₦airaland Forum

Hardeysolution:
A disgrace to PDP and wailers. Lol... ...but this ain't our best.. ....i believe something is coming up for Nigeria.. ...mean while. ......shun corruption

This is not all about PDP or APC abeg.

Owomika means my hand has struck it also in Yoruba.

Bini and Yoruba have a common history truely.

TheSuperNerd:
After November 2016, we only have March and June fifa windows to utilise in 2017.

Hence, we can only play a total of four friendlies with two for each fifa window.

That for me is enough.

The friendlies in march for "Wild" experiments and the one or two in June to map out strategies with the main squad.

Generals03:
Who do you drop for Solanke in the team? You forget we already have a pool of young players and we have important qualifiers ahead. We certainly do not have the luxury of unneccessary experimenting.
There is plenty of time for Solanke to join in the future. Certainly not now.

If we must integrate new players now they must be players who play positions such as the full back that we are in dire need of. Or they must be provenly far better than the options we have on ground for other positions other than the full backs

If only u have been following my comments on this thread.....I thought i was just reading my own comments.

I would like to see more of you here.

terzurum5:
TheSuperNerd, come and do revision on the Topic ''Plastic Fan'' to Safarigirl once more.

I thought you know so much about these plastic fans and their mode of argument already.

Plastic fans don not argue with facts or stats,(but not Sir Forgiveness' ''Fact'' ) especially when they know those facts or stats are not in their favour.
That particular guy may not even know Etebor exist


They just wakeup to hate some certain players without any reason, just because it's in them to do so.
Do you need any magician to tell you how relevant and hardly ''replaceable'' some players are to the national team

Stop arguing with plastic fans else you go mad
I was in a viewing hall some time last year. A guy known to watch most premier league matches argued that Dele Ali has no link with Nigeria.

Dominic Solanke should be considered for the future. For now he is not needed.
It is good I make this clarification before someone calls for my head

But Solanke belongs to the generation of Iwobi, Iheanacho,,Success, Simon, Ndidi, Etebo and the likes. Their future has come. Let us strive to get Solanke and add him to the pool.This will make the team more competitive.

princesuko:
I see the Jabs . But how many Goals did He score in competitive games during his stay in the U17s?

No need for all these comparisons as they are all Nigerians. So many FIFA free windows between November and August next year. Rohr can cap many of those Anglo-Nigerian players and select the best for the national team squad.

zicky:
what make the league the best, is it the quality of players that comes out of the league? Daniel Emmanuel a Npfl player(not even the 1st choice at rangers) kept him on the bench. Akpeyi is a basket

The first choice at Rangers is a Ghanaian. He won the goalie of the season and is being considered for Ghana national team callup.

Akpeyi may be better exposed than Daniel but why i prefer Daniel is because of his age. Training with the other goalies will make him develop faster as age is not on the side of Ikeme, Akpeyi and Ezenwa.

But i still think Daniel is better than Akpeyi.

BascoVanVeli:
No the 3-4-3 was just something i kind of threw out there after watching both watford and chelsea. I never made demands i just feel it makes sense considering that our strenght is in CB's and we already have a wingback and striker playing the system.

Hmmm 3-4-3. After watching Watford and Chelsea. Ok o.

Thashen:
Those stadiums really are some ugly piece of shït. I've seen better.

Who has not seen better?

We know they are not the best in the world. We are only highlighting the improvements.

TheSuperNerd:
AKPEYI RETURNS TO SUPER EAGLES FOR
WORLD CUP QUALIFIER

https://africanfootball.com/bp_images/2016/10/akpeyi.jpg


South Africa-based goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi is set to be recalled by Nigeria for next month’s World Cup qualifier against Algeria.

“Akpeyi will return for the Algeria match as he has been playing well and regularly in South Africa,” a team official disclosed.


Akpeyi has been playing regularly for his South
African club Chippa United after he featured for
Nigeria as one of the over-aged players at the
recent Rio Olympics.

Chippa are seventh on the Premier Soccer League (PSL) table with seven points from four matches. The former Warri Wolves shot stopper last appeared for the Super Eagles in an AFCON qualifier against Egypt in Alexandria in March.


He will now be expected to be a cover for top
choice Carl Ikeme for the home game against
Algeria on November 12 in Uyo.

His international experience dates far back to
2005, when he was on the squad for the FIFA
U20 World Cup in the Netherlands.




Source: http://africanfootball.com/news/656513/Akpeyi-returns-to-Super-Eagles-for-World-Cup-qualifier

So Emmanuel Daniel drops.

TheGoodJoe:

You can not assure that they are not talented. There were challenges the team faced before they got knocked out. Before the MRI screening, I do not remember the team losing a match in their warm-up games.

This is not an U17 tournament and most of the players who failed the MRI will make this team.

So I expect this Manu Garba's team to do well. Contrary to your belief of them losing.

Well, Good Luck to them.I hope they dnt get disgraced.

I would prefere a proper U19 for the tourney.

TheGoodJoe:

Amunike's conquering Eaglets have some exposure with their U17 triumph. Manu Garba's boys have little exposure and this tournament is the beginning of that.

The 2016 Eaglets are not a talented squad. Exposing them will not yield much results for us.

We need to give the Amuneke's Flying Eagles another opportunity to redeem their image. These are the crop that are close to signing professional contracts and taking them for that tourney would pave way for scouts to really assess them.

The 2016 Eaglets would be so beating and out muscled and only cause more disappointments. And at the end have nothing to show for or give back to Nigerian football.

TheGoodJoe:

This is not about winning but development. I see it as a good idea.

The current junior League in England is U23 but City chose to field their U19 players to have them develop fast against stronger opponents.

Then the development should be focused more on the Amuneke boys as we have more prospects from that crop. They are U17 champions.

The 2016 Golden Eaglets may jst be a waste of time. A team that could not go pass Niger at U17 is not worth the time.More like flogging a dead horse. They remind me of the 2011 Eaglets. How many of them went on to become great?

Our hope lies more on the 2015 U17s. They are the true U19s

And City U19 u said and not U16. Development really starts at U19.

IyanuFanoro:
currently 2nd actually

Ok. Thanks.

TheSuperNerd:
MANU GARBA LEADS NIGERIA U19S TO
KOREA TOURNEY


https://africanfootball.com/bp_images/2016/10/Samm_27_May_2.jpg


Coach Manu Garba is to lead a team of Nigeria
U19s for an all-expenses-paid tourney in Korea
later this year, officials have informed.

Officials and players are believed to have already submitted their international passports for the trip to South Korea.

The earlier arrangement was for the team to
feature at an international tournament in Dubai.
Manu, who led Nigeria to win the 2013 FIFA U17
World Cup in Abu Dhabi, failed to qualify the
Golden Eaglets for next year’s U17 AFCON in
Madagascar.

He is expected to feature the bulk of the Eaglets Class of 2016 team for this invitational tourney.



Source: http://africanfootball.com//news/656616/Manu-Garba-leads-Nigeria-U19s-to-Korea-tourney

A good tourney.

But here we go again fielding under aged players for age grade tourneys.

The tourney is for U19. Golden Eaglets of 2016 are jst 16 or less. The right crop of players for this tourney are Amuneke's 2016 Flying Eagles who obviously are even 18 or less. The foreign players among them may not be invited.

cc: TheGoodJoe.

BascoVanVeli:
U were the one who brought up Algeria, i just threw up an idea and before landing u were bashing it. We have almost a year after this match so that gives us the time that u are asking for. Algeria is only the best African team on paper, to me they have not shown they can beat the big boys.

The initial proposal u guys made for that 3-5-2 was against Algeria. Or was it not?

That Leicester fan must be a former Chelsea fan.

BascoVanVeli:
Speak 4 urself Italy used a 3-5-2 in the Euro's. The problem won't be discipline because that is just a myth, the only issue would be finding personal but we already have players who are part of this system.
Btw if it was up to my PS skills Nigeria would win every world cup.

Wales also used it.

It will not work for Nigeria vs Algeria.

The teams that adopted it in Euros would habe tried it in less important games and against weaker oppositions.

You want to play against the highest ranked team in Africa(and deservedly so) & u go experimenting a thing like that?

zicky:
It was a well taken penalty, sent the keeper(forgotten that guy name) the wrong way but the ball hit the bar, I can still remember the shock in his eyes that day.

Tony Silva was the goalie.

I still remember that shock. He opened his eyes wide like he just lost a Billion dollar bet.

Imagine having an opportunity to draw ur team level in the second half of extra time of the AFCON semi final. And hu jst blew it away.

Thashen:
Ugly stadiums.

I am sure u meant the opposite

forgiveness:
I wan make small corrections. Please, pardon me.

No 1, Henry Nwosu never won golden ball award at Morocco 88 AFCON

No 2 Henry Nwosu was not the main CMF in the 80s. In short he was alternating btw midfield and right midfield or rw.

No 3, If Thompson Oliha was the one at the 90 AFCON then where do we place Moses Kparko?

No 4, Austin Okocha was not part of 90 AFCON. so, how was he a deputy in a competition he never went?

He plenty but make I stop for here.

1. Noted Nwosu i think was second to Bouderbala of Morocco.

2. Henry Nwosu played mostly as the number 10/AM. Number 10 those days were CMF. Nwosu reigned from 1980 AFCON(though a sub) to 1989 as our "Maradona" This is jst like the way Mikel of today play DMF, CMF & AMF

3. Yes Oliha deputised for Kparko at Algiers 90 but Oliha took over and reigned up till the 1994 WC when Okocha had come of age. Kparko was a one off player.Oliha played 3 AFCON as the CMF.

4. Pls quote the paragraph where I mentioned that Okocha played 1990 AFCON


Those things i wrote from my memory not from google or youtube videos. So if you think there is any information I miss-represented and u are sure, then feel free to call it up. No one is an island of knowledge or infornation.

safarigirl:
He can't keep up with what? Is it today Mikel started playing for us?

Can you tell us how regularly he has been playing all these years? Is it a space of 4 weeks of no game time that Mikel has not had?

The way you're approaching this matter, it's as if you just started following the National team this year.

Okay, tell us the regular players you want to replace Mikel with in 3 weeks.

Is a RB and a DM the same? Has Icon4s not said here that the position of defence is highly sensitive? You want to put Musa without senior team experience in club level against Mahrez and Feghouli them? You no go insult person wey talk this thing wey you talk here? Honestly, read your write-up again. E deserve insult, we suppose plank you sef

You are getting better with ur understanding and analysis of the game every day.Hmm, I like that.

We no call u first lady here for nothing.

zicky:
kool, but you forget to mention Wilson Oruma, I remember the guy for the pk miss against Senegal Afcon 2002

Wilson Oruma lived under the shadow of Okocha. Just like Friday Ekpo lived under the shadow of Oliha, And all them Joel Obi, Raheem Lawal, Rabiu Ibrahim, Nosa Igiebor, are living under the shadow of Mikel.

And yes i recall that Oruma's penalty miss against Senegal. Unforgiveable.

tbaba1234:
Brazilian stars were released for the Olympics and faced no consequences with their clubsides. Imagine if Iwobi or Iheanacho had insisted on playing the olympics, they would probably be out of their respective teams. Sometimes, it is difficult to blame players like Success and Victor Moses because they are just starting to impose themselves on their teams. I remember Kanu facing a similar problem after the nations cup.

It is a struggle for African players that want to succeed abroad.

You know, some times, I even see it as a blessing that we are out of the 2017 AFCON.

Imagine Arsenal without Iwobi, Mancity without Iheanacho, Watford without Ighalo and Success,
Chelsea without Moses, Leicester without Musa, Mainz without Balogun. Ekong is even his club captain. Most of our players would have had problems either with their clubs or with the NFF and Nigerian fans.

But wait o. How would Leicester release Mahrez and Slimani for the AFCON? That means more game time for Musa.

As far as the current crop of players are concerned, we have no replacement for Mikel. We only have players we can jst manage to cope with and pray our opponents dnt capitilise on the weekness.

Top on my "interim" replacement for Mikel if injured is Oghenekaro Etebo. He showed he could cope with the demands from a CMF in the Egypt double header.He also played that role occassionally at the 2015 CAF U23 tourney.

Another player we can consider is Raheem Lawal.

Our permament replacement for John Obi Mikel is still in the bakery of Arsene Wenger , though currently on loan to a Dutch second division side: KELECHI (CARZOLA) NWAKALI


JUST A LITTLE FROM MY HISTORY BOOK OF NIGERIAN FOOTBALL

I have been following different generations of our CMF starting from the 1980s:From Henry Nwosu to Thompson Oliha to Austine Okocha to Obi Mikel.

Quality CMF emerge once in a decade.

Henry Nwosu was the master that emerged in the 1980s. Young Nwosu started playing that role enrout qualification for 1982 WC. He was just 18years old! He scored Nigeria's only goal in the semifinal of that qualification against Guinea. 1-0 aggregate win. I dnt watch that game but i saw the clips some time in the late 80s. Nwosu was the CMF marshal from then on. 20yrs old Etim Esim emerged during qualifiers for the 1986 AFCON. We didnt qualify. He kept Nwosu on his toes. Etim again was in the squad for qualifiers for 1988 AFCON. By then he was playing with Gent of Belgium while Nwosu was at ACB of Lagos. Etim could have easily walked into that CMF role.However, he had a rape case and ran away from Europe to his village in the then Cross Rivers state . Nwosu went ahead to win the Golden Ball award at Maroc '88.

Westerhof came in with a 21yrs old Thompson Oliha at Algiers '90 AFCON. Oliha marshalled the position even up to 1994 AFCON and WC. Okocha was a sub to Oliha in both tourneys. 20yrs old Okocha debuted against Algeria enroute qualification for 1994 WC. He scored from a free -kick.

Okocha's final break through came after his performance in that Second round game against Italy. Where he was sending the Italian players to "go buy akara at Dugbe market" . Ekpo never came back to the team.

Okocha's legendary held sway even up to the mid 2000s. At a point we never believed Okocha would retire one day. We suddenly woke up to realise that we needed a replacement for him. Christian Obodo, aka bundle of skills, a product of the 2001 Flying Eagles, was performing magic with his skills at Peruggia of Italy.
A 21 yrs old Obodo was invited but.. Okocha had widened the shoe.

We managed with Okocha until John Obi Mikel, a product of 2003 Eaglets & 2005 Flying Eagles emerged. 19yrs old Mikel's Debute game was a gainst Zimbabwe at the 2006 AFCON. He scored few minutes after being introduced. That was the begining of the end of Okocha's reign.

Mikel we still have today, but at 29 there is need to once again introduce a youngster to carry us further. Introducing Kelechi (Carzola) Nwakali, an 18yrs old product of the all conquering 2015 Eaglets. He currently stands out, in terms of talent and skills, among his generation. We expect Rohr to gradually introduce him into the team. I dnt see Mikel post 2018 WC. Hope Kelechi Nwakali would have matured enough to step into that shoe.

Note the age at which Nwosu, Okocha and Mikel were introduced into the team. Our greatest CMF were those introduced at a very young age and allowed to grow in the team. Food for thought for our coaches.

safarigirl:
i know your dislike for him is legendary, hence, I can't agree with you.

Once again, never compare Mikel with Musa, that's an insult on Mikel's over 10 years playing career. A big insult you should be ashamed to even consider.

A player is doing brilliant for you, a tested and trusted player and you insult his effort by comparing him to an inexperienced child who plays a far more sensitive position. Honestly, some Nigerians and their sense of loyalty is disturbing, he has not put a foot wrong for us, yet, some of you can't wait to throw him out the window even though he's suffering because he put this country first.

There would be no questions of Mikel's regular playing time for club if he had not gone to Brazil, NONE. The man is suffering consequences of playing for a team that was for all intents and purposes, useless, before he injected some life in their defeated bones, and you ungrateful people have the nerve to try and throw him out on top of his suffering?

Haba! You should be ashamed to even say these words, how will anybody give his all for a country filled with people like you? Are you even worth it?

Well said my sister.

Some other peeps here were like that before. All shouting "play time is everything". "We should only invite players who play week-in week-out", "Better to be a starter in a lower league than to be a bench warmer in Mancity and Chelsea".
Some of them have learnt from Iheanacho and Mikel's performance in the national teams that it is not by playing all 90mins week-in week-out.

Mikel in particular has continued to rubish such people condenming him for lack of game time over the years. Yet some for what so ever reasons remain blinded.

Imagine some1 here saying if Mikel does not play till November the coach should start Nosa Igiebor in Mikel's place and Anderson Esiti should play the DMF.

I once met a South African who knows a lot about Nigerian football. He said we are our own enemies. Said "you people often bring down your heroes". He even went further to ask me why we dropped Sonne Aluko? Recall Aluko scored the brace that drew us 2-2 against South Africa in Uyo. He became a popular name in SA as there after they started following his games at Hull.

That South African is right. We are our own enemies.

Napoleon55:
I know,I have closed the chapter.

Better.

My wifey is preparing "DRAW" soup for me tonight.

forgiveness:
Hehehehe!

Wey dat my plier make i pluck-off one of those ur teeth.

Na this kin small argument u dey take shine abi?

Napoleon55, u should know forgiveness never turns a blind eye on any comment discrediting his favorite player.

Can this argument end already and lets discuss something else?

BascoVanVeli:
This was Watford's first time using it and it went well. They didn't really play well but we can see that they had a clean sheet even though they didn't have much of the ball. We have a core who will know this system and don't forget that for about 45 minutes this system made Mahrez and Slimani look average.

That formation is a no-no for a national team. Especially African teams who we know typically lack discipline.

Bros experiment am for PS first and see the outcome

jobsat34:
Exactly my thought..
Can we say Conte has just given us the formular to end our full back problem?..

With a fully fit balogun, ekong and omeruo as CB,
V.Moses would just stick to the same role he played at chelsea, while echejile can take up marcos alonso role..
Onazi as kante, mikel as matic, iheanacho as willian, ideye/success as costa while iwobi can take up hazard role...

I only wish tho...

National teams typically don't play that kind of formation.