in a make or mar last WC qualifier match prior to 1990 WC.

Hahaha, I am sure he has realized it was a wrong comparison.

TheSuperNerd:
Na lie abeg... The same Rufai that was wonderful in that 94 Bulgaria clip... Is the same rufai that was in goal during France 98 against Denmark...

Same Peter Rufai.... So plsss drop the throwback... After all he top was even more experienced in 1998...

So you would have preferred Baruwa or Willy Opara to have kept goal in that WC? At least I posted the throw back Videos of the Yuguslavia and Holland games where Baruwa and Opara were disgraceful. Rufai was the best option. That was the plain truth.

France 98 is just a typical example of what will happen when your goalkeeping department has question marks

Kog45:
Chief you are still on this goalkeeper matter,better listen to Mujtahida,just too late to complain but one thing is glaring the Rohr technical led team did not handle the issue very well.

I understand your point.

And I agree that discusing it or not cannot change anything.

We don't have it we don't have it.

if we can make comparisons of the quality of our outfield players of the 90s with the current ones why can't we also make comparisons of our 90s goalies with the current goalies too. Or is it now a taboo to discuss the goal keeping department?

And I agree with you that Rohr didn't handle the issue well.

We are watching and waiting but know that no player is free from critism ones you have put on the national team jersey. If any player does well, we give him credit else we bring out the cane.

TheSuperNerd:
Another subtle harping on the GK role... Kwantinue.... I am watching you Dad. Every throwback now will be about how awesome our Goalies were... I hope you drop that Denmark game too as throwback... We must "throw back everything" ooo...

That Denmark game is just an example of what will happen when your goal keeping department is weak.

Icon79:
LOL. Ike Shorunmi was a pretty good goalkeeper but also very eccentric .


O pari

How was he very eccentric?

tbaba1234:
This game annoys me because Argentina took all their corners the same way. Far post to the same player. I noticed the pattern but our coach could not notice it. Very annoying.

Ike kept the score line respectable for us.

Throw back video:

Ike Vs Argentina 2002 WC.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2cGCpdjjf4

TheSuperNerd:
But there is the experienced Akpeyi and an Ezenwa who stood in well during the remainder of the WC qualifiers. And Uzoho is a rookie yes... But I think you of all people should ask yourself why a conservative and experienced coach like Rohr (who believes in rhe fine balance of youth and experience and also harps on good experience in his side) still considers Uzoho in the picture of things as regards that GK role. Maybe he knows something we don't? Maybe only he sees something at close quarters that we cannot see from where we are here?

I don't know Dad... I am as concermed as you are but then I cannot drain myself of worry. Rohr is not the hotseat. He knows the magnitude of what is up ahead... Some risks will and must be taken on his part. There is something he knows that we probably don't. Some little details that only one at close quarters can pick up.

I say we just stay positive and trust his judgments on the team in that role. He is closer and it is his call. He wants to do well and he knows he must do this or that to do well... So trust his experience. He is the coach and have brought the team this far.


Frowning will do you no good in the long run... Just be calm... Calm is a super power. I have learnt to use it... Cheer up Dad.. I choose to believe...

Neither of these two even fall into the category of experienced goalies for the WC. They don't even have AFCON experience.

But me I will just be looking.

TheSuperNerd:
You can see what this "worry" is doing to you now Dad... See the kain joke you dey form ehn Papa...
Plsss come and rest... Okay. It will be fine... I assure you...

Rest well dad.

Kai this is just 4:30pm sleep ke?

Joebie:
We for just arrange neighboring Cameroon again instead

Abi?

Martz101:
you last paragraph shows how less you care about the team.


Uzoho is a young star, i never wanted us to be in this situation, an Aiyenugba or Ejide would have been better but in this situation he should be supported and allowed to prove him self and not burying him before he die.

I sincerely don't see the difference between you been against Uzoho and forgiveness canvassing for Kayode.

Look, if he cannot face criticisms then he is not ready as a SE Goalkeeper. If you know he is that feeble minded why canvass for him?

Do you know the weight of responsibility resting on a goalkeeper at a WC? You think it is just about staying on the line and "paring" balls. You saw how uncoordinated and destabilized Uzoho was in our last two friendlies. Goal keepers improve over years and not just within weeks.

I just pray we have not shot ourselves on the foot already in that department.

We are taking a very huge gamble, I hope you know that.

I personally do not feel comfortable with gambles.

MetalJigsaw:
Nigeria Vs DR Congo Friendly: Ebola Death Toll Rises In DRC
May 18, 2018 1:31 pm

Ahead of the Super Eagles of Nigeria’s international friendly against Democratic Republic of Congo on May 28, report has it that more people have died from the deadly Ebola virus that broke out in the central African country.

According to latest report by AFP news agency, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that the new Ebola toll has risen to 45 cases with 14 confirmed and 25 dead.

DR Congo will be coming to Nigeria with 11 players from their local league named in their squad announced on Thursday.

The friendly is part of the Eagles’ preparations towards the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Nigeria Football Federation President Amaju Pinnick has assured that there is no cause for alarm and the friendly will go ahead despite concerns.

The dreaded Ebola virus spread to Nigeria from Liberia in 2014 through a visiting Liberian.

However, it was quickly contained before it did extensive damage.

Meanwhile, WHO is to hold an emergency meeting to discuss the risk of Ebola spreading from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

And according to BBC, a panel will decide on Friday whether to declare a “public health emergency of international concern” , which would trigger a larger response.
Cases emerged in a rural area with one now confirmed in the city of Mbandaka.

The city of about one million people is a transport hub on the River Congo, prompting fears that the virus could now spread further, threatening the capital Kinshasa and surrounding countries.

Commenting on the Ebola issue, WHO deputy director-general for emergency response Peter Salama told BBC the spread to Mbandaka meant there was the potential for an “explosive increase” in cases.

“This is a major development in the outbreak,” he told the BBC. “We have urban Ebola, which is a very different animal from rural Ebola. The potential for an explosive increase in cases is now there.”

Salama said Mbandaka’s location on the River Congo raised the prospect of Ebola spreading to Congo-Brazzaville and the Central African Republic, as well as downstream to Kinshasa, which has a population of 10 million.

“This puts a whole different lens on this outbreak and gives us increased urgency to move very quickly into Mbandaka to stop this new first sign of transmission,” he said.


https://www.completesportsnigeria.com/nigeria-vs-dr-congo-friendly-ebola-death-toll-rises-in-drc/

I still feel this game should be cancelled. I wonder what the Ministry of health is saying about this.

God Forbid bad thing if I hear say Mikel don get Ebola na make Nigeria just withdraw from the WC.

TheSuperNerd:
Haba naa Papa... Brighten up naa... Not happy to see me?

Oya try this....

I am still worried about our goalkeeping department. Watching Rufai yesterday reminded me of the situation in which we have found ourselves. I feel Rohr should still have extended an invitation to Aiyenugba

Martz101:
you are still drifting, my point was that there was a goal keeper crisis before the tounerment and it still didn't affect there play , N'gono was not dropped to 3rd choice for nothing, maybe just maybe Uzoho might not be in goal and we might have an Akpeyi or Ezenwa and everything might still go well.

At this stage all we need to do is support anybody called up in the middle of the stick, i my self wanted ejide there, with the help of internet and social media uzoho moral could even get more damage reading through the internet.

And I say again it is because they have a great depth of experience in that goalkeeping department and so any which ways any of the 3 goalies would still have performed well. Just like when we had Enyeama, Ejide and Aiyenugba. We don't have that kind of depth to make such comparison. We are in a worse dire situation.

And if you say Uzoho can get discouraged by what he reads on the internet then sorry he is not ready for national team football.

TheSuperNerd:
I know Thomas Nkono. I was just stylishly saying hi Dad....

How are you?

TheSuperNerd:
That is why you are indeed the undisputed Arch-Guardian of the halls of experience in our mighty mansion of the Juggernauts... Your own just too much!!!

Experience... **check**

Age....(matching that experience) **check**

Small dismissive note on a rookie... **check**

Dad ehn... Chief ehn... GI wa eh.... You and aged Experience na....

Those that followed African football in the 1980s and early 90s will know Thomas Nkono very well. Yes he was 3rd choice to Antoine Bell and Jacques Songo'o but he had in his bag several years of experience as a top flight goalkeeper. He was playing for Espanyol as at the 1990 WC. At that stage Nkono had seen it all o. No be be say na Rookie him be before them make him first choice. His case is different from that of Uzoho o.

Martz101:
My point was that there was a goal keeper crisis and it actually didn't sink there ship.

Yes because of the depth of experience in their goal keeping department. All the 3 goalies were seasoned, experienced goalies.

Joebie:
I no run oh.. that na one natural remedy to problems. No wonder Nigerians are the happiest people on earth

You understand.

If you laugh any how for Yankie, your neighbor fit call the cop on you, citing a case of madness. But for naija, you feel free to express your laughter any how.

Joebie:
hahaha.. Sir u wan ki me with laugh oh this afternoon.

Me I don dey laugh alone here since. Make I infect you too small.

Martz101:
i Don't know why people shy away from the fact that his our best player. the eagles need to watch old african worldcup team clips, especially Cameroon team of 1990 worldcup, Nigerian team of 1994 worldcup, senegal team of 2002 worldcup, ghana team of 2010 worldcup and algeria team of 2014 worldcup.

They all had one thing in common PASSION but the also failed when it really matters, they could have gone through the next stage if they actually concentrated even more.

For our goal keeper department, remembering the Cameroon 1990 team gives me hope, in the eve of the tournerment cameroon dropped there first goal keeper Bell for talking bad about his team, he was the second best player in french league that season

5 hours to the match the goalkeeper crises was not settled, the supposed 3rd keeper Thomas n'kono was picked by the coach but he rejected the offer and even the 2nd keeper, the coach threaten to put an outfield player in that position.

It took an intervention of then president Biya to make the N'kono take up the offer, the performance on that game inspired a 12 year old Italian midfielder to take up a glove and start his goalkeeping career and today his one of the best ever that boy is Buffon

Similar to us right?? just like N'kono going on after the tournament to become one of Africa best ever keeper, Uzoho could start his journey in the big stage.

*BELIEVE*

Thomas Nkono was Cameroon's first choice to the 1990 AFCON. And was aged 34. He already had a pre-world cup tournament experience and yes look at his age again.

This is not the same case for Uzoho.

Joebie:
hahaha.. in fact d matter don tire me.. u know how many names dem don sneak in and out over the past week?

Na so. Dem still hide some names publishing only those ones and keeping the remaining names away from the public.

mazimee:
Senegal and Morroco have joined the list of those that released 23 man squad.

Are you trying to say they have joined the corruption list?

Mujtahida:
It was coming to my subconscious. Noted

It happens

realpoacher:
Erm chief,... *scratches head*...... Berti Vogts was our first German...

Gernot Rohr is the second

Yeah thanks for that reminder. Correction made.

krattoss:
Will red cards and bookings in the friendlies transfered to the main event in the world cup

Haba!! No na!!

Mujtahida:
There's a certain brashness and swagger with which we announced ourselves on the world stage in 94. Maybe it had to do with the exuberance of a first time experience like the bounciness of a new wife cos Cameroun did it at Italia 90, Senegal at Korea/Japan 02. Now we have become perennial customers, tepid and timid, no longer able to spread our wings to its full span and soar.

Let's see how this current team will perform. It's less than a month from now but 'hostilities' begin.

At the bolded, Cameroon's first participation was at Espana 82.

BascoVanVeli:
Would have loved to see The Governor Diego Costa

Sure you will be in Uyo then.

I dnt know if I can work out away of attending.

lexyman:
i love the team setup , if one player misses the chance the other player is there to execute it , if Yekini had missed the chance , Amuinike was there to carry out his duty , even when Yekini missed the crosses , Amunike went there with a flying header ... the same thing at the back line set up , they played for one another .... this is the similarity this present team has , but i hope they will be displine enough to play together as one unit and hit the opponent when its necessary ...

That is the essence of team chemistry

joseph1013:
We were clinical. One would think that with a 3 nil scoreline we outclassed them, but that's not true. They pressed us, and having someone like Rufai really gave confidence to the defenders.

I love that we took our chances.

Great throwback.

Yeah we were very clinical and scored when it mattered.

Rufai kept us in the game.

That was a great Bulgarian team that went all the way to the semis.

I will never forget that game in a hurry.

TheSuperNerd:
Africans tip Super Eagles to break World Cup jinx in Russia
By Alex Monye



https://guardian.ng/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Super-Eagles.jpg

Adepoju urges team to tread with caution

No African country has won the FIFA World Cup , which is in its 21st edition this year , but many pundits from the continent believe this is the time to break the jinx . And which team is better suited for the task than the Super Eagles.

A continent wide survey by Kenya - based PR agency Geopoll, client of African Laughter , tips Nigeria to become the first African country to win the trophy at the Russia 2018 World Cup slated to kick off next month .

The poll made available to The Guardian featured 2,400 unique football fans from six countries, including Tanzania , Kenya , Ghana , Nigeria , South Africa and Senegal.

In the polls , Nigeria has the highest to win vote with 31 per cent indicating that they would be rooting for the Super Eagles. Senegal follows closely with 20 per cent, while Egypt earned 23 per cent in the polls .

Geopoll noted that the fans were swayed by the outstanding performance of the Super Eagles during the African qualifiers, adding that 44 per cent of Nigerian fans are optimistic the Eagles would make history in Russia as the first African country to win the World Cup .

Among the other African flag bearers , the survey indicates that 49 per cent of Senegalese fans indicate that the Taranga Lions would win the Mundial , just as Brazil was chosen by African respondents to win the competition .
The agency also established that 86 per cent of Africans across South Africa , Nigeria , Kenya , Senegal , and Tanzania plan on watching this year ’ s World Cup in Russia , compared to 71 per cent who watched some of the matches in 2014 .
They posited that over 600 million fans are expected to watch the World Cup with Ghanaian men getting the highest vote of 99 per cent to watch the world football fiesta.

This, the outfit , said demonstrates the high level of interest in the tournament and the strength of the World Cup brand .
65 per cent of the Nigerians interviewed mentioned that they will be watching the World Cup from home , while those who were going to watch the games outdoors , at a friend ’ s place , in the office , restaurants / clubs and in other places accounted for 14 per cent , 10 per cent , six per cent, three per cent and one per cent respectively .

The Geopoll result also disclosed that football viewership has shifted radically in Africa in recent years from male dominated stadium and clubs to now large number of female fans, in a growth that commentators have attributed to changing life styles .
Geopoll said the large number of African respondents in the polls revealed that the continent ’ s fans see it as a patriotic duty to support their fans, adding that the 2018 World Cup , which is the first in Africa on media and audience services , offers data insight on its viewership.

Meanwhile, former Super Eagles player , Mutiu Adepoju has urged the national team to avoid complacency and work hard to achieve its potentials .

“The Eagles have a bright chance to win the World cup . But for me they should approach every game as it comes . Tipping them to win the World Cup is capable of putting the team under pressure.
They should not allow the fans’ praises to get into their heads to avoid complacency in their games . They need to give their best in every game to move ahead in the world championship . Taking each game as it comes would put them in good stead in Russia,” he said.


Source: https://m.guardian.ng/sport/africans-tip-super-eagles-to-break-world-cup-jinx-in-russia/


Russia 2018 WC Countdown: 27 days 5 hours 41 mins to go

That second goal against Serbia. What was Uzoho doing at that side of the post that was already crowded "ni to ri olorun".

TheSuperNerd:
Names names names.... All these big European sides have them. We are used to it. France had it all in 2002 yet Senegal didn't give a crap.

Anyway, I am so happy to see Matuidi made it. I would now more than ever hope we meet France in the round of 16 if or when we qualify.

Matuidi and his fellow midfield lieutenants go hear am. We wilp be ready for them this time.

Onazi will look at Matuidi (with the memory of 2014's wicked injury) and be like....

Omo bone. Quality of players too dey epp o.

tbaba1234:
Salisu Yusuf should not manage the under 23.

Look at his list for the Athletico friendly... It is terrible especially the fringe foreign players. What is Kelechi Nwakali and Usman Muhammed doing there? Usman Muhammad that can not get games in Norway??

What about Samuel Kalu, Olayinka, Obinna Nwobodo, Ebere Eze etc.. People that actually had good seasons.

All these padi padi invitations sef.

Choice of players. This has always been the issue with our local coaches.
I mean this would have been an opportunity to see the players in bolded's readiness to play for the Super Eagles.

Usman Mohammed being on that list is such a joke.