₦airaland Forum

If only... but we are not just Ghana; score 1 and defend to the last whistle with knack. Gyandom! We're too flair oriented to try that boring approach@the WC.

safarigirl:
you are so biased,you cannot even see your own bias.

It takes a special human being to never see the fault in his opinions. You are indeed one of a kind

You make a lot noise but with no substance.

You under pin your notions with nothingness. But just confused rhetoric. Not supporting a view or approach does not mean bias. Particularly when it's reasoned on objectivity.

What is bias? because you and quite a few other make this allegation but it's not done with any rational or even specific reasoning. No facts or reference point just emotive sentiment prejudice.

Mujtahida:
Please tell me which individual award the others won. Abeggi they were average! Of all the players then making waves in the world mention one Nigerian, just one. And please don't come up with top leagues falsehood. The top leagues in the 90's was the seria A and La liga. Ajax beating Milan in 95 was a surprise sort of. We had no single player in Seria A except later when Taribo joined. Just two players in la liga(I am sure it would be a mid table teams those santander( they 8 on the table and Vallecano were relegated that season) Jay Jay was chopping bench at eintracht frankfurt, same with Eguavoen and Siasia, seems Keshi had no club, ikpeba by then was not a regular at Monaco, Ezeugo was playing in India, oliha in cote d'ivoire. Rufai too was hardly a regular at his club. No first team player in the EPL. Ekoku was in midtable Norwich city but he was not a first team player.

Today we have players playing in the EPL, the Bundesliga, in Portugal, in Turkey, in Belgium just as those in the golden generation yet you want us to believe that the leagues in those same countries then were top leagues just because you don't want to see anything good in this team until players of your specific choice are in the team. I respect the 94 team for the good they did to the image of our football . And same respect should be accorded this team.

Abeg people help me see the teams USA 94 squad were playing in (none was playing . And most of them were bench warmers. Thank God for the Internet. Na so you for bamboozle us and make us feel those guys were playing for teams in the mold of Chelsea, Man United, Real and barca.

HahahahHahahaha! Certainly certainly, you don't know the top leagues in Europe during that era because if you do then you will not analyse the way you did.

How can you say Ajax defeating Milan was surprising when Ajax was already an Europe.an champion?


The Dutch league was one the best in the world until late 90s when money bags came into the system.

If you go to the Dutch league then, you are in a top league.

However, from 80s towards the early 90s the Belgian, Portuguese and Dutch league were at the pinnacle of European football. They were competing for the UEFA cup and Champion league.

So, it was a very laudable achievement if you played in those leagues during that era. You can go and check the finals of both competition den.

It was the era before the Italians totally took over from 90s onward.

So if we have to go by that era, the Seria A was the best followed by the Bundesliga, EPL, Portuguese liga, Eredivise, La liga and The Belgium pro league. French league is not left out too.

The gap inclass was not that much then compare with today.

Going by this, Yekini was winning thehighest goal scorer in the top 3 or 4 best league in the world.

It is just like becoming the highest goal scorer in the EPL or Bundesliga of today. Don't forged Figo was in the Portuguese liga then.


Finidi was playing in the best club in the world.

Daniel Amokachi and Victor Ikpeba performed in the best league at that time. It was just likeplaying in Ligue 1 of today.

They were the Mbappe of that era hence the interest from Everton and Monaco. I likening Monaco of those days to Athletico Madrid of today.

The reason Daniel Amokachi moved to Everton was because the EPL became lucrative from the early 90s. Off course he move from UEFA champions league finalist and one the most consistent club in the Champions league and Europe.Club Brugge.

I just gave you 4. Four times what you asked for though they were many.

I know this things because the Belgian league was showed regularly in that era bylocal channels because it was very good and popular. EPL became only popular early 90s after it was restructured.

Don't try to console yourself with bench warmers.

forgiveness:
Yekini was the top goal scorer in the Portuguese liga.

Evan Ekoku scored double digit goals in the EPL and scored in UEFA cup.

Victor Ikpeba was among the top goal scorers in the Belgian league with 17 goals in 1993 before he moved to Monaco where he scored in UEFA champions league.

Finidi was with Ajsx.

We had players in Anderlecht.

I have said this several times.

Consider Taribo West playing non stop first man on the team sheet for Inter-milan. Without doubt considered one of the best defenders in Europe.

To this day Yekini who was a top goal scorer in the Portuguese league is still recognised.

We had attacking players who were among the cream of the top clubs in Europe.

Unity and supposed team spirit can not substitute quality.

Kog45:
Thank you.I can say it anywhere that our US 94 team were average but solid as a team.

Disagree when Amokachi was at Brugge he was being courted be several EPL teams at the time. After the World Cup his rating went further upwards.

How many if our current players are first team players and crucial players in top clubs in Europe

Compare the current team to the pre millennium set of players and thier is really a big gulf in quality.

Kog45:
Thank you.US 94 team were average but solid as a team.

The US 94 midfield is not better than what we have now,Ndidi of now is better than Olishe of US 94,Mikel of today is better than Okocha of US 94,our fullbacks were better than US 94 set albeit Iroha Ben though US 94 squad had better CB in Okechukwu and Nwanu but lacked the bench of today's team.

Defenders like Uche Okafor,Emenalo and Ezeugu will not make this present team and Keshi has passed his prime meaning the present CBs still have depths in Balogun,Ekong,Awaziem, Omeruo

In attacks i gave it to US 94 squad cos Yekini, Amokachie,Siasia,Finidi and Amuneke are just too solid than Ighalo,Iheanacho,Iwobi,Simeon,well may be Vic Moses can pull a surprise making the bench cos we still have Ikpeba and Ekoku on the bench.

Goalkeeping i don't want to go there cos we have solid keepers in US 94 team,Rufai and Agbonavbare are just too solid even average Alloy Agu is better than what we have now.

As u said we just need to work on what we have and the only way out is tactics cos only names that can decide outcomes of a match today are Messi and Ronaldo,so tactics must do it for us with the players we have now,it works against Argentina though a friendly match.

I would not rate Ndidi higher than Oliseh irrespective of the fact they played different roles.

Mikel is not better than Okocha

Echijile is certainly not better than Babayaro

chrisooblog:
I think you are being overly presumptuous that we could have won the world cup. Football is not mathematics where by if you beat mr A it doesn't necessarily mean you will defeat Mr B. Remember bulgaria that we defeated also beat Argentina so they are no guarantees we would have beaten them again.

Presumptuous? This is pure analysis, No football person will forecast a team which defeated her opponent 3:0 in the group stage to loose to the same team in the semi finals. It will take an unusual level of capitulation to loose.
We beat same Bulgaria in 98 if our dominance was ever in doubt.

Yes with hindsight we should have seen off the Italians but you make it sound as if the azzuri were completely rubbish. In my opinion it was tactical naivety and player irresponsibility (Okocha dribbling all over the place without purpose, oliseh's half hearted tackle that led to the Italians equalizer) that caused us that game not so much the loss of amunike and amokachii. After all they didn't do much before and after the goal.

Can you point out were I made the Italians look rubbish? I basically said they took out the corner stone of our attack and thereafter, it was curtains. We managed just 1 shot on goal afterwards( a Jay Jay Okocha free kick).
The Italians attacked down the wings. Their equalizing goal came as a result of a cut back from the left which Baggio scored from. Amuneke would have kept their fullback busy if he was on the the pitch.

I understand your concern that we go with the very best players that can represent us and the world cup and not sentimentally stick to who is not performing clubwise but who are the replacements?

If you agree that the players arent performing to world cup standard why argue in the first place when I stated the obvious?

Bro I know you want the best for the super eagles but don't allow too much skepticism to blind you to the potential of our team.

Our attackers goal returns this season have been poor. That is a fact, No skepticism there

e our coach and players are not sacred cows that can't be criticized or questioned all some of us posters are saying is have a little faith at least our team deserves that much

I have always had faith in the team. Before the game against Zambia, I told Micheal2 that we would qualify after the game . Before the Cameroun game, I told anyone who cared to listen that if we go with physically strong players, we will win easily. I was proved right in the end.
This attitude that any critique of the team is bad could eventually be the undoing of the team but thankfully majority of Nigerians who I interact qith daily have different mindset to people here.

komekn:
Firstly, you cannot compare U20 world cup with the U17 world cup even if they are both age grade competitions or not. All of the players in the England U20 indeed across Europe you will find are seasoned young professional at some very top clubs. Some with over a hundred professional games under thier belts.

Most U17 players have not even had one senior professional game and are simply youth players with potential, that's all. Winning best U20 player is a huge award, completely different in quality, standard and indeed can not be compared to the U17.

Considering your emotive allegation of bias. My comparison is between clearly different standard components that do not have equal value. That's objectivity not deductions based on emotive preejudice unsubstantiated deductions.

So I ask you, WHO IS BEING BIASED HERE

Osimhen has not even got on the starting line-up of Wolfsburg a team that missed relegation by the skin of thier teeth. A team he is struggling to make the bench indeed he has probably not played up to 3 hours of professional football in his entire career.

So in comparing Osimhen to Solanke is that BIAS in your definition. I didnt make that comparison you did to present a unfounded ridiculous notion of bias.

U-17 and u-20 are age grade competitions. They are on the same level with the u - 20 a notch higher. Winning u-20 award is not a huge award. Not even u-23 is. Don't push it because of Solanke. If a Nigerian player wins this same award now you will change your song. I have read you so many times and slowly my perception of your views has crystallised. I didn't compare Osimhen to Solanke. I only pointed out that if Osimhen were to do what Solanke did you won't regard it. I can't for the life of me compare Osimhen to Solanke. Who is Solanke? Is he a Nigerian player? If not for you guys I don't even give a hoot about him and I truly wish him the best. But you are unduly prejudiced against our players. Do you know how I know you are prejudiced? You are not aware of it, you are blind to it. That's classic prejudice.

There's something about Osimhen that triggers some angst inside of you. I do not say this lightly. A man might be down and struggling. If I turn that fact into a song and making a dance out of it then the issue is no longer with the struggling man, the issue is with me.

Look at all Nigerian players- especially the Nigerian players not those of uncertain national allegiance - with the eyes of hope, show believe, show faith in them. Players should be criticized but it need not be always as I see you do once Iheanacho and Osimhen are mentioned. The truth is if you do not believe or have hope in these players why then are you criticising them? It is only those who have faith in them that ought to criticize them. Those who do not have faith should be sincere enough to acknowledge that their joy is to see this players go down rather than to mask their ill will under the guise of criticism. It is not your criticism that riles me. It's the spirit behind it: you don't want this two boys to come to any good in football. Examine yourself Sir. I say this with deep soberness.
I will not defend Iheanacho(and I have criticised him here or Osimhen(after his outing against SA I opined he wasn't ripe for the SE) but till the end I will show faith in them. Let them succeed. It's my joy. Their failings will give me no joy at all not even when I see better options. They are human beings like me. I know how incredibly difficult it can be to succeed and for some it's not a straight journey.

Mujtahida:
Are you sure your findings are correct because Onyekuru alone has scored more than five goals na and even yesterday some tried to make you see that the goal return of our attackers for the SE is very healthy. Let them be playing and be active. I am not trying to down play scoring of goals but it's the thing that players score goals leading to the WC and at the WC proper they get marked out.

I left Onyekuru out because he's been ruled out at least as at the time I made my initial post.
The rest have contributed just 5 goals between between them, I listed about 7 players.
You can't turn a blind eye to this paltry number because you think their goal return for the SE is very healthy

goldfish80:
I left Onyekuru out because he's been ruled out at least as at the time I made my initial post.
The rest have contributed just 5 goals between between them, I listed about 7 players.
You can't turn a blind eye to this paltry number because you think their goal return for the SE is very healthy

I am not turning a blind eye. I am saying in spite of that what matters for the SE is that the goal return in the SE is healthy and I will hold that as a positive. Perhaps Martins will be brought in and everything will be just fine, I hope.

Mujtahida:
I am not turning a blind eye. I am saying in spite of that what matters for the SE is that the goal return in the SE is healthy and I will hold that as a positive. Perhaps Martins will be brought in and everything will be just fine, I hope.

No, Martins is too old for this team. Even if we disregard his age, the attackers we have currently are better than him.

goldfish80:
No, Martins is too old for this team. Even if we disregard his age, the attackers we have currently better than him.

don't allow them to come for your head o

forgiveness:
HahahahHahahaha! Certainly certainly, you don't know the top leagues in Europe during that era because if you do then you will not analyse the way you did.

The top league in the 90's was the Italian league. Far far superior to others at that especially in the early 90's(infact beginning from the late 80's with Sacchi's revolution) and then Spain. Go do a study of the top players of that era and tell me where they were playing. Where was Van Basten, Gullit, Rijkaard? Maldini, Baggio, Stoichkov, Batistuta, Romario were all in Italy. Of all the players that won the world best in the period under review not one from the Dutch league(indeed Van Basten, Gullit and Rijkaard left Holland for Italy) apart from Ajax all the teams making the UEFA champions league finals in the period were from Italy and Spain mostly

How can you say Ajax defeating Milan was surprising when Ajax was already an European champion?

If by European champion you mean champions league then you are wrong unless you mean the glory days of the Dutch league way back in the 70's when Cruyff led Ajax to the Super cup or the super cup in the 95. If it's the Champions league they won it first against Milan.

The Dutch league was one the best in the world until late 90s when money bags came into the system.

If you go to the Dutch league then, you are in a top league.

And how many players did we have at Ajax in 94? Just Finidi. We have Moses in Chelsea today. Not comparing them but since its big clubs you want I give you Moses.

However, from 80s towards the early 90s the Belgian, Portuguese and Dutch league were at the pinnacle of European football. [b]They were competing for the UEFA cup and Champion league.

Nope, Portugal was just one place where football was played. Their glory days was in the 60's with Eusebio and put your eyes on the period (1990-1994) cos Italy reigned supreme then. The bolded is pathetic. So don't we have teams like Qarabag and teams from the back water leagues of Europe competing in the Champion's league? So 20 years from now you will use that to argue that Azerbaijan and Romania were top leagues in Europe because their teams were COMPETING in the Champion' s league. Belgium was the kindergarten of the major leagues in Europe in the 90's. Check UEFA champions league finals from 90-2000 if you will see one Belgian or Portuguese club. None.

So, it was a very laudable achievement if you played in those leagues during that era. You can go and check the finals of both competition den.


It was the era before the Italians totally took over from 90s onward.

Pay attention to the period under review. Whatever those clubs had achieved before the 90's when our players began to make their way in numbers to Europe is for the glory of those clubs. It has nothing to do with our players. You yourself has acknowledged that the best league then was Italian serie A. Fact is we had no single player there except the one year Oliseh spent at Reggiana with 29 appearances and 1 goal from 1994-1995 and Taribo who joined inter later in 1997

So if we have to go by that era, the Seria A was the best followed by the Bundesliga, EPL, Portuguese liga, Eredivise, La liga and The Belgium pro league. French league is not left out too.

The gap inclass was not that much then compare with today.

Teams play better now and football has improved now as a team sport. But the players of that era were far technically superior and gifted than the players of today. So you are making my point for me. You can only elevate the past team over this guys in regard to their clubs and leagues only if we had the majority of our players then in Italy and Spain or if the majority of our players today are playing in Zanaco and Orlando Pirates. As far as I can see, club wise they are both on the same level if this current crop are not even better because the 94 crop had lots of unattached players and bench warmers.

Going by this, Yekini was winning thehighest goal scorer in the top 3 or 4 best league in the world.

Going by what? Portugal was not top 3 or 4 in the early 90's. As for Rashidi, God rest his soul. But let me (thanks to the Internet and excellent record keeping of oyibo people) burst your bubble. Rashidi joined vitoria setubal in 1990-94. In the 90/91 season vitoria setubal were relegated to division two. In the 91/92 season they were in the second division through to the 92/93 season. In 93/94 they were promoted to the primera division and that was when Yekini scored 21 goals to top the charts. By 94/95 they were relegated. So Rashidi was playing in a low profile club in a league which was just one among others in Europe. Wikipedia for Setubal:
After another yo-yo period from the mid-1980s to the mid-2000s, Vitória returned to the Portuguese top flight for the 2004–05 season and have remained there since

It is just like becoming the highest goal scorer in the EPL or Bundesliga of today. Don't forged Figo was in the Portuguese liga then

.
It's not like it at all. It's more like what it was then. I can't find anything in the present to compare to that.

Finidi was playing in the best club in the world.

Ajax won the Champions league in 95. As at 94 Ajax were not the best team in the world.

Daniel Amokachi and Victor Ikpeba performed in the best league at that time. It was just likeplaying in Ligue 1 of today.

Onyekuru is doing the equivalent of what Ikpeba did.

They were the Mbappe of that era hence the interest from Everton and Monaco. I likening Monaco of those days to Athletico Madrid of today.

Ikpeba didn't come into his own at Monaco(which he joined 1993-1999) in the 93/94 season. He had a tough start at Monaco and it was from 96 that he gradually became a success ( a lesson for the Iheanacho naysayers). They were not the Mbappe of that era. If they were they would have been playing in Italy and Spain. PSG of Mbappe era has Neymar for godsakes. That should tell you the level.

The reason Daniel Amokachi moved to Everton was because the EPL became lucrative from the early 90s. Off course he move from UEFA champions league finalist and one the most consistent club in the Champions league and Europe.Club Brugge.

I just gave you 4. Four times what you asked for though they were many.

I said give me the INDIVIDUAL awards the OTHERS in the team apart from Rashidi and Amokachi won. You've given me nada. You just mentioned Rashidi and Amokachi again. Finidi won nothing in 94 and nothing individual throughout his career. Ikpeba too won nothing individual as at 94. (I am pegging it to 94 because that is the WC year just like 2018 is the WC year for this crop)

I know this things because the Belgian league was showed regularly in that era bylocal channels because it was very good and popular. EPL became only popular early 90s after it was restructured.

Don't try to console yourself with bench warmers.

It's like you are dwelling in the 80's. I am talking early 90's. Forget what Belgium was in the 80's. The leagues and clubs of both squads are comparatively at the same level. fact is the 94 team was full of bench warmers, unattached players and players in India and ivory Coast. You can't change that fact notwithstanding that Amokachi and Yekini were outstanding. In the end whatever their club or league levels they got the job done to the extent they could and they rightly deserve to be called golden generation. This current guys too have given indications that they can rise up to that level and better that record. Now a little something for you to chew on: Iceland has no stellar quality except perhaps the guy that plays for Everton. Yet they beat a star studded England side at the Euros and edged out a vastly superior Croatia to qualify for the World Cup despite the Modrics, perisic, mandzukics, Konami, Rakitic boasted of by Croatia. Football has moved beyond stellar names. This much I - who loves the 90's with Baggio them have realised. I know it's comforting to you when you see a team filled with star dust but it's cold comfort these days. Team work wins. Not stellar names and big clubs. This is the age of Aquarius. The age of Pisces is gone.

komekn:
I have said this several times.

Consider Taribo West playing non stop first man on the team sheet for Inter-milan. Without doubt considered one of the best defenders in Europe.

To this day Yekini who was a top goal scorer in the Portuguese league is still recognised.

We had attacking players who were among the cream of the top clubs in Europe.

Unity and supposed team spirit can not substitute quality.

world class quality without team spirit and unity will get u nothing,quality alone seldomly wins u a game talk less of a championship.
i repeat,a team full of world class players without cohesion,
unity,determination,love for each other,etc,can never win a championship in expense of a team which posses those invisible qualities(determination,team spirit and unity,etc)

komekn:
You make a lot noise but with no substance.

You under pin your notions with nothingness. But just confused rhetoric. Not supporting a view or approach does not mean bias. Particularly when it's reasoned on objectivity.

What is bias? because you and quite a few other make this allegation but it's not done with any rational or even specific reasoning. No facts or reference point just emotive sentiment prejudice.

Sir with due respect you harp on the words objectivity so much. But I need a lamp to see the objectivity in your write up. Your writings are one of the least balanced on this thread. I know those whose opinions are balanced. You are too English centric in your views for me to accept that you are objective.

Interesting debate on which leagues where considered elite in the 90's, with a view to determining if the performances of SE players in that era are comparable to what we have today. While I lean towards the perspective that the current crop of players we have compare with the '94 set in terms of achievements and international recognition, I see how forgiveness, goldfish et al could think otherwise.

I do however think that we can have an objective assessment of this debate if we overcome the drive to want to prove the superiority of our arguments AT ALL COST. If we can get this right, we will be able to come to a close evaluation of where we stand when ranking the generations of SE players. It will also help to burst myths and separate facts from fiction. One approach will be to consider which leagues and club sides were considered ELITE in the years leading to the World Cup, without consideration of whether or not Nigeria had representatives in these leagues. If we can come up with a list of say top 10 European clubs or top 4 leagues, we can then proceed to consider the Nigerian angle.

The following considerations (in my view) will help make this assessment:
- Which clubs won the top competitions (UEFA, Cup Winners Cup, European Cup) 4-5 years prior (1990-1994)
- Where were the top players of that era plying their trade? (World and European players of the year will fall into this category)
- Where did the best players and best performers of the top teams in USA'94 play their club football?
- Which leagues/ club sides did the top performers in USA'94 move to?

Answers to the above questions should be straightforward and easy to come by and should be pointers to which leagues were considered the best for that period. While these considerations may not be universally applicable to determine the best leagues, they are however a good place to start since I expect them to be something we can agree on.

Super Eagles Midfielder Racially Abused, Stoned With Cans Of Beer After Red Card
Published: December 28, 2017

Super Eagles Midfielder Racially Abused, Stoned With Cans Of Beer After Red Card
Nigeria international Uche Agbo received the first red card of his Standard Liege career in the 42nd minute of his team's 2-1 loss to Kortrijk in the Belgian First Division A on Wednesday evening.

Referee Verboomen first booked him in the 34th minute for a clear foul, seven minutes later he got his marching orders for an attempted tackle deemed to be reckless.

Uche was unhappy about his dismissal and refused to leave the pitch, and as a result the home fans made monkey noises at the Standard Liege star.

He responded by making an obscene hand gesture to the supporters, who threw cans of beer at him, but one of his teammates managed to convince him to enter the locker room.

Uche has been backed by Watford defender Christian Kabasele, who was racially abused by the same Kortrijk fans while defending the colours of Racing Genk three years ago.

The Belgium international has advised that racist fans should be banned from entering the stadiums in Belgium as it is the case for the European competitions.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

https://www.allnigeriasoccer.com/read_news.php?nid=25973

Mujtahida:
I am not turning a blind eye. I am saying in spite of that what matters for the SE is that the goal return in the SE is healthy and I will hold that as a positive. Perhaps Martins will be brought in and everything will be just fine, I hope.

you're one person on this thread that is quite erratic....
what is Martins doing in the super eagles...
you talking to contradict yourself...how many many goals did he score for his Chinese team...this past season...?

you talking as if the player in question is one messi or Ronaldo....

please spare us.....even without him we have fared relatively well....
with over 12 goals scored during the qualifiers.....
so please drop that Martins talk

Kog45:
I can't really recollect the year but it should be 2002 or 2003.

Eric Ejiofor and Obinna Nwanneri only got SE call ups after their heroics with the Enyimba team that won the CAF champions league late 2003. That's why I said 2003/2004.

komekn:
Firstly, you cannot compare U20 world cup with the U17 world cup even if they are both age grade competitions or not. All of the players in the England U20 indeed across Europe you will find are seasoned young professional at some very top clubs. Some with over a hundred professional games under thier belts.

Most U17 players have not even had one senior professional game and are simply youth players with potential, that's all. Winning best U20 player is a huge award, completely different in quality, standard and indeed can not be compared to the U17.

Considering your emotive allegation of bias. My comparison is between clearly different standard components that do not have equal value. That's objectivity not deductions based on emotive preejudice unsubstantiated deductions.

So I ask you, WHO IS BEING BIASED HERE

Osimhen has not even got on the starting line-up of Wolfsburg a team that missed relegation by the skin of thier teeth. A team he is struggling to make the bench indeed he has probably not played up to 3 hours of professional football in his entire career.

So in comparing Osimhen to Solanke is that BIAS in your definition. I didnt make that comparison you did to present a unfounded ridiculous notion of bias.

Your first paragraph is what I have been hammering on here.

The U20 is not for academy players but for young professional players some of whom have seen up to 3 years of senior team action in their respective leagues.

In Nigeria we often underrate the challenge at the U20 level. Until we stop doing so, we will continue to get disappointed.

komekn:
I would not rate Ndidi higher than Oliseh irrespective of the fact they played different roles.

Mikel is not better than Okocha

Echijile is certainly not better than Babayaro

I said Olishe of US 94 not Olishe of post US 94.I would be a foolish man to rate Mikel higher than Okocha but Mikel of today is better than Okocha of US 94 not Okocha of post US 94,hope you get my point and I never compared Echiejele and Babayaro cos Celestine was not member of US 94 but Iroha was far better than Echiejele.

Icon4s:
Eric Ejiofor and Obinna Nwanneri only got SE call ups after their heroics with the Enyimba team that won the CAF champions league late 2003. That's why I said 2003/2004.

No they are always part of Amodu home based.Eric Ejiofor was a close pal when he was playing for Kwara Bomber(United)He got his first invitation into eagles as Kwara United player but became popular at Enyimba before moving to Isreal.

Crystal palace, Hull and Sunderland interested in 21 year old Nigerian Hakeeb Adelakun.

The winger has had a terrific season in league 1, 4 goals and 12 assists so far for Scunthorpe.

Kog45:
No they are always part of Amodu home based.Eric Ejiofor was a close pal when he was playing for Kwara Bomber(United)He got his first invitation into eagles as Kwara United player but became popular at Enyimba before moving to Isreal.

What of Nwanneri?

goldfish80:
No, Martins is too old for this team. Even if we disregard his age, the attackers we have currently better than him.

Choi!

komekn:
Disagree when Amokachi was at Brugge he was being courted be several EPL teams at the time. After the World Cup his rating went further upwards.

How many if our current players are first team players and crucial players in top clubs in Europe

Compare the current team to the pre millennium set of players and thier is really a big gulf in quality.

My man US 94 team remain the best and no need to compare but this present team deserves little respect.

Yes Amokachie was a great performance at Cercle Brugge just like Oyekwuru doing it with Anderlecht even as at that time Belgium league was a little bit rated than present Belgium league,pls before we argue this roll out Belgium clubs performance in European competition since 1990 to date.

Mind you Victor Moses is a first team player and very crucial to Chelsea.Iwobi is doing it with Arsenal though not a crucial member.

Remember it was only Finidi George playing for Ajax and also crucial to the team and Chidi Nwanu with Anderlecht which cannot be compared to Anderlecht of Keshi who played in the final of European cup final now Europa against Sampdoria.

If i may ask you who are the players playing in top clubs and very important to their team among US 94 squad.

goldfish80:
Presumptuous? This is pure analysis, No football person will forecast a team which defeated her opponent 3:0 in the group stage to loose to the same team in the semi finals. It will take an unusual level of capitulation to loose.
We beat same Bulgaria in 98 if our dominance was ever in doubt.


Can you point out were I made the Italians look rubbish? I basically said they took out the corner stone of our attack and thereafter, it was curtains. We managed just 1 shot on goal afterwards( a Jay Jay Okocha free kick).
The Italians attacked down the wings. Their equalizing goal came as a result of a cut back from the left which Baggio scored from. Amuneke would have kept their fullback busy if he was on the the pitch.



If you agree that the players arent performing to world cup standard why argue in the first place when I stated the obvious?


Our attackers goal returns this season have been poor. That is a fact, No skepticism there


I have always had faith in the team. Before the game against Zambia, I told Micheal2 that we would qualify after the game . Before the Cameroun game, I told anyone who cared to listen that if we go with physically strong players, we will win easily. I was proved right in the end.
This attitude that any critique of the team is bad could eventually be the undoing of the team but thankfully majority of Nigerians who I interact qith daily have different mindset to people here.

Again with the presumption so it wasn't possible that the bulgarian team just had a bad game against us and were improving as the tournament progressed The bulgarian team that we defeated in 1998 where a shadow of themselves and not thats great again.

Why I said that you insinuated that the italians were rubbish was because you said there was no reason why we should have lost that game but the italians you forget were a top side full of experienced players who managed the game better than us. Plus it's not the first time that a team of 11 players will lose to ten players for example didn't argentina lose to cameroon in italia 90? Please tell me how many shots on goal we had before emmanuel and daniel were taking off. If we had been tactically smarter and jj had been more purposeful we could have wrapped up the match before the equaliser I can't count the number of times Okocha would dribble into promising positions but fail to release the ball on time while for the equaliser sundays inability to deal with the on rushing Italian was the cause and not this urban legend you keep repeating that the loss of two individuals led to our inability to defend a one goal lead.

Yes I agreed that our strikers have been poor this season but that hasn't correlated to their performance in the national team. Last year when the previous season just started apart from KC how many of our strikers were prolific. Is it victor moses all moses simon or odion ighalo or iwobi but we use this guys to successfully execute our world cup campaign. Curiously henry onyekuru and kayode who were scoring left right and centre for their clubs didn't play any crucial role for us.

Your scepticism is believing thats because our players are going through a tough time means they won't do well for the super eagles and like mujtahida said no be today our players dey post average performances it happened before 94 98 and so on

I would advice you learn to manage your expectations as regards this team and not feel we have some world class players somewhere that will transform our team into world beaters over night.

If you choose to give yourself high blood pressure over what cannot be changed in the next 6 months that is your business as for me I will continue to support and give realistic critisms of this team

t

any news about Joel Obi? that guy is too good to miss the world cup, any one close to rohr should whisper his name in rohr's ears, he had been stable for sometime now, hope he stays out of injury.

in the absence of onyekuru, orji okonkwo should be given a chance to show what he can bring to the table

Icon4s:
What of Nwanneri?

I can't really say much on Nwanneri but i know he always paired with Seyi Ogunsanya in Amodu old days home eagles.

2innocent:
in the absence of onyekuru, orji okonkwo should be given a chance to show what he can bring to the table

Onyekuru is out for just 6 weeks

komekn:
You make a lot noise but with no substance.

You under pin your notions with nothingness. But just confused rhetoric. Not supporting a view or approach does not mean bias. Particularly when it's reasoned on objectivity.

What is bias? because you and quite a few other make this allegation but it's not done with any rational or even specific reasoning. No facts or reference point just emotive sentiment prejudice.

you write a lot of big words, but no substance.

I know people like you, they use big words to cover up everything so that nobody ever suspects them, especially when they are being found out. It's an age-old trick that still works on a gullible many

Your bias has been called out numerous times on this thread, specifically sef, even Mujtahida gave you an example just yesterday, but you failed to address it directly, rather choosing to dance around your fancy vocabulary, so that you make YOURSELF, not us who have found you out, look stupid.

I am just glad many more people are seeing the bias in you, eventually, your many attempts to bounce it off will have no effect, because we for don see you finish by then.

We have handled your type on this thread, he's still running around, but we don see am finish.

Now, Solanke is better than Osimhen because he played a higher age grade competition according to your warped logic, you were even creating goals he hasn't scored to defend how much better he is than Kelechi, keep playing yourself.