₦airaland Forum

Mujtahida:
I just wanted to know the reason why they choose to play for Greece over Nigeria. I am not blaming Nigeria. I am only saying it would be great if we adopted a more forward approach and that to adopt a strategy of saying they must declare first for us before we invite them is being unrealistic if we chose that as our ONLY strategy.

And do you know that I mentioned Atetokuonmpo just as a background to the main point I wanted to make namely that they are parents with kids all over the world looking for ways through which their kids can represent Nigeria and I feel that engagement and contact with them can solve that problem.
Are you happy with what we are doing with fifteen year old Omadiji? He's just fifteen years old, NFF sends him happy birthday wishes. Do they do that to every kid? No! But we appreciate what they are doing. They are saying we care, we want to be part of your world. That's not begging. That's engagement, that's building relationship.

We cannot pursue every kid. Let's pursue the talented ones early and even at that we will lose some, and win some. We have played and lost many football matches, important ones too but we've not stopped playing football altogether. So for all those who we approached and they declined, we possibly have those we approached and they accepted. So I am vehemently against the adoption of one strategy.
Joebie has written a fine piece that expresses my full sentiments on this issue. I endorse it and adopt it as mine(with his kind permission)

komekn:
When did Ejaria commit to Nigeria

Or I my getting this wrong.

aodis:
So who is replacing Ighalo Onazi?

aadvark:
please can someone give me the full list of players invited for the Algeria and Argentina game?

tbaba1234:
Waiting for an imaginary call-up as opposed to a real one. It is one thing to talk about how great a country is before the invite and another to talk that way after an invite.

And playing regularly for Hungary is better exposure than playing for Nigeria. Just because they play in Europe. The best clubs are in Europe, the top scouts are there. How often do WC take place to see Nigeria on a global stage?

tbaba1234:
What i see here is love for Nigeria, Patroitism..

He followed his heart and not necessarily what was in his career's best interest.

Mujtahida:
You've still not told why they chose Greece over Nigeria. Were they approached and they declined? It's the reason for their decision I want to understand.

tbaba1234:
Otigba declared for Nigeria with zero guarantee of ever playing or even being invited.. No contact from NFF, nothing... That is like putting your international future on the line with no guarantees..

No player does that with career in mind especially as Nigeria is not necessarily a better career move.

tbaba1234:
You HAD a name. Nigeria is not much to be reckoned with these days. Let us be honest with ourselves.

Otigba's decision was based on patroitism not necessarily the best career choice. I think, there was an interview where he talked about dreaming of playing for Nigeria as a child.

tbaba1234:
Hungary does not have to qualify for any tournament for them to be a better international/career choice for Otigba. Playing European qualifiers with the best footballing nations will give him great exposure and possibly greater career opportunities. Playing Togo and Benin republic does not offer those kinds of opportunities. India /Uganda do not play European qualifiers.

From a career perspective, Nigeria does not necessarily offer better career growth and we have won only one AFCON since..

tbaba1234:
Your first analogy was with India who have not qualified for anything.

As in the case of Otigba, it is probably best for them to look out for their best career interests as patrotism could make them miss out of international football.

Idowu is having to give up the Russian passport to play for Nigeria. Do you know how difficult that is??

Icon79:
Mikel should learn to lead by example. As per Akpeyi, it looks like he's trying to kick himself out of the team.


O pari

jotey:
Nwakali snr fitting in already

BTW where is ebuehi sef

Mujtahida:
Stop begging. We need only those who are proud to wear the gwg

tbaba1234:
Hungary is not a bad footballing nation. They were at the last Euros and qualified for the round of 16. Otigba could have been playing in the Euros.

If Hungary calls Otigba today, it is in his best interest to accept.

Icon79:
Nigerian fan base are worse tho. Like Clemence Westerhof used to say "there are 10 million coaches in Nigeria, but I am the one being paid to do the job."


O pari

Icon79:
Guys, can we just leave the technical decisions to the guys who are paid to make those decisions. Here's why:

1. Gernot Rohr played the game at a higher level than any one of us here
2. Gernot Rohr had coached the game at a higher than anyone of us
3. I stand corrected but Rohr and his crew can read the game better than everyone of us here
4. Gernot Rohr knows these players better than everyone of us because he trains them and have watched them up, close, and personal.



O pari

tbaba1234:
Lol, different tone.. So he should not like Tammy's update? Playing international football is a big deal.

By the way, Ejaria commited himself to a Nigeria future years ago. Even though, he had the choice of England. Since then, he has played for the English under 20. I follow most of the English Nigerian boys on social media and Ejaria is one of the few that consistently follows Nigerian football. He was allowed to train with Manu's under 17.

Did Otigba not reject a call-up for Nigeria? Have you called him since?

Players with dual citizenship will usually go to the country that shows interest first. Building a relatioship is important but footballers have to look out for their careers too.

Mujtahida:
I knew you were being sarcastic.I just used it as an opportunity to address the 'declaration' mantra

jotey:
I've been saying it here

Ejaria has passion for gwg

Ejaria will one day don the gwg

You heard it here first

PROVERBZ:
Oluwashina ekelji has been dragging Tammy Abraham on Twitter


Is it by force to play for Nigeria ??

Mujtahida:
its not an issue. i get the perspective of saying players should declare for us. but I oppose it when its said that we should go for ONLY those who declare for us. Nooooooo. We don't wait for anybody to declare any sh!t for us. We go out for them. We engage them, we persuade them, we give them reasons why playing for us will do them good. with this approach we will gain some and we will lose some. at the end those we gain will don the GWg with pride. Their pictures would be displayed but only few would know that they were fist engaged and approached by us. Ebuehi would don the Gwg with pride hopefully by Friday. He ejected us before but he will don the Jersey with pride. One needs some depth to grasp these things.

Icon79:
Bia, Big Joe, did somebody hack into your account? Did you really expect him to turn down Austria even when Nigeria wasn't making any moves? Yes, he was just 17 but opportunity and time wait for no one. Who's knows if that might be the only opportunity he might have?

Listen, the people we have issues with are those of them we turned down Nigeria because they want to wait for another country. As far as I know, Alaba never turned down Nigeria .... Austria came calling first and he grabbed the opportunity with both hands, as he should.



O pari

Mujtahida:
They are four brothers not three: Francis(Andreas) Giannis, Thanasis and Alexis. Do you perchance know why none of them is interested in playing for Nigeria? Because nothing happens in vacuum.
Well, when the poster I referred to was asked by another poster how Giannis and his family felt towards Nigeria, suspecting that they must feel bitter towards Nigeria, the poster said No, the parents werent bitter but on the contrary they encouraged their children to play for Nigeria and that if he (the poster) was still involved with Nigerian basketball at the time he met them he would have convinced them to play for Nigeria but that by then Gianis was already in the Greek selection radar and that fastreacked him turning out for Greece.

TheGoodJoe:
I have no beef with that. I am against pleading and carrying flowers with tuxedo and a limousine for them to play for us. If the opportunity does not come and like the prodigal son, they remember they are Kings in their home. They are welcome to come home and fight to build Nigeria with their skills.

My problem is with the Undecided/Do not feel Nigerian crew. They can ring when they feel Nigerian. Not going to beg them to play for us.

TheGoodJoe:
I am not and will never be against any one having feelings to represent another country. However, I only want those devoted and ready to play for us in the team. Not undecided. There was a time Ola Aina was not decided. Now he is. Same with Shola Ameobi.

When they are ready and show devotion, no doubt, they can come. Including Ibe. I am against convincing and luring. When the player is ready, he will know. You can hint, inform him but not go the extra length.

TheGoodJoe:
Alaba is also Austrian. I think he was born and grew up there. So it is not easy turning down a call for them. I wish he waited. We would have certainly called him. By 2010 he was already a respected player.

He likes Nigeria. He feels Nigerian. It is just unfortunate he also feels Austrian. So we wish him well and hunt for those who wants us ahead of others.

TheGoodJoe:
Alaba holds the record as the youngest player to play for the Austrian National team at 17 years old. There is no way we could have approached him at that time to play for us.

I wish him the best because of his love for Nigeria. Austria knew him, he played in their league for the best club in Austria. Alaba is not one of the members of "I don't feel Nigerian crew." We would never have beaten Austria for him.

Edopesin:
My Eleven Against Algeria

https://img.startingeleven.co.uk/usr/a/5a019b4cbde7d.jpg