₦airaland Forum

joseph1013:
I can assure you that players better than him have been screened out with this present system of pick and play before. Is our football dead as a result?

We have better odds of getting better talents if academies are made to educate the kids they bring in.

TheGoodJoe:
Let the educated ones compete against the uneducated ones. If any uneducated one is better, he deserves the chance. Talent and Discipline is key. Thumbs up to Manu Garba who helped a player like Yahaya speaking his native dialect to help him grow.

joseph1013:
That's not sustainable. Tell me a football power that just pick people at random and tell them to start playing for their national teams?

You have to understand that systems trump personalities. Manu was there, he won't be there forever. If an Efik person comes, he's also inclined to help someone who speaks Efik. It's subtle nepotism.

When you have a system in place with education as the background, you better your lot.

terzurum5:
“Oyibo Eagles” – Nigerian Players Born Abroad Have Mental Edge Over Home Based Players

https://owngoalnigeria.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/image-61.jpg

As the debate over the none inclusion of home based players in the Super Eagles continue to rage on, a follower of the Nigerian Professional Football League Moses James has given his view while Gernot Rohr possibly prefers players born abroad ahead of the players in the Nigerian League.


Rohr has been criticized in some quarters with most people unhappy with his idea of convincing players of Nigeria descent, most of who have represented other countries to switch allegiance to the Super Eagles.


The term “Oyibo Eagles” was introduced by some followers of the team, due to the influx of so many players born abroad, following the recent capture of Chelsea Ola Aina, QPR Ebere Eze and Arsenal Chuba Akpom.”


I follow the NPFL very well, and it’s clear to see that the mentality of our home based players is not ripe for senior national team assignment, with all due respect and I have my reasons for saying so”, James told Owngoalnigeria.com.”


An average Nigeria League player has a mentality of winning away from home is a tall order, and they also believe if they lose games away it’s entirely the fault of the referee even at home without truly assessing their own peformance.”


Such players have a defeated mindset even when they are called up to the team, they fell they won’t be selected because most Nigerian teams recruit this boys with the help of some people in high places, which is not same in the national team”.

*Ade Emmanuel

http://owngoalnigeria.com/2017/04/01/oyibo-eagles-nigerian-players-born-abroad-have-mental-edge-over-home-based-players/

terzurum5:
TEDA Coach – Mikel To Return In Ten Days, Could Have Missed Four Weeks At Chelsea For Same Injury

https://owngoalnigeria.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/image-10.jpg

Super Eagles captain John Mikel Obi will return back to action in ten days time according to his coach Jamie Pacheo, who claimed it could have been longer if he was still at Chelsea.


Mikel picked up a knock in their last game, where he played as a central defender and will miss this weekend game against Lifan, due to the knock.


Mikel’s coach at Chinese side Tianjin TEDA revealed that the 29 year old will undergo traditional Chinese acupuncture treatment which will hasten up his recovery. The treatment involves the use of thin needles which are inserted into the body as alternative means of curing injuries in China.


An ancient tradition which is still been practiced by the Chinese.” If he was at Chelsea, the injury may be for about three or four weeks, but in TEDA he will resume training in ten days time, and simply fastas well”, Pacheo told sports.enorth.com.cn

* Osas Mahawi

http://owngoalnigeria.com/2017/03/31/teda-coach-mikel-to-return-in-ten-days-could-have-missed-four-weeks-at-chelsea-for-same-injury/

terzurum5:
If he was born in Nigeria, would you agree with his age

Remember a lot of us hear still doubt the ages of most of our youngsters due to their looks.

Now does Paul Pogba look 24 in your eyes

TheGoodJoe:
Nice update. Rohr call him up.


With Aluko in our side, we may set up like this..

..............................Iheanacho (CF)

...Success (SS)...................................... V. Moses (SS)

................................Aluko (AMF)

..................Mikel (CMF).......Ndidi (DMF)

Echiejile (LB) ...............................................Aina (RB)

....................Balogun (CB) .................Ekong (CB)

.......................................Ikeme(GK)

TheGoodJoe:
Yes he did. That does not mean he was way above the age limit. Just like Maduabuchi Obinwa, the MRI prevents old players from passing the test but does not mean young players can not fail the test.

The MRI is now a U17 Criteria which we accept. It helps filter out overage players and I feel that level of tournament needs the protection it gets.

However, I call on the inclusion of players who failed the MRI scan to participate in our U20 process. Just like the players who failed in the last Manu Garba's U17.

Icon4s:
@ Your last paragraph is what Amuneke did not do.

Joebie:
Better! I dont like seeing Mikel as AMF.
I still won't bench Etebo for Success. Etebo can definitely go the distance. Success can bring power later on

TheGoodJoe:
If Amunike wanted any of them, he would have gone for them. Unlike who is the next coach who did not coach the U17 team.

I want whoever takes over the U20 team to also address those screened out by the MRI.

komekn:
The comparison is without substance and the proposition that underpins it irrelevant.

Firstly within Europe there has been automatic birth date capture at source for over 100 years.

As a consequence how you look is a complete irrelevance as it is not the basis for age verification.

Let's be honest corruption is the order of the day in Nigeria, indeed our highest offices are plagued with deceit, misrepresentation, fraud, corruption etc, etc.

Age cheating is in every facet of life in Nigeria, it didn't start with football. I have a friend who got married to girl older than himself, when he found out it was too late. People keep reducing age with a simple sworn declaration of age.

We are as a people are a reflection of our society. It is impossible in Nigeria to have an irrefutable substantiated date of birth. Because integrity and honesty are not meals served on the dinner table regularly.

It's like we all know that the custom service, the police and our politicians are corrupt. However, I do believe that there are some who possibly are not
I just don't know who they are and one thing is they will be in the very small minority, if indeed there are any.

So bearing in mind our nature, why do some people get so upset when we have doubts about players ages. It baffles me to be honest.

We even now use MRI as evidential basis for true age this is still indicative not conclusive. In 2010 I had ACL reconstruction and two MRI scans at the University teaching hospital in the UK and yes from football. I asked the senior radiographers questions about this approach the conclusion was it was indicative of possible age range.

Below a links to published research in academic journals on the subject matter.

Why do you think the Home office had not introduced MRI scans for age determination, simply it would be considered inadmissible in court because it's not conclusive.

See links to scientific journals where there are published papers on the subject.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/dear-fifa-there-is-no-scientific-test-to-prevent-age-fraud

/https://www.mrc.ac.uk/news/browse/study-finds-assessment-of-age-based-on-physical-development-to-be-inaccurate/

TheGoodJoe:
Nice update. Rohr call him up.


With Aluko in our side, we may set up like this..

..............................Iheanacho (CF)

...Success (SS)...................................... V. Moses (SS)

................................Aluko (AMF)

..................Mikel (CMF).......Ndidi (DMF)

Echiejile (LB) ...............................................Aina (RB)

....................Balogun (CB) .................Ekong (CB)

.......................................Ikeme(GK)

Icon4s:
Ndidi, Mathew, Bulbwa and Mustapha among others failed MRI but Manu wanted them back and all 4 became first team players at U20.
I remember Ndidi used to bare Oyinye Ndidi then.

Is Amuneke telling us that none of his U17 players failed MRI or the ones that scaled through MRI are better than the ones that failed?

komekn:
If we are playing Cameroon and if Anichebe is fit I would have him as first choice Striker and if Tega agrees (doubt it) then 3rd choice. Bring on KC in 2nd half when he can take advantage if tired legs.

Mikel as attacking midfielder may knit the team together but he lacks pace to cover and defend this may be a problem if he plays right midfield. Ndidi is first choice DM no contest.

I would like to see Onyedinma compete with Success for that position. I would like have seen Etebo on the right wing as well but in hotly contested game we may need some height.

I can see Aina and Victor combining to devastating effect.

Otherwise that's about the best for now.

TheGoodJoe:
WHEN YOU HAVE A SYSTEM. For now we do not have the system and so we can not short out these young geniuses fighting their way out of poverty. Our open camp system has served us fine. Why stop it?

komekn:
If we are playing Cameroon and if Anichebe is fit I would have him as first choice Striker and if Tega agrees (doubt it) then 3rd choice. Bring on KC in 2nd half when he can take advantage if tired legs.

Mikel as attacking midfielder may knit the team together but he lacks pace to cover and defend this may be a problem if he plays right midfield. Ndidi is first choice DM no contest.

I would like to see Onyedinma compete with Success for that position. I would like have seen Etebo on the right wing as well but in hotly contested game we may need some height.

I can see Aina and Victor combining to devastating effect.

Otherwise that's about the best for now.

TheGoodJoe:
“There is so much overlap that you may have a person who is 18 who could have only minimal fusion to complete fusion, and there are people who are already fused going from ages 20 to 16,” says Vicente Gilsanz, a professor of radiology and pediatrics at the University of Southern California. Although only one player in the 16-year age group was graded as completely fused (stage 6), the standard deviation in that grouping is also pretty telling.


From one of the articles, it clearly pointed a point I explained to you. The rule is not to make every true U17 pass the test but prevent overage passing the test.


Like Maduabuchi Obinwa, he failed but was Under 17. That is now the Fifa's criteria. Fused wrist bones can not pass. Even if you are Under 17. However, footballers over 18 can hardly pass the test because they have fused bones.

I think the rule should stand.

TheGoodJoe:
If Amunike wanted them, he would have called them. He was okay with his group of players. He even called for an open camp, which means he preferred his current players to those screened out.

TheGoodJoe:
Mikel may not lack the pace to track back. That was why I put two covers of Etebo and Ndidi behind him. With these two, the dependence of Mikel to track back reduces. Ndidi and Etebo need to play a more disciplined role.

joseph1013:
I see that you're shifting the goal post as usual. I came into this discussion because you said we don't need such a system because it will work against some players. If you agree that when we have a system based on education, we will be better off, then my job is done.

komekn:
You should consider that the test variables used to ascertain the age were taken from Asia, South America and Algerian North Africa. None of the test cases used for variables were taken from Sub Saharan Africa. THAT SMACKS OF INTENDED DISCRIMINATION.

komekn:
Agreed

What about the possibility of a fully fit Anichebe ( it is speculation) he may not be fit.

Icon4s:
That explanation is not acceptable. "He was okay with the group of players". Does he know the level of competitiveness of that stage?

He thinks the U20 is jst 1 step above U17?

His inexperience of coaching at that level has let Nigeria down.

Amuneke failed in his players selection.
He is my pal but I must say the truth.

komekn:
The comparison is without substance and the proposition that underpins it irrelevant.

Firstly within Europe there has been automatic birth date capture at source for over 100 years.

As a consequence how you look is a complete irrelevance as it is not the basis for age verification.

Let's be honest corruption is the order of the day in Nigeria, indeed our highest offices are plagued with deceit, misrepresentation, fraud, corruption etc, etc.

Age cheating is in every facet of life in Nigeria, it didn't start with football. I have a friend who got married to girl older than himself, when he found out it was too late. People keep reducing age with a simple sworn declaration of age.

We are as a people are a reflection of our society. It is impossible in Nigeria to have an irrefutable substantiated date of birth. Because integrity and honesty are not meals served on the dinner table regularly.

It's like we all know that the custom service, the police and our politicians are corrupt. However, I do believe that there are some who possibly are not
I just don't know who they are and one thing is they will be in the very small minority, if indeed there are any.

So bearing in mind our nature, why do some people get so upset when we have doubts about players ages. It baffles me to be honest.

We even now use MRI as evidential basis for true age this is still indicative not conclusive. In 2010 I had ACL reconstruction and two MRI scans at the University teaching hospital in the UK and yes from football. I asked the senior radiographers questions about this approach the conclusion was it was indicative of possible age range.

Below a links to published research in academic journals on the subject matter.

Why do you think the Home office had not introduced MRI scans for age determination, simply it would be considered inadmissible in court because it's not conclusive.

See links to scientific journals where there are published papers on the subject.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/dear-fifa-there-is-no-scientific-test-to-prevent-age-fraud

/https://www.mrc.ac.uk/news/browse/study-finds-assessment-of-age-based-on-physical-development-to-be-inaccurate/

TheGoodJoe:
Education is free/cheap in most states but Hunger is real. Lots of Families can not afford to allow their kids go to school. Lots of kids are on the streets and Highway Hawking to put food on their tables. Some are in farms. Some in Markets.

We need to curb hunger and Poverty before talking of Children going to school. We have a lot of work to do in this country.

For now, Footie is another escape out of poverty. No need shutting the door on some bright ones.

TheGoodJoe:
Anichebe is too immobile for my liking. I say Iheanacho runs at that defence with full speed. Against the Senegalese, despite their power, they could not deal woth Iheanacho's movement. I say we maintain the same formula than putting a mechanic up front.

tglobal:
@komekn:

The scientific american article suggests that the age range for 2 standard deviations of the age of complete fusion is 16-20 years. This means that only 2.5 of every 100 people tested will pass the MRI fusion test when they are above 20! If this is the case, I will say there is no cause for concern since most of the players are within 3 years of their stated ages unlike the case in the past where we could have as much variance as 8-10 years

As rightly pointed out by a quote in the article, we are ignoring the fact that legitimate under 17 players may be wrongly disqualified. There is also a possibility of it being unfair to Africans, which is the main point of the article. The quotes below highlight these points:

“Maybe people are not concerned about unfairly excluding kids from competition,” Rauch says, “but that’s the inevitable problem.”

“The analysis underpinning FIFA’s age regulation does include some individuals from Algeria(which is in north Africa), yet it does not include anyone from sub-Saharan Africa, where this ruling has been applied before—and is again now. Very little puberty research is focused on the sub-Saharan region, so it is difficult to pinpoint information about the onset and tempo of puberty in Nigeria. But scientists have uncovered variation elsewhere. Multiple studies have shown that kids embark on puberty at different times based on factors including nutrition, environment and ethnic background. Puberty in African-American girls who grow up in the U.S. begins roughly a year earlier, on average, than among white girls, for example”

komekn:
We are talking about two totally different players. On a lighter note Anichebe does not have to be mobile he will simply move you out the way, this guy is a bulldozer.

In a straight line he is probably faster than KC and he runs with power, he cannot be knocked off the ball. Add to that he can run behind the defence or dismantle it from the front in the air. He is simply a defenders worst nightmare.

goldfish80:
I usually doubt this sort of statistics. Some of which are cooked up by NGO's to attract foreign grants. Truth is that child education in Nigeria is not as bad as being painted. I know it's totally a different kettle of fish up the Northern part of the country but where I come from, kids go to school. Even if some take to hawking as a means of survival but they do that after school.
The Streets are usually empty by 9 am. You won't see any child roaming the streets at school hour except durring holidays or if the kid called in sick.

Poverty is not an excuse not to have at least Junior secondary education except in the north which have its own peculiarities.