₦airaland Forum

Joel Obi's assist help Torino draw level.
Meet the best players at half time

Ebuehi's 6.77 rating don't make him a bad player.
Both Lawal and Azubuike are pretty good. Who can play as a 10 is another matter.
Both player are good ball holders though. Azubuike is a good passer, but can he also produce goals of his own?

jihday:
too average, their ratings isn't even up to 7. it shows they can't bring anything special to the table nothing extraordinary from what we already have

Ehizibue VS Ebuehi

22 year-old Kingsley Ehizibue is one player that should be on our radar.
We should always be looking to capture the promising/performing foreign grown, while we also develop our homegrown players.

26 minutes gone. Torino trail Chievo at home
Joel Obi already the highest rated Torino player
1 shot on target
1 aerial won
1 successful tackle

CONSIDERATIONS FOR MIKEL'S DEPUTY

Raheem Lawal VS Azubuike Okechukwu

I agree with you to some extent. But let's also consider that "small" teams (teams that can't even boast of players in Europe) prior to now, have also given us problems. How about applying the same judgement in the other direction?

Icon79:
Let me post this again because I think it's fitting in this instance:

Mickael2 (insert komekn here), like most football analysts, I think you're underestimating the level of Nigerian players due to the football clubs they play or do not play for. A few years ago I published an article in a Naija daily regarding a peculiar Nigerian perspectives in football.

Take this for instance, when the Nigerian U-23 team lined up at the China Olympics soccer event final, the profile of the players could not have been more different from their Argentine counterparts:

At CD Argentina had Ezekiel Garay of Real Madrid, Nigeria had Dele Adeleye from the bench of dutch basement club Sparta Rotterdam. Just over a year ago, he was at Shooting Stars, oscillating between Division 1 and 2.

At LB, with the responsibility of marking the dreaded Leo Messi; yes Lionel Messi of Barcelona, was Chibuzor Okonkwo from Bayelsa United, a right footed player converted to LB.

In CM, where Argentina had Riquelme, Gago and Mascherano, arguably the best DM in the world at that time, Nigeria presented Ebenezer Ajilore of Mydjtilland and from the bench at Sparta, Sanni Kaita. A few years ago, Ajilore plied his trade at Ebiede Babes, a Lagos youth club.

But as the game unfolded, the confidence of the Nigerian players and the cautious approach their opponents showed, belied the reputation and CV of Argentina's players.

This effectively proved two things, if you can believe it:

(i) that the club status of the Nigerian players does not accurately reflect their real quality; and that

(ii) a new measure is urgently required to determine the quality of our players; one that is not entirely dependent on the judgment of European club managers whose philosophy of the game and needs, vis a vis their clubs, may not necessarily be in alignment with the development of the average Nigerian player, or the SE.


O pari

@ bolded, SO TRUE

komekn:
The question I will use to qualify your proposition.

How far have our youth players progressed over the years We get to very high accolades at youth level that does not transfer to professional development.

Look at the that 2005 team that included Mikel. Consider where the majority of Argentinian players have progressed to over the past 12 years and then see where our players have got too.

That observation is reflective in all our youth teams but less so since 2013. The advent of MRI scanning.

okay and is the decision made by a board or voting from certain individuals?

junnyjake:
Last season's performances would be used to determine the winner for this year's award.

both.. because the choice of countries for friendlies is dependent on the group we will be drawn in

soetanoreoluwa:
I'm talking of friendly match? Is that not what you are talking about or your group prediction?

Look at the fight Enyeama got on his hands.
Maignan best keeper in the top 5 league for the week before the international break

I want England and Germany, if it goes the way of my prediction. Then Saudi Arabia for Iran.

soetanoreoluwa:
You don't want France?

WILLEM II 2-2 SPARTA ROTTERDAM

Batholomew Ogbeche scores for Willem, and is Whoscored'S MOTM
Ryan Sanusi also posts full shift -- for Sparta

Bursaspor 0-0 Goztepe

William Troost-Ekong Whoscored's MOTM

if you noticed, Chidozie Awaziem was the man to mark Neymar today, and he did pretty well.
Awaziem also gives us options as RB.

Good he is willing to leave England, but Slovenia? no.
Well it appears he is at least getting game time and doing well.

edi287:
Yeah its odd he didn't move to a championship or even a league 1 side.

Some Spurs fans actually cried that they let him go.
He should not have left for Slovenia though. let me check his stats.

He's full of dribbling. Really talented from the videos I've seen of him.

edi287:
Yeah him. I always mix him up with Onomah. I had high hopes for him...see how he's almost fizzled out

Maybe you have not been following my posts. I've always been for relationship building and not waiting till they blow. However, it seemed you were making an argument that they are good for the Super Eagles right away. That's the notion I'm tackling.

Modified
I will check his videos.

komekn:
Actually that's a problem.

Please check my other comments on the quality of the Championship and League 1.

If you wait for these players to become front page news and hot property. Then we have failed COMPREHENSIVELY.

We should not wait for that level of recognition before engaging with them. That relationship engagement should be well before they blow. We do not need to wait for England to recognise a player before we do.

I remember when Dele Alli came on trial from League one MK Dons to Liverpool. I know then he was exceptional quality. Well within months he was at Tottenham and then the England National team straight literally from leagues 1.

I will ask you to look at Tega Onomah video clips and tell me where you project he will be in the next few months.

lol.. the opposite is the case.

MetalJigsaw:
I hope he's with Ludo and not the other team.

I've forgotten his name. dribbles a lot. He was compared to Okocha.. will modify when I remember
I think he's moved to Slovakia or so

Modified
Nathan Oduwa? Moved to Slovenia

edi287:
Abeg who knows the name of the Spurs player that played in friendlies in Siasia's Olympics team. I think he played on loan at Rangers...

QPR 1-2 Aston Villa
Josh Onomah hits the bar

Right, but I was just making the point that there are "weak" and strong teams in all 4 pots.

Mujtahida:
No, I won't but then again you have to reckon with the fact that against tough sides we tend to raise our game and go flaccid when up against seemingly weak teams

Lokomotive Plovdiv lost to Bulgarian champs, Ludogorets, 0-3 at home.
LB Musa Muhammed was on from start to finish. He was cautioned.

ACCORDING TO OGN (supports the point I have been making)

Chelsea Legend – ‘Oyibo Eagles ‘ Won’t Be In Eagles If Given Options Like Abraham
November 18, 2017029

Former Chelsea defender Celestine Babayaro says most players born abroad who are in the Super Eagles won’t be in the team if they had same options like Tammy Abraham.

Abraham turned‎ down the chance to play for Nigeria after receiving assurances from England manager Gareth Southgate who later invited him and played him in England’s friendly games against Germany and later Brazil.

Nigerians have criticised the player for refusing to follow in the foot steps of the likes of Alex Iwobi, Ola Aina, Tyronne Ebuehi, William Troost-Ekong, Leon Balogun, Carl Ikeme, Ola Aina and recently Brian Idowu who all pledged their future to Nigeria despite being eligible for the country of their birth.

” The attack on Abra‎ham is not fair. Most players in the Eagles now with the option of playing for other nations they are eligible to represent won’t be playing for Nigeria if they were called up by the other nation like Abraham “, Babayaro told Owngoalnigeria.com.

” It’s not easy to turn down a country where you have spent the best part of your life, make friends and even to some families for a country which they sometimes know nothing about “.

I"m not sure how much support he gives his team defensively. I will have to look for some stats on that. If he does that equally well, we'd have to say goodbye to Echiejile

MetalJigsaw:
Henry Onyekuru was on target for RSC Anderlecht as they defeated Taiwo Awoniyi's Mouscron Peruwelz in tonight's Belguim Jupiter League game.

Onyekuru scored a late winner in the 80th minute to earn his team all three points as the game ended 2-1. The win sees, them close the gap between RSC Anderlech and league leaders Club Brugge as they continue their race for the Belgian League title.

Two different things. I'm not arguing about the quality of the championship in comparison to other leagues. I'm just saying it is seen as a second tier league regardless. Yes, second tier to the EPL, BUT still a second tier. That tag alone rubs on it negatively.

Modified
If you can name a number of good national sides that boast of players from the championship, then I would have no option but join you in your clamor for championship players.
WAIT. and they still have to be performing.

komekn:
Of course it is second tier, but only to the EPL.

The EPL is regarded widely as the most competitive and best league in the World. That in itself accords a high level of quality and competency on the 2nd tier Championship.

In what context are you rating the Championship England's 2nd tier league. Lower than or higher than league rated below 5 in Europe or lower than leagues rated less than 10 in Europe.

Do you know what % of players move from Championship to go to the EPL every season

lol.. was NFF also full of propaganda before they named the national U17 coaches?
komekn did not say the said player has played in the EPL. And that's the reason why I did not quote that post. He just said he has played 10 games for a team in the EPL. That COULD ALSO mean PREMIER LEAGUE 2 (U23 league).

forgiveness:
If that is Ademola Lookman then I know NFF is full of propaganda.

Those guys play in the first tier. I've already made my case. And they actually have advantage over any player playing in ANY second tier.

Mujtahida:
You are right. Aina was the Chelsea connection. The argument is that if we can invite a Shehu from Cyprus, a Nwakali from Norway, Osimhen from wolfsburg as in from leagues that are at par with the English championship, then why not the i'nnit boys'

The truth is there are tough and weak teams in all the pots. Well IMO. Let's hope to draw the weaker team. Forget Poland's ranking. Will you be scared to see Poland in our group?

Mujtahida:
Biko we should be spared.

If those players were in the EPL, we would have long been chasing them. I have already made my point. Generally, we view second tier for what it is. Let them work hard and upgrade to the EPL, or better yet move to the first tier in other leagues. Aina was "lucky" to rub shoulders with Mikel at Chelsea. That's where it all started for him.

Modified
Think of ANY Nigerian-decent player in the EPL right now. You will realize we've made a move on most of them. Jordan Ibe, Ademola Lookman, Tammy Abraham..

Mujtahida:
That should be Josh Onomah I guess. Well it's all good that the desire is there. In as much as as I advocate for the NFF to engage these players, I'd also implore those of them who desire to play for the SE to be proactive too. The invite might just never come. They have to look for a way to present themselves. My worry in this aspect is that we tend to look down on those who present themselves.

But komekn these boys are for our post Russia team. I don't see them being part of our team to Russia. We are wary and tired of the hullabaloo that accompanies our efforts to get these UK born Nig players to switch.

They stand a very good chance after the WC. Let them get ready of going through the bruises to qualify us for Qatar 2022.

you have already said indirectly that FIFA Rankings is not a true reflection of the strength of a team.
Hence, don't say we will draw tough teams

Mujtahida:
I wonder why Tunisia did not enter that pot. We will draw tough teams. We are not supposed to be in pot 4 meant for weaklings. Team 2014 maybe but definitely not this team. It would be sad if we cannot go beyond first round if we get drawn in a tough group. The toughest group we've found ourselves in at the World cup is the one in 2002. We failed to advance.

whoscored.com

Slimydude49:
please which app or website is this?? Thanks