₦airaland Forum

3 Goalkeepers Maduka Okoye must outwit to become Sparta Rotterdam's #1

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Conclusion
With the departure of Sparta's former #1 keeper, Ariel Harush, and Coremans' injury situation, Maduka Okoye has only two men to beat for the #1 keeper spot. Will he avoid the drop to their U21 squad, considering he is the only one of the quartet who is 21 or under? If he fails, we may well see him keeping in the Tweede Divisie come 20/21 season.

My post is in parts na. You should already know the context

Edopesin:
This one no take anything resemble Nigerian

3 Goalkeepers Maduka Okoye must outwit to become Sparta Rotterdam's #1

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3. Tim Coremans

Was Rotterdam's number one for the first half of the 19/20 Season. Currently injured due to torn knee ligament and is not expected to be match fit until next year (according to transfermarkt).

3 Goalkeepers Maduka Okoye must outwit to become Sparta Rotterdam's #1

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2. Michael Fabrie
Made Rotterdam's bench 24 times in the Eredivisie. Was only in action for their U21 team which featured in Dutch third tier.

3 Goalkeepers Maduka Okoye must outwit to become Sparta Rotterdam's #1

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1. Benjamin Van Leer
Dutch Keeper with Maluku Island heritage. New Arrival from Ajax, but was not registered in their 19/20 Season.

Uzoho, Okoye transfers could be culmination of Rohr's Super Eagles project
Solace Chukwu | Correspondent | 07/24/2020
https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/GOAL/d6/f6/nigeria-v-argentina-uzoho_zvsalkcxnjh21lft533vcoz4l.jpg?

Nigeria's pair of young goalkeepers have found new homes in European football, and could finally provide the missing piece for the German coach
In the same summer when striker Victor Osimhen appears set to join Serie A side Napoli for a fee in excess of €60 million, the most significant bit of Nigerian transfer activity may actually be at the other end of the pitch.

Within the space of a week, Francis Uzoho and Maduka Okoye inked permanent deals taking them to APOEL and Sparta Rotterdam respectively. In doing so, they may have finally provided Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr with clarity on his biggest area of concern since he took charge in 2016.

By the sheer number of goalkeepers Rohr has cycled through in his time at the helm of the Nigeria national team, he has made no secret of his discomfort with his options. At the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, all three goalkeepers were used; perhaps he simply wanted everyone in the squad to get some time, but can anyone imagine depriving an established goalkeeper the opportunity to play in, say, a bronze medal match?

Increasingly, he has been forced into more and more unorthodox decisions: when Rohr first called up Uzoho, he had only recently come up from the reserves at Deportivo La Coruna; when Okoye was first called up (and indeed up until this summer), he was playing in the German fourth tier with Fortuna Dusseldorf II.

Those actions earned him no end of opprobrium for a large swathe of the local Nigerian press, who would rather have seen Rohr invest some effort into blooding a goalkeeper based in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL). Quite who the preferred candidate was, beyond vague allusions to long-time local league squad representative Ikechukwu Ezenwa not being the "best in the NPFL" remains unclear.

In any case, Rohr will feel justified in his choices with this rash of transfer activity. Uzoho, who enjoyed a productive loan spell (before it was cut short by injury) last season with city rivals Omonia Nicosia, will get a chance at European competition with APOEL. The real triumph, however, is Okoye, who gets to play in the Eredivisie.

While he will face opposition from 28-year-old Benjamin Van Leer (signed from Ajax), the 20-year-old does have the edge of being a senior international (by virtue of his debut appearance against Brazil in 2019). That ought to stand him in good stead, and the understanding is that he will be a vital cog for Sparta going forward.

The direct impact of these movements within the context of the Nigeria national team is two-fold.

First of all: for the first time since perhaps Vincent Enyeama and Austin Ejide, the Super Eagles will now be able to count on genuine competition in the goalkeeper ranks.

The consequence of this is that Rohr's decision-making process immediately changes from picking the least worrisome (to illustrate his unease: he has, in the past, taken to sending his own goalkeeping coach to their clubs to train them) of the lot to selecting the best. The criteria are completely altered, and the forge of competitiveness will further harden both young goalies.

The second knock-on is a more holistic one, and is also a little more speculative.

One of the major criticisms Rohr has faced in his work with Nigeria is a seeming lack of ambition. This has been suggested in various ways, most pointedly in his approaches to matches (against Argentina and Algeria at the 2018 World Cup and 2019 Africa Cup of Nations respectively) and selections (insisting on an ultra-defensive double pivot, playing Chidozie Awaziem at right-back, saddling wingers with greater-than-normal defensive burdens).

The addition of Rangers' Joe Aribo to the national team has seen the shackles taken off to a degree, which suggests that perhaps Rohr's cautiousness so far has been more down to expediency than a lack of gumption.

One of the big lessons of Liverpool's recent success is that having the right defensive personnel can completely transform a team: the presence of Alisson and Virgil Van Dijk has freed up the Reds' full-backs – Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson – to fly forward at will.

Consider then how much bolder Rohr's side could be in the knowledge that the goalkeeper – far from a novice to be shielded at the expense of attacking expression – is a reliable component of the team in his own right, playing at a high level in his club career.

Indeed, in much the same way that Alisson was the final puzzle piece for Liverpool, the sorting of the previously uncertain goalkeeper position could be the making of the Super Eagles. The carefree attacking talent of Osimhen, Samuel Chukwueze, Alex Iwobi, Ola Aina and Samuel Kalu, for so long constrained by the (coach's) knowledge of his team's inherent fragility at the back, may finally be able to ride roughshod over opponents in a manner befitting their abilities.

If so, it is these two transfers, more than anything else, that will come to represent the culmination of the German's work.
--goal

If he say something stupid no be internet cries and rants go end am. Abi buhari go deny am entry into Nigeria. Wetin consain dem consain Naija PR?

Why don’t Nigerian Arsenal fans withdraw their support of the club?

daveP:
Did Arteta just indirectly slight The SE?


Lol.


"He's good enough for the Three Lions... "


Saka o.


Well provided Saka says nothing stupid, irrespective of which side he chooses. No p

But Ndidi’s stats and play should make him one of the hottest DMs. I don’t see why those top clubs will not be looking to get the best.

mostob:
Nacho should go and join his boss at real betis.
As for Ndidi, no vacancy in most of the top clubs.

We expected him to bench Vardy at Leicester based on his exploits im Man City abi?
Did Leicester help KC in his development? Maybe. But one thing I believe, if the duo of KC and Success have been in LaLiga for example even Chukwueze will be getting advice from them by now. EPL have not helped their careers IMO.

Sportilitica:
I hope we all don't change mouth if he goes on to struggle in another club. This was how we said when he left Man city. Let the guy florish where he is, he will get the ovation he deserves especially in the Europa league.

If that what will make him leave I’m happy he laughed. He no tire to play second fiddle sef. He should go where he will get regular minutes.

sheyishemba:
Nacho is very stupid he is not meant to laugh considering the magnitude of the game ...Wes Morgan missed a shot ...if he was Wes Morgan he would have done this same thing .am damn sure British media will come for his head ...if his contract ends with Leicester he might be heading to championship,turkey or Belgium what he did today might tarnished his image in england and might not be able to see PL club to sign him considering racism.

When Man U is your dream team since childhood and you get this treatment finally. Looking forward to the day every young Nigerian player will dream of playing for Gombe United lol

Modified
Make Ndidi look well before he jump ship. Maybe go to Barca lol

mostob:
BTW, what was Ole thinking when he brought on Ighalo less down a minute to go.? Na so Ighalo bad reach?

Abiodun Baruwa interview

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How has it been since your retirement from active football?

I’m doing great in United Kingdom with my family. We are all here and everything is fine.
I have been in London for the past 16 years and I have established my company called BRW Sports management. The company is about seven years now. Our main task is to scout for talented players in Africa, including Nigeria.
I have also obtained the Level One and Two certificates as goalkeepers’ coach from the English FA and another certificate as an outfield coach. At the moment, I’m planning to return to Nigeria to coach any of our national teams or any club.

What efforts have you made to actualise your dream of coaching any of the national teams

Thank you for the question. I spoke with the Nigeria Football Federation President, Amaju Pinnick, about my intent to coach any of the national teams.
We had a brief telephone conversation. I also sent him my resume along with my photographs while I was in the national team for him to remember me.
So, If I’m given an opportunity, I would prefer to coach or be part of the Under 23 or Super Eagles’ technical crew.

So, what was the NFF president’s response

For me, his response was not encouraging. On the day I spoke with him, he said he was in a haste for a meeting and that I should call him back. Since then, he hasn’t picked my calls. I opted to send him messages on WhatsApp and he still didn’t reply to all the messages I sent him for about a year now. I hope, someday, he will consider me and give me audience.

—SunNewsOnline

Lol

Edopesin:
Antonio Conte (Inter Milan coach):"The rumours about Lionel Messi to Inter are absolutely fake. Don't trust these fake news. He's not joining Inter, not even in fantasy football

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One of them is the biggest liar I’ve ever seen (outside the internet as well). I’ve exposed him, and he ran away like nothing happened, still ranting on here and calling people names. And to even think that some people believed his lie shows how some are gullible.

Subzero047:
Sheyishemba you know people to respond and people to ignore

Some people only thrive in bringing down others because their worthless self esteem desperately needs it.

Take whatever the stats says to you. It’s subject to different interpretations

Subzero047:
What are you trying to prove?

Victor Moses

Bukayo Saka

Promote those ones. Hype them if u want.

Everybody get keyboard and mouth. Komekn ride on with your “borough” boys jor. It’s a free forum.

sheyishemba:
I already left nwakali's matter but I won't accept the undermining of some SE players like aribo,iwobi,etebo just to hype this mediocre called nwakali I won't accept such.

Ighalo na striker na.

But here u go

Blueelf:
Please post Ighalo's own and compare to Cguks so that I can have a field day

I'm targeting some people here

Samuel Kalu

Samuel Chukwueze

Seyi leave this Nwakali matter. Spend your time promoting whoever you think is a better player. Forgiveness we are missing your contributions.

sheyishemba:
Mad talent indeed in huesca ...mad talent whose best season in second dutch division scored 7 goals 5 assists for Maastricht mad talent indeed talent wey big pass aribo own ....a great talent indeed if u ask me.

Ahmed Musa

Stats of Nigerian wingers for club (season 19/20) and SE

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Moses Simon

I agree somewhat to what you have said about komekn. I remember I cautioned him at a time about how he comes off. As regards talking about qualifications etc. it's not exclusive to him. And a moniker here today was apt about what may be the motivation of some who do so. I doubt if any moniker on this thread know what I do. I think only one moniker knows and it's not because I mentioned it on this thread. However, it's an open forum people can say whatever they like verified or not. It is up to others to be believe or not or be swayed by those proclamations.

TheGoodJoe:
komekn, I must say you come out with a condescending tone a lot of times. Sometimes your words sound elitist and upper class.

Also you take shots on others intelligence when you disagree with them.

Try to limit it and express your points without trying to run down the others. With time, we will learn to understand each other here and relate better.

Keep your arguments like this. I’m tired of this foreign born home grown division. It’s no different from racial divisions.

TheOtherCitizen:
Saka is not as good as most are stating, that's a fact.

He's 18 that makes his potential huge, but he doesn't make it into Nigeria's best 11. He is not better defensively than Zaidu or Jamilu. He is not better offensively than Ejuke or Simon.

Nigeria should cap him, but lad is no better than any position we have.

Forget where they are born and let’s have a balanced argument.

TheOtherCitizen:
Nigerians really genuflect for foreign born players. Ejuke, Moses Simon better players but most folks tweaking their lineup to fit in Saka.

Easily triggered fanbase.

'Osimhen could surpass Maradona'
By Football Italia staff

Nigerian football chief Amaju Pinnick claims Victor Osimhen has what it takes ‘to match and even break the records’ Diego Maradona set at Napoli.

Osimhen is in the process of finalising his record-breaking move to Napoli from Lille, and Pinnick believes the Partenopei are ‘the right club’ for his countryman to realise his potential.

“I think Victor Osimhen is an excellent signing for Napoli,” he told Radio Kiss Kiss.

“I’ve followed them from when they had Diego Armando Maradona. Naples is a proud city and also in football terms.

“Osimhen’s a source of pride of African football. He’s someone who is disciplined but focused on objectives, and if he wants something, he knows how to get it.

“He made the right decision for his career. I already believe he’ll receive the right support from the club and its fans.

“Napoli are the right club for him to achieve important results, and Osimhen will always give his best.

“I’ll say it now: Victor will do everything possible to match and even break the records set by a legend like Maradona.

“I talked Victor just a few minutes ago: he’s very excited about his new experience and new club.

“Napoli is a big name in world football. It’ll be a new challenge for him and he told me: ‘President, I’ll make Naples proud.’

“If he gets the right support, I guarantee he’ll stick to his word and make you all proud. Believe in him and he’ll help the team achieve their objectives.

“I’ll come to Naples next season to watch some of their games. Osimhen is young and could stay at Napoli for a long time.

“As I already said, he’ll be playing for a great team and his quality justifies the investment made by Napoli, who believe in Victor’s huge potential.

“We’re talking about a player who won the [U-17] World Cup in Chile in 2016. I’ve already wished him all the best.

“I’ve already been to Naples with my wife on a cruise when I was younger. I really like the city, which I had the pleasure of visiting but only for a short time.

“I’ll be happy to come back and attend Napoli’s matches.”

Simy is not a Serie A newbie. The key question is will this one be an improvement from the past?

Read Ayo Akonola's exclusive interview with transfermarkt. It's a good thing the boy is looking to Europe.
https://www.transfermarkt.us/ayo-akinola-quot-everyone-dreams-of-playing-at-the-highest-level-and-that-is-in-europe-quot-/view/news/366315

Our elders in this thread are the harbingers of truth.
When I use Czech and Croatia in my search, this is what I came up with. What an irony!
Hear from Icon4s and Kog45.

Over to you Chriskels

Exactly what I was telling Sheyi the other day. Don't fall for it. Just remain objective and keep exposing their lies whenever it comes up.
Nwakali remains our own like other Nigerian players.

Edopesin:
That's just the truth