₦airaland Forum

ChrisKels:
Many people on that X also attributed it to him being Igbo and hence sabotaging the team for Biafra. Do you agree that he indeed sabotaged the team?


What exactly was his reason for sabotaging the team, since you guys said it was a delibrate act?

No ooo. You know I would never tow that line.
Nope. I tagged you on why I feel he sabotaged the team. And like I said, it's my opinion and I might be wrong but at the least, that's what I think.

Okay, I think that he's been feeling left out or sidelined in the team. On this I draw from his constant complaints (masked with comedy) about others taking time to speak to the media. About him doing his own when he becomes man of the match. I felt that was envy of some sort. Watching Iwobi's vlog, I noticed it but didn't put anything to it. It was also said that he was not happy to have been left on the bench for that long. And this is why his body language was off.

This is where I locate his malice oo. It's all down to what I think of him not his tribe and I don't support trolling him or abusing him.

Goke7:
Delaw cool down, folks will always defend their favs here and no problem on that. I think it’s because of your numerous repetitive comments on the chuks matter that is making tempers rise more now, remember yesterday I told you let’s move on and just focus on the more serious players.

And as for those still defending chuks no problem the only thing I agree on is that chuks should not be cyber bullied but please stop trying to rationalise his penalty kick, behaviour or whatever, that is also making more temper rise and people still Dey para, let it go. One thing am happy with is that it has justified those who never took chuks seriously and have lamented about his inconsistency over time. Trying to paint another narrative will not convince anyone, dude blew it all and we should just forget about him and talk more about serious players like Bassey and co. It’s like coming here to say now that okoye is better than Nwabali that will be irritating to read so make Una rest o!

I don't support Chuks being bullied. He is a Nigerian player. He deserves our respect. If he missed penalty, he's also done good before. But my opinion is my opinion. I defend criminals. Chuks has not killed anyone. So I can say he acted maliciously and still not support him being bullied.

What I would not countenance is being disrespected because I state my opinion. Nope.

When Nwabali was misbehaving, I stated my opinion, this same BascoVanVeli insulted me. Between myself and him, who acts like a child throwing insults because you find an opinion disagreeable. If we all hurl insults at others just for stating their opinions, I don't think we'd be able to have fruitful conversations.

ChrisKels:
Calm down man. Your take on Chukwueze was off. Sabotage? Come on man!!!

I was gonna pounce until I saw the moniker behind such posts, men I was so disappointed. You should know better.

Truth is that I stated my opinion right immediately upon him taking that Pk. I thought I was off the road until I went on X and saw people mirror the same thing.

Yes you can be disappointed. No aggro with that but in all honesty, that's what I think.

The pain now is no less than the miss of qualifying for the WC. I didn't even say pim about the guys who missed the Pks during the playoffs. But this one was different.

Odunayaw:
😆😂 no sha fight for court o

I don come back since. Odun, so ra eh oo.

This thing dey pain me. See Iwobi. All that beautiful effort, gone. God dey.

It appears that the latest trend is host and win.

If that's the way, then it's going to be a long journey for Nigeria.

We've been unfortunate to meet the hosts twice. Look at Senegal, all their opponents apart from Egypt were weak teams. But they are in the final.

Odunayaw:
Oga why are you pissed about my opinion about your opinion na

Abi I no get that right?

You have the right. Wo, Odun fi mi le oo.

BascoVanVeli:
Honestly u should be thanking me because this argument takes away from how wicked those your comments were. I really thought u were better than that.

Your opinion of me is worthless. This is the second time you traveling along this road of stupidity. If you cannot respectfully engage my opinions even the so called wicked ones, ignore and move on.

Goke7 shey you are reading Chelle praying to be allowed to remain in the job. I told you that even if Tunisia offered him the gaffer job, he won't take it.

https://x.com/i/status/2012148406085652516

Goke7:
The coach says they practice pks a lot should we doubt him? And even if they don’t the players nko don’t practice pks at their clubs? Chuks and Bruno both play and have played at solid clubs na, they need coach to tell them where their leg and the ball should meet? As how na 😂

I will look for the video where Chukwueze himself said that there were practicing penalties.

I think sometimes we overlook the fact that this coaches reason along the lines of common sense. It was obvious that we didn't anticipate penalties during the playoffs but which coach would enter knock out stage of a tournament and not prepare for penalties. It's unthinkable. They prepared. Whoever missed, missed but not from lack of preparation

Afobear:
Alhaji, how are you feeling today ?

😂😂😂 My happy troll. I'm in pains because we lost when we could have won inspite of all the shenanigans the Moroccans threw at us.

On this thread, I try as much as possible to be respectful to everyone. I know there are times I fail in that regard but nobody here will say I have said something disrespectful to them and after pointing out to me, I persist.

BascoVanVeli this is the second time you are wilfully disrespecting me. The first time you apologized. I let it slide. If my opinions are too sharp for you, ignore them unless my opinion is what gives you life.

This is a public forum. If I say what anyone does not like, disagree with me. There's no need to be disrespectful while doing so. Many people say things I don't like here, things that are painful to me but I either ignore it or disagree within the bounds of mutual respect.

Blueelf trolls us here. It's painful. We let him be. Goke7 makes insinuations about the 94 set in a manner that I don't like. Those guys are my heroes. But should I then disrespect him because I don't find his opinion flattering to them. Between the 94 set and Goke7, who is closer to me? Why should I diss him because of his opinion about them. Aren't there points we agree on? So if he disagrees with me isn't that normal?

I said what I said about Chukwueze. Semid4lyfe disagreed even with a word of caution. No disrespect. I respect that.

BascoVanVeli I swear you cannot stand to my face and say that I am childish. Such a thought will not even scan the remotest regions of your mind. It would have been an utter shameless slugging of execrable words if I hadn't been blocked.

Take your time.

Odunayaw:
Don't worry the truth has been established by Mujtahida and his many witnesses

Bro, carry your wahala dey go. You have stated your opinion and I have stated mine. It's disagreement. And it's normal.

BascoVanVeli:
It's a fucking penalty, get over yourself. Which one is he was motivated by malice? What a childish statement to make. Grow the Bleep up.

I warn you again oo. Even the Chuks himself did you see me insult him other than stating what I think his motivations were? Respect yourself Mr. BascoVanVeli

BascoVanVeli:
It's a fucking penalty, get over yourself. Which one is he was motivated by malice? What a childish statement to make. Grow the Bleep up.

Mind your language before I attack you viciously oo. I try as much as possible to be courteous and respectful. You have your opinion, I have mine. You state yours, I state mine. My opinion need not be palatable to you but do not, I state it again: do not disrespect me because I have not disrespected you ever on this thread.

Respect yourself. I'm actually exercising utmost restraint out of respect for you.

daveP:
This one no gel. Many players are not pk designated at their respective clubs but they stepped up on national duty. Find a new one for chuks. Besides many of the actual ones that have good record didn't step up to take


Bravery is one thing
Nonchalance is another

U17 of Yemi Tella boys used more than 2 hours to prepare for pk and all were great with practice las las. Yes that stage is less but let's not act like na cos e no dey take pk.

Overall, the mata don taya me sef.

He did what he did because he's not been playing and felt irrelevant being on the sidelines unlike his teammates like Bassey, Iwobi, Lookman, Osimhen, Akor who were in the spotlight. It was even said that he wasn't happy not to have been brought in earlier in that match.

Every edition of Iwobi's vlog, you'd see him whining about one player or the other taking time talking to the press. I wasn't comfortable with it then but people were taken in by his comedic posturing.

This is my opinion. I might be wrong but this is what I think.

ChrisKels, this is my reason for attributing malice to him. Like I said I might be wrong but I'm not alone in my thinking.

BascoVanVeli:
👀

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZHTYSOfnB4?si=2eaE3TEjupdcdLVr

Do you see the focus, the concentration in his eyes, his body tuned to the assignment in front of him? It's been said of Messi and even Ronaldo that they approach training and matches with such seriousness even after achieving everything in world football.

Compare this with our Mr. Chewing gum. Again, it is not missing the Pk that is the issue. It is the attitude of treating with levity such a significant moment.

Chukwueze has been in the team since 2019, a veteran of 4 Afcons, that's more than the number of Afcons Amunike, Amokachi, Oliseh, Okocha, Mutiu Adepoju, Finidi had. Yet he treated the expectation of the whole nation with indifference. I say he was motivated by malice. I see no other reason. See how Mikel is down on his knees. See, just see.

Mikel Obi’s reaction when Nigeria lost to Morocco 🇳🇬🇲🇦🥲 pic.twitter.com/XIVzZN2120

— @𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗷𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗯𝗼𝘆 (@OneJoblessBoy) January 16, 2026

Look at what the Moroccans were doing to Nwabali. Nigeria would never descend so low. We don't play like that. This is what makes Chukwueze's miss even more painful. Imagine us winning them inspite of all these antics.

Amedino99:
we should have really raised concern on the referee but then we were doing nonchalant and "ghana is our west African brother, the hate is only online" gimmick. These people have always shown that they are against us and we see it in their conduct during even supposed friendly matches but for some reason we always treat the hostility as banter.

On the international football scene ehn, Nigeria is one of the fairest, cleanest country. We rather be cheated than cheat. Given that we are one of the most corrupt countries in the world, this attitude of ours always shocks me.

But I think it comes from the post independence pan African era where Nigeria was a big brother to many African countries. So we still approach issues on the continent with that same sense of fraternity. Meanwhile others don't mind being petty and unscrupulous. See what SA and Libya did during qualifiers. Nigeria will never descend to such gross levels of pettiness just to secure an advantage.

Goke7:
Na tiki taka don spoil football, soft play and placement 😂

You don see Rashidi free kick or penalty? Oya put body na.

chrisooblog:
Joe na my guy but being contrarian for its sake can be mind numbing.

It's not even against the grain that is my issue. His talk is all theory.

semid4lyfe:
Bro, I agree with you.

Chukwueze 100% deserves the dragging he's getting from Nigerians.

You sef check am, Chukwueze and Bruno missed their PKs. In fact, Bruno's PK was the consequential one that gave the advantage to Morocco to score and win but na Chukwueze Nigerians dey drag.

Why? His "I don't care" body language, lackadaisical attitude and uninterested demeanor when he came up for the kick. That's why some people have called him a saboteur. He was chewing gum and just before he took the kick, he blew a big bubble.

Everything was just off. Chukwueze did not recognize the importance of that moment and him converting the kick. He wasn't locked in. These players gats know that when they dorn the green-white-green, it's serious business and they play not for themselves but for 250 million Nigerians.

Nigerians are not dragging him because he missed the penalty. Anybody can miss a penalty. He is being dragged because that moment required seriousness, determination, focus and he showed none.

It was just cruel to approach the penalty with such casual indifference. I'm tempted to expound on why I think he was so casual but anybody who gives it a thought can come to certain assumptions why he did that. I say assumptions because nobody really knows for sure why he was so casual playing such a crucial penalty against one of the best penalty catchers in the world.

zuchyblink:
A little shake up would have distablized their game plan. They locked Iwobi in our half,if he had moved Iwobi forward; maybe replace him with Akor,then replace Akor with a midfielder,it would have changed the trajectory of the game.

If he had done this and they scored, would you have defended him? No!

You'd most likely blame him for such changes.

Sarsaparilla524:
HAS RASHIDI YEKINI EVER MISSED A PENALTY KICK FOR NIGERIA OR HIS CLUB SIDE? NO.

HIS PENALTY KICKS ARE HIT HARD, FIRM AND DECISIVE LEAVING THE GOALKEEPER NO OPTION TO SAVE IT.

HIT IT FIRM, HARD AND DECISIVELY.

DIRECT, ASSERTIVE EXECUTION OVER FINESSE OR PLACEMENT.

GOING FORWARD, NIGERIA MUST ADOPT THIS APPROACH.

PRIORITISE POWER AND CONVICTION OVER DECEPTION.

RIP 9JA GANGLING STRIKER ...

If I am a player, you can never catch my penalty. It is either you break your hand or I play it wide. The venom with which I will hit it ehn, no be person go tell you to comot body.

I pray NFF doesn't retain Chelle since they don't have sense.

BankyGee:
Na why Chukwueze suppose collect better slap from Chelle after that shambolic miss. It would've been mad if we won on penalties after all these nonsense from the referee.

Okay let me not say he acted maliciously (and I have my reason for saying so) but Chukwueze really effed us up.

I saw a video where Chukwueze himself was saying that they have been practicing penalties. Chelle at the post match presser said that he was one of the best at Pks in training. He was brought in specifically to do that job. Fresh mind, fresh leg. He bungled it right at the moment Nwabali gave us the advantage.

All the effort of the team, gone to waste.

Kilishihunter:
We'll keep on trying till we get the fourth star. It was over a decade before we won in 2013. African football is so tough atm that's it hard to dominate like that Egyptian side of old. NFF just have to run their administrative side with a serious approach

It's really tough.