₦airaland Forum

Hahaha like Sarenren. At least we’ve been lacking a LB, so I won’t fault a regular update on Deji, just like Utin has also gotten lots of attention here.

Earthquake2:
Some people were reporting on his daily 'injuries' as if he's the best thing since sliced bread

Just because he's foreign born

Haha 4th tier na taboo? Just say nobody should speak about a call up to the SE for now.

Earthquake2:
He's now in the 4th tier, nobody should speak about him on this thread

Premier Cool Trivia: Who is Manchester City’s most expensive sale?

15 hours ago

Apart from their exploit in English football as three-time Premier League winners and five-time FA Cup triumphs, Manchester City are famed for making expensive signings.

The Citizens have been transformed into a global heavyweight since the arrival of Sheikh Mansour, with big-money being pumped into a squad.

In January 2018, Algeria's Riyad Mahrez became the club-record signing at £60 million, but who is the club’s most elaborate sale?

It will come as a surprise to many that the player who holds that record is Nigeria international, Kelechi Iheanacho.

Iheanacho, who failed to tie down a regular place at the Etihad Stadium was shipped out to Leicester City in a £25 million deal.

The Super Eagles forward scored four goals in 20 appearances but fell out of favour with manager Pep Guardiola.

The record was previously held by Spaniard Alvaro Negredo who was sold to Valencia for £24 million in 2015.

-goal

Jack Ross explains Josh Maja's no-show as Sunderland lose at Portsmouth

Sunderland leading scorer Josh Maja was left on the bench as the Black Cats lost at league leaders Portsmouth this afternoon

BY JAMES HUNTER
18:14, 22 DEC 2018UPDATED18:31,
22 DEC 2018

https://rbmutz64k2rsyldxnq3bhkalcmnni4rsfw6ocdac3dbdyzz4gv4q.cdn.ampproject.org/ii/w680/s/i2-prod.chroniclelive.co.uk/incoming/article15557214.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/0_Sunderland-v-Bristol-Rovers-Sky-Bet-League-One.jpg

Josh Maja missed Sunderland’s defeat at league leaders Portsmouth due to illness, according to Jack Ross.

The club’s 13-goal leading scorer was named on the bench at Fratton Park but played no part as ten-man Sunderland lost 3-1, leading fans to question why the 19-year-old did not feature.

The fact that Maja is currently in the final year of his contract on Wearside and talks on a new deal dragging on added a further layer of intrigue.

But Ross insists Maja has been unwell and was only included amongst the subs because Adam Matthews had to withdraw on the morning of the match with a calf problem.

Instead Ross started with Duncan Watmore - who was making his first league start after 13 months out following a serious knee injury - up front, and says that was how he had planned to set up against Pompey, although Maja would have played a part had it not been for his illness.

“Josh was unwell,” said Ross. “He wouldn’t have started because the way we set up to begin with was what we had worked on and I thought it worked.

“But he would always have come on, regardless of how the game was going, however he wasn’t feeling great this morning and we didn’t really have any other option other than to include him on the bench because we lost Adam Matthews this morning as well.

“We were a little bit hamstrung in that respect.

“With him being unwell, rather than ask him to play 1-15 minutes in these conditions, we decided to look after him and hopefully he will be OK for Boxing Day.”

—ChronicleLive

BRENTFORD 1-0 BOLTON

Moses Odubajo Rating:

Had a strong game on the right, often leading counter-attacks and feeding the forwards. 8

—FootballLondon

Ndidi vs Scholes hahahaha

Earthquake2:
Ndidi to Paul Scholes

Ok

Ricardo was fire today

Obafemi scores Southampton’s third

That Leicester build up — epic

Oh ok. I’m surprised Lobi is about to pull this off

DrLikita12:
No.
I'm on twitter

Are u watching the game?

DrLikita12:
Lobi leading Gor Mahia 2 - 0 (Agg 3-3)
If it remains like this they will advance to the next round on away goals.

Ohhh this argument don tire me. Can we leave KC, Solanke and all the non performing players alone. They shouldn’t be making the headlines here.

To a other relevant news. Who would have thought auba will tear thr EPL up? Can’t wait to see Iwobi and Saka suit up.

Report: Josh Maja and Lynden Gooch leading candidates to leave Sunderland
John Verrall @JohnVerrall1 day ago

https://cdn-hitc--s-com.cdn.ampproject.org/ii/w680/s/cdn.hitc-s.com/i/1142/josh_maja_of_sunderland_celebrates_after_he_scores_the_third_goa_946117.jpg

Jack Ross' Sunderland side could lose two of their star performers over the first half of the campaign.

According to the Northern Echo, Sunderland could well lose both Josh Maja and Lynden Gooch in the January transfer window.

Maja’s and Gooch’s contracts at Sunderland both expire at the end of the season, and the Black Cats have not yet been able to agree terms with the young pair.

Sunderland may now look to cash in on them, rather than lose them on a free.

Both Gooch and Maja are considered exciting prospects, so Sunderland are sure to receive interest in them in January.

And the Northern Echo now claims that they are leading candidates to leave Wearside next month.

Lynden Gooch of Sunderland celebrates after he scores the third goal during the Sky Bet League One match between Sunderland and Barnsley at Stadium of Light on November 27, 2018 in...

If Jack Ross’s side do lose Maja and Gooch then Sunderland want to make additions, but it would be a serious blow to their promotion hopes.

Maja, in particular, has been a major threat to League One defences and he currently leads the scoring charts at Sunderland.

If the forward was to depart the Black Cats would be under pressure to replace his goals, and failing to do so could seriously dent their promotion hopes.

—HITC

NEWCASTLE MUST BEAT CRYSTAL PALACE IN RACE FOR CHELSEA WONDERKID TAMMY ABRAHAM
Kyle Archer Kyle Archer
1 day ago


Newcastle are set to fight Crystal Palace for the signature of highly-rated Chelsea product Tammy Abraham, per The Northern Echo.

What’s the word?

It is being reported that Chelsea will look to cash in on 21-year-old Abraham in the January market, following the striker’s stunning form on loan at Aston Villa.

The London side inserted a recall clause in the loan agreement, and current Blues manager Maurizio Sarri is not understood to be an admirer of the Camberwell-born wonderkid.

Crystal Palace have already expressed an interest in signing Abraham should Chelsea look to cash in on their player, with suggestions that the Eagles will bid around £10million for his services.

Rafa Benitez had previously tried to lure the Chelsea product to St James’ Park, when he looked to complete a loan deal for the striker upon the Toon’s return to the Premier League.

The deal fell through, unfortunately, when Swansea entered the race and offered a greater financial package. Benitez cannot repeat the same mistakes should Abraham hit the open market come the New Year.

—FootballFanCast

Nigeria's Odion Ighalo does not plan on playing in second division
By Oluwashina Okeleji
Football Writer, Nigeria
21 December 2018

Nigeria's Odion Ighalo has said he is in no rush to decide his future after being relegated from the Chinese Super League (CSL) with Changchun Yatai.

Ighalo, 29, finished as the CSL's second top scorer with 21 goals, but it was not enough to save the side.

He says he will use the coming weeks to consider whether to remain in Asia or return to Europe.

"Playing in the second division is not in my plans, so I need to weigh my options well," he told BBC Sport.

"There's the African Cup of Nations next year to think about and I need to keep playing at a highly competitive level.

"I don't know yet about my future. I cannot make a hasty decision so I'll use the next few weeks to decide.

"I have been getting direct calls from different agents and clubs, but now enjoying my Christmas break with the family and it is the job of my agent to speak to them."

Since his move from Watford in January 2017 Ighalo has scored 36 goals in 55 appearances.

"It is rather ironic that my best season in China ended in a relegation, I have never been relegated in my career so it hurts as the captain of a fantastic club with amazing people and incredible fans," he added.

"In life you can only make the move upward and forward."

Ighalo, who has played in Norway, Italy, Spain and English side Watford, is a target for many teams in China, Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

A former youth international, Ighalo has 10 goals in 25 appearances for the Super Eagles and his six goals helped Nigeria seal a return to the Africa Cup of Nations.

—BBC

It’s not too late. Come back.

komekn:
Edmund Burke, "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing"

Admittedly I was a teenager then but running away doesn't solve the problem. It means we given territory to the devil's to take over.

Chelsea would give up on more than Tammy Abraham with January recall-sale

by Abhishek Pancholi
4h ago

Rumors were swelling this week about Chelsea recalling one of their promising youngsters from his loan spell. Calling Tammy Abraham a youngster would be doing him a disservice, as he already has two England caps. But that’s the least of the problems with this idea.

Tammy Abraham has excelled at each of his loans so far. He arguably did well enough at Swansea in the Premier League, considering what a basket-case that club had become.

But that was not enough for the decision-makers at Chelsea, though. His “disastrous” Swansea loan earned him a demotion and he was farmed out to Aston Villa in the Championship. Abraham has already notched up 12 goals in 16 appearances for the Midlands club. Apart from other clubs, his form has also caught the eye of his parent club.

When a loanee does well, usually the parent club has a choice to make in mid-season. They can recall their player and use his abilities to bolster their own squad. Or, they could let him see out the season so as not to mess with his progress.

But there’s a third option, as Chelsea seem to have realized. Put on your helmets, folks, because we’re diving head-first into stupidity.

Apparently, Chelsea would like to recall Tammy Abraham from his loan spell. So far, so good, right? Chelsea are facing a striker shortage or, rather, a lack of strikers who can actually put the ball in the net. Tammy Abraham seems to know how to do that, so why not give him a go? That would be the sensible thing to do.

But Chelsea have rarely done the sensible thing in terms of their academy and youth players in recent times. Word on the street is Chelsea plan to recall Tammy Abraham and – get this – sell him to “get some money in the bank”.

Your head would be hurting right now if you didn’t put on a helmet, like I asked you to.

It is quite baffling how the club just flicks a switch to become financially prudent when all this time they’ve been acting like a hobo who won the lottery, blowing all their money on pills, pleasure and passion. Let’s not forget, this is the same club that spent 30 odd million pounds on Danny Drinkwater when they were the only club bidding for his services. This is also the club that spent another 30 million or so on a striker who barely featured for Chelsea, but has been on a tour of Europe ever since he unpacked his Spongebob suitcase in London.

So, let’s not kid ourselves that this is some sort of financial thing. It’s just another misadventure that this club – without a Director of Football, no less (editor’s note: 409 days – GP) – has embarked upon.

This is one of those moves that will have long-term ramifications not just for Chelsea and the future of Tammy Abraham as a top player elsewhere. It would demoralize those in the academy, who have the best seats in the house to watch this festival of feces. It effectively tells them that even a series of successful loans is no guarantee of playing for Chelsea. You’re just a commodity that the club can cash in on when they please.

Why would Callum Hudson-Odoi sign a new deal when he could be loaned out, then recalled and sold at a moment’s notice? Why would a young player sacrifice stability and steady progress for a bigger paycheck at this stage of his career? It makes no sense.

If the plan to recall Tammy Abraham has already been set in stone, then so be it. But let’s not be idiots and sell him right away. For all the time Abraham has spent in the Chelsea academy and the kind of impact he’s made at his loan clubs, the kid deserves a chance to lead the line for his parent club. There’s still half a season left to play.

Chelsea have tried Morata, they’ve tried Giroud and most recently have tried Hazard through the middle. If (when) Abrahama comes back, he should be given a run in the team and allowed to prove himself. Depending on whether he sinks or swims, the decision to keep or sell should be taken at the end of this season and not now.

It’s time for the club to put their money where their mouth is, and give youth a chance. What could possibly go wrong?

—Fansided

If you can’t beat them, u don’t join them, leave them o.

komekn:
I once at the request ofy father worked in the accounts department of a tertiary institution in Nigeria. It was corruption ridden.

I didn't take one penny from any contractors, l didn't concede to the demands of multiple female students for verification.

Cutting a long story short all the accounting staff were sacked apart from myself and the chief accountant. This Chief accountant sacrificed a goat in the middle of the night in the office joined secret cult to survive.

I left very soon after to the UK. I had enough of battling and fighting corruption at personal risk.

I could give you more but it's not necessary.

Not all have decided to bow down to the gods of corruption and money by any means possible.

I didn’t catch that earlier. Nice catch.

komekn:
You have given total credence to the proposition statements of my detractors on the subject of age cheating.

I reiterate, It is impossible to officially verify and or substantiate the ages of footballers born on Nigeria. Why ❓ because we do not have any governmental structure for AUTOMATIC BIRTH DATA CAPTURE.

As a result, you rely entirely on the integrity of the individual nothing else.

It was put to a number of people here some well quite a few liked it. That l have said all Nigerian players born in Nigeria are age cheats. TOTALLY UNTRUE.

But BascoVanVeli what in effect you are saying is that because we can get away with it, we are all age cheating in Nigeria. So you are saying by implications thar all Nigerian players are age cheats. ❓

Oh I see. Interesting.

Icon4s:
I don't know but he was with the technical crew during the U17 AFCON qualifiers, East African zone.

Will he be in the sidelines?

Icon4s:
He supervises also all the junior teams.

I thought Amuneke was the coach of the Tanzania senior team

Icon4s:
On paper, Nigeria has been given a ticket to the next U17 WC.

From group A at least one of Tanzania, Angola and Uganda will qualify for the WC. Which was the original plan by Ahmad Ahmad

The Nigeria vs Tanzania game will see Manu Garba face up against Emmanuel Amuneke who are two U17 winning coaches.

Group B na die.

We know the truth

zayyadidris:
Please speak for yourself Mr man.!!

We are bad people because we have failed to put systems in place. And we generally like it the way it is.

If we didn’t like it, we would have done something as a people.

BascoVanVeli:
You like to confuse yourself. You were just talking about us being ashamed of our poor system but now you are focusing on the evil doer? Focus on those that are proven guilty but don't come and tell us that we are all bad people just because our country is bad. We should not have to be castigated for the next man's mistake and it should not make us suspects. This is where we really get it wrong. People love to form opinions without information.

Lol I’m saying more competition was never the solution then, it wouldn’t be now. If u like play Cameroon 20 times, nothing dey happen. We are very lazy thinkers. We just wait to copy forgetting we have our unique problems that needs well thought out solutions.

Earthquake2:
I wanted the league to be added to AFCON, not replacing it

Of course. But the evildoer should be the focus. What’s there to defend?

BascoVanVeli:
That's your business but the fact remains that everyone is capable of doing evil.

It was nice working with the six of you! We all did it together. Thanks again!

tbaba1234:
Thank you, you and Joebie did a great job.

Extra competition?

For many years now we we’ve been hosting AFCON twice in every 4 years, the Euro equivalent has been hosted once in every 4 years. If that did not help us get at par with them, why will this?

Earthquake2:
Extra completion

It's not that hard

An African nations league? How so? I mean how would it help African teams be on par with their euro counterparts?

Earthquake2:
It would put a lot of African teams on par with their European counterparts in terms of preparation for major tournaments

Secondary its completely funded by CAF so small nations with little purses can participate

Of course, special is not the word. It’s shameful.

BascoVanVeli:
That is a discussion for the politics section. My point remains that there is nothing special about somebody doing something that they are sure to get away with

You are likely right. But we know ours for a FACT. And why is that?

Nobody put a gun to our head telling us we should not put systems in place.

BascoVanVeli:
Oga nobody has integrity
If they could get away with it in Europe they sure will be doing the same things we do.