₦airaland Forum

carbonado:
....Why has the N.F.F never protested against playing on bad pitch, despite knowing that players might pick injury or players will not be able to give their all?.....Also is there a stipulated time to protest before a match is played?..If there is, whatis the duration, i will rather protest the game be postponed than my players getting injured.

The problem is CAF. Once they give approval, there is little the opponent can do. Even the GB players and their coach complained about the pitch before the match, the same pitch CAF had approved.

DeloitteNG:
Why do the Super Eagles play so well during major tournaments but consistently struggle during qualifiers? We easily thrashed teams like Uganda and Mozambique in the last AFCON, yet if we faced them right now in a qualifier, we would likely struggle to beat them.
We desperately need to get to the bottom of this issue because it is completely obvious that the problem goes much deeper than just the coaches and the players

It's a mentality matter...they view tournament as different just like how players treat leagues differently from cup games...in tournies,losses are punished immediately so the zeal to win is high but vice versa for qualifiers.

We need mentality monsters and supremacists in super eagles,apart from technicality,skill, goalscoring and great form...we need people who will hear the name guinea Bissau and decide that anything less than 6 nil victory is a loss, people that can't fathom the idea of losing to big teams or small teams just because in their heads they are the best in the world, people underlook this and that's why there's no single player in super eagles in the last five-15 years with that mentality...the comeback spirit and allat

Akkin:
It's a mentality matter...they view tournament as different just like how players treat leagues differently from cup games...in tournies,losses are punished immediately so the zeal to win is high but vice versa for qualifiers.

We need mentality monsters and supremacists in super eagles,apart from technicality,skill, goalscoring and great form...we need people who will hear the name guinea Bissau and decide that anything less than 6 nil victory is a loss, people that can't fathom the idea of losing to big teams or small teams just because in their heads they are the best in the world, people underlook this and that's why there's no single player in super eagles in the last five-15 years with that mentality...the comeback spirit and allat

Thank you
I simply think it is a mentality thing too

EElopa:
You can never have a good football team without a good midfield. The reason why the likes of Senegal, Ivory Coast or Morocco rarely lose in Africa is because of their ability to control games. We have to rebuild that midfield. Enough of the runners, hustlers, and tacklers, we now need the ball carriers, manipulators and distributors. We went from the likes of JJ Okocha, Wilson Oruma, Sunday Oliseh, Mikel Obi to Ndidi, Onyeka and Onyedika. Throw that midfield positions wide open for real competition. Go hard on Francis Onyeka and Ethan Nwaneri for that creative midfield position. If we can get these two it will create a massive competition for Lookman in that 10 position. Iwobi to me is a winger. Move him to the left wing position. He will create a competition for Lookman in that left wing position and also in the 10 position if needed. This will bring out the best in Lookman who i still think is Nigeria second best attacking player. Get rid of the players that thier best football are behind them. The 5 central defenders are set. They should be Calvin Bassey, Emmanuel Fernandez, Chibuike Nwaiwu, Benjamin Frederick and Akpe Victory. The left back position is a shitshow. Bruno onyemachi and Sanusi are simply not good enough. They are very limited players. These two will not get us to the promise land. Good lads, but they are very limited. Get rid of them. Felix Agu is serviceable when fit but he is always injured. I will pay serious attention to the newly invited leftback in the Russia game and it will be totally unfair to cast judgement on him base on one game but i will evaluate the technical and defensive side of his game. Cast the net wide and see if you can find a proper leftback and if not, maybe moving Calvin Bassey to the left back position should be considered. Ola Aina is a very good right back. Thier are good prospects here for the backup roles. Wingers position should be a blood bath. We are loaded here. Alex Iwobi, Ademola Lookman, Samuel Chukwueze, Femi Azeez, Zadok Yohanna, Moses Usor etc. We are really not as blessed in the strikers position as we think. The only real strikers we currently have in the supereargles are Victor Osimhen and George Ilenikhena. The rest are really below average. Victor and George will always be there. If Victor Osimhen is available I will probably go with Akor as the 3rd striker. We don't need 4 strikers use the extra striker spot for a midfielder. If Osimhen is not available The third striker spot should be wide open and should go any striker performing at a respectable level for his club ( The league he plays in should play a major factor) Finally the goal keeping position should be a battle between Maduka Okoye and Authur Okoronkwo. Get rid of Nwabali. The third goal keeping spot should go the U23 Starting Goalkeeper.

I hope I can like this multiple times

DeloitteNG:
Why do the Super Eagles play so well during major tournaments but consistently struggle during qualifiers? We easily thrashed teams like Uganda and Mozambique in the last AFCON, yet if we faced them right now in a qualifier, we would likely struggle to beat them.
We desperately need to get to the bottom of this issue because it is completely obvious that the problem goes much deeper than just the coaches and the players

1. Much better pitches

2. Preparation time. Those 2 to 3 weeks of camping before the tournament is what makes the team play cohesively and ensures their quality and identity comes through. In qualifiers players fly in from all over Europe, land in Africa and within 2 days are on the pitch against teams who see these games as their cup final.

This is the most important reason. When it's all said and done about the individual players you might have...football still remains a team game.

Akkin:
It's a mentality matter...they view tournament as different just like how players treat leagues differently from cup games...in tournies,losses are punished immediately so the zeal to win is high but vice versa for qualifiers.

We need mentality monsters and supremacists in super eagles,apart from technicality,skill, goalscoring and great form...we need people who will hear the name guinea Bissau and decide that anything less than 6 nil victory is a loss, people that can't fathom the idea of losing to big teams or small teams just because in their heads they are the best in the world, people underlook this and that's why there's no single player in super eagles in the last five-15 years with that mentality...the comeback spirit and allat

You sabi book

Like he was just stressing Calvin Bassey man have to crash out.. Have not seen him speak on the field of play before… https://t.co/KW6v7fh36O pic.twitter.com/cjNKsCrTqg

— Ègbọ́n Àdúgbò (@NIYOREpe4h) September 30, 2026

/video/1

Watch the fight in Calvin Bassey. Calvin Bassey and Victor Oshimhen are the kind of dogs you need on your national team. Bruno Onyemachi was getting punked and bullied all game. He was soft like Charmin in this game, and I am glad Calvin was on his ass. To be great at anything, you have to have a strong mentality. This is the kind of character I need in my national team. Bassy got it, Oshimhen got it, the rest are not showing it, and this is why we are losing games to these minors in football. I even heard some of them refused to play because the pitch was bad, and these are the kind of players some think will go away to Burkina Faso, Gambia, Guinea, etc., in the World Cup qualifiers and grind out results under terrible conditions. I need dogs on this team, and if you are soft, you can only function on a perfect pitch in European kind of surroundings; please stop making yourself available for selection in these qualifiers. He will be an Inter Milan player next season. This boy is so much better and bigger than Fulham with all due respect. He is a warrior, and I want him as the vice captain of the team.

elyte89:
From close quarters,Dey had to beg most of the players to play on dt pitch ;now imagine d performance. Furthermore some players even refused outrightly… you can’t expect top commitment from professionals on injury-prone pitch


Play d same match on a good flowing pitch and we won’t even draw dt match ..Guinea Bissau will collect

You sabi book

forgiveness:
That field na potato farm. 🥔

See as ball the bounce like felele.

The players didn't stick their neck. Even Nwabali dey careful to dive go land on potato. Chaiiiiiii.

No problem. Make dem come make we beat dem 4 zero.

You sabi book

lbrichman2:
You sabi book

The problem here is Nigeria plays in Africa. We have to start learning how to beat these adversaries. World Cup Qualifying will soon kick off, and the away games are not going to be like Afcon pitches in Ivory Coast or Morocco. Even our home games are not going to be like those pitches, and we need to start finding ways to grind out results. Things don't change in Nigeria; the NFF is corrupt, and once money changes hands, they will agree to send the supereagles to go and play in those potato farm fields. If you doubt this claim, do you know that in the 2022 World Cup playoffs between Nigeria and Ghana, the Accra stadium was not approved by CAF, and Ghana was going to play their home game against us in Morocco? Amaju Pinnick collaborated with the Ghana FA, and an envelope was exchanged, and the stadium was approved mysteriously. Nigeria is rotten to the core with corruption. Criminality has taken over the country, and you cannot even get any leadership position in today's Nigeria without being a thug or a criminal. I have zero to little hope that any significant change is really going to happen in the NFF.

To me the pitch excuse is nonsense and hogwash

Did the pitch affect Adams from making a 2m pass in that second half counter or Awoniyi running up and down during the first half without direction or Bruno being easily dribbled in the first goal we conceded and his other lapses that made Bassey to yell at him

The players are cowards to say the least

They all know Africa is under developed if they are not ready to give their all there a thousand and more people ready to give their all they should make way for them

If Bissau can be excellent in that so-called potato farm what is the chance they will turn out to be worse or bad and be easily beaten by this toothless eagles on a better pitch that's if ours is even better

Any Super Eagles player who is not ready to bleed for the green and white should kindly excuse himself from the National team.

He should kindly retire from International football or decline an invitation.

Most of the pitches in Africa are substandard and not upto par.

We should pass the following players in the November window.

Akor Adams
Wilfred Ndidi
Chief Stanley Nwabali
Tolu Alukodare
Bruno Onyeamachi
Osayi Samuel
Moses Simon
Frank Onyeka
Onyedika Raphael
Taiwo Awoniyi
Chukwueze

Playing on African pitches will get you injured; anyone not ready to take the risk should excuse himself from the National team.

Vince Osuji
The ball-playing centre-back has been called up.

elyte89:
From close quarters,Dey had to beg most of the players to play on dt pitch ;now imagine d performance. Furthermore some players even refused outrightly… you can’t expect top commitment from professionals on injury-prone pitch


Play d same match on a good flowing pitch and we won’t even draw dt match ..Guinea Bissau will collect

The question is this: how come other teams like Senegal and Morocco can go to these terrible terrains and still grind out results while we just sit here and give excuses?

FiveFootNinja:
The question is this: how come other teams like Senegal and Morocco can go to these terrible terrains and still grind out results while we just sit here and give excuses?

The fact is this,any country that parades the same midfielders we're having will always having issues...yes Iwobi gives passes,apart from that nothing more,Ndidi was known for marking but now that marking is gone and Oyenka always busy and many times doing nothing...this midfield set up is a burden on the team, defenders would be over working and attackers would be wandering.....with this midfield we're not making it again to WC,unless Chelle do the needful

TheSuperNerd:
Akpe Victory leads the Swiss Super League in Passing Interceptions.

Sadly, reports reaching me say he will miss the Russia game and has been likely replaced with Vince Osuji of Tromso (formerly of Club Brugge).

Just like I mentioned yesterday.

Vince Osuji in for Akpe Victoy due to a knee injury picked up by Akpe.

TheSuperNerd:
Although not officially confirmed yet, John Otomewo of Reims is said to have been called up as Ndidi's replacement for the Russia Friendly.

Also, mentioned Otomewo as Replacement for Ndidi.

Both are official. ⚡️⚡️

Plus he who comes to equity must come with clean hands.

Uyo at its best doesn't have pristine playing surfaces.

Franktom247:
To me the pitch excuse is nonsense and hogwash

Did the pitch affect Adams from making a 2m pass in that second half counter or Awoniyi running up and down during the first half without direction or Bruno being easily dribbled in the first goal we conceded and his other lapses that made Bassey to yell at him

The players are cowards to say the least

They all know Africa is under developed if they are not ready to give their all there a thousand and more people ready to give their all they should make way for them

If Bissau can be excellent in that so-called potato farm what is the chance they will turn out to be worse or bad and be easily beaten by this toothless eagles on a better pitch that's if ours is even better

History behind Nigeria first football team

https://x.com/HistoryVille/status/2105922237068898696?s=20

chrisooblog:
Plus he who comes to equity must come with clean hands.

Uyo at its best doesn't have pristine playing surfaces.

Sir you sound very knowledgeable in legal terms. Are you a court bailiff, court clerk or paralegal sir?

DRC 0-2 Uganda (Friendly) 64mins

DRC has about 7-8 new recruitments starting.

U23 Afcon Qualifiers first round result.

1st leg: Mauritania U23s 1-0 DRC U23s (Sept 28)

2nd leg: DRC U23s vs Mauritania U23s (Oct 6)

Winner of this game plays Nigeria U23s in the 2nd round of Qualification in November. Nov 9 & 17, 2026 window.

Franktom247:
To me the pitch excuse is nonsense and hogwash

Did the pitch affect Adams from making a 2m pass in that second half counter or Awoniyi running up and down during the first half without direction or Bruno being easily dribbled in the first goal we conceded and his other lapses that made Bassey to yell at him

The players are cowards to say the least

They all know Africa is under developed if they are not ready to give their all there a thousand and more people ready to give their all they should make way for them

If Bissau can be excellent in that so-called potato farm what is the chance they will turn out to be worse or bad and be easily beaten by this toothless eagles on a better pitch that's if ours is even better

Gbam!!!!!!!!!!!!

Be like you go send aza abeg

Me ke?

Na DLaw sabi all those legal jargons

AndSunGorilla:
Sir you sound very knowledgeable in legal terms. Are you a court bailiff, court clerk or paralegal sir?

18y/o 🇩🇪🇳🇬 RB, Daniel Nnodim scored⚽️ and played 70mins for Austria Wien in a 6-1 friendly win over Admira Wacker. He was subbed out for 21y/o DF, David Ewemade

24y/o CB, Ibrahim Buhari played all 90mins for Austria Wien.

TheSuperNerd:
DRC 0-2 Uganda (Friendly) 64mins

DRC has about 7-8 new recruitments starting.

FT DRC 0-2 Uganda.

#17 James Bogere (18yrs) scored.

They play again on October 5.

TheSuperNerd:
Although not officially confirmed yet, John Otomewo of Reims is said to have been called up as Ndidi's replacement for the Russia Friendly.

Dear Lord Almighty let this come to pass..

Meliforme:
Dear Lord Almighty let this come to pass..

Already done.

Blueelf:
Gbam!!!!!!!!!!!!

Be like you go send aza abeg

You just spoke my mind,it's a utter joke how the media keeps making lame excuses for this bunch of overpampered players. Only Bassey gave his all on the pitch that day while the rest were just utterly useless, even the so called captain of the team was invisible and cowering like a deadbeat coward while Bassey was all over the place trying to passionately motivate the team, shouting at Bruno who kept making silly mistakes and putting the defence under constant pressure. It's a sad drop-off how we went from passionate captains like Sunday Oliseh, Stephen Keshi etc to Ndidi.

Honestly any Nigerian fan or journalist who still defends these players after all the heartbreaks they've put us through time and time again must either love torture, or is getting paid to whitewash them. After 2 world cup disappointments, I just gave up...if we don't qualify for this AFCON next year, God will punish the generation of any journalist or fan who opposes a complete overhaul of the team. I don't mind if we decide to use the U23 boys and other young decent prospects home and abroad to rebuild all over again.

SymphonyRad:
Ndidi is almost 30 and is a bench warmer in Turkey bro, Mikel Obi at 30 was still an active and far better player than Ndidi... so your comparison is baseless, save yourself the paragraph of epistle,Ndidi is done and should be phased out.

He should be phased out while still delivering stellar performances in his position. God forbid!

Mikel was not loved, always getting criticisms, the same with Ndidi.

Ndidi not starting games is for tactical reasons. Ndidi's game of passes has improved tremendously and it might be because of this.

I pray for you that no one demands for your drop, even when you keep improving.

If you have a better replacement for Ndidi, please bring it up. I want to hear the name.

Meliforme:
He should be phased out while still delivering stellar performances in his position. God forbid!

Mikel was not loved, always getting criticisms, the same with Ndidi.

Ndidi not starting games is for tactical reasons. Ndidi's game of passes has improved tremendously and it might be because of this.

I pray for you that no one demands for your drop, even when you keep improving.

If you have a better replacement for Ndidi, please bring it up. I want to hear the name.

Interesting...so Ndidi getting benched in Turkey is for tactical reasons? abeg since you're privy to this tactical secret, do you mind telling what those reasons are?

Bros you can defend Ndidi all you like, that's your choice, but right now, every discerning fan knows Ndidi is done.

TheSuperNerd:
Already done.

This is good news.

I have always wanted that lad's invitation.