Joseph1013's Posts
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 Investment › Re: Nigerian Stock Exchange Market Pick Alerts by joseph1013: 3:03pm On Dec 31, 2015 |
pythondjango:What problem? The market closed at 12 noon. 2 Likes |
| Christianity Etc › Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by joseph1013(op): 10:07am On Dec 30, 2015 |
FOR THEISTS WHO DON'T GET IT Believing in God is a belief. Not believing in God is not. Clear now? 2 Likes |
| Investment › Re: Nigerian Stock Exchange Market Pick Alerts by joseph1013: 9:03pm On Dec 29, 2015 |
Agbalowomeri: impersonation /ɪmˌpəːsəˈneɪʃn,ɪmˌpəːsnˈeɪʃn/ noun an act of pretending to be another person for the purpose of entertainment or fraud. Bury your head in the sand, man! You obviously choose to ignore how much newbies take you guys serious here. Again, it's unfortunate. 8 Likes 3 Shares |
| Investment › Re: Nigerian Stock Exchange Market Pick Alerts by joseph1013: 7:48pm On Dec 29, 2015 |
Agbalowomeri:So you also support impersonation? How unfortunate! 9 Likes |
| Sports › Re: All The News About The Olympic Eagles (U-23) HERE! by joseph1013(op): 4:59pm On Dec 29, 2015 |
BascoVanVeli:Well, I already told you I think he is a very good player, if you still insist you think I didnt mean that, that's your cup of tea. Tell me how many goals Ighalo scored in his second season at Granada, compare that with the number of goals Success has scored in his second season at a younger age. I will wait... 3 Likes |
| Christianity Etc › Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by joseph1013(op): 4:47pm On Dec 29, 2015 |
Damn...DarkMatter2525 took alot of time to get this done...and oh, how BEAUTIFUL the end product is! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWZifSXlzlI Oh goodness me! 2 Likes |
| Christianity Etc › Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by joseph1013(op): 4:38pm On Dec 29, 2015 |
PastorAIO:Then it suffices to say that you think that all that Science has achieved through its rigorous weighing of the evidence in our natural world is mere illusion? |
| Christianity Etc › Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by joseph1013(op): 4:12pm On Dec 29, 2015 |
PastorAIO:So how has Science taught us to solve that problem? You think it can be all deception? |
| Christianity Etc › Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by joseph1013(op): 4:07pm On Dec 29, 2015 |
PastorAIO:What is wrong in withholding belief? |
| Christianity Etc › Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by joseph1013(op): 3:36pm On Dec 29, 2015 |
PastorAIO:I will say it another way: There is no one that has not been deceived before and there is no rational person that is 100% sure of being deception-proof going forward. However who is more susceptivle to deception: he who critically examines what is presented to him or he who takes everything at face value? Which would you rather be? 2 Likes 1 Share |
| Christianity Etc › Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by joseph1013(op): 1:45pm On Dec 29, 2015*. Modified: 4:16pm On Dec 29, 2015 |
PastorAIO:If it is because I'm believable, sooner than later, you will be deceived. Ben Carson is believable, yet he has said many erroneous things in the course of the Presidential campaign. Intelligent people sometimes say dumb things. If it is because you're gullible, that can be easily remedied. Learn to withhold belief in the face of insufficient evidence. That's what being sceptical is all about. 2 Likes 1 Share |
| Sports › Re: All The News About The Olympic Eagles (U-23) HERE! by joseph1013(op): 1:36pm On Dec 29, 2015 |
BascoVanVeli:Oh you got that wrong! I'm not taking anything away from him. He is a very good striker, even if I dont want him close to the Olympic team. 2 Likes |
| Sports › Re: All The News About The Olympic Eagles (U-23) HERE! by joseph1013(op): 12:13pm On Dec 29, 2015 |
TheGoodJoe:That would be a blessing. Though I'm not sure Ighalo ever played as a winger at Granada. 1 Like |
| Christianity Etc › Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by joseph1013(op): 12:12pm On Dec 29, 2015 |
PastorAIO:Please elucidate. |
| Christianity Etc › Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by joseph1013(op): 8:59am On Dec 29, 2015 |
WHEN TO BELIEVE Something is not believable because it is not impossible, or because it makes you feel good, or because someone you respect told you, or because it is written in a book, or written in a very old, best selling book. It is not believable because millions of people believe it or because some intelligent people believe it or because people have believed it for a long time. It is not believable because it has never been proven not to be true. Something is not believable because you hope it is true or even because you think the world would be a better place if it were true. Something is believable when, and only when, there is sufficient, validated evidence showing it is perverse NOT to believe it. Until then remain sceptical—that will surely save you from believing countless things that are not true. 5 Likes 2 Shares |
| Sports › Re: All The News About The Olympic Eagles (U-23) HERE! by joseph1013(op): 8:49am On Dec 29, 2015 |
Who else thinks Success can do exactly what Ighalo is doing in the Premiership? 4 Likes |
| Sports › Re: All The News About The Olympic Eagles (U-23) HERE! by joseph1013(op): 12:59pm On Dec 25, 2015 |
No be small thing. Icon4s dey jollificate. 1 Like |
| Christianity Etc › Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by joseph1013(op): 8:55am On Dec 25, 2015*. Modified: 9:16am On Dec 25, 2015 |
[b]MERRY CHRISTMAS! https://www.4shared.com/download/5qpQFHH-ba/Capture.jpg?sbsr=cbee9f939555967843617adfbeecc04795f&lgfp=3000 Whenever you say Jesus is the reason for the season, you need to be reminded of some historical facts. The history of Christmas is very long & tortuous but I'll try & present an abridged version here. Of course, I expect everybody to know that the origin of Christmas has nothing to do with Jesus or Christianity but in case you didn't know, your ignorance should be cleared by the time you finish reading this. What you're about to read may be something you've never heard before. To start with, why December 25? The day Jesus was born (if he ever was born) is not known. That's strange! Almost all persons who have a wide impact on the world have known birthdays. The census reported in Luke (the one requiring Joseph & Mary to travel to Bethlehem) actually never took place and the story of an astronomical event ('Star in the East') reported in Matthew as to have happened around then is yet to be verified by scientists. There was a Roman pagan celebration of the birthday of Mythra, the Sun God. This celebration took place on December 25. When the Roman Emperors forced the whole world to become Christians ('Catholicism'), they needed to accommodate everybody into the church. One way of doing that was to inculcate some of their customs into the church. Since the Christians at that time associated Jesus with the 'Sun of Righteousness' mentioned in Malachi 4:2, Emperor Constantine drew a parallel between the two 'Suns' (Mythra, the pagan Sun & Jesus, the Christian Sun) and decreed that December 25 should be used to celebrate the birthday of Jesus. As an aside, every time you go to church on Sun-day morning, you're testifying to Mythra, the pagan Sun god. Before then, Jehovah was worshipped on Saturday while the Sun God was worshipped on Sun-day. Because of the implications on the religion, some early Christians didn't like the idea that Christmas was a pagan invention. So they invented an alternative theory. 1st century anonymous work said the world was created on March 28. Iraenus (a 1st century historian) plagiarized that & said Jesus must have been crucified on March 25 & if so, he equated the equinox (March 25) with the conception of Jesus. This made so many early Christians BELIEVE (what can't belief achieve?) that Mary must have been impregnated by the Holy Ghost on March 25. And if someone got pregnant on March 25, then she must have given birth on December 25, i.e., 9 months after. But this attempt is funny. How can you just base your belief on someone else's conjecture? And if the Son of God wasn't conceived through natural means, how are you sure that the pregnancy went the natural way of 9 months? Jesus could've spent 15 months or 3 months in her mother's womb: you can never know. The caroling was a Christian conversion of the pagan Koliada. The gift-giving spree is reminiscent of an earlier Roman pagan celebration of Saturnalia. The Yule (or Yuletide) is the name of an indigenous midwinter festival celebrated by ancient Germanic peoples. The Christmas tree is a direct importation of the pagan tree worship which was tied to the Thor god. Father Christmas & Santa Claus are fictional figures but even though the idea of the former predated the latter, they later became unified into a single personality. Santa Claus is the anglicized form of 'Sinterklass' which simply meant Saint Nicholas in Dutch. St. Nicholas was a Greek bishop who was noted for taking care of children and rewarding the well-behaved ones with gifts. Even though the St. Nicholas Day (a feast of giving in its own right) is still celebrated on December 6, the St. Nicholas concept (called 'Santa Claus') was superimposed on the preexisting Father Christmas as a means of further Christianizing a pagan celebration of December 25. All these pagan origins made a section of the 17th century church to frown on Christmas. In addition, they discovered that no saint celebrated their birthday in the Bible (in fact, Job & Jeremiah cursed their birthdays) and every birthday celebrated in the Bible (Pharaoh's in Genesis 40 & Herod's in Mark 6) was marred by an evil consequence. Called the 'Puritans' (an essentially reformationist Protestant movement), they campaigned against the pagan & unbiblical celebration called Christmas. In fact, they were the ones ruling the English Parliament & they outlawed Christmas for these reasons. As they were the colonial masters of America ('New England'), Christmas was similarly outlawed over there. Even though, political dynamics restored Christmas to Christianity later (18th century onwards), such puritan sects still exist today. Examples are the Jehovah Witnesses & the Deeper Life Bible Church who don't celebrate Christmas for the same reasons. But some of those Christian sects go to church on Sunday. As I said earlier, worshipping Jehovah on Sunday has exactly the same origin as celebrating Jesus' birth at Christmas: so why they have problems with Christmas & not Sunday services is still a mystery. Anyway, Christmas is now approaching the status it started from — a non-Christian significance. The progressive secularization of the festival is obvious in the songs: some are outright religious songs (e.g., 'Silent Night', 'Hark! The Herald Angel Sing') while others are purely secular (e.g., 'Jingle Bells', 'Days of Christmas'). There have been campaigns in the US to convert the greeting, 'Merry Xmas', to 'Happy Holidays'. The Philadelphia State outlawed Christmas carol in schools. Christmas is increasingly becoming more of a secular celebration than religious. Nigeria is one of many countries where Christmas is a public holiday. How that happened is well-represented in the picture above. I'm sure seeing that picture will make you love Xmas as an African. Enough said! And FYI, in case you think it's the whole world that's celebrating the 'born-in-a-manger' story, you need to read this. Christmas is NOT a public holiday in many countries like Afghanistan, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Comoros, Iran, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Laos, Libya, Maldives, Mauritania, Mongolia, Morocco, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, & Yemen. Countries like Somalia & Brunei have even banned Christmas celebrations with anybody doing something as simple as wearing a Santa Claus hat to spend 5 years in jail. Of course, that's how intolerant Muslim-dominated countries can be to foreign ideologies compared to Christian-dominated countries. Countries like Japan, where Christians are a tiny minority, widely celebrate Christmas purely for the exotic cultural & secular significance. Thanks for your time Merry Xmas (sorry, Happy Holidays) to you all! [/b] 6 Likes 4 Shares |
| Sports › Re: Flying Eagles Of Nigeria Thread: U-20 World Cup (South Korea 2017) by joseph1013(op): 6:44am On Dec 25, 2015 |
BlackAlbino6:I am disappointed with this news, so I hope it is not true. Amunike should know that this role in itself is a great challenge. The chance to be the go-to person in the world when we talk about talent scouting and development. One would think that he'd embrace it. Awful news! 2 Likes |
| Christianity Etc › Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by joseph1013(op): 11:03am On Dec 24, 2015 |
[b]THE GREATEST PROPHET COMMANDS TO DRINK CAMEL URINE Saudi authorities have closed down a shop selling traditional camel urine drinks after discovering the owner had been filling the bottles with his own bodily waste. Health inspectors swooped on a vendor in the port city of Al Qunfudhah, in south-western Saudi Arabia, and confiscated more than 70 full bottles. The practice of drinking camel's urine mixed with milk is believed to date back centuries while some insist it has health benefits. The Muslim holy book contains quotes from the prophet Muhammad and it says: 'Some people of Ukl or Uraina tribes came to Medina (in Saudi Arabia) and the climate did not suit them. 'So the Prophet ordered them to go to the herd of (milk) camels and to drink their milk and urine (as medicine). The World Health Organisation (WHO), however, has warned against drinking it. In June, amid an outbreak of the MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus) virus, the group specifically issued a health warning against the practice which they feared would spread the condition. Advice published on their website read: 'Food hygiene practices should be observed. People should avoid drinking raw camel milk or camel urine.' www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3370464/Saudi-authorities-close-shop-selling-traditional-camel-urine-drinks-discovering-owner-filling-bottles-bodily-waste.html As an addition, from me, the islamic prophet asked muslims to patronize the urine of camel for medical purpose in the hadith given below: This one also shows him (mohammed) in his full compassionate, merciful glory: “The climate of Medina did not suit some people, so the Prophet ordered them to follow his shepherd, i.e. his camels, and drink their milk and urine (as a medicine). So they followed the shepherd that is the camels and drank their milk and urine till their bodies became healthy. Then they killed the shepherd and drove away the camels. When the news reached the Prophet he sent some people in their pursuit. When they were brought, he cut their hands and feet and their eyes were branded with heated pieces of iron.” (Sahih Bukhari 9.76.5686)[/b] 1 Like 1 Share |
| Sports › Re: All The News About The Olympic Eagles (U-23) HERE! by joseph1013(op): 1:44pm On Dec 23, 2015 |
Awww...forgiveness has been banned. Welcome to the club. |
| Sports › Re: All The News About The Olympic Eagles (U-23) HERE! by joseph1013(op): 9:39am On Dec 23, 2015 |
I love this analysis and I thought to share https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svh5lMUfotc |
| Romance › Re: Say Your Christmas Wishes To Someone On Nairaland (2015) by joseph1013: 8:44am On Dec 23, 2015 |
TheGoodJoe:Thank you, brother! Really appreciated! |
| Romance › Re: Say Your Christmas Wishes To Someone On Nairaland (2015) by joseph1013: 8:44am On Dec 23, 2015 |
robosky02:Thank you, brother! Really appreciated! |
| Sports › Re: All The News About The Olympic Eagles (U-23) HERE! by joseph1013(op): 8:03am On Dec 23, 2015 |
[b][size=14pt]Dalung bars NFF from selling Under 23 Eagles players[/size] https://newngrguardiannewscom.c.presscdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/U-231.jpg Speaking on alleged regular ‘illegal transactions’ of players at the NFF, Dalung warned that International transfer certificates should not be issued against the interest of the player. He said that it was unfortunate that the young players, who brought glory to the country by winning the African U-23 championship in Senegal and the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile, were being sold out to clubs without the players’ understanding of the contract they were being made to sign. A statement signed by the minister’s special assistant, Nneka Anibeze, reads: “It has come to my knowledge that these young players, who are the source of our pride in world football, are currently being subjected to harassments and manipulation of signing for clubs without them even understanding the content of the contract. “Therefore, I have directed the NFF which has the authority to grant licenses of these players to refrain from endorsing any of these slavery transactions without a clear framework that follows the due process required for such contracts.” The Minister added that as custodians of sports in the country, the Ministry of Youth and Sports will not close its eyes to slavery contracts of players without their consent. “It will amount to moral suicide if we sit and watch the future of these young players not only being traded but also negotiated in the interest and benefit of some selfish agents and football officials. Any of such purported transactions that violate not only laid down procedures but player’s rights to choose will not be recognized,” said Dalung. Dalung urged agents and players, who intend to play elsewhere to get appropriate clearance of which the Sports Ministry will be part of the process. The statement reveals that NFF President, Amaju Pinnick, has been communicated on the development. http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/2015/12/dalung-bars-nff-from-selling-under-23-eagles-players/[/b] |
| Christianity Etc › Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by joseph1013(op): 8:45am On Dec 22, 2015 |
[b]"WE LIVED LONGER IN THE PAST" People lived longer in the days of old because our forefathers lived more on organic foods or because they survived on indigenous healing methods. Thus organic foods & traditional healing methods are better. Erroneous conclusion above ! 1. People didn't live longer then than now. There has been a steady increase in life expectancy all over the world. Thanks to increase in scientific & technological advancements. With such advancements, life expectancy can only keep increasing & not reducing. 2. Death rates were higher. Disease burden was so much then. Couples used to give birth to as many children as possible as they couldn't predict how many of the children would live up to say 20 years. But because we didn't have the same level of biological fitness, some people are more resistant to disease than others. So anyone that was strong enough to live up to 30 years would most likely live to a ripe age. Thus a large percentage of the 40 year olds lived for another 4 or 5 decades. Those that weren't naturally fit enough to live that long would've been easily eliminated by illness at an earlier age and their deaths would've been ascribed to witches, voodoo & spirits. Nowadays, scientific progress has made a far larger proportion of the population to live up to 30 years than the proportion that would've lived up to that in times past. And that includes those who weren't really naturally fit enough to live so long without science. Thus the proportion of the young people that won't live to a ripe old age has reduced compared to times past. But the reduction is only an apparent one, not a concrete one.[/b] 1 Like |
| Sports › Re: Flying Eagles Of Nigeria Thread: U-20 World Cup (South Korea 2017) by joseph1013(op): 9:12am On Dec 21, 2015*. Modified: 9:34am On Dec 21, 2015 |
Sadiq Umar! We should look out more for this lad. cc: thegoodjoe, forgiveness (especially cos of your love for anything foreign  ) 1 Like |
| Sports › Re: Flying Eagles Of Nigeria Thread: U-20 World Cup (South Korea 2017) by joseph1013(op): 9:07am On Dec 21, 2015 |
[b][size=14pt]11 facts you need to know about Sadiq Umar[/size] [img]http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/romas-forward-umar-sadiq-celebrates-with-teammates-after-scoring-the-picture-id502079746[/img] 18-year-old Sadiq Umar scored his first ever goal for Roma just seven minutes after coming on as a second-half substitute against Genoa. Here’s 11 facts you need to know about the young striker… 1. Sadiq was born in Kaduna, the the state capital of Kaduna State in north-western Nigeria. 2. Despite being only 18 years old, Sadiq is 6 foot, four inches tall (1.92m). 3. The youngster grew up playing on the streets of Kaduna before joining the Future of Africa Academy and the Football College Abuja, where he was spotted by AC Spezia. 4. He got his love of football from his father. “I started playing football when I was very little on the streets of Kaduna,” he revealed in an interview in February. “My interest in the game increased as I grew up. My father Umar Abubakar, known as ‘Mega’ ,was a footballer. He was a striker for Ranchers Bees back then. He was a major influence in making me choose football as a career.” 5. The Nigerian was an instant hit during his first season at AC Spezia – scoring 14 goals in his first 18 Primavera outings. 6. Swapping Nigeria for Italy wasn’t easy, he admits. “It was tough because it was my first time in Europe,” he says of the move. “It wasn't easy as I had to adapt to a lot of things that I wasn't used to, both in terms of the playing part and the life in general, but gradually I started getting used to it and things improved as time went by. It wasn't easy but I really thank God that I can now say I’ve settled in nicely.” 7. He joined Roma on loan during the summer and made his Serie A debut for the first team on 21 November 2015 against Bologna, replacing Juan Iturbe after 88 minutes in the 2-2 away draw. 8. At Roma, he’s already scored 14 Primavera goals this season – eight in the league, four in the UEFA Youth League and two in Coppa Italia. 9. He believes he’s become a better player since moving to Italy. “I can say that my game has improved both physically and technically. I can say I'm more aware of my role now as a striker more than ever and you are aware that Italian football is very tactical. Defensively they are tight which makes it difficult for any striker. I'm very grateful to Almighty Allah for giving me the opportunity to start my career in Italy.” 10. His hero growing up was Nigeria international Nwankwo Kanu – a footballer some pundits in Africa have compared his player style to. “I feel honoured to be compared to such a legend and a great African football ambassador who also at one time in his career played in Italy," Sadiq told Supersport before joining Roma. “I hope and pray to work hard and achieve as much as he did. I loved watching him play when I was a kid and every day I work hard on my game to be the best. He is my role model. I’ll work hard and make sure I achieve my goals of being the best. With God, everything is possible.” 11. He dreams of representing his country at senior level one day in the future. “Every serious footballer will always have the ambition of representing his country and I’m no exception. I will keep working hard on my game and keep improving.” http://www.asroma.com/en/news/2015/12/11-facts-you-need-to-know-about-sadiq-umar[/b] 1 Like 1 Share |
| Sports › Re: Flying Eagles Of Nigeria Thread: U-20 World Cup (South Korea 2017) by joseph1013(op): 9:04am On Dec 21, 2015 |
[size=14pt]Umar hits debut goal for Roma[/size] https://images.supersport.com/2015/12/Sadiq-Umar-getty.jpg Sadiq Umar scored his first goal in Serie A for AS Roma in their 2-0 win over Genoa on Sunday. The 18-year-old was thrown into the fray as an 82nd minute substitute in place of Egyptian winger Mohammed Salah by club trainer Rudi Garcia. Umar took his chance as he netted in the 89th minute in predatory fashion to seal maximum points for the Giallorossi. He crept in behind the Genoa defence, outsmarting five players in the process as he headed past Mattia Peron following a great cross from William Vainqueur. Umar, currently on loan from Serie B (second division) club Spezia, had only played twice previously for Roma in Serie A -- racking up just 30 minutes of action under his belt. http://www.supersport.com/football/nigeria/news/151220/Umar_hits_debut_goal_for_Roma 1 Like |
| Christianity Etc › Re: My Thoughts And Questions About Religion by joseph1013(op): 7:50pm On Dec 20, 2015 |
If Christians are right, 5.1 billion people will go to hell. If Muslims are right, 5.5 billion people will go to hell. If I am right, no one will go to hell. So all good people who are either Christians or Muslims should hope that I am right, and they are wrong... 6 Likes 2 Shares |
| Sports › Re: Super Eagles Of Nigeria Thread: 2017 AFCON Qualifiers. by joseph1013: 6:01pm On Dec 20, 2015 |
[b][size=14pt]Odion Ighalo praises God and Quique Sánchez Flores for his remarkable year[/size] https://i2.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article6430920.ece/ALTERNATES/s1227b/Watford-vs-Swansea.jpg Tuesday afternoon and Watford’s first-team squad are taking part in a practice match at their London Colney training ground. It is an intense session leading to a blur of bodies, yet it is still possible to notice that someone is missing – Odion Ighalo. Soon the striker is spotted hurrying through the canteen holding a tray full of smoothies. “The physio told me to bring them to the guys in the gym, I was helping him,” he explains as we sit down to conduct this interview, one in which it becomes clear that Ighalo’s generosity of spirit stretches beyond being a juice carrier. The 26-year-old goes on to speak about how he regularly sends a portion of his monthly salary to his family and a number of charities in his native Nigeria, with his desire to help those less fortunate than him formed on the back of an upbringing he describes as having been a “struggle” and that has led to deep humility within a deeply religious man. Over the course of our 30-minute conversation, Ighalo refers to God more than a dozen times – and more often than not in thanks for the life he leads now. In professional terms that has meant goals, goals and even more goals. Ighalo has 26 to his name during this calender year, making him the top scorer across the whole of English football in 2015, with the one he secured for Watford in their 1-0 victory over Sunderland on 12 December taking his tally to 10 in his debut campaign in the Premier League. It is a highly impressive return and reason for Liverpool to fear before their visit to Vicarage Road on Sunday lunchtime. How Quique Sánchez Flores guided Watford up the Premier League table Read more “I thank God for the great year and successful season I’m having but I’m still the same me,” Ighalo insists. “It’s just the goals that have changed. My life, my training, my work, is still the same and I just want to keep going and giving my best for Watford. “After the Championship I did believe I’d score goals in the Premier League – but not the way it is going now because I know the Premier League is more difficult. But I put in a lot of hard work during pre-season and maybe God said it’s my time.” Ighalo joined Watford on loan from Udinese in July 2014 – having also played for Lyn Oslo, Granada and Cesena – with the deal being made permanent three months later. Given his combination of power, pace and sound technique he seemed a natural fit for English football, yet the player initially struggled, scoring only four times in his first 19 appearances for his new team. In the second half of last season Ighalo exploded, however, scoring 16 times in 18 games as Watford soared to automatic promotion from the second tier, with the partnership the Nigerian forged with Troy Deeney key to his and the team’s success. The pair scored 41 goals between them during the 2014-15 campaign, with Ighalo assisting Deeney on two occasions and the 27-year-old returning the favour three times. This season they have scored 15 goals between them, with five assists for each other – one by Ighalo, four by Deeney – already racked up. In an era where front-twos have become a dying breed, it is a wonderful throwback to see Watford’s so in tune. “Since last season we have been working every day in training and playing games together, so it’s normal,” says Ighalo of their excellent partnership. “Troy doesn’t watch any more where I am going to run, he just plays the ball into space and knows I will be there. And I don’t watch him, I just pass and I know he’ll be there. We have that connection and it’s working very well.” Ighalo describes Deeney as a nice guy and praise also follows for Quique Sánchez Flores, who, having become Watford’s fifth manager in a little under two years in June, has done a sensational job of guiding them to seventh in their return to the top flight. Having arrived in Hertfordshire, Sánchez Flores could have decided Ighalo did not fit into his plans; it has been suggested the club were actively looking to sell the player before the start of this season. Indeed, Ighalo recently said he was close to joining the Chinese club Hebei China Fortune after they had a £10m bid accepted by Watford and offered him “crazy money” to move. The striker stayed, though, describing not moving to an “uncompetitive league” as “one of the best decisions I have ever made”, and is flourishing under the Spaniard with the striking beard. “Quique Sánchez Flores doesn’t talk much but he’s very intelligent,” says Ighalo. “It was not easy when he came and he was telling us to do this and that but now we’re enjoying our football and giving teams problems – that is what he has put in place. “For every team we play he has a different approach and whether we win, draw or lose he will call us together afterwards and say: ‘Thank you for your effort. You guys are making me proud.’ This is something I have not seen before and as a player it gives you a lot of belief in your manager.” Ighalo is speaking freely and fluently but that changes when our conversation switches to his childhood. There is a nervous laugh followed by a reluctance to go into detail. “If I talk about everything I went through we will sit here for 10 hours,” he says gravely. Ighalo has spoken previously about how growing up in a ghetto in Ajegunle, a densely populated district in the heart of Lagos, Nigeria’s largest city, regularly led to him and his five siblings, along with his parents, Paul and Martina, going without clean water, food and electricity, and how as an aspiring footballer he had to often play barefooted on a mud-soaked pitch that hosted running battles between drug dealers and the police. Rather optimistically, the locals dubbed it “the Maracanã”. “It was difficult to live, difficult to eat and that is why I thank God when I look where I am now,” Ighalo says, opening up somewhat. “We didn’t always have what we wanted or needed, we had to struggle. That is why I also thank God for my mum – she is the one who worked hard to pay for my first football boots. My dad wanted me to go to school and study, and when I would not do my homework he would spank me. My mum would then quarrel with him and say: ‘You have to leave this boy alone and let him play football.’ So she has always encouraged me.” For Ighalo, the money he sends back to Nigeria is the least he can do and the desire now is to extend his charitable work further. “I’m planning to open an orphanage in Lagos next year,” he says. “I don’t do these things because I want people to praise me. I’ve been doing them before I joined Watford – ever since God started blessing me I have been helping the kids, helping the widows. I’m not a millionaire but I have more than lots of people back home and I want to help them.” For all his generosity, it is possible in Ighalo’s company to also detect personal ambition. Goals put food on his table and those of others but are equally part of a plan to move up the career ladder. When discussing his international career – Ighalo made his debut for Nigeria in March and has gone on to score twice for his country – the striker speaks about how “when you play for your national team you get more recognition”. Earlier, and in the context of his non-move to China, he also spoke about wanting to “progress in his career” and knowing that if he does, “the money will come”. Ighalo’s contract with Watford runs until June 2020 but club officials would perhaps be wise to offer him fresh terms quickly, while over at Old Trafford, where the need to bring in a forward grows by the day, they may be interested to hear who the Premier League’s third-highest scorer idolised as a child. “I liked watching Dwight Yorke when he was at Man United. I’m a Man United fan.” For now, however, the focus is firmly on Watford and helping them record what would be a fourth successive victory on Sunday. Their opponents can be a difficult proposition, especially away from Anfield, but given his form it is no surprise Ighalo is savouring the challenge. “I’ve played against Man City, Arsenal and Man United but playing against Liverpool will be different because I now have the confidence to face any team and give my best,” he says. “I never think about how many goals I have scored but, yes, everything is going well. Thank God for that.” http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/dec/19/odion-ighalo-god-watford-quique-sanchez-flores[/b] 2 Likes |
| Sports › Re: Super Eagles Of Nigeria Thread: 2017 AFCON Qualifiers. by joseph1013: 5:59pm On Dec 20, 2015 |
All hail... King Ighalo! Slayer of the Reds! 1 Like |
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