₦airaland Forum

My radar is now on the Latvian League because of Usman Abass. Thanks semid4lyfe

no be me go make SE fall na.. it was said that Rohr underrated the South Africans.

But believe me with the kind of focus Rohr has as regards Zambia, I've been resting well.

Danielnino00:
pride goes before a fall ooo.. Be careful there

Yes, and let me be arrogant for once -- just because I know Rohr is not leaving any stone unturned as regards Zambia.

Here is my list of SE players for Algeria.

Modified
Joel Obi (injury suspect) or Muazam
Sarenren(injury suspect) or Emenike (oya make una come again)

Danielnino00:
Barring any injury,I except the same squad that executed the Cameroon game to be released next week with the exception of Iwobi and maybe Kayode...




Egypt meanwhile have called up just 14 players for their qualifier game against Congo

Sometimes na step by step. I like Kayode style.. we dey see that type too

forgiveness:
Hahaha! You now understand what I mean.

Haha.. Best leagues? You are going too far. let's leave that discussion for another day, hopefully when they get there.

forgiveness:
Were those players you mentioned bought by good clubs?

I mean the best leagues?

3 Ways Plateau United 'Jos-tified' their NPFL title

1. Plateau United scored 49 goals this season, at least three more than any other #NPFL team this season.
2. Plateau United conceded the fewest goals (25) by any #NPFL team and kept the joint most (17) clean sheets.
3. Plateau United accrued most (13) away points by any #NPFL side this season.

lol different strokes for different folks.

Think Bonaventure.. Because Abass went that route.
Also think Muazam..

Think Abubakar Aliyu who went to Finland. But he's gone to an even lower league now
You get me? Nothing is guaranteed.

I will choose the NPFL over Latvia. Because I can always pull an Odey, Muazam etc stunt.
Latvia? I may languish there. But I may also make a move to Austria from there.. Nothing is guaranteed. We can never tell how things will eventually pan out.

Leagues get levels. There are some leagues in Europe that I will rate even below the NPFL (no matter how bad the NPFL is) based on the strength of who are you are playing with, and against. Believe me some of our league clubs can beat SOME national sides in Europe..lol

forgiveness:
Bros, the Nigerian league is a joke compared to other African league.

The African Champions league quarter finals was played some few days, e bi like say I dey watch European league. Very entertaining and impressive.

Until, all clubs are taken away from the government by private investors, we go still dey produce mediocre players.

Most of our young players avoid the league like plague in other to get a good club abroad else the club will not near you once they know you have made the bench in the local league.

*cough* Lavia no bi am na.

I will rather go for Kingsley Madu instead or Taye Taiwo.

Okon had a decent run of game time in the NPFL. To say he has not started his professional career is misleading.
Which is why I said they are still in the development stage. subsequent seasons there may be a slump in their career. of course we are not praying for that for any of them. But comparison was never my intention, because it's quite early. So there is no point going on with your argument.

tbaba1234:
I have read your explanation and it does not add up.

A player is playing professionally and you say, he is not ahead of players, we only saw at age group level. On what basis?

I do not know this Abbas guy but from the scouting report, he was one of the best in Latvia. Comparing him with players who have hardly played professionally is ridiculous.

Okon and Abdullahi have to start showing more.

At it stands, if i have the choice of Okon, Abdullahi and Abbas for the super eagles, the player with professional experience will be chosen.

lol.. you are unbelievable, even after all my explanation for you to understand the context of this
Don't start something that was never intended. Find a partner for this vs that arguments this afternoon - not me.

tbaba1234:
He has stats.. What professional stats do Mustapha and Okon has so far?

Again, read carefully.. This is not a this vs that argument.

Did you read the stats of the boy carefully?

tbaba1234:
Amuzie has played a full season in portugal and is now in Switzerland. He has caps for the national team and has played in the olympics.

Professional football is not the same as academy football.

Okon and Mustapha Abdullahi have done nothing of note professionally.

According to the scouting report, this Abbas guy was one of the best players in Latvia, last season. He is certainly above those that have not started their professional careers.

Go a few pages back. You will see the scouting report on the young lad, who was among the crop of players who went for the U17 nations cup in 2015.

Icon4s:
Who is this Abass?

Oga.. my question for you is, why did you not include Amuzie in this discussion? He was among the trio i mentioned right. You just want to start a this vs that argument.

I think if you follow this discussion from the start, you will understand where I am coming from. semid4lyfe had asked for Rohr to have a look in on Abass for LB.

I had asked semid4lyfe for a link and possibly a video as well. And said as long as we see class we will know. I don't write people off based on their present circumstances. That's my personality. I like to see, and then make an opinion. After careful consideration of the scout report, I was glad that the report was very balanced, and there was no sign of hyping the player. Then I said, based on the report, I don't see him ahead of the trio. Context is those players we have known before him, and they barely had a chance in SE because they are still in their early development stage. For Abass to considered ahead of them, we need to see more than just a report I will consider excellent for his age and stature, but average for the fact that the context is invitation to the Super Eagles.

I'm not here for this vs that arguments. Even a player still in a Nigerian Academy can have those qualities I read in the report. I'm not writing off the boy. But I still see him in the league of Okon and Abdulahi. We know how this development thing go. It's too early my brother for such comparisons.

tbaba1234:
How is he not ahead of them? Where is mustapha? Does he have a club yet? How did okon perform this year?

Haha.. I didn't say that.. I said he is not ahead of them.. lol

tbaba1234:
You said Okon and Mustapha are ahead.. How? On what basis? How was Okon performance in the league?

Well understanding is the key. Most times many arguments will not even start if we have understanding. I've only said the report does nothing to show that the boy is ahead of the trio.

Even the scout report on Abass was sincere to say we can't tell how Abass will measure up in bigger leagues. At least Okon got a "pro-contract" in the NPFL. Are you saying the Latvian league is better than the NPFL?

I would rather hope to launch my career playing for a top NPFL side, than start out in Latvia. It's all about exposure. And I'm sure the likes of CHAN tournament could give a young player that.

Enough of these players settling for any league as long as it's outside Nigeria. But I understand they have to eat.

But don't tell me Abass is ahead of Mustapha and Okon. It's too early to say that.

Modified
Don't forget the context is invitation to the Super Eagles. Let that sink in.

tbaba1234:
Where is Samuel Okon and where is Mustapha? On what basis do you think, they are ahead of Abbas? Their youth record means nothing now.. Abbas has at least started a pro career.

I'm not making a case for Ambrose though. But I don't believe we should dump any player if they still have something good to offer. As long as they are active and still making waves, then why not? However, they have to show they are better than the competition.

chrisooblog:
well at the moment we have four regular defenders. balogun is numero uno, ekong has cemented his place in the super eagles XI, awaziem is young and has potential plus we all know how rohr likes youth leaving omeruo. is ambrose at the moment better than kenneth? debatable. God willing when we qualify for russia 2018 ambrose would make my final camping list ahead of next year's world cup because of his versatility and experience. however if all the aforementioned defenders stay fit i will be abit surprised if ambrose makes the final squad.

Nice report. Glad that the player was not hyped. Let him continue his development.
For now, based on the report, I don't see him ahead of these left-backs: Samuel Okon (Golden Eaglets 2013 class), Mustapha Abdullahi (Flying Eagles 2015 class), and Stanley Amuzie (Dream Team VI/Olympic Bronze medalist).
All three could easily have been snapped up by a Latvian team.

Let's give Abass time and see how his development pans out.

semid4lyfe:
Here's the scouting report from outside of the boot.com

Kaustubh Pandey writes a detailed scout report about Usman Abbas, Metta’s attacking full-back.

Football in Latvia may not look like a lucrative proposition to most, but it isn’t something to be taken for granted by those who don’t know much about it. Currently ranked at the 110th position in the FIFA Rankings, the 45th spot is the highest that the nation has ever reached. The national side has never qualified for the World Cup since its inception, but managed to qualify for the 2004 European Championships, that saw them get eliminated in the group stages of the competition.

The Latvian football league, which is also known as the Virsliga, isn’t too well known a commodity either. And it’s rare to see a Latvian football club become a mainstay of a European competition, be it the Champions League or the Europa League. While sides like Spartak Jurmala have, in recent times, made a bit of a habit to play in the Europa League, there has been a lack of European representation for Latvian sides.

That, though, doesn’t mean that quality players don’t exist in there. Clubs like FS Metta are pioneering the cause for youth development in a league that is in desperate need for having a dip into grassroot level development. Metta’s young Nigerian starlet Usman Abbas is someone who proves that the work is not going in vain.

Who is Usman Abbas?

Born in Dala, a town in the north of Nigeria, Usman began plying his trade with Nigerian club FC Hart from quite a young age. Someone whose career kick-started from the humble beginnings of the dusty, musty roads of Dala, Usman joined his current club FS Metta last year at the mere age of 18.

Metta is his first European club, but the Nigerian youngster has already represented the national side at the Under-17s level. He was included in the best eleven of the Under-17s AFCON of 2015 and made a mark for the side on an international level too and his performances during that tournament helped him earn a move to Metta.

At club level last season, Abbas made 15 appearances for Metta in the Virsliga and despite being 18, emerged as being one of their best players during the season. Metta finished at second from last season, but Abbas’ standout performances have proved that he could well be one for the future.

What is his Style of Play?

A left back by trade, but also someone who can play as a left winger, Abbas is just five feet four inches tall, but it’s his pace and balance on the ball that make him a quality outlet from the left flank. An attack minded full-back, Abbas isn’t someone to be taken for granted by opposition defenders.

What are his Strengths?

Abbas’ low centre of gravity always makes him a tough contender to keep up with in terms of pace and acceleration. He can go past people and due to his small stature, he can catch people off guard with his pace and the undying willingness to zoom past people on the flank.

He may not be someone who has a number of skills and tricks up his sleeve, but his runs are usually direct and allow the team to make progress down the wing. Last season in the Virsliga, Abbas attempted a total of 2.6 dribbles per game, which is very good for a left-back who is just 18-years-old.


In the above instance, Abbas receives the ball in some space around a crowded area down the left flank. After having picked out the space, he exceutes an impressive dribble and goes past two defenders as if they aren’t there. His balance on the ball and his sturdy body posture while running are traits that help him make similar runs throughout a game.

Another quality that stands out in the youngster’s armoury is the hunger and the desire that he has to push forward. He is always an active character and you are never likely to see him stand to take a breather on the pitch. He keeps on marauding up and down the pitch and is not one to stop running.

Apart from being a determined individual, Abbas happens to be a sound tackler too. It’s his small body stature that allows him to be sharp in tackles and interceptions. That allowed him to make 20 challenges and come out with an accuracy of 55 percent in that. In terms of tackling, Abbas made five tackles per game, with an accuracy of 58 percent.

The above instance brings to the fore how well Abbas uses his body, despite being smaller than every player on the pitch. Here, he shrugs off an opposition player who is way taller and stronger than him to protect the ball to perfection and to eventually win a foul. This is enough to prove how sturdy a body posture Abbas has and how important it can be in shaping the player he will develop into.

What are his Weaknesses?

No matter how many strengths a player has, he is certain to have some weaknesses in his game too. No player is perfect, after all.

Passing and decisiveness around the box is where Usman Abbas seems to lack. He made an average of 44 passes per game last season for Metta, but his passing accuracy stood at just 77 percent. While it clearly is in need of some improvement, Abbas attempts an average of 1.68 crosses per game. It isn’t a bad statistic to judge a player with, but despite being a rather regular crosser, Abbas plays only 0.5 key passes per game which is a bit underwhelming, to be honest.

Abbas’ overall traits are impressive enough for an 18-year-old, but it could well be a case of judging him a bit too early. There could be more surety about how able he is, if he would have been plying his trade at a league with a better player standard than that of the Virsliga. Playing against and with players of lesser quality makes him look like a really good player, but it would be interesting to see how he fares in an environment that pits him up against better players.

lol this must be a joke

poshemmanuel:
Augustine Owen Eguavoen

Thanks for the confirmation/information

Eligreat247:
Nigeria Discover WAFU Cup Of Nations Semifinal Opponents
Published: September 20, 2017


Nigeria Discover WAFU Cup Of Nations Semifinal Opponents Day ten of the 2017 WAFU Cup of Nations produced all the thrills and spills of a knockout tournament with Benin scoring in dying seconds of their final Group B game at Nduom Sports Stadium on Tuesday, 19 September 2017 to secure a place in the semifinals.

The final Group B standings see Benin finishing top with six points, followed by Niger on four points and a better head-to-head with Senegal who also have four points next to their name in third place.

The Elephants are bottom with a measly two points.

Day 11 of the 2017 WAFU Cup of Nations will take place on Thursday, 21 September 2017 with both semifinals taking place at Cape Coast Sports Stadium where Ghana will face Niger and Benin will take on Nigeria.

Nigeria vs Benin 15h00 (GMT) Cape Coast Sports Stadium

Ghana vs Niger 18h00 (GMT) Cape Coast Sports Stadium

Igho Kingsley

I intentionally ignored this report earlier. December is too far ahead for transfer rumors.

Eligreat247:
CHAN Eagles Defender Stephen Eze Set For Shock Move To French Ligue 1 Side Lyon After Dazzling Display At WAFU Cup
September 19, 2017


French Ligue giants Olympique Lyon have had preliminary talks with Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) side FC Ifeanyi Ubah over the services of their giant centre back Stephen Eze, Owngoalnigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Eze has been on the radar of the club in the last six months after a scout of the French side intimated the club about his qualities, and the club had him scouted in Cotonou when he played for the Nigerian B team in the CHAN Qualifiers tie against Benin Republic.

The club continued their scouting of the defender who stands at an impressive height of over six feet tall at the ongoing WAFU tournament where he has emerged as one of the star of the Nigerian team , who are yet to concede a goal at the tournament .

Yesterday Eze was at his best again in the 2-0 win over Ghana which sealed their progress to the semi-final. The game was the third game in a row where he has impressed the scouts of Lyon.

Talks were believed to still be at preliminary stages , but he could have trial with Lyon in December ahead of the opening of the transfer window in January next year according to sources close to the player and his team FC Ifeanyi Ubah FC.

Oliseh cannot manage SE players.

soetanoreoluwa:
He might never coach SE... Nigerians doesn't forget things easily... Money is one of the motivation for oliseh and a beautiful terrain environment which he will never find in Nigeria set up...

Anybody that can work without pay and love what he's doing can.

I don't look to the League 1 much. But you are right! I think the French top tier is considered among the big 5.

chrisooblog:
correction awaziem has been getting some good game with nantes in france. i still feel ekong can still improve and get a club in a superior league to turkey from his performances for us in the world cup in russia when/if we qualify

keep it up bro with the ghost mode, or come light up your dynamite often

iamdynamite:
out of ghost mode......i'm just so addicted to this thread....you guys are doing a great job....supernerd,safarigirl and the rest...thumbs up guys

Awaziem is still developing. With the game time he is having in Ligue 1, he would get better. A future SE regular starter for sure.
Ekong's regular start in the Super Lig is beginning to give him even more confidence. He will get even better.
Why is no one talking about Ambrose anymore?.. I just did a little research on him yesterday. he is still doing his thing in the Scottish top tier.
No reports of any heroics from in the media though.

Yes those 3 defenders have done pretty well at the CHAN/WAFU level. They have a case for SE invitation at least.

Kog45:
Not even big leagues but solid as Balogun especially CB position,with due respect to Ekong i still have my reservation.Awaziem sorry to say i don't rate him with what i saw against South Africa,hope he prove me wrong,Agbo too average for SE.

Rohr just need to address this before it's too late,initially i thought our fullbacks are d issue but with availability of player like Shehu, Echiejele,Aina,Ebuehi,may be Okoro and hopefully Nura Abdullahi we are covered.

I don't know how serious NFF or Rohr towards d full switch of Uduokhai to Nigeria,if d guy is available better for d team but my attention shifted to this WAFU tourney and i can say am impress with Eze,Adeleye,Okoro, though we might say d oppositions are weak but those guy are showing promises,hope Rohr is watching.

The Eze and Adeleye i saw against Ghana cannot be worse than Awaziem i saw against South Africa,so need to call this guys to camp and learn.

lol.. we are talking about who is down the pecking order as far as Reading coach is concerned.

forgiveness:
Out of the 3 league matches he played this season for Readings, they lost only one. Even, in the league or FA cups this is the the first match he lost. So, I don't get u.

it's permitted na. Fantasy things.

forgiveness:
I thought the game ended 1 - 0!

Anyways, He is number 1 on my list, followed by Ilori and Dominic Iorfa for the CB position.

you already know na. Let's see if he will return in the Championship.

forgiveness:
why?

Game ends 1-1. Wolfsburg's misery continue. I hope them no change coach again after 3 more games.. lol

Yes, besides Balogun we don't have any defender playing in the big leagues.
So it would be a wonderful thing to have Uduokhai.

forgiveness:
Hopefully. we get him after we qualify for he world cup next year by the grace of almighty God.

HOLLAND Knvbeker:

Emmen 1-3 Nijmegen

Nijmegen go through to the next round. Arnaut Danjuma with their third goal in the 53rd minute.

Noordwijk 0-1 Sittard

Oliseh's boys also qualify for the next round.

Carabao Cup:

Wolves 1-0 Bristol Rovers

Bright Enobakhare score in extra time (98'), to take wolves to the next round.

I wasn't expecting Nsofor to make his debut, so I didn't tune in. I will be looking out for the replay.

TheSuperNerd:
Nsofor Makes Cape Town City Debut In Defeat To Orlando Pirates
By James Agberebi

https://www.completesportsnigeria.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Obinna-Nsofor.jpg

Former Super Eagles forward Obinna Nsofor made his debut for Cape Town City FC in their 1-0 away defeat to Orlando Pirates in the South African Premier League on Tuesday night.

Nsofor, who started from the bench, was brought on in the 71st minute for Michael Majoro.

The only goal was scored by Thabo Qalinge in the 82nd minute.
The defeat leaves Cape Town occupying the seventh spot on six points, while Orlando Pirates top on 11 points.

Nsofor joined Cape Town from German lower division club Dstmstadt in September.

Nsofor represented Nigeria at three Africa Cup of Nations (2006, 2008, 2010) and was at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

He was also in the U-23 Eagles squad that won silver at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.


Source: https://www.completesportsnigeria.com/nsofor-makes-cape-town-city-debut-defeat-orlando-pirates/

Very valid argument in my opinion.
We can't just write off any lower league player -- even NPFL players.
When we see a player of class, we will know. And when he is invited, he should prove it all over again.
So share a link and/or video.

Loogan:
Hi everyone, with the ongoing left back issues the SE has anyone taken time to scout the former U-17 player Usman Abass, he plays in the Latvian league metta Fc and is one of the best players in the league, he's just 20 or 21 and had solid two years experience even though it's a low key rated club, nevertheless he is the dream left back, he's got everything and outsidetheboot.com have written a scout report on him, he's a real talent..
Now I know people can argue that his league is obscure and has no big profile(sheau doesn't play in a top league but proves quality with the national team)or that he doesn't have enough experience has some put it. I would have loved him in the world Nigeria squad but it looks like he dosent have that pedigree and experience yet.
We don't have much options and we have to face the fact that echiejile cannot provide that quality we need nor the so called experience which has no impact whatsoever, to challenge in a World Cup.

It seems so.. if Head to Head rule is considered first.
But by the look of things, Senegal has a superior goals deferential.

solonnachi:
Benin again? Haa