₦airaland Forum

TheGoodJoe:
.

TheGoodJoe you dey book space for page 1482?

Joebie:
Pinnick and my uncle grew up in Warri.. I know what to do

OK o. Hahaha

safarigirl:
who be the two LBs? Hope nobody from NPFL

You dey mind that guy. Him for kukuma apply as a scout to the Super Eagles.

^^ house sorry for the multiple posts o

Joebie:
Abi u wan demote professionals?

All the 'pensioners' wey you dey call before the Cameroon match which one Rohr see invite?

Joebie:
Abi u wan demote professionals?

All the 'pensioners' wey you dey call before the Cameroon match which one Rohr see invite?

Joebie:
Abi u wan demote professionals?

All the 'pensioners' wey you dey call before the Cameroon match which one Rohr see invite?

Joebie:
Abi u wan demote professionals?

All the 'pensioners' wey you dey call before the Cameroon match which one Rohr see invite?

Joebie:
I've discovered two LBs!!

Two LBs that will play for Plateau United or MFM? Or which team?

Joebie:
I've discovered two LBs!!

Two LBs that will play for Plateau United or MFM? Or which team?

Eligreat247:
I think I like this logic of yours... I go with you on this.
My first comment on this forum. I've been following you guys (though in ghost mood) since 2012 and you guys are all wonderful

Thanks. We hope to see more of your comments.

eterisan:
Already stated that Aina and Tyrone are our options there... The question is are they good enough to displace him yet... Those kids are rookies on the international stage... When push comes to shove experience will carry ụwa through... All I am asking for is we give him the respect he deserves.... Cc Sir icon4s

My sincere opinion on this issue.

Elderson Echiejile:
Since the modern era of Nigerian football IE since the 1990s. Elderson Echiejile is our worst regular natural LB. IE comparing him with Ben Iroha, Celestine Babayaro and Taye Taiwo.

Echiejile peaked in 2013 but has been struggling to make any statements close to what he did at the 2013 AFCON.
Consequently, successive coaches have tried to replace him. Juwon Oshaniwa who deputised for him at the 2013 AFCON replaced him at the 2014 WC due to injury. Shortly after the WC Juwon was hit by injury and and started struggling for form and fitness.He never recovered. Keshi brought in Kingsley Madu. Oliseh brought back Echiejile. Siasia came in and preferred Stanley Amuzie. Rohr came in and we are back to Echiejile.

Now the question is what are the career levels of Juwon, Madu, and Amuzie today? Echiejile is still there because the younger LBs that are supposed to give him a competition have not measured up.

Shehu Abdullahi:
Started his Super Eagles career under Keshi as a midfielder. He was once of the standout performers in our 2014 CHAN team alongside Ejike Uzoenyi, Rabiu Alli, Chima Akas and Gbolahan Salami. Since then he had always made Keshi's squad as a midfielder. He also made Oliseh's squads as a midfielder. Siasia, who we know as an adventurous coach, was the one that first tried Shehu at RB. He fitted in almost seamlessly and played that role through to the Olympics. He also played RB in the Egypt double header. Shehu was never fantastic but he never disappointed. Probably due to fact that he is not a natural RB and the level of competitiveness or lack of it in the league he plays Rohr never really had confidence in his abilities .

Rohr has tried several players at RB before now: Musa Mohammed, Wilfred Ndidi and Kenneth Omeruo. Tyrone Ebuehi was invited into the frame of things. Finally they settled on Shehu at RB but with eyes on capturing Ola Aina for that position for a possible longer term.

Shehu has recently won the hearts of many and there are opinions of him keeping that position and we trying Aina at LB.

Ola Aina:
A highly talented RB. Hugely rated to walk into that RB position. Has just been cleared by FIFA to represent Nigeria. However, Shehu's approval ratings have just skyrocketed and many are already suggesting the LB position for Aina. But the question is can Rohr trust him well enough to start him at LB against Zambia?

Gernoth Rohr:
He is not much of a risk taker. He prefers experience over youth. He is probably still suffering from the burns of Fielding an inexperienced CB against SA (untypical of him) and may have learned a lot from that.

Icon4s:
I like consistency at the defence. I admire Ola Aina's abilities but also believe Shehu Abdullahi can get the job done against Zambia and more so that he (Shehu) is beginning to form a good partnership with the CBs and forwards. Should Ola Aina replace Shehu at RB? In as much as I don't really fancy changes in defensive positions I would want Rohr to give Aina a fair assessment. Has Shehu performed well? Yes he has. Can we get a player that can better his performance? Definitely Yes. In as much as Shehu has done well especially in his most recent games especially with his link up plays he still has problems in his positioning as he was caught out of position on a couple of occasions. Plus his crosses are not there yet.

I would fancy Shehu to start against Zambia but moving forward I would fancy Ola Aina to take over that position. Shehu is there as a utility player. And if Ola Aina doesn't measure up as expected well Shehu again until we get another natural RB.

Aina at LB? Too risky.

adegwurulez:
We barely have a year to the mundial, any coach that doesn't already have 75% of his team has no business in the world Cup. Our main focus now should be team blending and cohesiveness. The areas we need reinforcements are just few. The LB position, A creative midfielder and a winger. I don't think there is anything Martins can bring to the table that Iheanacho, ighalo, kayode, (in all likelihood, these are the three point men we're going to the world Cup with) can't bring.

I'd rather we spend that time trying to get tammy Abraham. If not, a LB, a creative midfielder, a winger(if bazee comes good he'll be a great addition), with 1-2 months extensive training camp and quality friendly games, then we'll be ready for the world Cup.

Correct!

soetanoreoluwa:
Chelsea’s Tammy Abraham must weigh depth, potential in Nigeria offer

Tammy Abraham is embarking on his first season in the Premier League, but a major career decision lies ahead. Nigeria hope he will play for the Super Eagles in international competition instead of the Three Lions.

Chelsea’s Tammy Abraham is on a season-long loan at Swansea City, and is being targeted by the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) as a potential new recruit. The London-born striker has played for England up to the U-21’s, but would qualify to play for Nigeria through his father.

NFF president Amaju Pinnick, who grew up with Abraham’s father in Nigeria, is hoping that their friendship will help seal the deal for the 19-year old’s international footballing services. As Abraham has not yet appeared at senior level, the door is still open for him to swap allegiances.

We are working on getting Abraham. Tammy is like my son, his father and I grew up in the same neighbourhood. – BBC
This is not the first time the NFF have approached Abraham and his dad. The Federation spoke to them in July 2016 and to sound them out on the prospect. At the time, father and son felt the youngster’s focus should be with England. Nigeria’s UK chief David Doherty said of the meeting:

We spoke to his dad, met with him and his dad. The chances are that in future he could play for Nigeria if England Three Lions is not certain. But for now he is in tune with England, the option is open. – All Nigeria Soccer
Abraham has a big decision to make. Should he chose Nigeria over England, he would not be the first Chelsea player to make the swap. Nigeria have a record of succes when it comes to claiming potential England stars for their own. Victor Moses and more recently Ola Aina have both made the switch. Abraham will need to consider several options before making up his mind.

His first consideration should be how likely he is to play. The Super Eagles’ current strikers include Kelechi Iheanacho and Ahmed Musa, both of Leicester City. Musa is the more experienced of the two, having played 62 games and scored 13 goals. Iheanacho, who has a much better goal-to-game ratio, is the future. He has played only 11 games, scoring six goals.

RELATED STORY: Chelsea's top six all-time best players from Africa
Domestically, Abraham is getting Premier League game time on loan under the stewardship of former Chelsea coach Paul Clement. Musa and Iheanacho are behind Jamie Vardy and Shinji Okazaki in the pecking order at Leicester and struggling for game time.


Should he chose to switch, with the experience that he is currently gaining Abraham would be able to command a place in Nigeria’s starting XI. Next, he has to think about how likely he is to get into the England team. There is no question he would make the squad, but would he be anything more than a bench-warmer?

England’s incumbents are Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy, Daniel Sturridge, Danny Welbeck and Abraham’s nearest rival in terms of age, Marcus Rashford. Abraham would challenge to replace an aging Vardy and the injury prone Sturridge and Welbeck. He may, however, struggle to oust Kane and Rashford right now. In time, if continues on his current trajectory, he has every chance of making an impact in a team that has struggled to achieve anything in recent years.


The last consideration comes down to silverware. Either option gives him the opportunity of a major trophy every two years. He would compete in the World Cup with either of the two, the Euro’s with England or the African Cup of Nations with Nigeria. His chances of picking up a trophy with England are at best slim. With Nigeria, the AFCON is almost a certainty at some point. As for the World Cup, neither side has come that close to winning the trophy recently.

NFF President Amaju Pinnick thinks his country are in the ascendancy, though.

You take a first look at the [Nigeria] team and you see players like William Ekong, Wilfred Ndidi, Leon Balogun, Iwobi, Chidozie Awaziem, Tyronne Ebuehi, Kelechi Iheanacho and now we have Aina as well. I believe we are so blessed and that this team will cause a big stir in Russia, and if not in Russia, in Qatar in five years’ time. – BBC
NEXT: Chelsea voted in a world of uncertainty with Premier League deadline shift
Whether Abraham earns that level of positivity from anyone in the England set-up remains to be seen. Wherever he ends up playing, that country will have a player who has scored goals at every level he has played.


Sponsored Stories
Tammy Abraham is embarking on his first season in the Premier League, but a major career decision lies ahead. Nigeria hope he will play for the Super Eagles in international competition instead of the Three Lions.

Chelsea’s Tammy Abraham is on a season-long loan at Swansea City, and is being targeted by the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) as a potential new recruit. The London-born striker has played for England up to the U-21’s, but would qualify to play for Nigeria through his father.

NFF president Amaju Pinnick, who grew up with Abraham’s father in Nigeria, is hoping that their friendship will help seal the deal for the 19-year old’s international footballing services. As Abraham has not yet appeared at senior level, the door is still open for him to swap allegiances.

We are working on getting Abraham. Tammy is like my son, his father and I grew up in the same neighbourhood. – BBC
This is not the first time the NFF have approached Abraham and his dad. The Federation spoke to them in July 2016 and to sound them out on the prospect. At the time, father and son felt the youngster’s focus should be with England. Nigeria’s UK chief David Doherty said of the meeting:

We spoke to his dad, met with him and his dad. The chances are that in future he could play for Nigeria if England Three Lions is not certain. But for now he is in tune with England, the option is open. – All Nigeria Soccer
Abraham has a big decision to make. Should he chose Nigeria over England, he would not be the first Chelsea player to make the swap. Nigeria have a record of succes when it comes to claiming potential England stars for their own. Victor Moses and more recently Ola Aina have both made the switch. Abraham will need to consider several options before making up his mind.

His first consideration should be how likely he is to play. The Super Eagles’ current strikers include Kelechi Iheanacho and Ahmed Musa, both of Leicester City. Musa is the more experienced of the two, having played 62 games and scored 13 goals. Iheanacho, who has a much better goal-to-game ratio, is the future. He has played only 11 games, scoring six goals.

RELATED STORY: Chelsea's top six all-time best players from Africa
Domestically, Abraham is getting Premier League game time on loan under the stewardship of former Chelsea coach Paul Clement. Musa and Iheanacho are behind Jamie Vardy and Shinji Okazaki in the pecking order at Leicester and struggling for game time.


Should he chose to switch, with the experience that he is currently gaining Abraham would be able to command a place in Nigeria’s starting XI. Next, he has to think about how likely he is to get into the England team. There is no question he would make the squad, but would he be anything more than a bench-warmer?

England’s incumbents are Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy, Daniel Sturridge, Danny Welbeck and Abraham’s nearest rival in terms of age, Marcus Rashford. Abraham would challenge to replace an aging Vardy and the injury prone Sturridge and Welbeck. He may, however, struggle to oust Kane and Rashford right now. In time, if continues on his current trajectory, he has every chance of making an impact in a team that has struggled to achieve anything in recent years.


The last consideration comes down to silverware. Either option gives him the opportunity of a major trophy every two years. He would compete in the World Cup with either of the two, the Euro’s with England or the African Cup of Nations with Nigeria. His chances of picking up a trophy with England are at best slim. With Nigeria, the AFCON is almost a certainty at some point. As for the World Cup, neither side has come that close to winning the trophy recently.

NFF President Amaju Pinnick thinks his country are in the ascendancy, though.

You take a first look at the [Nigeria] team and you see players like William Ekong, Wilfred Ndidi, Leon Balogun, Iwobi, Chidozie Awaziem, Tyronne Ebuehi, Kelechi Iheanacho and now we have Aina as well. I believe we are so blessed and that this team will cause a big stir in Russia, and if not in Russia, in Qatar in five years’ time. – BBC
NEXT: Chelsea voted in a world of uncertainty with Premier League deadline shift
Whether Abraham earns that level of positivity from anyone in the England set-up remains to be seen. Wherever he ends up playing, that country will have a player who has scored goals at every level he has played.

https://theprideoflondon.com/2017/09/02/chelsea-victor-moses-showed-quality-winger-nigeria-win/

Tammy would be a great addition to the squad. But I hope he is personally interested in playing for Nigeria.

safarigirl:
this was the original post... The bolded is the point

Cc icon4s

I am still telling you that not even all those sitting on the bench for these matches will get to play. I am sure you know the names of players that have sat on the bench for different games have varied. Some sat on the bench once and were never re-invited.

If you say Every player that makes it to Russia must be tested it is a different thing.

safarigirl:
you haven't been following the argument then.

The original post leading to that one said "You cannot chop bench and go to Russia".... There was no point repeating that part over and over. The 'everybody' in question is " everybody going to the World Cup"....not just every invitee

I started the argument with you is it not?

So how will I not be following the argument?

You are only just trying to modify your statement.
You were obviously referring to the invitees.

Besides how do you know the 'everybody' going to the World Cup?

safarigirl:
where did I say everyone that has been invited will play?

I said, everyone that will be going to Russia and most of those players will not be in Russia if not all of them.

Aina will be a regular, that is a given and he will play.

I listed the guys most likely to be in Russia, and they have all played...even the likes of Ebuehi that did not make my list, he has played and he could be in Russia.

Like I said, most of the players have played and all will have played by then.

You said EVERYBODY.

safarigirl:
Everybody must play. The only people that may be excused from that rule are goalies....but everyone else mist play.

And by rotation, surely you didn't think I meant a fresh starting XI?

I already stated earlier today that the team cannot afford too many new players and that we had 85% sorted.

Some regulars will play, but you must involve the bench. I already listed my team against Algeria and it was a blend of four regulars and seven benchers

You said EVERYBODY must play.

safarigirl:
only two regulars in the last team have not played- Alampasu (goalie) and Aina....everyone else has played and anyone else being invited will still play.

All the outfield players will play. Watch and see

Firstly? How many times has Aina been invited that makes him a regular?

If you say everyone that has been invited in the course of this campaign must play remember also that Jamiu Alimi, Kingsley Madu, Rabiu Ali, Stephen Odey, Noah Bazee, Uche Agbo, Anthony Nwakaeme, Aaron Samuel, Emmanuel Daniel have all been invited at one time or the other.

So according to you they must all play.

More players will still be invited in the near or later future. They all must also play right?

Humility017:
then we should stop inviting 23 players...
it is outright nonsense when we already know those to play and those not to play...

this double standard leaves me surpised...
let me tell....You see some of those players i
on bench could have even done much better than some on the field that day...

even rohr with all due respect is not a world class coach per se....

23 players being invited if for us to have depth in the squad. The regulars are always favorites to start. You cannot be rotating a starting 11 with every match. You will not have a TEAM.

safarigirl:
Let's agree to disagree. They will all sha play before Russia, whether in WCQ or friendlies, everybody will play

In fact, let me rephrase it: Everybody CANNOT play.

safarigirl:
Everybody must play. The only people that may be excused from that rule are goalies....but everyone else mist play.

And by rotation, surely you didn't think I meant a fresh starting XI?

I already stated earlier today that the team cannot afford too many new players and that we had 85% sorted.

Some regulars will play, but you must involve the bench. I already listed my team against Algeria and it was a blend of four regulars and seven benchers

EVERYBODY MUST NOT PLAY.

Humility017:
form your last paragraph@
why invite them to camp then if you believe they must not play?
our problem here in Africa is our conservative approach to issues...
we're allergic to change....
I repeat you will never know how good some of these SE bench warmers are..not until you give them a chance...

Does the coach not see them in the training camp?
Rohr for instance knows the abilities of his players.

Not every player called to camp must play. Not every player in the squad must play

safarigirl:
we could have....but did we? No, should we cry over that? No.

You can strive for better, but when you keep crying over what was not to be, it's more of a distraction.

The starting XI will still be tweaked, after all, this starting XI could have done a double on Cameroon, but you and many others have admitted their failure to do so.....imagine if we had tweaked the team, maybe we would have done better, abi?After all Cameroon tweaked theirs and gave us a battle

Le the coach try others, maybe some are better than what we fielded against Cameroon.... Maybe, a couple of players from that team will be injured weeks to the world cup, what will then happen to the team you've been training all that time? Now, the coach will have to go back to those bench boys and find some way to help them gel into the team.

A good team does this thing called ROTATION. Rotation allows for every member of the team to be great when called upon. You see what Manu Garba's team achieved in U17? Such pristine cohesion even with the bench boys was achieved because of rotation, other top teams do it as well.Our team is so dependent on some key members that we crash if they are removed, look at us against France in 2014 when Onazi picked an injury....imagine we go to Russia and Ekong picks a knock, what will happen to our defense since other players just sat on the bench since? On the other hand, Success was injured in the U17, but Awoniyi filled in so brilliantly, there was no gap.

You cannot have a fixed starting XI lest you promote laziness with others, after all, why will I have to be great when the coach won't ever pick me anyways?

We should rotate that team, like I said, nobody should go to Russia without contributing to the team. You cannot chop bench and go to Russia off the back of others

You talk about striving for excellence, bit you are fine with a great first XI and a largely untested bench, how is that excellence?

There are varying degrees of team rotation.
You cannot be presenting different starting 11 and expect to build a team

Yes we want the team to get better but a total rotation is a no-no.

The 1994 team had depth but we know the regular starters. Everyone even till date can list the starting 11 of that team.

Youth football is different from Senior football. So the reference to the Manu's U17 does not hold much water here. Football at the U17 level has to do more with the individual abilities of the players. Manu assembled a pool of players with great abilities that even when some players failed the MRI the others still performed. At this level individual abilities counts a lot.

You first need regulars before your team can achieve cohesion.
Cohesion matters a lot at senior level.

Yes we need the injection of fresh blood into the team but this must be a gradual process. It took Westerhoff 5 years to progress the team to what it was in 1994. We cannot become Spain, Germany, Brazil or France over night.

And let me correct one impression, everybody must not play.

somehow:
You wanted CAF to fix the seeding to favor just west Africans?

Why did Dr Congo dispatch Tunisia? (The same Tunisia once stopped Nigeria from smelling the world cup in our own capital city.

Tunisia never stopped us from qualifying for that 2010 WC. Though both legs ended in draws, 0-0 and 2-2, we still qualified. Mozambique did us a favor in Maputo while we beat Kenya in Nairobi.

Except you are making reference to the 1978 WC qualifiers when we lost 0-1 in Lagos and lost again 3-1 in Tunis.

Why is this on front page this early?

Mujtahida:
Between Nigeria going for the world cup and not going which do we want? Surely we want to be at the mundial. So let's believe in the direction of our heart desires. Granted we would have loved to stroll into Russia but now we have to rise to the occasion. No let up, no slacking. Zambia might just take the whipping here in Uyo.

Baba Icon4s what say you-nerves are in jitters here but as an elder whose been through the rough and smooth with the Eagles what say you, what are your well honed instincts telling?
Wetin elder sit down see, small pikin even if he climb kilimanjaro no go see am.

You make me laugh my brother. Thanks all the same.

In all my years of following World Cup qualifiers, since the 1982 world Cup qualifiers, Nigeria has never had it this smooth.

We have in the past gone into the last game of World cup qualifiers with a "must win" situation, with our hearts in our mouths and hoping someone will do us a favor elsewhere, though with the exception of 2014WC qualifiers where we beat Ethiopia on a 4-1 aggregate.

Unlike many others we are going into this one with our destiny in our hands.

Just like before the Cameroon game, I am not having sleepless nights over this game. My major concern would be if the boys would be as fit as they were against Cameroon and also if they can bring the same kind of killer mentality with which they played the Cameroon game in Uyo.

We will beat Zambia. They will see fire that day.

Abeg where that goal.com that predicted Cameroon will get 4points from the tie.

Mujtahida:
Are you seeing what Germany is doing. http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/unstoppable-germany-look-ruthless-on-way-to-retaining-world/1cxviy4z99nlu11mi17neora8x

Yes o. Really unstoppable.

bedspread:
Wilson Oruma Kanu Nwankwo Lukman Haruna Onazi

Oruma Didn't play U20 Kanu didn't play U20 Lukman didn't play in any Olympics Onazi didn't play U20 and Olympics.

DeRay98:
Chinedu Obasi Ogbuke
Obi John Mikel
Solomon Okoronkwo
Isaac Promise
Add yours

Solomon Okoronkwo and Isaac Promise did not feature for the Super Eagles in any World Cup.

safarigirl:
what good is youth development that cannot transform into senior team brilliance?

Which youth? English youths or that of immigrants? Solanke still dey play U21 despite his U20 World Cup heroics, but Rashford skipped age grade teams to the main team based on the United connection.

So, France that has Mbappe in their senior team don't value youth development?

Like I said, their mates are playing for senior teams and will be at the World Cup, if they like, they can keep feeling special in the International football equivalent of Sunday league football

Young players can only be pushed into the senior team if there are such opportunities or voids.

Many thought the young English U20 players will immediately displace the senior team players but things don't work out that way. These young players have to be gradually introduced else the team would be deficient of experience. If Solanke cannot make the English senior team it simply means he is not good enough at the moment. They have kept them busy with the U21s just to ensure their development continues till when they are deemed fit to displace the ageing senior players.

Germany also practices this kind of transition.

Talking about Mbappe, none of those English young players is on the same level with him. Besides he is not even yet a starter with France.
It is only exceptionally talented teen players that break into the senior teams of such teams as England, Germany, France, Spain, Brazil, Argentina. They don't just discard their senior players just because a group of teens just won an U20 WC.

Jesuspikin8:
Which one is plastic?

It's 10 pts v 7 pts, 2 games to go and a hungry Zambia at your back

One injury to Mikel and.the team falls like a pack of cards

Being afraid in such situation is natural not plastic.

Our own boys don chop belle fu right?

The truth is even if we had beaten Cameroon we would still have been in the same situation that we would just need a draw to qualify.