₦airaland Forum

TheGoodJoe:
Last thing Rohr needed was Iheanacho having a good display and giving him a selection headache. Rohr already made up his mind those he was taking and Nacho was not on his list. A brilliant performance from Nacho would have people questioning his decision to drop Nacho.

Sincerely yours,
TheGoodJoe

I am personally not completely sold out on Onuachu. If Iheanacho had put in a good display in that friendly, I would have dropped Onuachu and Picked Iheanacho.

I am still wondering what Rohr is going to do with 3 CFs when our wings are already loaded. If there was a deficiency of wingers I could say "ok when the need arises we may play one of the CFs from the wings so as to accommodate another striker". To me Osimhen and Onuachu equates to one striker. We didn't need both.

andrew444:
According to news i heard, Aina is first choice right back while awaziem is second choice

So what of Shehu? How will Awaziem be ahead of Shehu at the RB position?

Humility017:
he should tender an apology to Nigeria....him and Aigbogun

yesterday i rewatched some highlights from MUsa, Kayode and Ajagun
under 20 set.... there were beauty to behold...sort of fast attacking
football and here naughty players like Tijani almost ruin our eyes

Yet people were calling John Obu's teams 'trash'.

Humility017:
who else can come in for Iwobi when he gets tired....
etebo/ogu can always come in for mikel and ndidi but for iwobi who else can?

Is it only when a player gets tired that a substitution is made?

If for any reason Iwobi needs to be susbtituted, as long as Mikel is in that game, u sub out Iwobi and introduce Etebor into Mikel's CM position. Then Mikel moves to AM.

Icon79:
KPOM!

And by the way, could someone tell me who made the decision to start Tochukwu Oluehi in the goal in our first march, when we had this goalkeeper! I mean, you don't even need to be a coach to realize that Nnaedozie is a much better goalkeeper. it isn't even a close call sef!


O pari

Typical comment from Nigerian fans.

You have forgotten Tochukwu Oluehi's heroics in the last AFCON. And you have also forgotten how Chiamaka Nnadozie conceded 8 against France just last year.

Tochukwu Oluehi just had a bad day in office. Besides, I don't see her being responsible for the 2nd and 3rd goals.

Tochukwu is first choice. Coaches take certain decisions such as this when they get hammered in their first game. It was a gamble but thank God for the nature of the opposition.

The France game will be the real test for Nnadozie.

darkelf:
Don't mind them. Because we beat North Korea, the hype ha started.

We can't beat France. In fact we will be lucky to finish that match ith a draw. Our chances of drawing that match is 0.87%.

A good number of that french team play for good teams and they don't waste chances at goal. However, in my heart, I really want the girls to prove me wrong but I won't be surprised if they don't

If they can qualify after beating Norway today. They will rest key players when they play Nigeria.

That will boost our chances of a draw and may be enough to see us through.

France should please beat Norway so they can qualify with a game to spare and so rest key players when they play against Nigeria

chelseaimmortal:
From: collinsuchendusblog.com

At 18 years and 186 days, Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie has become the youngest ever goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet in a Women’s World Cup game. 
Chiamaka Cynthia Nnadozie is a Nigerian women's international footballer who plays as a Goalkeeper. At club level she plays for Rivers Angels.
Chiamaka Nnadozie

Quote

Personal information
Full name   Chiamaka Cynthia Nnadozie
Date of birth   8 December 2000 (age 18)
Height   180 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position   Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years   Team   Apps   (Gls)
2016–   Rivers Angels      
National team
2016   Nigeria U-17   3   (0)
2018–   Nigeria U-20   4   (0)
2018–   Nigeria   4   (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only


Football career
Nnadozie signed for Rivers Angels at the start of the 2016 season.[1]

International Career:

During the 2018 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Nnadozie played all 4 matches.[2] Against Haiti she received the "Dare to Shine" Player of the Match award for her good performance.[3] Not much after the U-20 Tournament she was also selected for the 2018 Africa Women Cup of Nations[4] where she stayed on the bench for all five matches.


Source: https://www.collinsuchendusblog.com/2019/06/super-falcon-goalkeeper-becomes-first.html?m=1

She is not the first. Nigeria beat Denmark 2:0 in 1999 (Ann Agumani was in goal) and Nigeria beat Canada 1:0 in 2011( Precious Dede was in goal).

So please change ur heading or delete this thread.

BascoVanVeli:
Congratulations to oga Icon4s and all enyimba fans. Well deserved champions of Nigeria.

Yes o thanks Bro.

A title well deserved.

Now we start preparing for the CAF champions league and the new NPFL season.

edi287:
MANU GARBA: IHEANACHO DOESN’T EVEN CALL TO SAY HI

2 Comments / COLUMN, INTERVIEWS / By Solace Chukwu / June 10, 2019 / Africa Cup of Nations, Kelechi Iheanacho, Manu Garba, nigeria

There is a good argument to be made that, over the last decade, there is no more influential Nigerian coach than Manu Garba.

His name entered the mainstream consciousness in 2013 when he led the national under-17 team, the Golden Eaglets, to victory at the Under-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates. Before that, he was a part of the coaching crew for the previous success at that level, as an assistant to the late Yemi Tella back in 2007.

That is not, however, an achievement that is particularly unique. Nigeria is historically the most successful country in the world at that age group, and the likes of Fanny Amun and the late Paul Hamilton have also led sides with considerable talent but questionable eligibility to success.

What sets Garba apart, besides recency bias, is the style with which his side beguiled the world, and the sheer output of his group of youngsters. A free-scoring, counter-attacking style saw the team plunder 3.25 goals per game over the course of the competition, a staggering number considering football’s fundamentally low-scoring nature.

Understandably, Garba evinces a great degree of pride at having defied one of football’s fundamental truisms, and in his discussion he gravitates time and again to that 2013 side. So what made them so special, so cohesive, so irresistible as an attacking force?

“That team had an abundance of talent, but not only was the squad talented, we had ample time to stay with the players,” he says.

“Honestly, we had the opportunity to teach them all that you need to teach a player in terms of playing and performing at the highest level. To be fit technically, tactically, physically, psychologically and mentally.

“So we knew what every player could do at any moment. In fact, even in that team, you could close your eyes, pick a starting 11, and everybody would function very well, because there was a synergy. They were used to each other. The team was just like a family.”

Embed from Getty Images

“…just like a family.”

The base though, the platform on which it was all built, was talent. The ubiquity of natural footballing ability in Nigeria is now almost anecdotal, but it is easy enough to understand when one considers the mostly unrivalled popularity that the sport enjoys in a country of over 100 million people.

That fact has not always translated perfectly though, as the recent outing of the national under-20 team at the World Cup in Poland attests. However, in terms of identifying and harnessing the talent pool, Garba stands out: both in terms of quality and quantity.

This eye for talent in its primal state, along with his emphasis on creating the right mental and physical environment for his players – for instance, he talks up the underrated benefit of a proper night’s rest both as a key part of player performance and as an excuse to restrict the use of mobile devices – is what has defined a successful coaching career to date.

A midfielder in his playing days, he captained El Kanemi Football Club for over half a decade, winning back-to-back FA Cup (then known as the Challenge Cup) titles in 1991 and 1992, and losing out to Egyptian giants Al Ahly in the semi-final of the old CAF Cup Winners Cup with the Maiduguri side. He describes himself as having been “naturally gifted with an abundance of technique”, and while it is not beyond the realm of possibility that this assessment is slightly massaged, it has certainly informed his preference when it comes to talent identification.

“What I look for in a player is technical ability: if the player is able to control the ball very well, can pass very well. Technique for me is paramount.

“After technique, a little bit of awareness of what to do in particular situations. That too is very important, because they say a good player is oriented all over, including his movement with or without the ball. Even at such young ages, I try to find such players.”

It is that technical excellence, as well as lucidity in decision-making, that so defined his 2013 team, and made them lethal on the break. Set up in a 4-3-3 shape, and with Garba encouraging expressionism and near-total positional freedom, that Nigeria side tore through opponents, scoring 15 goals over four matches against Mexico and Sweden, the competition’s next best teams.

The front three comprised, first, Isaac Success and then Liverpool loanee Taiwo Awoniyi, lightning-quick forward Musa Yahaya – Garba insists he was the best player in that entire tournament, and is “surprised” at the lack of progression of a player with potential to be “one of the best players all over the world” – and a certain Kelechi Iheanacho, whose exclusion from Nigeria’s final squad to this month’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) has cause a stir.

The Leicester City forward has struggled to find his feet in the Premier League after an initial promising start at Manchester City. In the season just concluded, Iheanacho played barely over a thousand minutes in all competitions for the Foxes, scoring twice; in March, he was dropped from the national team after coach Gernot Rohr expressed concern over his focus and mentality. His inclusion in the provisional AFCON squad was widely considered a last chance to win back his place in the team.

Embed from Getty Images

Iheanacho has struggled to find his feet at Leicester

It is a long way to fall for a player who won the Golden Ball in 2013, and on whom the hopes of a nation had come to rest. It also means that, of the players who passed through Garba’s hands, only Wilfred Ndidi, Francis Uzoho and Moses Simon will be in Egypt.

While the 53-year-old admits it is his “personal joy” to see those players in the final squad, he is rueful about Iheanacho’s promise, which now appears to be ebbing away: he has been “watching from a distance” and directs some of the blame toward the player’s handlers.

“I don’t know whether it has to do with personal problems, psychological problems, or lack of adaptation with the players he plays with.

“We expect their managers to be monitoring their performances and their way of life too, which is very paramount. Even when they’re not at their clubs, even on holidays, they are supposed to be monitoring what their players are doing. But unfortunately most of such managers are just after the money.”

While he is wary of making any definitive judgements on a player who he admits “doesn’t even call to say hi” – the revelation, while devoid of rancour, is tinged with disappointment – he makes some pointed observations about African players in general, and why they fail to fulfil their potential.

“One of the greatest problems is that most African players don’t know how to manage success. The moment a poor boy from a poor family background begins to earn big money, some of them forget the career entirely that brought them into such fame. They lose focus and begin to buy expensive cars, and living expensively instead of concentrating on the game.”

This inability to manage success, in his mind, is down to a deficit in education.

Nigeria has a literacy level under 60 percent, and a lot of its most talented footballers through the years have sprouted in underprivileged areas and the inner cities. With footballers earning increasingly mouth-watering pay packages, that image of success sees a lot of them opt out of school in favour of pursuing a full-time career in football.

Garba, a graduate of the University of Maiduguri who paid his way through school by playing in and earning prize money from sub-regional football tournaments, is acutely aware of his responsibility to steer his young players toward education.

Embed from Getty Images

“Education is a great bane to African players, because most of them lack the educational background to take care of themselves personally. So, (a combination of) education, getting huge money suddenly and then failing to manage that success are some of the causes of why African players cannot make it great.

“I tell some of my players that, for us, even when we were playing, we didn’t leave school.

“Life after football is very important. Even apart from regular school, there are some of these schools that they can employ teachers to come and teach them (privately), or part-time. Earn a certificate somewhere. At least they will be able to communicate very well, to know they dos and don’ts wherever they go. This will help to enhance their life after football.”

His passion in this direction is clear, especially when he speaks of his children’s academic achievements, eyes agleam, and he remains an avid learner himself. He holds a CAF A Licence, and admits he has picked up “one or two things in brainstorming sessions with colleagues”, as well as by using coaching resources available on the internet.

While he acknowledges that talent identification is not an exact science – “Players come in different generations,” he says – his desire to find and groom the best continues to burn brightly, even as he prepares another crop for the 2019 Under-17 World Cup in Brazil.


Source - thesupersub

And 6 years down the lane, only 1 of the players(Uzoho) who participated in that FIFA U17 WC made the 2019 AFCON squad.

A lot is obviously wrong with our football development/structure. Such a highly talented team!

If it were Spain, Argentina or Brazil that produced that kind of crop of players at U17 level be sure to see a good number of them in top European clubs today.

I think the NFF has to call for a stake-holders meeting. Involving all the national team and NPFL coaches, Club Proprietors, The NPFL Management team, Nigerian players agents and the NFF technical committee.
We need to structure a development path for our youth players. We should not just leave those kids at the hands of agents who are there for their own personal gains and not for the players' development.

The NPFL teams need to have compulsorily have youth teams where youth players who cannot immediately secure foreign deals can continue their development and not just thrown straight into the NPFL senior teams.


A lot is at stake on this issue.

Earthquake2:
Nigeria under 16 in Japan for International dream cup

U16? Separate from the Golden Eaglets?

mostob:
Well...for those infuriated by my post. I apologize.
I tried making my point but you all have views different from mine and I respected that.
However,am not a rapist..I vigorously and wholeheartedly condemn the act.
Safarigirl ,don't run away from me..am a cool fellow ,you can judge that by my previous comments here.
sirs..icon4s ,tbaba,thegoodjoe and others,don't let this change your views about me... am cool.trust me
Gustav bro...one love sir
I apologize once again....I ain't a rapist ... I just didn't convey my message in the right way.

back to football please

Good you apologized bro. What ever is wrong is wrong.

One love.

Come on the People's Elephants!, almost there. One more game to go

mostob:
Sir, firstly, my post is written with a FIRST PERSON SINGULAR (unfortunately, many people here doesn't know that). .am not a rapist and i condemn rape in all ramifications. The point am making is that at times RAPE CAN BE BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE WOMAN BY BEING SEDUCTIVE. And with my last sentence, I opined that if women can be more decent in their dressings,rape might reduce. Indecent dressings sometimes attract rapist.
My only fault here is that I didn't put it up appropriately and many here misquote me.

*dodges Bruce Lee kick*

What u are simply doing is finding reasons for rapists to carry out their ugly acts.

For no reason must Rape be acceptable. Your reasons don't make sense bro.

mostob:
sorry to disgress....
I think women should be blamed for about 80% of rape cases...
come on, u wore tight mini skirt and start working seductively shaking ur bumbum.what was ur intention if not to get noticed? Me wey dey look u,my body no be fire wood. Food wey person no go eat, person no go smell am...as u don forcefully put the food inside my nose,u think I will not want to see how it taste even if it require force? If women can start dressing responsibly, rape go reduce. .
o pari!

I find this your post disturbing.

If this is the mindset u have about sex or rape please have a changed mindset else it will land u in Big trouble.

nelszx:
If only our boys can pass like this e for too sweet me
We pass 2 times then boom (O) from defence to attack

You can only pass like that on a smooth surface

krattoss:
lol..eufa no fit stop me from watching AFCON bro..

I just wanna enjoy good football..that's all

I have been entertained with one of the most intriguing UCL ever. I have seen enough organized football abeg.

Like I said I have switched to AFCON Mode. You can enjoy ur European league final though. If I get chance I fit watch.

krattoss:
Time to watch the UEFA nations league finals..

My money is on VVD and the Dutch team..

Me I have lost taste for European football for the now. They can play their final for all I care.

I have switched to AFCON Mode and not ready to leave that mode for now.

Barryseal:
This rumors about Kelechi trying to attack the coach and had to be restrained. Mikel also had to be restrained as he wanted to slap him. How true is this ??

Enemies of the national team at work again.

For that.. that always comes to disturb us here : Ghana 0:1 Namibia FT.

kellycute:
no but he is still shi.t

So what do we do with that your piece of information?

Kog45:
Yea Ajayi can still make it later and he should learn from Aina who was dropped from WC.

But big question is Awaziem deserve the spot than Ajayi? based on their performance this season

Selection for camping could be based on club performances. But this is the national team and Rohr knows the best for his team.

kellycute:
Aina is still sh.it.

So we should drop him too?

Kog45:
Yes Basco but Onuachu i saw yesterday I dey fear o.

Pls what do you have to say on Semi Ajayi

I had always known all along that one of the CBs will be dropped.

Ajayi was up against Awaziem on who was to be dropped. And Rohr picked Awaziem. The coach knows what each player has to offer so he made his choice.

So that Story that "if Rohr should drop Iheanacho he will be sacked" was false after all.

Rohr has made his choice. Aina was dropped before the WC and he came back stronger.

Iheanacho, Ajayi and Idowu should take this as a challenge and come back stronger and challenge for their places.

Female football is unforgiving.

You can only be as good or as bad as the results you get.

No upsets.

Abeg Falcons game don start jare

We fit play this game like this till tomorrow. Nothing will change.

This pitch has not always given the players opportunity to express themselves. How can we be drawing with Zimbabwe at home?

Will these commentators just shut up and allow us to watch this game?

The NFF should respect Nigerians and give us a better venue next time. Football is meant to be enjoyed and not endured.

Haba!

Humility017:
ONLY GOD WILL JUDGE PINNICK AND COMPANY for taking this match to Delta state awful staduim

I am not enjoying the game at all. I am even enjoying the Spain vs SA game more

I don't enjoy our games in this Asaba stadium.

The NFF should please take us back to Uyo.