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This sadiQ you all ave been hyping

Odegbami: AFCON 2021 – The Shame And The Pride!


The Shame

Can you believe that some National Federation Presidents in Africa were part of a plot behind the scenes to have the African Cup of Nations Championship, AFCON, cancelled for no reason at all beyond obeying their ‘master’s’ bidding?

The first week of AFCON 2021 must have been a big disappointment for all those that wanted to see Africa’s most prestigious football championship either cancelled or postponed. Citing very untenable reasons that could not stand any integrity test, they wanted to diminish the importance of Africa in the global scene, even in a game that continues to fight back at bigotry, discrimination and racism in the world.

Even though attempting to diminish the importance of the African championship is not new (it has been happening from one championship to the other in various forms through the past decades), what is different this time around is the role of the FIFA President and his collaborators in the Confederation of African Football, CAF, in the saga.

Many observers have been worried about how the continent’s national football presidents have become powerful tools of the FIFA president, in global football politics, since he used their large number and almost robotic followership to become President. Since then, they had mortgaged their independence on the Altar of Baal. For 6 months FIFA actually took over the administration of football in Africa when its General Secretary moved office to Cairo and took over the CAF secretariat.

In the Cameroon’s, it was a great shock and shame to learn of the activities of some African national federation presidents playing the clandestine role of trying to convince many of their colleagues in CAF, without any justifiable reason, to support their ‘master’s’ call for a cancellation, or postponement, of their most important championship, forgetting that Europe successfully hosted their own championship even at a worse time that Covid-19 was ravaging the region. The world did not end. All that was required was stricter covid protocols. Why should Africa’s be treated differently now?

The names of all the presidents that backed that anti-African move, should be released and made public. Every one of them should be made to face the music and shame of their actions in their different countries. They do not deserve to remain as Presidents of their federations for fueling the embers of ‘neo-colonialism’ in African football. What a shame!

The Pride

The campaigners for cancellation may have succeeded but for the divinely inspired emergence of a powerful and ‘unpolluted’ figure like Eto’o Samuel Fils as President of Cameroon’s national football federation. He was not going to have any of such shenanigans during his first assignment as President and host of the championship. He got the support (surprisingly) of the President of CAF, Patrice Motsepe, who was considered a Giovani-lacky before then because of the FIFA President’s ‘hand’ that was all over his election to the CAF Presidency.

The South African, with Samuel Eto’o by his side, shunned Giovanni’s unpalatable ‘offering’. They were both a pride to Africa.

That was the reason for the relative ‘cold treatment’ meted to Giovanni Infantino during the opening ceremony of AFCON 2021. Contrary to the usual practice of sitting him next to the President of the country, he was made some distance away from Mr. Paul Biya, in the State Box. He was also reportedly booed by spectators when his name was announced as one of the international VIPs present.

It was a thing of immense pride to watch the spectacle of the opening ceremony, the dance and drama, the culture and the colours.

The best part has been the displays on the field of play since the championship started with African flair, spectacle, power and athleticism in full display.

AFCON 2021, despite the cloud of Covid-19 hanging menacingly over it, has lived up to expectations in every way, putting up the best of African football in physically bruising matches, relatively poor refeeeing that adds spectacular drama to many matches, and the very close encounters and scores of matches between the teams.

So far, two countries have stood out for me in the championship – the host country, Cameroon, and Nigeria’s Super Eagles. After the first round of matches those two teams have stood out as most likely to get to the finish line.

I watched the Super Eagles render the very mature and talented Pharaohs of Egypt completely harmless in 90 minutes. It crossed my mind that I could be watching the making of the eventual Champions. I had not seen such dominance of a game by a team that was very low on possession of the ball, but very high on power, speed, physicality, confidence, spirit, energy, and attempts at goal.

In 90 minutes, and more, of that game, there was not a single moment of anxiety or grave danger of the Eagles conceding a goal. The defensive strategy adopted was so effective that one of the best players in European football, Mohamed Salah, was rendered completely impotent. The Nigerian team played very confidently, like champions would

So far, the Eagles may have not played the best brand of football, but with the range of talent in the team now, and Augustine Eguavoen’s ability to deploy them the way he did in the first match, it is not difficult to assume that at the ‘tape’, Nigeria and Cameroon are likely to be the two teams still standing to battle it out in a photo-finish.

That is my prediction

he should write it boldly and post it on all his social media handles , " i want to play for Nigeria "

seankafor:
Na Dem dey rush us

https://www.completesports.com/tella-expresses-desire-to-represent-nigeria/

How old is OGa bello

All this Girls should leave maduka alone

Go to beer parlor and spew your rubbish there

Samueltemi337:
Mali don score penalty


I heard the match was fixed


that Mali will get a red card soon


and Tunisia will win from behind

Can y'all see the stupid dig from rorh on front page

Rorh almost killed Aina confidence even ebuehi always benchind and playing makeshift right backs

Danielnino00:
Rohr greatly undermined that right back position...Using Shehu and a makeshift Awazeim even when Aina and Ebuehi were available...

Ekong really showed class there by just roughing up sallah and make him uncomfortable instead of going in on a rash tackle , those bukina faso defenders would have hack sallah down right there.

daveP:
With all accolades and praises, i think the biggest decision in our favor to this win Should go to both Ekong and Maduka.

If he didn't close Salah down, and that ball went in, our Hossanas will all be "Crucify Him" actually.

I like the depth at the right back now , if Ola is not available Ebuehi can easily slot in and it won't be a downgrade on quality

I watched the first 10 minutes of the game and i said to Myself damn rorh has been holding us back for years

So this are the north african teams y'all have been hyping

Gabon is not a force to be reckon with in African football what have they achieved in african football ? You said European teams trash minnows why did Germany lost to Liechtenstein ? And you are saying they should come and do it again , did Germany lost to them or not ? Stop going back and forth

minfelix:
Oga u can't compare Greece to comoros, and u see this situation I sight is always common with African team, I'm sure top African football teams will be playing tournament game against a minnow and be struggling....No Gabon is not a powerhouse but they are force to reckon with over the years in previous afcon games.... oga comoros is f**king minnow and playing their first Afcon....let that same leitchestein come back n face Germany and cause upset..
Our own superior team to minnow game upset is now bcoming a norm

What are you even saying ? do you even watch football or you are just hungry to be mentioned ? European team hammer minnows How did greece win euro 2004 ? Is gabon even a top side in african football ? Didn't Germany lose Liechtenstein in qualifier ? Upset is normal in football especially in cup competition

minfelix:
Bro forget, if a top European team is playing against a minnow, they will hammer them very very well, for the minnow to even think of coming back into the game... Germany will now be playing 1-0 against Montenegro an be backtracking towards closing stage of game? Iffa hear

Football in general is always like that the losing team attack more in the closing stages and the leading team will backtrack to protect their lead especially in a cup competition, so African football no get as e be

minfelix:
African football get as e be; u will see a superior team on paper leading 1-0 in reality then when it gets to the final closing stage of game, minnow/underdog will start playing like Germany/Spain and so called powerhouse superior team will start defending....see the way Gabon dey defend their lives against comoros

Can't imagine England or Spain leading Andorra 1-0 and start defending in the closing stages

What's this religion shit now ? I'm here to read about super eagle and not some religion nonsense

Many monikers who never post here before will start posting now just to condemn African football like their European masters never makes mistakes

Where's the ojoro ?the ref is having a great game , u are just seeking attention

minfelix:
Welcome to Afcon, now let the ojoro begin

Until they butcher him abi ?

Stormtrooper11:
That thing no be penalty na

What is bukina faso Players crying about ? They should learn how to defend in the box , the two penalties are clear

This guy He copied word for word

Uzoho shouldn't have spilled that

zoboizee:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roxm7cqdvYY

My little observations from this video shows how slow the team is in defending set-piece.

First, they all anticipated the free kick to be overhead, and their reaction after the ball went through the wall of defence was very slow. Henry Onyekuru, standing in the wall swiftly broke off to tap in with nobody to give chase. Only for them to raise hands for offside when he was more alert than the wall of defense & the goalkeeper.

Secondly, the goalkeeper (Uzoho) would have done better using his leg to clear the ball to safety some keepers do that a lot but instead he wanted to stand up and save the ball but was slow from his reaction . The team needs to be mentally alert to every opponent present or movement in their box at all time. Their anticipation & decision making must be quick.
In tournament, team cohesion matters a lot & stroke of luck. They may be brilliant individually but as a team, they will conquer.

1, victor osihmen
2, Asisat oshoala
3, olisa Ndah
4, Frank onyeka
5, Maduka okoye
6, zaidu sanusi
7, Aribo
8, iheanacho
9, Awoniyi
10, Iheanacho 2nd goal
11, Aina for victor osihmen
12, Enyimba

Danielnino00:
Welcome to the fourth edition of the Nairaland Nigeria Football Awards!. Keeping in line with the laid down tradition, this thread has been created for all members of this forum to vote for the players under each category of the awards that they deem fit to win it.

The nomination for the award categories were selected by a five member panels that were chosen by members of the Super eagles thread (the official thread for discussion on Nigeria football).

The rules for the voting is simple; Pick one individual from each of the award categories that you wish to vote for. You can only vote once!

The award categories are ;

1. Nigeria player of the year
Victor Osimhen
Kelechi Iheanacho
Emmanuel Dennis

2. Nigerian female player of the year
Asisat Oshoala
Chiamka Nnadozie
Rasheedat Ajibade

3. NPFL player of the year
Anayo Iwuala
Olisa Ndah
Ojo Olorunleke

4. Most impactful new inclusion (2021)
Taiwo Awoniyi
Frank Onyeka
Kingsley Micheal

5. Best Ogedengbe goalkeeper of the year
Maduka Okoye
Ojo Olorunleke
Francis Uzoho

6. Stephen Keshi defender of the year
Zaidu Sanusi
Kevin Akpoguma
Ola Aina

7. Samuel Okwaraji midfielder of the year
Wilfred Ndidi
Frank Onyeka
Joe Aribo

8. Rasheed Yekini attacker of the year
Victor Osimhen
Paul Onuachu
Kelechi Iheanacho

9. Most improved player
Taiwo Awoniyi
Kelechi Iheanacho
Frank Onyeka

10. Super eagles goal of the year
Alex Iwobi goal Vs Sierra Leone
Paul Onuachu goal Vs Benin republic
Kelechi Iheanacho second goal Vs Liberia

11. Best assist of the year
Victor Osimhen assist for Samuel Chukwueze vs Lesotho
Ola Aina assist for Victor Osimhen goal Vs Lesotho
Alex Iwobi assist for Iheanacho's second goal vs. Liberia

12. Team of the year
Akwa United
Enyimba
Super Eagles

Voting closes on Monday January 10th 2022.
Thank you.

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What i have seen is due to covid the best team is not going to win AFCON

Can anybody confirm if dessers has been called ?

Did you sign the contract with him or you have your own copy of the contract ? Are uou100% sure the clause was really in the contract ? why didn't his club say anything after ighalo played for Nigeria.

POSITIVEBRAINS:
Odion igalo is not a professional footballer, after signing a contract that spell out that you will not honour international matches, then why come out of retirement and block other players slot.

Its definitely him don't shift the goal post

JayromWrites:
Obviously not him


I don't think I've ever seen him throw insults talk more of making such a statement


I seriously hope he didn't type that

....

Nah nothing is true except what you have seen yourself

Jack005:
Israel? Hmm... Are these bible stories really true? Nawaoh!!

I'm laughing too

illicit:
I laugh at religious people

We don't need religions

We need just common sense

Nah mention they hungry you [color=#000000][/color]

ekusigo:
I just dey observe as people just dey reason footballers matter like say them too know.
It is the ''best team'' that will win this AFCON not the one with a few individually brilliant players.

Here is my top 4 teams most likely to win the tournament( in descending order) and why.


1. Senegal.
Reasons:
a. They have the right mix of foreign/africa based players.
b. They have a good mix of experienced and fresh players.
c. They are yet to win this tournament before.
d. They have consistently been at the top three teams in Africa for sometime now.
e. Mane and Mendy:
You cannot win a tournament without goals and an exceptional keeper.
f. They are coached by a veteran and National hero who may see this as his last opportunity to lay his hands on the coveted trophy.

2. Tunisia.
Reason
Very compact team. Everybody knows every other persons next move... It is as if they can play blindfolded.


3. Cameroon
Reason
a. The twelfth-player-on the pitch syndrome.
b. The Lions would treat their opponent as intruders who dared to come into their den to decimate their PRIDE
c. The have Generals in every department.
Onana gk
Zambo Anguissa
Abubakar
Choupo Moting
d. Five time winners. O ti mo won lara

4. Algeria
Reason.
a. Defending Champions- although this may work against them because of Africans pull-him-down syndrome.
Most teams will see a win against them as a lifting of some sort of trophy.
b. A veteran Local coach that has been there and done that.
c. They are currently on an unbeaten run of 40 games
c. They have Generals in every department and can also play blindfolded with precision and accuracy.
can
d. They score a lot of goals...

e. They they really concede

If you are disappointed that you did not see 'Nigeria' in my list, sorry ooo.
We come sixth on my list behind Pharoahs of Egypt (another high scoring side.

This sixth wet I put them an simply because of one reason: if that Naija Spirit come upon them la san... Na Zazu zen everybody go dey collect.

750k pere