₦airaland Forum

Joezinho:
True mr Komekn, i cannot remember the last time we beat Egypt, or scored more than once against them.

Let's face it, we are not a free scoring team, and we would need lots of goals to beat Egypt.

For me Egypt are very well organised they play like brothers nobody is looking for glory, highly disciplined, they really really understand themselves and as such very difficult to break down.

But I don't think they will win.

jihday:
simple request you replied with pointless essay. Since you disagree with his own list of favorites to win the trophy, kindly make yours let’s see

My favourite team to win that I want to win from my heart is Nigeria.

JayromWrites:
House, away from Afcon for a minute


What's your take on Nigerians bashing and trolling Watford in their official facebook page?


IMO I think it's really bad for business

Those guys have about 5 Nigerians on their books, Yeah it was quite heartbreaking to see Dennis miss the AFCON,but I believe we are taking it too far

Funny thing is that the Hornets fans are now fighting back...

What's your take??

https://www.facebook.com/21223691814/posts/10159654682691815/?app=fbl


Cc: komekn, thesupernerd, andrewbaba44, chriskel, icon's, thegoodjoe, safarigirl and other participants

My view is very simple .

Football is stil a career and if going to a tournament will not enhance my career, I can sacrifice and go but if going will put my career in jeopardy, should you go.

When Yobo went to AFCON he lost his position of Jagielka and after that it was really a matter of time before he would leave.

I blame Dennis for not being smart , he didn't have to say the club prevented him. To save face before Nigerian fans.

Danielnino00:
In the here and now, list the teams that have a better squad than Nigeria at the AFCON, using your own parameters of league quality and the amount of $$ the players earn...

Apparently,you have disagreed with nearly every moniker that's ranking us along the top favorite..it'd be helpful if you drafted your own ranking...

It may not have come to your notice , but my responses are largely rhetorical.

A view is stated and my response should really get a person with an open mind and not overly parochial or overcome with sentiment based Favouritism. To essentially reconsider. But not you.

You don't challenge with substance just self birthed justification.

Maybe I am being too objective and not emotive enough. Maybe your more of a fan than me.

Fan being derived from fanatical and fanatical relates to the emotive irrationality and the subjective.

When you say moniker you mean the contributors here.❓ Or do you mean independent non partisan independent sport's media and football analysts ❓❓

jieta:
You're using your knowledge of World Cup and European Cup to judge the afcon.

Maybe you should go back to history and read more about the previous champions of the competition, you'll realise that most teams who don't parade big names actually won the trophy than those that have players in big club in Europe

The great Hassan shehatta team won the afcon three times in a row with mostly players in the Egyptian league.

The Senegal, ivory coast with there world class team have three trophy same with us. So what is the essence of having a world class team and you can't dominate your region.

Your entire write up is based on assumption and history.

I looked at teams in the HERE and NOW looking at team composition and the quality of players they have, with details.

And all you can say is historical form and make assumptions by historical precedent. That's not very intelligent.

Mujtahida:
Free this boy. Your point has been made. You no dey tire to type long long epistle about the same topic?

What point do you mean exactly❓

Napoleon55:
It's not just nwakali,
His hate and emotive bias is for every home grown youth loved talents being talked about here.

And he chose to hate these young guys in disguise of being objective not because he really wanted it but because of the opinions of d people of nairaland.

My advice is that it won't kill him if he switches n start wishin these young guys well n start encouragin them to work hard instead of draging them down with long epistle all d time .

Maybe you want to over hype and exaggerate and over state the attributes of player's because they are Nigerian. You even make excuses for the inexcusable, And because I will not join you in that self deception you call it hate.

The player that succeed are those who are made to realise the challenges and how much they have to improve with honest even harsh criticism.

Those that fail probably listen to your hype and believe it and don't improve and then fail.

You are part of the Nigerian problem enthroning mediocrity on the basis of Nepotism and favouritism.

Joezinho:
Egypt have looked very good as a team under Carlos Queiroz, they've also gelled more as a team by playing in the Arab cup so that will prove an advantage for them. Players to watch are Salah and Omar, they are the players that will be lethal for them if we don't take care, but they have a shaky defence and average midfield..

Needless to say the likes of Chukwueze, Awoniyi/Umar Sadiq, Nacho will seriously test them... Our firepower in attack is quite superior to theirs as they are mostly Salah-reliant...

It will be a close one and we should be ready for some heart-in-our-mouths moments with Salah doing his magic (we can cage Salah, but for how long?) all it takes is a lapse in concentration.

Despite the shambolic preparations , i feel we can defeat those Arab mofos.

It is wisdom to be weary of Egypt .

They have a very strong league in that pays very well by African standards, some players have been paid €20k a week.

As a consequence the desperate Dan desire to leave your country at any cost into the most inhospitable and socially isolated places in the world for peanut football contracts. Is not a an issue with them.

That means the larger percentage of the TEAM plays in Egypt. That's why you will notice the play with such cohesion and with no egos in the team. They all know and understand themselves and can be very tactfully compact..

I would not say they should be dismissed ,they are probably the best team not the best players but team. Add to that they have a world class player in Salah.

Should not be under estimated so easily.

JohnBullMySon:
So only Omeruo and Musa are still surviving from the 2013 squad

Dem don try oh

Is it a reflection of outstanding performance or something else.

minfelix:
Home support has only worked for 2teams for the past 11Afcon Editions and those teams are North African teams(Egypt/Tunisia) this time around whether u be home team oh, if you jam team wey crase them go beat you in front of your president

Agreed but it's still a factor.

Sometimes it can be a two edged sword and the pressure to win so much you completely loose it . Remember Brasil in the World cup against Germany.

minfelix:
Omeruo was one of those that used his real age at the 2009 U17 world cup, that's why he is still lasting and strong for about 13yrs now in the colors of Nigeria another real small boy spotted at the U17 world cup was chidera Eze, during the 2013 WC, e pain me that boy no translate into super eagles
Omeruo is one quiet personality in the eagles fold otherwise he should be a commanding captain in the eagles of today

This is not the time to say what we all know.

Omeruo claimed to be 15 in 2009 he has remained almost the same since then no change in facial skeletal development and or hieght. That year all of then were age cheats some even removing 10 years from their ages.

Fortune Chukwudi the captain comes to mind when confronted he said , but it's not only me . He was close to 30 claiming U17.

Go and look at pictures of Iwobi at 15, Yobo at 15, Aina at 15 , Ekong at 15, and stop saying what we already know.

Icon4s:
For booker's that really understand the AFCON and have followed the tournament decade after decade, you cannot rate teams to Win the AFCON based only on FIFA ranking and current form. There are some typical AFCON teams, that no matter the strength of the team they present they are always a force to be reckoned with when it comes to the AFCON. Such teams are Egypt, Cameroon and Nigeria. Little wonder that in the last 30 years they have won the AFCON the most.

And there are some teams that would always be rated high based on FIFA ranking and current form but would end up breaking the hearts of their fans: Senegal, Ghana, Morocco, Ivory coast. Algeria belonged to this group until 2019.

I know a lot of people would not fancy a team like Cameroon but I am tipping them as one of the tip favorites to win it. I also rate Nigeria ahead of Senegal and Ivory coast to win this tournament.

You really cannot discount what home support can do for you in a tournament like this.

In looking at teams I put aside emotive Favouritism and look at matters as objectively as possible.

I will start from one proviso, all Francophone teams have an advantage over all Anglophone teams. Cameroon like other Francophone countries have direct acces to the French League and that means a huge pool of talent.

But if we are to look at what gives you an advantage it's always quality players and to have 3 outstanding players through the spine of the team is a great advantage.

Onana Ajax goalkeeper alongside Mendy are probably the best African goalkeeper in the World. You can guarantee Cameroon defense will be birthed from French league one like Castelleto at Nantes to name a few. They also have Anguissa in Midfield NOBODY in our squad can compare to him Dude is very good. They have Ekambi from Lyon, Choupa Bayern M., Aboubakar and Basagog can't be ignored. In all depu they have strength in depth.

They are top favourites in my opinion to get to the Finals.

The SE played a local team from Cameroon
Coton Sport FC de Garouab we beat them 2-0 that's not an inspiring result whatever way you look at it.

Senegal have Mendy, Koulibally and Mane to name three top class if not world class players in their squad, I am sorry we are not better than them on paper.

Cote d'Ivoire are not very good in the goalkeeping department. We are better. But it ends their, defender are Éric Bailly , Willy Boly (Wolves) they are very good.

Midfield they have Kessie , Akpro, Bogarde to name a few. Upfront the top goal scorer in the Eredivisie Haller, who is flanked by Pepe and Zaha.

And you truly believe that we are better than Senegal and Cote d'Ivoire. On paper we are absolutely not.

However, it's football it's a cup competition anything can happen. I will admit that inexplicably for too many years Cote d'Ivoire have the players but never seem to achieve. Could this be the year they do

Nigeria is not a favourite in my opinion , maybe our never say never " Warri no deh carry last " Spirit may take us past the group stage, but winning it very doubtful.

Nonetheless, I'm screaming for Nigeria to win .

Icon4s:
Now, this is what I am talking about. Ivory coast was the best before they played Nigeria but Nigeria eventually dominated and won that game. Someone like darkelf would predicted a 4:0 defeat against Nigeria

There are some teams that are no pushovers when it comes to the AFCON, irrespective of the kind of team they present. Nigeria is one of Such.

If I look at the team we have presented over the past two decades,I would say on paper this is the weakest.

Kog45:
Pls are you in Goura Cameroon.

If you are,pls we need you here for live updates.

Ebuehi is having his first training today cos he came in yesterday..

When will our number one striker arrive Ighalo.❓

Danielnino00:
On paper, considering their squad strength and recent form, my top 10 ranking of the teams likely to win the AFCON is:

1. Algeria
2. Senegal
3. Morocco
4. Nigeria
5. Ivory Coast
6. Cameroon
7. Egypt
8. Tunisia
9. Mali
10. Ghana

How did you come to that conclusion ? past history, quality of players, coaching staff, friendly matches etc

Or emotive preference?

JayromWrites:
I have watched him play


Yeah! A good midfielder but nothing we've not seen.

A good Midfielder is very ambiguous in what context? comparison assesment is better way of knowing a player quality.

EMIRofPUSSY:
[s][/s]

When last did Germany, Spain, Italy, Belgium or even Brazil win a game with a margin of 10:0.
Instead of you to applaud the boys, you rather chose to spew bitterness and bile.
You want them to go all out and get themselves injured before the main tournament?

San Marino is a small landlocked country , with a population of 40k

Germany beat them 8 - 0
Poland 7 - 0
Scotland 6 - 0
England. 10 - 0

Coton Sport FC de Garoua is alocal team in Cameroon, if the SE played Enyinba, Warri Wolves, Awka United, etc Would a 10 zero routing be too much to ask.

I think the comments that you responded too are valid and there is absolutely nothing to applaud Super Eagles our national team struggling to beat a local Cameroon team 2-0.

It is cause for concern.

This

Danielnino00:
If you are asking me to go through your moniker and screenshot posts you made to mock both players in the past like you are doing with Nwakali now, I absolutely don't have the time, and there's absolutely no need because nearly every active member of this thread can attest to that..

You are making predictions of Nwakali future based on his present situation..You obviously don't learn...

One man's objective fact even when proven and substantiated, can be too bitter for some to accept.

You call it mockery I call it stating the clear and obvious facts.

You seek to deny the facts, you then call the truth a lie and assume it from your perspective to be mockery.

That's entirely your choice.

That's why you reply with the assumptive not the factual. I challenged you to substantiate your perception based deductions but you have simply run away and BOTTLED IT.

What have I never learned❓❓❓

JayromWrites:
with much due respect, have you taken your time to watch Baba or he is gold because he is linked with the toffees?

In all honesty ,I have not watched him once not even his YouTube clips which can easily be contrived.

However, l know Everton and the recruitment team and before they want you they have done their home work in the HERE and NOW. Particularly , when you consider they have been trying to get him for over a year.

So I believe if they are prepared to pay £10million he must have some quality which they desperately need.

Everton payed £2million for Demerai Gray and he has scored 5 goals even playing as a forward. They must have done thier homework really well.

Have you watched him play a full 90 minutes because apparently Athletico Madrid want him too. These are all indicative of a good degree of quality.

Danielnino00:
LMAO..The same deduction you made on Iheanacho and Osimhen last year.. You said all manner of demeaning words like what Idenna said about Awoniyi... Ironically, you have also rubbished Awoniyi in the past..

You better calm down .Those players aren't fighting you... In this life, you can never tell how far somebody can go... You can't use the present to judge the future...

Can you tell me one demeaning and untruthful word that I said not two and the context in which it was said.

Not your perception but my words verbatim please.

forgiveness:
Thanks.

Will VAR be used? Are the referees well trained to use the VAR?

How secured are the venues from possibly attacks from secessionists?

Are spectators allowed in the stadium?

Do they allow full capacity?

Our only sense of comfort is that we are not dealing with deranged lslamic Jihadists, because there is no 100% security against suicide bomber .

superbloke:
I get that he may have trained with the team, but that doesn't mean he got the chance to fight for a place. They are two different things. He could not have done that because he had no work permit. He was basically a visitor in London.

In comparison, we heard reports that Ebere Eze trained with one of the Nigerian youth teams once, but we all know he did not get a chance to compete and be part of the team. You yourself say as much a lot.

I'm not saying he would have been a world beater had he gotten the chance, after all, he's not done much with his career so far (I don't dispute this, and I also think truthfully, he doesn't deserve to be on the SE team to the Afcon), but let's be fair here. Using the fact that he didn't get a chance at arsenal to say he never got to play when we know he didn't have a work permit, isn't a fair point.

Anyway, what I want to bring out is that he can still make a lot out of his career. Osimhen did, Awoniyi did (a similar case and he eventually got his permit before being sold), so I believe he also can. After all, he had some interest from EPL clubs during the summer.

I am not a fan of rap artist Eminem but the Lyrics of his sing ,Loose Yourself explain the situation.



Look
If you had
One shot
Or one opportunity
To seize everything you ever wanted
In one moment
Would you capture it
Or just let it slip?

Ademola Lookman was playing Sunday football and his team was invited to play Charlton athletic U18 who intended to use this local team for target practice.. Cut a long story short he stood out , was invited to trial within a year he was playing for the first team of Charlton. He seized the opportunity

Tyron Mings was released by Southampton's ( he was too short ) at 16. He started playing non league and working. Ipswich Town needed a team to play with for pre season to use for target practice. That team was Chippenham Tyron was so good that Mick McCarthy signed him immediately . He is now a top player and England international. He seized the opportunity

Awoniyi was in Liverpool's but he was always training with the U23's and on occasion first team . Work permit did not prevent him ftom training, but he simply was not good enough for the first team.

Nwakali had opportunity but could not rise to the occasion and Arsenal decided not to bother applying for a work permit for him.

The Ming's, Ademola even Eberechi Eze have very similar stories they SIMPLY SEIZED THE OPPORTUNITY



Unfortunately Nwakali did not and has not for 7 years. Now he had been given an undeserving call up to the SE . Please let him SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITY.

chrisooblog:
I'm just curious.

In one instance you said Nwakali wasn't training with the Arsenal first team, today to buttress your point you now agree he indeed trained with the likes of Ozil, Ramsey and co at the time. Good

You somehow omitted the date and the text of the post l was responding to.That would help to put into context.

Training as part of the first team and training with the First team can be two different things.

So I can't help you there. Again maybe then I didn't know he had trained with the first team, or maybe when that comment was made he had not trained with the first team, l really don't know.

But what's your point my response is specifically saying to someone that Nwakali was GIVEN every opportunity to be succeed at Arsenal but failed. Part of that process will be see players even trialists train with the first team at Arsenal.

Does that make them part of the first team ❓

chrisooblog:
Remember this

What's your point ❓

The response is qualified by the context not in isolation. When something is taken out of context it becomes a CON.

Was Nwakali training at Arsenal as part of the First team

andrewbaba44:
All players are important to their club

Dessers has score some winning goals that gave them 3 points from the bench

Nobody asked you to speak if he is important or not ,your little opportunity to talk down on dessers

Smh

The question is will his club release him for AFCON at such shirt notice and in that context they should because he's not that important to the club.

What is Smh

The facts are there to substantiate my deduction but you then bring a negative connotation you sef SMH

andrewbaba44:
Ndidi is better than many midfielders from other teams ,but I can’t say of Aribo and onyeka sha but they are still better than many sha

I can’t really say we have the best midfield at afcon sha ,but we have a decent midfield in ndidi onyeka and Aribo

So any player that’s wanted by Everton is not average ? I hail your knowledge .

And kamaldeen is not a midfielder ,stop arguing what you don’t know oga Kome ,he has never played as a midfielder self

My response in that write up is rhetorical.

If someone is calling Ghana Midfielder pretty average, what then does that make ours excellent ?.

jihday:
Emenalo won’t see all Chelsea players on loan, they have a loan manager or so. The eagles under Rohr had a team scout, his job was to watch and monitor all potential SE players so I’m not sure it’s the job of the TD to watch every potential players

You have a range of staff who make reports that are submitted to you . That way you are INFORMED and KNOWLEDGEABLE.

But unfortunately our man is neither.

andrewbaba44:
Ighalo no use super eagles join Man U ,ighalo no use super eagles get Newcastle offer ,but Na super eagles he wan use push to move to same Western Europe

People like to talk nonsense .

samtol4:
Sir constructive criticism is not a bad thing when it comes to the game of soccer . It only becomes harmful when there is hatred attached to such criticism. Ighalo has done very well for Nigeria , but at the moment we have clinical strikers that can do better than him .

Ighalo has been a good striker for a long time proven and tested over many seasons.

He is collecting bags of money � £££ and is still playing, does he still have the sharpness , l really do not know.

Is KC , better than him No not in my opinion, is Awoniyi better than him not yet still not conclusive. Is Dennis better than him I would say a big YES. Is Osimhen better No That was proven at the last AFCON undoubtedly. However, in the HERE and NOW it's not conclusive considering his Osimhen injuries and recovery.

Sadiq is not even on the same level as Ighalo to compare them is an insult.

safarigirl:
We honestly don't care

Anybody wey no know say na luck dey carry us go this AFCON just dey live for lala land, because even the team na cut and join.

If luck is on his side, fine, if not, Jose Pepperoni gets to start his World Cup qualification work early.

Eguaveon is not a top coach, has never been and will never be, so, I no know wetin bring the comparison to Pep and Klopp. Nothing concern akamu and bran.

He will not be the first coach to admit that he has not seen a top player play. If he is fine with what he currently has, no wahala. France did not take Benzema to the World Cup and they won it with a Giroud that most of you would admit is not as good as Benzema. Did heaven fall?

Abeg, manage your expectations going into AFCON. Our coach is not Pep, we don't have Mbappe on the wings or CR7 up top, TAA is not our RB, Modric is not manning the midfield and Mendy is not our goalie.

Anything wey we see starting from next week, walahi, na God do am for us, because as I dey so, I no know as ball go be. Even the players no know as e go be

WOW didn't know you could be this brutally honest no frills no dressing up.

Best post seen in a long time, SAYING IT AS IT IS.

Barryseal:
That's a damning verdict on Eguavoen. It means he hasn't been doing his job. As TD he should keep a dossier on all Nigerian players in Europe top leagues at least.
I laugh when people praise Eguavoen's tactical acumen. This guy was a resounding failure the last time he was with the super Eagles. He was hounded out from the national team with all kinds of bad press.

The man keeps talking about luck everytime. That tells he has an already made excuse should he fail. I have never heard a top manager talking about needing luck in interviews, klopp? Tuchel? Flick? Pep? The man is clueless.

We now have round of 16 in the nation's cup then quarter finals, no way he navigates through and get to the semi finals on luck. Eguavoen doesn't have the capacity, who wan bet?

You may believe or disbelief as some may find this hard to believe.

As an organisation there has to be the desire to improve by instituting strategy policy and process management to achieve success.

There has to be professional ethics , best practices and organisational culture that underpins that .

I was speaking to the NFF maybe a year ago and I mentioned a number of things including players of Nigeria origin in top academies and in some top clubs that could be reached.

They were not interested. What was of interest to them is which agent is he signed to and if they can sign with their preferred agent ,etc

I understand 100% why Seyi declined the position .

The NFF is not really interested in pushing our football forward, they are more interested in deals and pushing their own players.

maidaboi:
We will see if Nwakali may turn his career around or not but don't predict doom because you are not God

Everything is not religious.

You make informed knowledge based deductions on facts and objective assessments. There is not time for double standards or emotional preferences.

Nwakali had potential but potential has a shelf life cycle and his has expired. He has had a lot of help but failed.

I am not God and with God ABSOLUTELY anything is possible.