₦airaland Forum

GloryIsaac:
In most cases, those who choose to play for their motherland do so for these reasons;

1. Not good enough for their adopted team.
2. Good enough but tough competition in adopted team. Means might not get a lot of international caps.

These reasons are at the root of it, the ‘patriotism’ talk is just a deflection.

If a player is assured of his place in the national team of his adopted country, and they have a better chance of going far in the tournament, he will represent them.

Also put into consideration that these adopted countries were the ones who groomed the player. Most start at U13s or U16s I believe.

Ofcourse, there are exceptions to this, but they are rare.

P.S. Falcao would have had to compete with Fernando Torres and David Villa for a starting berth with Spain. Doubt the success rate if he tried in 2007.

GloryIsaac:
Who?

What are the achievements of the people they should look up to?

Can you compare that to Maradona or the Brazilian team of 2002?

raumdeuter:
Maybe Etoos son was not good enough to represent Spain. You think if Kante Pogba Zidane were representing Guinea Algeria and Congo anyone would be mentioning them?

Remember George Weah your first example of patriotism? and current president of Liberia, I will think this icon of patriotism son will be playing for Liberia, yet he is representing the USA.

Do you think any of the Ayews is talented enough to make the French team?. Was Mejbri talented enough to have broken into a top team in Europe?

Haaland was born in UK and according to wiki was taken to Norway at age 3. I am sure Haaland cannot remember anything about growng up before age 3 in England, All his memories are from Norway and the country he feels very Norwegian just like Osaze born in Uzbekistan but by age 2, he was moved back to Naija so most of his growing up was in Nigeria

So imagine for Naija dressing room boys begin blow Yoruba Igbo Hausa and pidgin and you want Saka to be blowing cockney accent there? How will he even connect with the fans

GloryIsaac:
Imagine

chic2pimp:
None whatsoever absolutely zilch. I have spent more time in Naij than the Likes of Saka has and if given the chance, no way do I choose Nigeria.

Look at the Nigerian Basketball Team as an example, the ones with Zero chance of making the US Team have suddenly discovered their Nigerian Heritage and are representing Nigeria. The likes of Bam Adebayo with real talent meanwhile have chosen the US. Imagine Nigeria trying to Pinch Giannis Adetokunbo from Greece let's see if the Greek government won't start war with Nigeria.

handelex:

Oleouters can't wait, they've been stylishly reminding us since.

CapitalCee:
We warn Saka to chose his national team wisely but he refused. I sympathise for his racist abuse, but it serves him right. This is a lesson to others

Jodera:
Lol... Saka na just accomplice ni oo. You no see d main culprits dey vex. Man like rashford dey shout "monkey monkey"


Anyways, how ole in, ole out Season 2 go dey na?. I hear say dem wan introduce new correct actor called Sancho

Can't wait for the season unveiling mahn!!

KingTom:
We finished trophyless and lost the Yuropa League final to a 7th Placed Spanish Team...


JUST A REMINDER

KingAlabi:
The best solution to racism is to ignore it, it will never die.
Fighting it is a lost cause.

KingAlabi:
Another rollercoaster of thugs, agberos and trolls.

I no get strength jare.

afrodoc2:
Naija wey don expire?

Oasis007:


..... with Eric Ramsay.

KingAlabi:
The best solution to racism is to ignore it, it will never die.
Fighting it is a lost cause.

benji93:
Permit me to say this, what the hell are you talking about? No be one person they start the long line of great players? I cannot believe anyone would bring before us a basket of points. You couldn't mention anybody but Maradona, someone a significant number of people consider the GOAT? Must you be a GOAT to be a role model? Must you be Pele, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo e.t.c to be considered a role model? The very best of you in a field are by default role models with respect to that field. People look up to them and then do better, others look up to those and you eventually get some guys doing better, it goes on and on. Must someone have the talent/greatness level of Messi to be considered a role model? Be very careful.

KingTom:
We finished trophyless and lost the Yuropa League final to a 7th Placed Spanish Team...


JUST A REMINDER

KingAlabi:
The best solution to racism is to ignore it, it will never die.
Fighting it is a lost cause.

GloryIsaac:
This proves my initial point.

All the legends the South American players look up to are locally-born. So they made their nation great from the roots, the streets. They didn’t fly back from some foreign nation to come do it.

They set a standard from home.

What standard have we set from home? Olympics? AFCON? Entertaining viewers with skills and tricks? or shouting “eeh eh eeh eh” at the viewing centers?

So it hits different when those born and bred in a foreign nation read about the exploits of these football greats. They naturally want to replicate it.

Success has many fathers, but Failure is an orphan.

If Nigeria does well with these current crop in an international competition like the World Cup, it’ll spur the foreign-born guys to consider representing us.

There’ll be pride when they read about Ndidi, Senior Man etc. for their exploits in the World Cup, not their exploits at club level.

A foreign-born will only represent his nation if he’s:

1. Not good enough for the adopted team.
2. Good enough but heavy competition. Means place is not guaranteed.
3. Native team is stronger than adopted team.

You don’t expect a person who knows absolutely nothing about Nigeria to come and try become our Maradona when he has a guaranteed place in his adopted team with more quality players. It’s an exercise in futility.

Pogba plays for France, his brothers play for their native team. Pogba has a World Cup medal, his brothers don’t. Pogba won’t have that medal if he followed his brothers based on patriotism.

Check every foreign-born who came back to represent their native nations, and weigh their options if they chose their adopted team. Weigh it against the 3 points given above.

benji93:
First bolded: Certainly a good point, which is quite unnecessary here, cos at one time we had a golden generation of players that were very Good. The Okocha, Finidi, Amokachi, Kanu e.t.c. They were the best of us and they were decent for our national team, getting to back to back knockout stages of the world cup. Some even claim they could have gone much further in 94 of if not for Ojoro. So there you go, those are role models.
Second bolded: This is certainly a statement of what is.

GloryIsaac:
What did our “Golden Generation” achieve?

R16 in World Cup.

That shouldn’t be the standard for a Golden Generation.

benji93:
I wasn't quite done. I have modified that quote.
I repeat, what the he'll are you talking about?
No be somewhere he dey start from?
Besides the talk of Golden generation is obviously a relative subject. It's our golden generation.

Expert17:
Lukaku

Useless Ice Cold Flop

Karleb:
Where are you people getting all these different players of the tournament?

KingAlabi:
Pogba and shaw robbed, who does the rating for fvck sake

KingAlabi:
Pogba and shaw robbed, who does the rating for fvck sake

airmark:
Robbed ko Abonikied ni.

adebayo201:
We're set... Blades about to blaze!

Thank you for the reminder sire