₦airaland Forum

You do have a point. As a coach I will look at the different possible approaches we can take and pick the one that would most likely work against the Cameroonians.

However we would need some physical and robust players to match their strengths. Especially in the African game, referees may permit some challenges as fair.

TheGoodJoe:
Nice points and smooth read cheers. My opinion in cases like these has always been simple. Come up with a strategy and select the best squad for it. I am also about playing to our strength. If we try matching Cameroon with strength, we will play into their hands. We have to go against them with speed both on and of the ball.

Defend as a unit and win the balls with tidy interceptions. This gives a picture of what we need and we can sort the players that suit it.

Probably a false nine formation to keep the striker away from the huge defenders of South Africa. We need to keep the ball moving and our players will not need to dwell on the ball.

Strategy - selection - tactics.

Yes we need players that love to play for Nigeria. Because when problems come players are the first that can be affected psychologically. Well the game at hand is Cameroon. Many of us will resume the arguments once again as regards player selection. In football, 1+1 is hardly 2. Which is why we have to take every situation differently. We lost the South Africa game for many reasons than one or just two. I'm really hoping that Rohr will be more tactical going forward. And will do LOTS of studying the opponent.

I just watched the Senegal-Nigeria friendly again, because I think that match is one we have to look at in planning to play Cameroon. Football is a science. Your best players will not necessarily play well in every match they feature. Cameroon is a very physical side. they are big and also robust. They can convert half chances in forwards like Vincent Abubakar. Why your favorite player could be very good in his own right, he may be reduced to nothing against an opponent like Cameroon.

I think we have put so much weight on players like Iheanacho and Iwobi prematurely. Let's be realistic to realize that these players have not FULLY established themselves in Europe with lots of TOP games under their belt. While they have a very bright future, they are not reliable starters especially against Cameroon.

Let's continue the debate constructively with our next opponent in mind devoid of favoritism.

TheGoodJoe:

Yes. What some of this men complain as being maltreated is something that comes normal with the team. Remember during the CHAN Oliseh handled and he had to use his own money to feed the team during the competition. When Peterside Idah visited the team, Oliseh asked him for money for the team.

These guys sacrifice. We do not have a healthy football system. That is why the likes of Okwaraji, Keshi and co. are seen as more than footballers. Remember Siasia meeting Odili and Alameiseigha to raise money for the U20 team. If the players start listing the sacrifices they go through to wear our jersey, you will shiver.

In America, the Olympic team got stranded after a buglar stole Siasia's credit cards. That was before the arrival of Mikel. Is it selection challenges? Martins was on fire, Yakubu was missing and Martins will still jump at an opportunity to play. Even after Keshi refused to call him, Martins still wanted to play.

I hope Aluko gets a call up. The Super Eagles will benefit from his talent. I am just pointing out that the reality on ground needs players that will sacrifice a lot for the team.

Again there is NOTHING the Nigerian government protects like an egg. Nothing that can be a national pride. Even the new stadium in Abuja have to be revisited for repair. Why can't it be kept as a thing of pride always?

BascoVanVeli:
Nigeria to move venue, date for WCQ


2:42 AM PT
Colin Udoh, KweséESPN

Nigeria are considering a change to both the date and venue for their 2019 World Cup qualifier against Cameroon, originally scheduled for the Godswill Akpabio Stadium Uyo in August.

Top NFF sources informed KweseESPN that the match could now be played on 1 September, rather than the initial scheduled date of 28 August.

One reason, according to multiple sources within the NFF, is to allow coach Gernot Rohr a little more training time with his squad.

With the change in date also comes a change in venue, with Uyo on the verge of being discarded.

Officials say the Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Port Harcourt is top on the list of replacement venues, with the National Stadium Abuja as a fallback option.

The pitch in Abuja has fallen into disrepair, but repair work is already going on with Lansard Ltd doing clean up while waiting for major rejuvenation for the now patchwork grass.

And as they say, the rest is history...

Nigeria is a failed state. Football is our only hope. And if nothing comes up of this new generation of players expected to be the next golden generation then there is absolutely NOTHING to be proud of being a Nigerian.

Daninya11:
Hehehe..

Calm down sir..

He has given coach rohr his 100% support na

Nigeria is a failed state. Football is our only hope. And if nothing comes up of this new generation of players expected to be the next golden generation then there is absolutely NOTHING to be proud of being a Nigerian.

Daninya11:
Hehehe..

Calm down sir..

He has given coach rohr his 100% support na

Is this Dalung guy still one of the ministers? I'm no longer a Nigerian.

Daninya11:
Sports minister has given the NFF technical committee his 100% percent support.

Coach Rohr has to comply with their recommendations.

Funny enough. We are looking for pure 9. We are looking for a right full back. we are looking for a left fullback. tomorrow we will be looking for a keeper. Are you saying South Africa has it complete?
You can never win all matches. You are bound to lose at some point. But that should make the team stronger going forward. Nigerians need to chill. And this vetting players idea will cause more complications. History repeats itself but we never learn.

Seriously if our football fails there is nothing to be proud of being Nigeria. I repeat, NOTHING.

That's untrue. It can even happen in a World Cup

Modified.
They beat France in 2010 World Cup. And they have not been sleeping since then. Their league is highly commercial and their players don't go to Europe like ours. We dismiss other countries while they are quickly catching up with us. Now they are better. What they did in Uyo last week they almost did before in Uyo. Don't you see the progression?

somehow:
Was trying to be modest hence the "might", we all know it won't happen in any competive match.

That's ur term so answer.

somehow:
Who's a certified 9?

Okay who played the certified 9 when we were winning? And what did the person do? I agree that all modern forwards can play 9, although they may not be your ideal 9. But you are not a coach.

Modified.
In fact you are just somehow lol

somehow:
Just as he used Fabrigas as a 9, i guess that makes Fabrigas a 9?

He even used Pedro as a 9, Pedro must be a 9 too

Or maybe Sanchez is a 9 too afterall he was used as one before by Arsene Wenger and also Pep.

Before club football and senior national team games, what was his position and what position made him so popular and allowed him score and have ALOT of ASSIST?

please think wide my brother. shallow box thinking isn't healthy.

In your words "might". So the question is already dead.

somehow:
No matter how well SA studies or watch the clips of teams like Germany, Brazil, Argentina et.c, they might not be able to best any of these countries, why? Tell me

That's our arrogance. Truth is you have to study your opponents as well. SA did just that. They didn't let us play our game. No wonder our ex-SE players can't really explain what happened.

Go pages back and you will see what I said about the South Africans style, but we were all busy focusing on the individual strengths of the players and who should start.

.

somehow:
SA played well because we played poorly, no more, no less, the better side always win most of the time. we hailed them when they were winning and sang their song, so why shouldnt they be rebuked when they do wrong? He's a good player nonetheless, i didn't say otherwise. infact i reminded the house how efficient he was playing as a SS during his youth career. what's good is good and whats bad is bad. no asslicking here.

He's a starting 11 because we don't have a better replacement (tested) for him so far, if we were spoilt with options (strikers) like before, he won't even be in there which you know. the job is now in the hands of the coaching crew to find solution to our attacking prowess.

Spoken very correctly. Let's all study how other geo-political zones reacted to the Arewa youths call against the Igbos in the North. If Nigeir will break up it will happen in pieces.

Mujtahida:
Ohhhhhh if you going to make analogies make correct ones. Soviet union was a political union of countries in eastern Europe. Before the Russian revolution of 1917 those countries Russia, Hungary, Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia etc existed as nation States. After the collapse of the Soviet political union they reverted back to their former Pre 1917 States.
Ottoman empire was not a Nation.

It was an empire built by the Ottoman dynasty of Turkey and when it dissolved Turkey still remained a nation just like Rome/Italy to the Roman empire, or the UK to the British Empire.

Only Yugoslavia comes close but not quite because the former Yugoslavia was not made up of more than 250 ethnic groups.

In any case I am not saying we should remain as one. I am only saying we will MOST LIKELY break into pieces

We want to lambaste our players. Can we pause a bit and give credits to the South African team. Even if we had all the players you are clamoring for on that day we would still have had it rough.

I repeat know the strengths of your players and play to each other's strengths as a team. Just because Iheanacho is not that kind of forward does not reduce his quality.

I think our argument now should center more on who can be the perfect partners up front? Iheanacho remains a starting material. We just need to get this issue right.

somehow:
Yes the team did wrong and HE as a sole person did wrong too!

Hope you read what he said with his own mouth? whether they fed you balls or not, a serious minded striker will surely go hustle for his ball if truly he wants to leave a mark. (ditto Suarez, Aguero, G. Jesus e.t.c) Not having a clear sight on goal is another negative addition to his bad game on saturday.

All in all, maybe Ideye (calling on him cos i don't think we have any other big striker that can act both as a CF and SS currently) can help him perform better against Cameroon if the coach is to go with Iheanacho in the starting 11.

The team did wrong. We didn't play as a team. Iheanacho is a quality forward. But he is not in the mold of Aghahowa for example who scores most of his goals by individual effort. Emenike is another example of that kind of striker who can single highhandedly create and score. Kelechi on his part needs to have a clear sight at goal or be set up by a team mate. We need to play according to the strengths of our players. When there is that kind of understanding, we will have team work. Baxter said his boys will play for each other. Their secret was revealed even before the match.

MODIFIED
Kelechi did not have a clear sight at goal. No thanks to the organized SA team. Neither was he well set up by his teammates.

somehow:
Not disputing his goals, rather disputing the asslicking that he did no wrong on Saturday.

clear difference!

Exactly my position which is why I never join issues in these debates. Because most of the time it's not constructive. And by constructive I mean how we all can come together and save Nigeria from the cabals. These are the people who recycle themselves and come to power again, all in the name of different political parties. And we deceive ourselves fighting tribe vs tribe. jona versus buhari.. na staging.. distractions. Before the Arewa youths made that move against igbos in the North they already had a backing politically. This is how they get us to fight tribal wars and distract us from really focusing on them.

Let's fight the real fight.

Mujtahida:
That is my perspective too. We have one common enemy: all our politicians irrespective of tribe or religion.

One more thing please don't call them masses. That's a disempowering word. Call them people. That way you recognise their dignity as human beings. We are not the masses. We are the PEOPLE.

Well I understand. But we can't still tell how things will eventually pan out for Solanke at Liverpool.

komekn:
Explain to me why that information is irrelevant according to you.

For instance the coaches in Everton and Liverpool have different emphasis and football strategy including structure. This is quite obvious when you watch them in training add to that when you ask the coaches what they are trying to achieve.

If I take player to a club without telling him what the philosophy, emphasis and strategy is, I would not be helping at all.

It's from that perspective of let's say price somewhat insider knowledge. It's in this regard I would have a better insight than someone who just watched the game on TV.

I await your answer without prejudice.

Okay I get it. My mistake. i'm sorry

achimotan:
You are not being fair to him. Take your time and read what he wrote again



Asamoah Gyan scored his 50th goal for Ghana yesterday. Meanwhile, our own top scorer of all time who is late(RIP) had only 37 goals..
Seriously after Yekini,Yakubu was the best striker the super eagles ever had.. He could have broken Yekini record if only Nigerians had forgiven him after that miss at South Africa 2010. Even Kanu himself with all the hype and glory(no disrespect) only managed 13 goals in 86 appearances for the eagles.Ahmed Musa self has 13 goals in over 60 appearance. That's pitiful.
maybe Iheanacho can br our own Asamoah Gyan, but he won't do it while playing as a lone striker!

Loyal fans remember the good times. Iheanacho remains our leading goalscorer under Rohr. Let's cut him a slack. But I maintain that game was lost in the midfield. Akpeyi probably should have stopped the first goal with better reflexes. Let's throw our weight behind the team. One thing I've learned in life is to assume responsibility even when I am not wrong. It is professional for Iheanacho to blame himself. It's also professional for Mikel to say the team can do well with or without him. That's a sign of maturity and humility.

somehow:
His asslicking is outta this world!

can defend iheanacho that he never said all these self.

to even say iheanacho is a certified 9 killed the whole seriousness i had discussing with him.

Read your post again. You wrote, "our own Asamoah Gyan", which is why I assumed you were Ghanaian.

Danielnino00:
Are you thinking am a Ghanaian??
Seriously, somebody can't make reference to another country without being tagged a citizen of that country .
Am a full blooded Nigerian sir,am just saying we lack a proper striker,and Ghana got a reliable one. Rohr should utilize Iheanacho were he is more useful

so? does that give you an edge over someone who cover the games on TV? I'm sure even Rohr seldom monitor our players in Europe in person.
That information is irrelevant in this discussion.

komekn:
Not exactly because I spend quite a bit of time with numerous coaches in EPL teams across the North West including Liverpool and I go to quite a lot of training sessions and matches.

I will not say anymore but time will tell what I already know.

Does Nigeria interest you this much? I don't even know if a Ghanaian forum exist because i've never cared to google it.

Danielnino00:
Asamoah Gyan scored his 50th goal for Ghana yesterday. Meanwhile, our own top scorer of all time who is late(RIP) had only 37 goals..
Seriously after Yekini,Yakubu was the best striker the super eagles ever had.. He could have broken Yekini record if only Nigerians had forgiven him after that miss at South Africa 2010. Even Kanu himself with all the hype and glory(no disrespect) only managed 13 goals in 86 appearances for the eagles.Ahmed Musa self has 13 goals in over 60 appearance. That's pitiful.
maybe Iheanacho can br our own Asamoah Gyan, but he won't do it while playing as a lone striker!

I think we all need to pause and go watch the highlights again.

Of what good is your strikers if they can't score for the SE? A goal scoring midfielder is better than a designated striker who can't deliver.

forgiveness:
Iheanacho is not a striker. That is my point. Don't twist my point.

You use the word premature in your argument. Are you Klopp? Let's wait to see the role he will play in the EPL. Isn't your talk also premature?

komekn:
The only person standing in his way currently is Origi and Firmino as I believe Sturridge will most likely move on this summer.

So do not be too premature in your assumption.

But they lost to Argentina just a couple days ago. I can use the your logic again

forgiveness:
Is Nigeria better than Brazil who dey bring old players from China?

We lost due to wrong use of players.

So I was right. You are just emotional because we lost yesterday. All coaches makes mistakes. Cut Rohr a slack. He will get it right. I hope Success steps up. Because right now I don't see a player that can partner Iheanacho well.

forgiveness:
What did 'what he knows take help us yesterday'?

Rohr has forgotten completely how Iheanacho was banging in goals for the Super Eagles as a second striker.

Maybe somebody is deceiving him to play him as lone striker. Since then he struggled to score.

It is painful people are blinded through sentiments and not facts.

Its not about who you prefer, but who has delivered more for the SE recently. If memory serves me right now even Obafemi was in the SE not oo long. Adi as well. Let's call a spade a spade. We lost to SA because the did far better playing as a team. How many quality players do they have? And you guys are here arguing about who is better than who.

forgiveness:
Walahi! My mind no say I was never sold out for Kayode from onset though I believe he must be invited if he performs well.

However, since I heard he won the highest goal scorer and best player in the Austria league, I am beginning to have interest in him hence the need to see his games.

I prefer the old cargoes like Ighalo, Ideye and Obafemi. Simple.

You know more than the coach. Who has scored most among our forwards under Rohr?

Modified.
The point is Iheanacho needs better partnership whether playing behind him or by his side. And yes we don't have a true 9. Kayode is in the team, so enough o that argument

forgiveness:
Look at this moniker very well. I still criticis even if we win.

I have said times without number that Iheanacho doesn't have what it takes to be a lone striker but the yeye coach still dey use am as lone striker. He is better in a 4-4-2 formation. Very simple.


I have said it times without number that Iwobi is not a winger, he is a good play maker but Rohr wan all the players in the starting eleven to please his Oga.


And I will keep saying it before the Cameroon matches. Make Rohr no try put Iheanacho for no 9 or Iwobi for eleven.

I don talk my own ooo.

I'm not doubting. I'm inly stating that just because he is the MVP at the U20s doesn't not guarantee anything at the senior level. I've been following Solanke even when he helps Chelsea win the youth champions league. But hey he also plays club football. You yhink he can displace Liverpool forwards today?

forgiveness:
You are still one of the doubting Thomas. Siddon dere dey live for ignorance.