₦airaland Forum

no need for long talk. Kanu is the most crafty. But proficiency at goals count. The likes of Yekini and Yakubu will bang in goals again and again even if they don't look pretty.

cc: TheGoodJoe

tglobal:
Your position will make even Okocha edge out both Kanu and Yekini as a good striker

your realistic list is not based on national assignments alone though.

TheGoodJoe:
I understand that but will always pick the best for each role. Not just listing names for joke reasons. That is why my list is different. I am drafting a realistic list not a joke list of names.

read and understand. much emphasis is not put in the particular position they played when bestXI is named. which is why you will find strikers put as wingers and CBs as Full backs. It's common practice.

TheGoodJoe:
He was never a top quality left back. He was a central king.

Take a look at WhoScored best XI time after time.
Taribo West is there by virtue of being one of the top four defenders while donning the green white green.

TheGoodJoe:
Put into context Taribo how he performed as a left back for the Super Eagles and Yobo as a right back.

What this is actually about is making the most formidable setup with the top players that have played for the Super Eagles.

I don't like where you are taking this argument. If you say at club level Kanu beat both hands down. Kanu was not as prolific as both. But Kanu was far better an all round striker. Achieved more at club level and had crazy magical moments.

But you have a good debate if you are restricting their performance to the Super Eagles.

jihday:
There's no way you can convince anybody that Kanu is a better striker than Yakubu and Martins, I'm not saying he's a bad player or but not as great as we love to speak of him

This is Super Eagles bestXI based on how they performed wearing the green white green at the senior level. Now put that into context.

TheGoodJoe:
Who is better than Babayaro? I will like to know who you think is a better left back than Babayaro.

No one doubts Yekini's prowess but in the modern game today, most of the strikers, from Aguero, Benzema, Firmino, Suarez, Lewandowski etc need to have the ability to play as a creative attack midfielder.

Forget about Bias, Yekini does not have that ability. Yekini is not also the kind of striker to drop into pockets of spaces in the wings to give passes. Sorry but Kanu trumps Yekini hands down when it concerns this.

Interesting development. I think this is good for our domestic football.


Privately-owned clubs led by Ifeanyi Ubah and Kunle Soname have moved to form a rival league on the back of their dissatisfaction with the NPFL.

Huge prize monies and live broadcast of matches have been promised to the top teams of this new league.

“We are not happy with the way the private club owners are being treated like an outcast,” said Ekene Adams of Kada City Football Club.

“We wish to seek the way forward for Nigeria football because there is nothing to write home about in the league.

“We have therefore decided to invest in our own private league.”

Adams said champions of this league will pocket 100 million Naira.

The independent league is expected to feature the likes of Remo Stars, Go Round FC and Dynamite Force of Benin.

The private clubs will have their maiden meeting Saturday in Abuja.

--ScoreNigeria

Sir, it's common practice na when bestXI are put out.

Icon4s:
The person that arranged this setup, does he understand the positions these players played?

What is Taribo doing as best left back?
What is Yobo doing as best Right back?
What is Okocha doing as best Right winger?

na murder u don commit to drop Yekini. Yekini is the best 9 we ever had. Kanu should be support striker.

modified.
Kanu should be in bench. na super eagles we dey talk not bestXI at club level.

modified.
what is Babayaro doing there? best Super EaglesXI?

TheGoodJoe:
https://img.startingeleven.co.uk/usr/a/5ed6802f652f1.jpg


My take is that there is more appreciation of the modern game and the required technical and tactical capabilities of forwards today. Something I did not see in high capacity in Yekini.

Kanu's ability to drop deep and pull some def skills puts him ahead there. Kanu also worked with Van Gaal and Wenger, so tactically, he has to be ahead. Kanu was also a good passer of the ball and good create chances for players in offensive positions. So Yekini off.

Okocha moves to the centre but plays a bit more offensively, working with cerebral Amunike and Finidi.

Yobo played more central, even though he played at the sides some games. I will take a natural due to the the requirement of offensive contributions. Also dealing with tricky wingers.

Finally Uche goes, giving way to two defenders with high technical and tactical plays. Keshi and Taribo. Taribo as a young player dreamed and worked towards being better than Keshi. So their pairing would work well. Also, Taribo worked with Coach Monday Sinclair of Sharks FC.

Babayaro takes the left. Heck, worked with Ruud Gullit and his longevity at Chelsea.

Finito.

Classic! Very relevant message even today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WU94jnHfTM

Well I wish him all the best.

solonnachi:
Should we wish him all the best?

His next move should/would be to a big club. As long as he can stay relevant there, as he has been in all the clubs he has played so far, there will be no question about his class.

komekn:
These are the things l saw years ago with one of our players who was exceptional at youth level.

Once he got into the academy these handicaps were very much exposed and l could see him struggling. He lacked a lot if the basics.

He has learned a lot now his technical ability has improved but it's not exceptional. But he has used blistering pace aggression and killer instinct to overcome and thrive.

Can he ascend to the very top only time will tell the hallmark of top class is consistency.

I’ve suffered four major injuries in my career, says Mikel Agu
By Ayo Olu Ibidapo - June 2, 2020

Super Eagles defensive midfielder, Mikel Agu has revealed that he has suffered four career-threatening injuries since he kicked off his football career in 2011, AOIFootball.com reports.

The Vitoria De Guimaraes player made this revelation in a chat with the Super Eagles media team via Instagram. The former FC Porto player listed the injuries and said if he was not as strong, he would have quit playing football.

“I have had four major surgeries that would have caused me to quit playing football. Like I have broken my tibia and had surgery, torn my meniscus also and had to go through surgery; I also broke my metatarsal and had a 4cm hamstring tendonitis tie and I must tell you it takes a miracle to continue playing football, but I have come through and I am doing well,” Agu stated.

Agu has had 7 caps for the Super Eagles and has also featured for clubs like FC Porto, Vitoria De Setubal, Club Brugge, and Bursaspor.

The Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) has fixed October 6 for the hearing of the appeal filed by a former Super Eagles player and Coach, Samson Siasia, over his life ban by FIFA.

--ThisDay

Iwobi on learning from Mikel :

In training, whilst watching him on the pitch, whilst I’m on the bench watching him, I’ve always learned, the way he’s physically capable to keep the ball in tight situations because playing in African culture there’s a lot more physicality, there are a lot more strong duels, the way he’s able to use his body is something I have picked up and try to add to my game.” (Brila)

What Ndidi's coaches (former and present) said about him:

Peter Maes (former Genk manager):
“To play in this position, you need total game discipline,”
“You need to work for the team. You need to do the hard work for the players who are more creative and also, your ball recovery must be good.
“He is very strong and has a very good ball-recovery ability. Ndidi has those telescopic legs he can stretch out to get the ball back. I saw this in training when he was young. When you are young, you learn a lot. Also, he is a very smart guy who wants to learn. He adapted very quickly to the situation. You only need to tell him one time how he needs to defend and how he needs to play a position. He learns unbelievably quickly."
“He was very respectful to his coach. He listened to everything you said and the way he wanted to go was the way his coach wanted him to go. He was very good to coach because he was hungry to learn'

Brendan Rogers:
“The one thing with Wilfred is he is a world-class learner. He wants to learn. He wants to improve and then he wants to do something about it,"
"He has been absolutely brilliant since I came here. You saw how much we missed him and that is testament to the level he has played at and what he gives to this team.”
“It was about giving him a wider view of the game,”
"He has played a lot for us in that single pivot position where maybe before, he has played beside someone, so it is giving him that understanding of the positional sense and where to be and where to run when certain players have the ball.
“We have been trying to improve the tactical element of his game so he understands not just his role without the ball but with the ball as well.
“We have been working on his technique, the simple basics of the game, passing and receiving. He takes the ball now and he understands he doesn’t need to spread the ball 60 or 70 yards — he is a continuity player. He has the ball, takes the ball and passes the ball. And when he hasn’t got it, he then uses his incredible athleticism to affect the game.
“From a tactical perspective, a lot of the work has gone into that with him. From a technical perspective, he has constantly worked on his touch and how he turns with a touch. Those little basic fundamentals of the game."

Nwakali denies deal with Faroe Island-based club
By Abdulquadir Adedapo - June 2, 2020 20 0


Super Eagles midfielder, Chidiebere Nwakali has refuted reports in the media that he has put pen to paper with Ki Klaksvik FC based in Faroe Island, AOIFootball.com reports.

Nwakali, an U17 World Cup winner with Nigeria in 2013, is currently unattached and is attending to different offers on his table as he aims to rekindle his career.

But reports surfaced on Monday that a Faroe Island-based club confirmed his signature and will announce sealing of the deal in two weeks but the former Aberdeen of Scotland midfielder came out to deny the story.

“I have not signed nor do I have a deal with any club. I am just arriving in Spain after my trip to Denmark. When I sign a deal with any club, you will be the first to know,” Nwakali told only AOIFootball.com.

The former Manchester City player has had loan spells in Scotland, Norway, and Sweden.

There are two stories out there. We are yet to know which is true.

TheSuperNerd:
And that makes it untrue? Since when did ANS debunking a story automatically make it untrue? Have you made your own findings?

ANS debunked the story.

andrewbaba44:
Faroe island ?

But is this player that bad that he had to settle for Faroe island

Playing in the Egyptian ,South African ,Tunisia league is far better than Faroe island abeg

What did u say about Musa Muhammad? Which level u put iheanacho?

Danielnino00:
Where did things go wrong??


Iheanacho, Awoniyi and to Success seem to be the only member of that 2013 squad that have managed to stay at the top level for a while now..

Musa Yahaya is rotting away in Porto B.. Musa Muhammad Now Nwakali to Faroe Island!

Na wa....

How did Collins perform overall?
I dey set trap for u oh.. soon they will come barking *runs away*

komekn:
Meanwhile watching Borrussia just flog Paderborn 6-1.

Jadon Sancho scored a hat trick, he is probably close to 20 goals in the Bundesliga this season already playing from the Wing and he is still only 20.

Collins played and was yellow carded.

Osimhen once turned down Arsenal for Wolfsburg

elunico:
How many Nigerians are strong enough to resist the lure to the EPL?

Well said. It’s better to only make comparisons when you have balanced knowledge of both sides.

Modified
your contributions on English football is needed here though

komekn:
I have said this before l have involvement with English football coaches, managers, players, agents, etc and that's my primary place of interest.

As well as a very healthy interest with Nigerian football a lot more than l care to say.

I go to Europe maybe 6/7 times year to watch game. I watch quote a bit of European football but mainly English football. I also cannot comment on European football with the same level of knowledge as English football.

The nations league is a very good idea. We should have thought of it before the Europeans.
Now we have to think of how we customize it so it will be very beneficial to us.

jihday:
So within 4yrs some countries will be limited to some meaningless friendly games again lowly teams, how will they improve? Seems like we want to be trying too hard to be like the Europeans, every two years is OK jare

komekn u no dey try. I once told you to pay attention to other leagues as well. It’s not England or nothing.

safarigirl:
You have come again with your doomsday predictions.

Better players in their Academy, based on what? Someone has played a full season of topflight football in a top league, but the Academy players are better than him, if dem ask you now, you go say dem win U20 World Cup like Solanke, so, they are better.

Is there any Nigerian player from Nigeria you even rate? I mean, before they make moves and prove you wrong.

I believe Rohr has made approach on Billing in the past, so he should know Billing’s agent. And again I don’t think an agent will act in behalf of his client without the client’s knowledge.

Let this news spread over the media and let’s see wetin Billing go talk this time.

komekn:
Always two sides to a story.

Who is his agent no name l have seen many people claiming to be agents of a player when they are not.

Who should we believe two dramatically different stories. So Billing asks questions about the Nigerian team is not a commitment to the team.

Then who released all the spurious claims of Billings alleged change of allegiance to the press.

Once the press get involved you will never find out the truth. Because the press will create versions of the truth by exaggeration and sometimes untruths to get attention.

We will raise the bar for hosting, and the tournament will be more competitive.

jihday:
So how will making the AFCON a 4-year tournament help resolve that? Not like the Asians are achieving anything at the world cup too

In a WC year the bragging rights could still be about who did best among the 5 countries . Then two years later we bring that rivalry to the continent. Hosting the games too frequently doesn’t guarantee progress. Focus is not put on hosting a quality competition. The standards for hosting is not set high enough when it’s hosted
too frequently.

The nations league is a very good idea.

safarigirl:
they can sha do nations league.

4 years is too long a time, and we rather enjoy those bragging rights periods

It’s not breaking news until it’s official.

news from intel dey sweet but it should be broken with a high degree of caution. Chriskels already knows that too well.

rabzy:
He broke it at the right time, and a news broken is nolonger breaking news...no joy or glory in that.

This was just a case of a guy going back on his words, except we all have to wait not on insider info nor nff or the coach confirming it, but wait for the players to do so on their social media handles or in press conference but that would be utterly stale and boring

Look at the performances of African nations at the WC over years compared to even Asian countries. The question is why? And why is our every two years owambe not bringing any thin positivity besides African countries fighting for bragging rights of who is the best in Africa? We need to focus on quality not quantity. Africans needs to start setting a high bar. Go to the world and start to make a good challenge.

jihday:
Chan is for home-based so it's out of it, world cup that we won't last more than 3 games at most 4. If CAF want to make it four years they need to look for a viable alternative