₦airaland Forum

And finally, why is a player born Gervais Yao Kouassi now called 'Gervinho'?

"When you get in the football squad at ASEC Abidjan they give you a nickname," he explained. "Because we have a Brazilian coach, we're given Brazilian names. So, everyone in this current squad has a nickname: mine is Gervinho, his [pointing to his interpreting team-mate] is Kalouno. It's basically a variation of your name. My full name is Gervais Yao Kouassi, so the Gervinho comes from Gervais. For me, the name has stuck."

The guy is no brazillian . . . . . He has not even been to brazil

topup:
[color=#cc0066]Their first game (women's football) was vs North Korea which they lost. I guess we are only talking about the men's football and completely ignoring the womens (which does exist!!). The men are doing great so far and I wish the best for them. I check back every few days or so actually!![/color]

That was a good attempt at spin

But you are absolutely right though, however we are not neglecting women's football as there is a thread dedicated to that which most of us have gone to comment on.

topup:
[color=#cc0066]Wow, do you really think us that pathetic that we'd want our own team to fail so that 'your attentions can be on us again?' Well, I personally couldn't careless if everyone is obsesssing on football for the fact that I actually have always been able to keep myself occupied without guys,

Good luck to our guys, as long as they put all their best into it, I'll be proud. But I was surprised when I was checking the results and Nigeria lost their first game

NONETHELESS Go Dream Team IV [/color]

The bit in bold sums up how much interest you have for the game
lol

stanloski:
Guys have u noticed something? All the gals are predicting a win for CIV. Its either they like the Ivoriens ( is it the color of their jersey?) OR they are not getting attention from their guys because of the football so they want Nigeria out so their guys will give them attention!

Partly yes and
their desire to see their men cry

Okonkwo had a dismal performance against the USA.

But the same Okonkwo played so well against Holland and Japan so much that in the Japanese match the commentator said that being one of the few home based players in the team, with the kind of performance he has seen so far the boy might not be in naija club for long.
So thats football for you people have their bad days at times.


Okoronkwo on the other hand has made very important contributions to the team. Against Japan he broke from the right, laid a clean pass for Osaze which Osaze should have tapped into an empty net. But Osaze missed from the inner box.

Even the first Goal in the Japanese match was as a result of his break from the right which he gave to promise, promise to Osaze and Osaze to Nsofor who finally finished it off.

These boys have not been perfect, there have been mistakes here and there. . . . . . .  but what no one can take away from them is there team spirit. For me I hope they improve but I will support them and hope for a win regardless of who they face.

I also like the fact that we are able to always go into a match with the hope that we have super-subs like Anichebe who can come in and make a difference. Sometimes what wins a football match for you is psycology and the power of your bench.

If we start a match with all our fire power, and somehow they don't gel . . . . .  we will have a situation where there is no redemption.

I think Siasia's tactics is working just fine . . . . .  "if it ai'nt broken why fix it".

U know the olympic team is not saturated . . . . . there are a lot of games Nigeria is yet to compete for. If we were good enough for any of these games we will not be on Nairaland villifying those who went.

Yes they tried

We played in a group that includes Holland and USA and came out top of the group

For the US match . . . . . . . what you saw is what happens in most 11 vs 10 matches. We controlled the game 80% of the time while the US were defending. You know in a situation like that we are under pressure because we needed a win to go through, US was ok with a draw.

The US strategy was to sit back soak the pressure and hit us on the break, which they did. The fact that we got two goals should be commended.

When we had scored 2, US had nothing else to loose as they were practically out if the result stayed that way hence they decided to throw the kitchen sink at us in the last 10 minutes.

And yes Ambrose Vanzekin should not have come out of his line, but the fact remains that we are top of our group. We need to learn from our mistakes but not to villify our players as if we lost.

It is either I watched a totally different match or Nigerians have it in their consiousness that somehow we have a devine right to win a football match.

Those boys obviously made mistakes here and there, but they tried.

Helloooooo!!!!!!! For God's sake we are top of our group

Guys Siasia did not include Vincent Enyeama in his overaged list for the sake of it

Enyeama could not make it somehow to the tournament, so we have no choice but to encourage the available players and the coach.

Hannibal:
Beat a team of Messi, Riquelme and Mascherano??
Or can we beat the Ivoriens with Kalou, Bagayoko and the player of the tournament so far, Gervinho??
Nigeria should just forget it. . . . .We are not good enough for either the Argys or Ivory Coast unless Kanu, Uche joins the team.

Are u suggesting that we should not even play the quater final at all??

I dont think we should go into any match believing we will loose, even the team has Zidane, Kaka, and Gatuso in it.

The current Mikel Obi we saw in Nations cup would not have done anymore than Sani Kaita is doing

Which is win balls and pass simple balls to the nearest player

What we are lacking is a midfield maestro and not a defensive midfielder.

But Mikel would have done himself more good by identifying with his colleagues.

FBS:
haba, you guys relax now, yes he made a stupid mistake, but he has been making excellent saves, give the guys some kudos I beg,

Some of us dont understand the amount of pressure involved when you carry the hopes of 140 million people in your goal post.

guys take it easy, it looks like the team is as volatile as the fan

Is'nt the most important thing the fact that we are through

We were in a football match where US had nothing more to loose and decided to throw it all to us in the last minute, and yes Vanzekin should not have come out but lets celebrate victory and learn from our mistakes.

if they equalize we are out

I do agree the team is lacking a midfield maestro, but I dont think it is Mikel

The current Mikel we saw in Nations cup is not a midfield maestro

I think Georgians should thank Sarkozy and embrace his peace plans.

All this tough talk by UK and US are just for record purposes, nobody will do anything significant to Russia.

I am disappointed that Prominent Nigerians are engaged in this.

I am a strong admirer of Obama, but it is one thing to admire a foreign politician it is another to go as far as fund raising. Especially when our own country is in dire need of leadership.

They should chanell their effort and love for change into domestic politics.

4play

I think you need to get civilized

My grandfather is no a Russian neither is yours an American. So I dont understand why the abuses.

I understand US position on this matter, anything that undermines Russia is in the interest of US foreign policy

But I think the Georgians should oust Mikeal Sakaasvhali for allowing his country to be used as a chess board by world powers.

Tayo-D:
@Mckren,
Georgia did not attack Russian citizens. Who is selling you this propaganda. SO technically belongs to Georgia even though Russia has being setting Georgia up for this a**-whooping by giving its passports to the people of SO, even though SO is Georgia's territory.

No matter how many Bakassians hold Naija's pasport, Bakassi technically belongs to Cameroun and Cameroun has every right to fight to keep its country one even if the Bakassians revolt.

Does South Osettia belong to Georgia anymore than than Georgia belong to the Soviet Union.

Why are they bullying Ossettians to accept one Georgia when they did not accept one Soviet Union.?

This story is more complicated than we think it is, the truth is Sakaasvhali touched the tail of a sleeping lion he should bear the brunt.

Are we possibly missing out that Georgia actually lauched the first offensive on the eve of Olympics

Georgia attacked first

All I can say to you guys is, the positions held by the west and promoted through CNN and BBC is one which favours the strategic interest of the West.

There is more to this than the interpretations these media organisations are giving, there are old wounds from the cold war era and soviet days.

The citizens of South Osettia see themselves as Rusians and carry Rusian passports. So Russia has a responsibility to defend them.
I think the problem is the Georgian leader simply over estimated what his country's alliance with US would do for them relative to their troubles with Rusia.

You can not attack Rusian citizens and hope that somehow by going to launch a media propaganda, you will define for Russia how to respond. Russia is still a world power, they can veto any UN resolution against them, China will not even turn their backs on Russia.

I think this is pure miscalculation on the part of Mikeal Sakaasvhali.

Ibime:
Final score: USA 2 - 2 Holland. We need to beat USA to avoid Argentina now. Luckily, Freedy Adu and Michael Bradley are suspended for the Naija game.

LOL we need to win USA to even guarantee our qualification, if we play draw with USA and Holland wins Japan. Then Nigeria, Holland and USA will all have 5 points. It will now come down to goal difference, not sure anybody wants that.

I also wish Ogbuke starts but I saw in Okoronkwo a lot of brilliance today . . . . . .  the guy has some very brillian touches that unsettles defence, just worried about his pace. However I think its a good thing we have supersubs in Ogbuke, Anichebe who come in to bring new dimesion to the game.

I love the way Adeleye defends, he is such a clean defender . . . . . .  which club does he play for??

10:00 am

They can as well invite ryan giggs . . . . shebi I heard he has some nija blood in his lineage

A bunch of missguided fools . . . . . why did they think changing their name will make a difference??

Until ex-footballers begin to run our FA, we will not get anywhere.

But why did the FA think it was necessary to change their name

The girl on no. 9 shirt whats her name?

The girl was so brilliant with her passes, she passed some balls today that even kaka will be proud of.

But generally the team need to work on their finishing

seunbballo:
Wow!! What a Opening Ceremony. I bet you London can not beat that come 2012.

Where will they get the money from??

I bet the British may have started lobbying China behind the scenes for loan

Rumble In The Villa - Over Plot To Remove NSA
Idowu Samuel, Abuja - 09.08.2008

Underground plot aimed at easing the current National Security Adviser (NSA), General Sarkin Muktar, out of office has started causing a rumble within the Presidential Villa, Abuja.


Investigations conducted by Saturday Tribune revealed that former governors during the last civilian administration,were perfecting plans to pave the way for General Ibrahim Sabo of the Justice Chukwudifu Oputa fame to emerge as the next NSA.


President Yar’Adua, it was learnt, had no intention to remove Abdullahi as his NSA, even though the official owes his ascension to power to former President Olusegun Obasanjo who appointed him as a replacement for General Aliyu Gusau who voluntarily bowed out of office to contest the 2007 presidential election.


The ex-governors have been working as a strong league since the emergence of Yar’Adua apparently to tighten their grip on power.

The ex-governors before now had succeeded in installing key ministers and directors of sensitive government agencies and commissions for the present administration.


Former Commissioner of Delta State during the governorship of Chief James Ibori, David Edebiri, is the latest among the candidates of the ex-governors who had been aided into the Yar’Adua’s government being appointed as the Principal Private Secretary (PPS) to the president last week.


General Sabo, investigation revealed, had been a long standing friend of Ibori, the two having reportedly worked closely during the court trial of the ex-governor in Abuja in 2003 as he was said to have offered the logistics for making the former governor win the case.


Culled from Tribune


If it gets to the point where the President cant even choose his own NSA then we are in trouble. This President is the weakest in history

dream team go win tomorrow . . . . . . . I dey ready to bet my money

Big players dont play qualifiers not sure what that means

world cup starts when the first qualifier match is kicked off, which is why the tournament itself is called world cup finals.

Only unserious Nations use different sets of players to play qualifier and main tournament