₦airaland Forum

REALITY101:
They just wedded

waka

@ topic: cool

where are the faces?

Crush - David Archuleta

honeric01:
I nominate Medjai

dominique:
Honeric, you should have given us the option to nominate more than one person. You can still sieve out the final 3 with higest nominations that way. Anyways i nominate MEDJAI, cos of his valuable contributions to both local and foreign league threads.

tkb417:
Since the european league award will have its own, no shakings

This season, some new dudes came out strongly and I think Medjai is one of them

I vote for Medjai

rasputinn:
For the Nigerian league,I go with Medjai(with the exclusion of honerico)

A big fat thank you for nominating me

Spanish Comment: Barcelona Star Xavi Is The Best Centre Midfielder Of All Time
After yet another legendary display in the 5-0 Clasico thumping of Real Madrid last night, Carlo Garganese's hails Xavi as the greatest-ever player in his position.

In May 2009, following Barcelona’s 2-0 Champions League final win over Manchester United in Rome, I wrote a feature labelling Xavi as the “best centre midfielder in the world” and the symbol of pure football.

Eighteen months, a World Cup triumph, another Primera Division, and emphatic 6-2 and 5-0 thrashings of Real Madrid later, and I am ready to declare that Xavi is not only the best centre midfielder in the world right now, he is the best of all time.

Xavi's Five Best Qualities

1. Brain - The Spaniard has incredible awareness and vision.
2. Passing - Short, medium or long range, Xavi never misses a pass and is a creative God.
3. Positioning - Tactically perfect, always in the right positions. You can't teach this.
4. Big Game - When it really matters, Xavi performs. Rises to the big occasion.
5. Team Player - Football is a team game, Xavi is a team player. His link-play is immaculate.

In order to justify this claim, it is important to set out the criteria used to reach this conclusion. A ‘centre midfielder’ is not a defensive anchor man, who merely sits in front of the defence to protect the backline – such as Claude Makelele. Nor is it an attacking midfielder, trequartista or support man – such as Zinedine Zidane.

Naturally, there is often a subtle line to be drawn between such players. For example, would you call Wolfgang Overath a centre midfielder or an attacking midfielder? Or both? There is never going to be a consensus over a player's exact position, but a centre midfielder certainly must be able to play in the centre of a straight 4-4-2, the deep positions of a 4-2-3-1 (or the old 4-2-4), or the non-attacking role of a three-man midfield (4-3-3, 5-3-2, 3-5-2, 4-5-1 etc).

A centre midfielder is a player who occupies the middle-of-the-park, and whose job it is to win and control the play. Xavi has been winning, controlling and dictating the play at the very highest level – capturing every major team honour - for the best part of a decade now, and in the last four years in particular he has been untouchable. Indeed, you can count on one hand the number of times since 2006 when Xavi hasn’t made the centre of the pitch exclusively his own.

Xavi's Major Honours List

La Liga (5) - 98-99, 04-05, 05-06, 08-09, 09-10
Copa del Rey (1) - 08-09
Champions League (2) - 05-06, 08-09
World Cup (1) - 2010
European Championships (1) - 2008
Euros Player of The Tournament - 2008
Ballon d'Or Third Place - 2009

When Barcelona and Spain repeatedly monopolise 60-70 per cent possession in matches, the key reason for this is not the other world class stars such as Andres Iniesta, David Villa and Lionel Messi it is the magician that is Xavi who never miscontrols a ball, never concedes possession, and is always directing, dissecting and debasing the opposition. He is technically, tactically and mentally the perfect centre mid, and on a physical level not too shabby either - besides an injury-hit 2005/06 the Catalan legend has missed just a handful of games every season over the past 10 years. 

Regular readers of my column know that I am not the biggest fan of modern football, and regard the current era as far inferior in quality to the 1970s, 80s and 90s. But is there a centre midfielder from those superior decades or before who is greater than Xavi?

THE CHALLENGERS

Wolfgang Overath (West Germany): Was so good that the great Gunter Netzer only won 37 caps for his country. Overath was a genius on the ball, a masterful creator of chances with a beautiful left foot. The best player at World Cup ’70.

Paul Breitner (West Germany): Started his career as a full back, but transformed into one of the world’s best midfielders. Possessed a rocket of a long shot, and scored in two World Cup finals.

Uli Stielike (West Germany): A beast in both defence and midfield, Stielike was one of the most feared opponents in the late 70s and 80s. Physically bullied his adversaries and was tactically faultless.

Rainer Bonhof (West Germany): Boasted one of the hardest shots in the history of the game, scoring numerous blasters from distance. Bonhof was a machine for club-and-country in the 1970s.

Lothar Matthäus (Germany): Legendary midfielder (left) who won a record 150 caps for Germany and was at the top of European football for 20 years. Overpowering both offensively and defensively, he was the star of World Cup Italia 1990.

Johan Neeskens (Netherlands): Extremely complete midfielder of Johan Cruyff’s ‘Total Football’ Ajax and Holland sides of the early 1970s. A fearsome battler, with a vicious winning mentality.

Frank Rijkaard (Netherlands): Equally brilliant at centre back, Rijkaard was part of the great Van Basten–Gullit–Rijkaard trio in the late 1980s and early 90s who won trophies galore for Milan and Holland.

Edgar Davids (Netherlands): 'The Pitbull’ hunted down adversaries, tore the ball of them with crunching tackles before launching lightning attacks. He was ferocious member of Marcello Lippi’s two successful Juventus spells.

Didi (Brazil): Voted best player at the 1958 World Cup, the ex-Fluminense, Botafogo and Real Madrid star was the inventor of the ‘dry leaf’ free kick, so-called because it would dip and swerve in unpredictable directions.

Gerson (Brazil): The successor to Didi, and arguably just as good. A superstar at World Cup 1970, controlling the midfield in every game and being man-of-the-match in the final victory over Italy (left, pictured scoring).

Falcao (Brazil): The world’s best centre midfielder at the beginning of the 1980s, Samba flair mixed with a European brain he was the lynchpin of the great Brazil ’82 and Roma ’83 sides.


Marco Tardelli (Italy): Midfield hardman for Juventus and Italy, who took no prisoners and has the most iconic World Cup celebration after scoring in the 1982 final win.

Andrea Pirlo (Italy): The best centre midfielder on the planet between 2003 and 2007, Pirlo dictated games for Milan and Italy then like Xavi does for Barcelona and Spain now.

Jean Tigana (France): The engine of the wonderful 1980s France team also featuring Michel Platini. Indomitable at Euro ’84.

Didier Deschamps (France): Captain of France's 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 victories, and a key member of Marcello Lippi's fine Juventus side of the 1990s. Arguably the most tactically intelligent centre midfielder (left) there has ever been, and a superb leader.

Michael Laudrup (Denmark): Was perhaps at his best as an attacking midfielder in the mid-80s, but was still pure class in a deeper role for Barcelona and Real Madrid.


Jozsef Bozsik (Hungary): The best player in his position in the early-to-mid 1950s, and part of Ferenc Puskas’ record-breaking Hungary team.

Mario Coluna (Portugal): Brilliant midfield general and captain of the great Benfica and Portugal side, also featuring Eusebio, of the 1960s.

Nils Liedholm (Sweden): Xavi-like passer of the 1950s, it is famously said he went two seasons at Milan without misplacing a pass and when he finally did he was rewarded with a five minute standing ovation by the San Siro audience.


Every player above is a legend, but the closest challenger to Xavi probably comes in the form of Lothar Matthäus. The German was more complete than the Spaniard, and could perhaps transcend any kind of team playing style, but if I was asked to pick any player from history as my centre midfielder it would without a shadow of a doubt be King Xavi.

http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/88/spain/2010/11/30/2239004/spanish-comment-barcelona-star-xavi-is-the-best-centre

David May was there when Paul Scholes made his United debut in the League Cup at Port Vale 16 years ago.

The Ginger Magician was unheard of back then – but May knew quality when he saw it.

Wind the clock forward to 2010 and May insists there is still no one to touch United’s midfield maestro – notably, a certain Yaya Toure across the other side of town.

“I don’t think there is anyone in the Premier League who can touch Scholes at the moment,” he said. “He’s not just three passes ahead of everyone else, he’s three or four shots ahead of them.

“Yaya Toure’s on about £200,000 a week. He couldn’t lace Scholes’ boots.

“If he was that good why did Barcelona let him go? I speak to City fans all the time and they can’t believe he’s on that type of money.

“What’s the return you get for that money when you watch him play? He wouldn’t lace Scholes’ boots, Roy Keane’s boots or Bryan Robson’s, yet he’s probably one of the world’s richest footballers.”

At the age of 36, Scholes remains pivotal to United’s hopes of regaining the Premier League title this season and reigning supreme in Europe.

But he was part of a controversial starting XI against Port Vale in 1994, which also included David Beckham, Nicky Butt and Gary Neville.

Scholes gave an early taste of what he would go on to achieve with both goals in a 2-1 win.

Along with rest of United’s golden generation, he formed the nucleus of a side that would win a league and FA Cup double two seasons later and the Treble in 1999.

But Ferguson was on the receiving end of fierce criticism for fielding such an inexperienced team at Vale Park that also included Dennis Irwin, Keane and Brian McClair.

Scholes is unlikely to be part of the starting XI tonight at West Ham as United bid to win the Carling Cup for the third year in succession.

Instead Ferguson is expected to give his emerging players the experience of one English football’s most daunting venues, Upton Park.

And May says that is the secret to United’s continuing success under Ferguson.

“If you go back to that season when Scholes made his debut, the gaffer got slaughtered for it,” said May. “But you look now and everybody does it. They use the competition to blend in their youngsters. Yet the manager got slaughtered for it years ago.

“As soon as you sign professional forms you’ve got the right to play for anybody. The Premier League shouldn’t let you name such large squads if they don’t want you to use them.

“The Carling Cup has been a great breeding ground for United. They’ve won it the past couple of years because the manager gets that blend of youth and experience right.

“It is fantastic for a 20-year-old playing at United and playing at Wembley and winning. And it’s all down to the manager trusting young players. He only plays them because he he trusts them. He always has. He’s done it since I was there.

“They learn what it feels like to win. And it’s not just winning but how you win.”

http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/sport/football/manchester_united/s/1387693_may_yaya_toure_not_fit_to_lace_paul_scholes_boots?rss=yes

It's not Yaya's fault that City do not have a wage structure but then, paying Yaya £200,000 weekly is pure madness. Tevez that does all the work in that team doesnt earn that much

[center]Nigeria decides league boss fate on Wednesday[/center]

The dispute for the chairmanship of the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) could be decided once and for all on Wednesday when the Executive Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) meets at the Glass House in Abuja.
Former Bayelsa United chairman, Victor Baribote Rumson, has been locked in a battle with the NPL chairman, Davidson Owumi, after an arbitration panel chaired by Professor Oye Ibidapo Obe nullified the election of the current Premier League chief.
The meeting of the Nigerian FA, which had been initially billed to hold last week, will take place with its president, Aminu Maigari, chairing the occasion after returning to the country on Sunday in the wake of undergoing medical treatment in South Africa.
Acting Secretary-General of the football house, Musa Ahmadu, said the secretariat will forward every detail of the dispute over the NPL chairmanship to the NFF Executive Committee to deliberate upon.
“The secretariat will include in the agenda to be discussed by the Executive Committee the issue of the NPL chairmanship. The football federation is keen to see peace return to the league leadership and I believe that the matter will be ironed out and a decision taken by the Executive Committee on Wednesday.
“It must be remembered that in our attempt to broker peace among the parties – three of them to be precise – we invited them to a meeting, which ended in a lock. We invited Mr Davidson Owumi, Mr Baribote Rumson and also, Honourable Abdulazeez Mohammed over the matter and nothing came out of it. So, the matter will now be handled by the Executive Committee,” Ahmadu said.
The three men, it would be recalled, were invited to the NFF’s office in Abuja on November 3.
However, there have been reports that the country’s soccer governing body could call for fresh elections into the NPL.
In spite of speculations of a new election in the offing, former Bayelsa United chairman is demanding that Owumi does not take part in the re-election process claiming that he was ineligible to contest in the first place

http://naijaligue..com/

honeric01:
Wolves, Dolphins take centre stage in NPL team of the week


Warri Wolves unbeaten record in the Nigeria Premier League and Dolphins’ return to the top of the log has seen players from both teams hog choice positions in the NPL Team of the Week.

Warri Wolves goalkeeper Chigozie Agbim’s bravery on the face of an attacking avalanche helped Wolves earn a 1-0 road victory and saw him beat off competition from his 3SC counterpart Laide Okanlawon.

In front of Agbim, Dolphins supply three players, a centre back and two full backs.

Central defender Emmah Godwin and fullback Uche Oguchi both converted penalties as Dolphins ran away 3-0 winners against Gombe United. Ex-junior international Kennedy Chinwo, deployed in an unfamiliar left full back position, showed his versatility with a commanding display.

Cletus Itodo makes a return in midfield where he is joined by Kano Pillars’ Gabriel Reuben and Heartland’s game winner Ikechukwu Ibenegbu.

Upfront, Akombo Ukeyima also makes another return, and is joined by

Osas Okoro and Joseph Thompson.

The team, lining out in a 4-3-3 formation, will be coached by Wolves’ Paul Aigbogun, who has so far kept his team unbeaten in the face of daunting odds.



Team of the Week

GK: Chigozie Agbim (Warri Wolves)

RB: Uche Oguchi (Dolphins)

LB: Kennedy Chinwo (Dolphins)

CB: Emmah Godwin (Dolphins)

CB: Ike ThankGod (Warri Wolves)

MF: Cletus Itodo (SSS)

MF: Gabriel Reuben (Kano Pillars)

MF: Ikechukwu Ibenegbu (Heartland)

FW: Akombo Ukeyima (Sunshine Stars)

FW: Osas Okoro (Heartland)

FW: Joseph Thompson (Kano Pillars)



Coach: Paul Aigbogun (Warri Wolves)
http://www.npl.com.ng/news.php

Cletus Itodo for the second time this season. I've been watching him since his Enyimba days and the guy is really good

Gariel Reuben did well for Pillars against 3sc. I wonder why Enyimba sold him

At long last. . .
I just hope he gives the local based players a chance

The Iberian bid - Spain & Portugal - 2018

Qatar - 2022

Ramos and Alonso should have been handed two or three match bans, would have made more sense

any correlation between being married and hanging out on NL I dont get

.

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I'm pretty sure Mugabe employed the 'printing money' technique in Zimbabwe and now a bunch of plaintain goes for about 15,000 Zim. Dollars.
It will lead to massive inflation. Too much money will be in circulation

Ozil was totally drowned in the el-classico, he had to be taken off. He is begining to tread the path of Higuain, failing to show up in big games. He was also ineffective in the world cup s/final for Germany against Spain

Bubbly - Colbie Cailat

MRbrownJAY:
^^^^you claim to be in the "mile high club" and dont know what chivalry is? rotflmao!

really? So knowing the meaning of chivalry is a prerequisite for joining thf Mile High Club?
Anyways, that was just for some comic relief

Corruption in FIFA is deep. No one is clean, all hands have been soiled

what is chivalry??

shakara don end

tanimz

These aren't the best times to play Barca. We dey vex

Once again, The Chosen One truimphs over The Special One The Translator
I trust Los Che, they will complicate your woes

chei, like my former president, "I dey laugh"

LOL
meanwhile, I hear say Pharaoh dey suffer from asphyxia, dem use Usb Cable tie him neck

. . . Ogazi, Scantee and Khanye don join

Head to Head between Federer and Nadal is now 8 - 14

Arsenal

yeah, fanx. . . miss you

you guys need to revisit your goals for this season, CL? not in this lifetime. Its like you're getting carried away with your last season UCL final appearance.
Better focus on the league and DFB cup, they are your only chances of winning something

Rick O' Connor(Brendan Fraser) - The Mummy's Return

Spence(Ashton Kutcher) - Killers

John Cusack - Serendipity

Beware of wetin? 14 pts off the pace . . . the league is Dortmund's, signed, sealed and delivered