forgiveness:


From the analyses from above, Raheem Lawal should be given the chance to prove himself in the team. He could be the best to deputize for Mikel Obi.


Until now, I don't understand why he was dropped despite his good performance whenever he played for Nigeria.


Sone Aluko and Abdul Ajagun are far better options than Tega Etebor but I don't know why the coach kept calling when their are better options.

I knew all the analysis would come to this. Hehehe

FM seem to have pogba programmed to get a red card in critical stages of a game. lol.

Ahmad is just saying what he supposed to say earlier. So all dem foreign born/based african footballers' supporters, the gauntlet have been opened. ratings are useless now. Mamelodi sundown star can now be tagged better than epl africans. quite good, mixed move!

Sir Icon4s has said the plain Truth as regard the State of the NPFL! I was an ardent Follower last Season, and hopefully gonna be a Fan this Season too.

I followed 3SC and MFM FC, it's kinda a pity 3SC is relegated, but all Hope ain't lost coz MFM is there to support this Season.

One of the major Problems of the Local League is; bad Officiating! I really give Kudos to Shehu Dikko led Board. They are really doing their best to improve the League standard same as the Officiating!

The Good News is; all the NPFL Matches gonna be aired Live on Startimes (NTA Sport Channels). We gonna have the Opportunity to watch the Local League, and I expect Viewing Centers to show the Local League for FREE.

The League viewership would definitely improve this Season, and I implore Members of the Thread to, perhaps, create a Thread for it.

AIG07:
hahaha! See African's Finest Eleven.

See something o o o. North Africans rooted for their own and here in sub-sahara Africa, an over sabi Nigerian(s) will be giving you 101 reasons why his country man(men) doesn't deserve a slot or his vote. Whose glory is it now? Ours or theirs?

To the objective analysts who analysis without emotions, to the non sentimentals, and to the critics who criticises anything Nigeria football, I need explanations on how the above named players deserve to make the list of Africa finest. What justifies their inclusion? Don't forget your facts and figures.

Cc: Mikael2, Goldfish80 etc

I prefer to objectively criticise our players and have them improve their game than massage the ego of players who are underperforming. Gernort Rohr's army would run riot against this team

Well I don't see it that way though maybe because I watched almost up to 10 live matches in 2017 and I believe those who say negative stuffs about the league are part of those killing the league. You aren't contributing to the league yet you bad-mouth it. So I ask, what then do you add to the betterment of the league?

We like to blame others too much in this country that is why the league is the way it is.

Since I have been watching live matches in our league, I have never encountered any violence even though some venues get violent.

Alot of countries all over the world have got theirs too yet their stadiums still get filled up.

Is our violence up to that of major south American leagues or that of some eastern European leagues?

Same way you can't rig an election with massive turn out is the same way you can't cause nuisance in a filled stadium. How many dey cause mayhem? A handful and it is only possible when the stadiums are scanty.

Anyways let those who keep growing other leagues around the world continue while expecting "others" to build their league for them.

Icon4s:


My brother, you wouldn't blame those guys at the viewing centers watching the European leagues o.

We have failed to develop our own.

It takes a lot of patience and humility to even watch the NPFL in your living room not to talk of taking the pains to drive or transport your self to the match venues where your safety is not even guaranteed.

Even me as a person that still manages to once in a while have the appetite to watch the NPFL, I only watch selected matches involving the big clubs like Enyimba, Kano Pillars and Rangers. As I said it takes a lot of patience and humility to even do this in your own house.
What I mean is while some people are watching Chelsea vs ManCity elsewhere you are watching Rivers united vs Kano Pillars

How can this forum contribute to the development of Nigerian football in 2018?

Victor oshimen scored for wolfsburg in a friendly today.

Bad officiating is as a result of home team officials putting pressure on the refs and with less security men around, refs are humans, they get to succomb so as to leave their unhurt. Some of our refs are even better than those you watch on TV but because of what I stated above, they are made to look bad which in turn affect them outside Nigeria.

We are the main reason we aren't being respected outside. The places I went to watch live matches with peace and security, the refs made few errors which aren't different from what we see abroad. Let people come to stadiums to watch and see if the refs won't do well.

The league of 80s and 90s that had no violence due to the fact that the stadiums were always filled up, were they not Nigerians officiating these matches? Na because we dey see easy access watch foreign league just as other things in Nigeria, we decided to abandone ours. We keep painting it bad to justify the abandoment.

Make we continue o. Angel Gabriel is coming to fix the league.

Oasis007:
Sir Icon4s has said the plain Truth as regard the State of the NPFL! I was an ardent Follower last Season, and hopefully gonna be a Fan this Season too.

I followed 3SC and MFM FC, it's kinda a pity 3SC is relegated, but all Hope ain't lost coz MFM is there to support this Season.

One of the major Problems of the Local League is; bad Officiating! I really give Kudos to Shehu Dikko led Board. They are really doing their best to improve the League standard same as the Officiating!

The Good News is; all the NPFL Matches gonna be aired Live on Startimes (NTA Sport Channels). We gonna have the Opportunity to watch the Local League, and I expect Viewing Centers to show the Local League for FREE.

The League viewership would definitely improve this Season, and I implore Members of the Thread to, perhaps, create a Thread for it.

This is exactly why the Naija league would never develop. Rome was not built in a day, bro. How do you expect them to develop when you don't patronize or even encourage them?

Folks, if we really want the Nigerian league to develop, we'd really need to change our attitude toward the league. Let that change start with us. If we all abandon the league then who do we expect to patronize it? And if no one patronizes it, then how do we expect it to improve?


O pari

Icon4s:


My brother, you wouldn't blame those guys at the viewing centers watching the European leagues o.

We have failed to develop our own.

It takes a lot of patience and humility to even watch the NPFL in your living room not to talk of taking the pains to drive or transport your self to the match venues where your safety is not even guaranteed.

Even me as a person that still manages to once in a while have the appetite to watch the NPFL, I only watch selected matches involving the big clubs like Enyimba, Kano Pillars and Rangers. As I said it takes a lot of patience and humility to even do this in your own house.
What I mean is while some people are watching Chelsea vs ManCity elsewhere you are watching Rivers united vs Kano Pillars

somehow:
Bad officiating is as a result of home team officials putting pressure on the refs and with less security men around, refs are humans, they get to succomb so as to leave their unhurt. Some of our refs are even better than those you watch on TV but because of what I stated above, they are made to look bad which in turn affect them outside Nigeria.

We are the main reason we aren't being respected outside. The places I went to watch live matches with peace and security, the refs made few errors which aren't different from what we see abroad. Let people come to stadiums to watch and see if the refs won't do well.

The league of 80s and 90s that had no violence due to the fact that the stadiums were always filled up, were they not Nigerians officiating these matches? Na because we dey see easy access watch foreign league just as other things in Nigeria, we decided to abandone ours. We keep painting it bad to justify the abandoment.

Make we continue o. Angel Gabriel is coming to fix the league.

We all want the best for the League. I hope there will be improvement this Season, since all the Matches gonna be aired "Live". I expect our Refs to buckle up, we can't be making Excuses for them every time. If their Problem is Security, let them fully demand for it from the Board.

They should not go on the Pitch to officiate until their Security is guaranteed. We can't really say our Refs are better, coz there is no Evidence to prove it.

terzurum5:

A valid question for our candid considerations Sir. I think this is another area we need to deliberate on seriously and make recommendations to the appropriate quarters.

What can we do to improve on poor spectators in our stands during matches?
cc: Komekn, Forgiveness, Safarigirl, TheGoodJoe, TheSuperNerd, Bascovanveli, Kog45, Dannycrusoe, Kennysville, LakeSidePapa, Orkpekyandega, tbaba1234, Joebie, joseph1013, Goldfish80, AIG07, Isahalbash, Joebie, Kog45, Goldfish80, daveP, kennysville, realpoacher, certitude, humility017, enomakos, Mikael2, petrobros, chrisoblog, loogan, do4luv14, icon79, maidaboi, Icon4s, lakesidepapa, goldfish80, Xzbit91, lexyman, ChrisKels, bigblangston, goke7, Chrismario, Daninya11, shawwal1, ganiyat2adeyeri, yemyke001, edi287, krattoss, eseose9, oasis007, jihday, tglobal, jars, Cheapgoals, mikron, elyte89, MilitaryCommander, kratoss, e.t.c

you've just raised a good topic.

First I'll have to commend the Shehu Dikko led administration for the great job done so far. But there are still much things to be done to take our league to the pinnacle.

The major and obvious things turning fans away are poor officiating, poor pitches, bad publicity of media etc. There is need
to improve on the above to have an automatic increament in followership.

Other things that needs to be done to complement the above for a general drastic improvement in our local leagues, are
government must be ready to relinquish power, authority and ownership of these clubs.

Most Nigerians do not feel connected/attached to these clubs. No sense of belongings etc. It's high time football is taken to the people. Let them be part of it and not just spectators...

How do we achieve this? Privatization is the only way forward. There is need to monetize our football. Football can only thrive on Capitalism.

Having community owned clubs, privately owned clubs will change alot of things. The level of attendance at our stadia will surge.

Another thing that might be affecting fans attendance is Distance. Adopting the zonal league system like we have in the NNL structured after the MLS style could help increase fans attendance considering the proximity of stadia and poor transport system in the country... You can't expect MFM Fans to travel over 1000kms by road to the city of Borno to watch their darling team play El kanemi. So zoning the league will reduce the distance fans will have to cover to watch their teams play.

Let me stop here for now...

Liamm:
I prefer to objectively criticise our players and have them improve their game than massage the ego of players who are underperforming. Gernort Rohr's army would run riot against this team

no body is saying you should not criticise objectively. But allowing objectivity to blind patriotism when it matters is total absurdity.

Oasis007:




We all want the best for the League. I hope there will be improvement this Season, since all the Matches gonna be aired "Live". I expect our Refs to buckle up, we can't be making Excuses for them every time. If their Problem is Security, let them fully demand for it from the Board.

They should not go on the Pitch to officiate until their Security is guaranteed. We can't really say our Refs are better, coz there is no Evidence to prove it.

I don't trust those NTA one bit. I forced to quit them long time ago.

I hope they can give me a reason to dust my startimes decoder.

AIG07:
no body is saying you shouldn't criticise objectively. But allowing objectivity to blind patriotism when it matters is total absurdity.

objectivity over patriotism isn't absurdity Sir. Allowing one's patriotism to becloud his sense of reasoning is.

Mickael2:



y'all are saying this based on hindsight. What is the guarantee that he would have developed properly as an attacking midfielder under Ferguson? Over the years how many world class attacking midfielders did Ferguson produce? I can only remember Scholes. I can also remember him preferring Cleverly to a lot of other better midfielders, what is the guarantee that Mikel would not be overlooked in favour of cleverly? If you ask me I am totally content with the player Mikel is right now, hypothetical he could have developed into a better player and he could have ended up a lot worse as well so we need to accept what we have

Mikel and Cleverley be mates. How old was Cleverley when Ferguson made a move for Mikel in 2006?

Cleverley was only a regular in the 2011/2012 season because of the numbers of injured midfielders in the squad then. There's.

Mikel would have established himself by then in the team.

Do you mind mentioning the better midfielders Fergie was putting on the bench in place of Cleverley?

Liamm:
objectivity over patriotism isn't absurdity Sir. Allowing one's patriotism to becloud his sense of reasoning is.

Sir, I get you and that's why I added 'when it matters' in bold which makes it conditional.

*Modified*
why do you think Rohr and Mikel voted for Moses ahead of Salah despite salah been better in the year under review. There was a year most english players, journalists and coaches voted for rooney even when it was glaring that his performance wasn't even close to his competitors. They did that not because they are less objective, but because they had to make a choice between Objectivity and Patriotism!

Like you have ever made excuses for them before. Well maybe because I'm a stallholder in the league. The refs aren't the problem of the league, the problem with the league is the lack of attention given to it by the Nigerian public. Even if the games are live on the, it still needs humans to make it a football match. What is a league without followership?

Oasis007:




We all want the best for the League. I hope there will be improvement this Season, since all the Matches gonna be aired "Live". I expect our Refs to buckle up, we can't be making Excuses for them every time. If their Problem is Security, let them fully demand for it from the Board.

They should not go on the Pitch to officiate until their Security is guaranteed. We can't really say our Refs are better, coz there is no Evidence to prove it.

Let them? Who's the "them"? Police won't see reason why a stadium with less than 200 spectators would need up to 10 policemen, but imagine a situation whereby we have 20k people watching live, they have no other option than to post at least 100 security agents to the venue.

It's easy to sit out and be pointing fingers though.

Patronise the league and see if it won't grow or become better.

Mickael2:


exactly and a lot of other top black players that were wasted by Feggie. People point the racist finger at Pep but bar Evra was there anyother black starter for Ferguson throughout his reign at Manu?

You forgot Louis Saha that injury wanted to finish, the deadly combo Dwight Yorke & Andy Cole, Fortune - the south African? Nani was of cape Verden descent, Danny Wellbeck, he bought Zaha and if not for his retirement that coincided with that time, Zaha would have been a super regular.

Icon4s:


My brother, you wouldn't blame those guys at the viewing centers watching the European leagues o.

We have failed to develop our own.

It takes a lot of patience and humility to even watch the NPFL in your living room not to talk of taking the pains to drive or transport your self to the match venues where your safety is not even guaranteed.

Even me as a person that still manages to once in a while have the appetite to watch the NPFL, I only watch selected matches involving the big clubs like Enyimba, Kano Pillars and Rangers. As I said it takes a lot of patience and humility to even do this in your own house.
What I mean is while some people are watching Chelsea vs ManCity elsewhere you are watching Rivers united vs Kano Pillars

Lol, humility & patience.

daveP:
AWARDS FOR THREAD 2017


CATEGORIES

15. Most Sentimental Poster: safarigirl (8votes)
16. Most Silent Reader: eseose9 (10votes)
17. Impressive Thread Newbie: Jarus (7votes)
18. Diehard SE Fan: TheSuperNerd(10votes)
19. Best Friends: Komekn & Forgiveness (21votes)
20. Most Outstanding Poster: Mujtahida (7votes)
21. Overall Best: Tbaba1234& Mujtahida (tie @ 8votes)
22. Top Dramatic Topics: Nacho (28 votes), Foreign born vs home bred (10votes), Mikel (9votes), Tammy Abraham (8votes)
23. Honourable Mention: TheSuperNerd (10votes), All of us (78votes)

A big thank you to all 39voters and members of this scintillating family. Twale to sir joseph1013 for this great concept. Let's rep GWG til Iwobi lifts the world cup as SE Captain. Despacito

Thanks for the newbie award o.

I think the easiest way is to stop televising EPL and other foreign league matches in Nigeria ....


O pari

terzurum5:

A valid question for our candid considerations Sir. I think this is another area we need to deliberate on seriously and make recommendations to the appropriate quarters.

What can we do to improve on poor spectators in our stands during matches?
cc: Komekn, Forgiveness, Safarigirl, TheGoodJoe, TheSuperNerd, Bascovanveli, Kog45, Dannycrusoe, Kennysville, LakeSidePapa, Orkpekyandega, tbaba1234, Joebie, joseph1013, Goldfish80, AIG07, Isahalbash, Joebie, Kog45, Goldfish80, daveP, kennysville, realpoacher, certitude, humility017, enomakos, Mikael2, petrobros, chrisoblog, loogan, do4luv14, icon79, maidaboi, Icon4s, lakesidepapa, goldfish80, Xzbit91, lexyman, ChrisKels, bigblangston, goke7, Chrismario, Daninya11, shawwal1, ganiyat2adeyeri, yemyke001, edi287, krattoss, eseose9, oasis007, jihday, tglobal, jars, Cheapgoals, mikron, elyte89, MilitaryCommander, kratoss, e.t.c

Mickael2:



eh that is something me I don't understand either. You know the UEFA best player is only for the best player in Europe? So why can't the CAF best player be for any player based in Africa?

nice suggestion, just like the South Americans

Liamm:
objectivity over patriotism isn't absurdity Sir. Allowing one's patriotism to becloud his sense of reasoning is.

so, what would you say of the Arab league fans who allowed patriotism becloud their sense of objectivity?

They are obviously more sensible than black people that will throw their own under the bus in the name of objectivity even when their own has done just as great as anyone else.

Una no just get sense, na wetin make other people dey take advantage of you people every time. The whole world takes advantage of black people because they are usually the first to forsake their own in the name of false objectivity. Whites and Arabs would never, neither would Asians.

That is why only us give Europe-based players CAF APOTY, go to any other Continent and ask who wins their POTY. So tey, stupid Ahmad scrapped the Home-based APOTY, they should have scrapped the foreign ones and madevit strictly for players based in Africa, henceforth, that award will exclusively be for Europe-based Africans because na so black people dey. Always waiting for white people to decide who is best for them.

Y'all better start getting your priorities right. You remember objectivity when you are on the international scene, but when they ask you to vote for your leaders, objectivity flies out of the window

somehow:
Like you have ever made excuses for them before. Well maybe because I'm a stallholder in the league. The refs aren't the problem of the league, the problem with the league is the lack of attention given to it by the Nigerian public. Even if the games are live on the, it still needs humans to make it a football match. What is a league without followership?

Let them? Who's the "them"? Police won't see reason why a stadium with less than 200 spectators would need up to 10 policemen, but imagine a situation whereby we have 20k people watching live, they have no other option than to post at least 100 security agents to the venue.

It's easy to sit out and be pointing fingers though.

Patronise the league and see if it won't grow or become better.

You are taking this Issue too personal. I think this Topic is raised to proffer Solutions, to suggest the possible ways of improving the League.

Kindly be patient, coz no one is willing for the death of the Local League.

AIG07:
Sir, I get you and that's why I added 'when it matters' in bold which makes it conditional.

*Modified*
why do you think Rohr and Mikel voted for Moses ahead of Salah despite salah been better in the year under review. There was a year most english players, journalists and coaches voted for rooney even when it was glaring that his performance wasn't even close to his competitors. They did that not because they are less objective, but because they had to make a choice between Objectivity and Patriotism!

please bro...leave that dude...let him to continue to wallow in false wisdom and sheer objectivity....
common sense should teach him that the notion objectivity is relative...what is objective to one may not be so to another...being that there is none...widely accepted scale for measuring objectivity...he is likely enveloped in imperialism or better still neo-colonialism...


may be he is more enlightened than the Northern Africans who wasted no time in enlisting their league players in caf 11 man list....

AIG07:
I don't trust those NTA one bit. I forced to quit them long time ago.

I hope they can give me a reason to dust my startimes decoder.

The Contract is singed and sealed Bro! They test-ran their OBS Vans and other Equipments in the last Match(es) of the League, also they broadcast the Final of the Federation Cup "Live".

I think they gonna definitely air the Matches Live, coz they have the Equipments that are already rotten away!

somehow:
League: Great
National team : Not in the league of the best

So where is the downgrade issue coming from? Talking facts and figure here.

Down play was the word I used. I don't care what league u say they are in the point is they are not bums like u implied

Stephen Odey: What I Miss Most About MFM FC


By franklin sampson -
January 5, 2018

By Kayode Ogundare:

FC Zurich of Switzerland striker Stephen Odey has revealed that his heart still beats for his former Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) club MFM Football Club of Lagos.

In an exclusive interview with completesportsnigeria.com, the 19-year old recalled the good times he had with the Lagos club which gave him his first short at professional football in the Nigerian top-flight.

“I miss a lot of things about the club. MFM is a family team because of the unity and common sense of purpose. We were a team of friends and we shared things like boots in training and matches. We have a camp where we all sleep together and stuff like that. But now, as a professional, you’re on your own in your apartment and you’re expected to do things in a certain way. Sometimes it could get very boring being on your own all day unlike at MFM where we could gist and play games together after training,” he said.

http://fri9ja.com/stephen-odey-what-i-miss-most-about-mfm-fc

daveP:
Seperation from government would help our league. run them as profit gain organizations and watch.

We have a few NPFL teams on the stock market but lets be honest here the government isn't the problem here. It is no their fault that fans are at viewing centers instead of stadiums.

somehow:
And the 20k is to come from where? The sky? They are all busy in view centers arguing about those who know nothing about them and when you point to our league, they look for other Nigerians to blame.

I am not crazy about European football but I will not hurriedly criticize those fanatics that go to bed with Chelsea and Arsenal jersey, because like Icons4 said it takes a lot of faith and patience to sit down and watch Nigerian league...It is pure torture because of the standards:horrible pitch, frustrating officiating , karate kicking players and the hungry and angry players who are playing with empty stomach and this is coming from an ardent Nigerian league follower.

komekn:


This is at the heart of the matter, I am amazed at the degree of abandonment that local football suffers in Nigeria.

There are probably more Chelsea fans than Enyimba fans and or Enugu Rangers. The amount of support that our teams recieve is simply unacceptable.

We can not expect miracles in our football development. You get what you put in at the moment people look at local football as a stepping stone too getting too Europe, that's all.

I go into a bar in Nigeria and everyone is watching the EPL. There is almost zero paying subscription for local football in Nigeria.

Until that Changes its going to be difficult to see major improvements. As a result getting into the National team set up is pivotal to going abroad. This will impact on selection negatively as other considerations will be given greater influence.

IMO clubs should be given ultimatums on attendance and if their stadiums are still empty they should be sold or sent to the NNL. I would rather have 5 teams in Kano or Aba instead of being force to watch Rivers United in an empty stadium.

Icon79:
I think the easiest way is to stop televising EPL and other foreign league matches in Nigeria ....


O pari

if only we were still under military rule.