₦airaland Forum

Mujtahida:
Nothing pained me more than the bolded. With all their star studded team, they played nonsense. We scored for them. They won with that kind of lacklustre performance from stellar players. It felt like cheating

fabyom:
I watched the Iceland coach interview this morning and he emphasized one thing, Nigeria will want to win the match.
This guys are not on twitter promising shit, they are training guys real training.
This will be most difficult match at this year world cup cos we loss we go home.
If we win this match forget Argentina, we will qualify.
However, I do not think we will beat Iceland with this team and moral killing coach.

joseph1013:
I'VE GOT SOME THINGS TO SAY
by Romelu Lukaku


remember the exact moment I knew we were broke. I can still picture my mum at the refrigerator and the look on her face.

I was six years old, and I came home for lunch during our break at school. My mum had the same thing on the menu every single day: Bread and milk. When you’re a kid, you don’t even think about it. But I guess that’s what we could afford.

Then this one day I came home, and I walked into the kitchen, and I saw my mum at the refrigerator with the box of milk, like normal. But this time she was mixing something in with it. She was shaking it all up, you know? I didn’t understand what was going on. Then she brought my lunch over to me, and she was smiling like everything was cool. But I realized right away what was going on.

She was mixing water in with the milk. We didn’t have enough money to make it last the whole week. We were broke. Not just poor, but broke.

My father had been a pro footballer, but he was at the end of his career and the money was all gone. The first thing to go was the cable TV. No more football. No more Match of the Day. No signal.

Then I’d come home at night and the lights would be shut off. No electricity for two, three weeks at a time.

Then I’d want to take a bath, and there would be no hot water. My mum would heat up a kettle on the stove, and I’d stand in the shower splashing the warm water on top of my head with a cup.

There were even times when my mum had to “borrow” bread from the bakery down the street. The bakers knew me and my little brother, so they’d let her take a loaf of bread on Monday and pay them back on Friday.

I knew we were struggling. But when she was mixing in water with the milk, I realized it was over, you know what I mean? This was our life.

https://cdn.theplayerstribune.com/uploads/95f7bb22-romelulukaku-quotecard1-artboard-1.jpg?width=1440

I didn’t say a word. I didn’t want her to stress. I just ate my lunch. But I swear to God, I made a promise to myself that day. It was like somebody snapped their fingers and woke me up. I knew exactly what I had to do, and what I was going to do.

I couldn’t see my mother living like that. Nah, nah, nah. I couldn’t have that.

People in football love to talk about mental strength. Well, I’m the strongest dude you’re ever going to meet. Because I remember sitting in the dark with my brother and my mom, saying our prayers, and thinking, believing, knowing … it’s going to happen.

I kept my promise to myself for a while. But then some days I’d come home from school and find my mum crying. So I finally told her one day, “Mum, it’s gonna change. You’ll see. I’m going to play football for Anderlecht, and it’s going to happen soon. We’ll be good. You won’t have to worry anymore.”

I was six.

I asked my father, “When can you start playing professional football?”

He said, “Sixteen.”

I said, “O.K., sixteen then.”

It was going to happen. Period.

Let me tell you something — every game I ever played was a Final. When I played in the park, it was a Final. When I played during break in kindergarten, it was a Final. I’m dead-ass serious. I used to try to tear the cover off the ball every time I shot it. Full power. We weren’t hitting R1, bro. No finesse shot. I didn’t have the new FIFA. I didn’t have a Playstation. I wasn’t playing around. I was trying to kill you.

When I started growing taller, some of the teachers and the parents would be stressing me. I’ll never forget the first time I heard one of the adults say, “Hey, how old are you? What year were you born?”

I’m like, What? Are you serious?

When I was 11 years old, I was playing for the Lièrse youth team, and one of the parents from the other team literally tried to stop me from going on the pitch. He was like, “How old is this kid? Where is his I.D.? Where is he from?”

I thought, Where am I from? What? I was born in Antwerp. I’m from Belgium.

My dad wasn’t there, because he didn’t have a car to drive to my away games. I was all alone, and I had to stand up for myself. I went and got my I.D. from my bag and showed it to all the parents, and they were passing it around inspecting it, and I remember the blood just rushing through me … and I thought, “Oh, I’m gonna kill your son even more now. I was already going to kill him, but now I’m gonna destroy him. You’re gonna drive the boy home crying now.”

I wanted to be the best footballer in Belgian history. That was my goal. Not good. Not great. The best. I played with so much anger, because of a lot of things … because of the rats running around in our apartment … because I couldn’t watch the Champions League … because of how the other parents used to look at me.

I was on a mission.

When I was 12, I scored 76 goals in 34 games.

I scored them all wearing my dad’s shoes. Once our feet got to be the same size, we used to share.

One day I called up my grandfather — my mum’s dad. He was one of the most important people in my life. He was my connection back to Congo, where my mum and dad are from. So I was on the phone with him one day, and I said, “Yeah, I’m doing really well. I scored 76 goals, and we won the league. The big teams are noticing me.”

And usually, he always wanted to hear about my football. But this time it was strange. He said, “Yeah, Rom. Yeah, that’s great. But can you do me a favor?”

I said, “Yeah, what is it?”

He said, “Can you look after my daughter, please?”

I remember being so confused. Like, what’s Grandad on about?

I said, “Mum? Yeah, we’re cool. We’re O.K.”

He said, “No, promise me. Can you promise me? Just look after my daughter. Just look after her for me, O.K.?”

I said, “Yeah, Granddad. I got it. I promise you.”

Five days later he passed away. And then I understood what he really meant.

It makes me so sad to think about, because I just wish that he could have lived another four years to see me play for Anderlecht. To see that I kept my promise, you know? To see that everything was going to be O.K.

I told my mum that I would make it at 16.

I was late by 11 days.

May 24, 2009.

The playoff final. Anderlecht vs. Standard Liège.

https://cdn.theplayerstribune.com/uploads/a64a5913-gettyimages-97051781.jpg?width=1000

That was the craziest day of my life. But we have to back up for a minute. Because at the start of the season, I was barely playing for the Anderlecht U-19s. The coach had me coming off the bench. I’m like, “How the hell am I going to sign a pro contract on my 16th birthday if I’m still on the bench for the U-19s?”

So I made a bet with our coach.

I told him, “I’ll guarantee you something. If you actually play me, I’m going to score 25 goals by December.”

He laughed. He literally laughed at me.

I said, “Let’s make a bet then.”

He said, “O.K., but if you don’t score 25 by December, you’re going to the bench.”

I said, “Fine, but if I win, you’re going to clean all the minivans that take the players home from training.”

He said, “O.K., it’s a deal.”

I said, “And one more thing. You have to make pancakes for us every day.”

He said, “O.K., fine.”

That was the dumbest bet that man ever made.

I had 25 by November. We were eating pancakes before Christmas, bro.

Let that be a lesson. You don’t play around with a boy who’s hungry!

I signed my pro contract with Anderlecht on my birthday, May 13. Went straight out and bought the new FIFA and a cable package. It was already the end of the season, so I was at home chilling. But the Belgian league was crazy that year, because Anderlecht and Standard Liege had finished tied on points. So there was a two-leg playoff to decide the title.

During the first leg, I’m at home watching on TV like a fan.

Then the day before the second leg, I get a phone call from the coach of the reserves.

“Hello?”

“Hello, Rom. What are you doing?”

“About to go play football in the park.”

“No, no, no, no, no. Pack your bags. Right now.”

“What? What did I do?”

“No, no, no. You need to get to the stadium right now. The first team wants you now.”

“Yo …. What?! Me?!”

“Yeah, you. Come now.”

I literally sprinted into my dad’s bedroom and was like, “Yo! Get your ass up right now! We gotta go, man!”

He’s like, “Huh? What? Go where?”

I’m like, “ANDERLECHT, MAN.”

I’ll never forget, I showed up to the stadium, and I like pretty much ran into the dressing room and the kitman said, “O.K., kid, what number do you want?”

And I said, “Give me number 10.”

Hahahaha! I don’t know. I was too young to be scared I guess.

He was like, “Academy players have to take 30 and above.”

I said, “O.K., well, three plus six equals nine, and that’s a cool number, so give me 36.”

That night at the hotel, the senior players made me sing a song for them at dinner. I can’t even remember what I picked. My head was spinning.

The next morning, my friend literally knocked on the door of my house to see if I wanted to play football and my mum was like, “He’s out playing.”

My friend said, “Playing where?”

She said, “The final.”

We got off the bus at the stadium, and every single player walked in wearing a cool suit. Except me. I came off the bus wearing a terrible tracksuit, and all the TV cameras were right in my face. The walk to the locker room was like 300 meters. Maybe a three-minute walk. As soon as I put my foot in the locker room, my phone starts blowing up. Everybody had seen me on TV. I had 25 messages in three minutes. My friends were going crazy.

“Bro?! WHY ARE YOU AT THE GAME?!”

“Rom, what is happening? WHY ARE YOU ON TV?”

The only person I texted back was my best friend. I said, “Bro, I don’t know if I’m gonna play. I don’t know what’s going on. But just keep watching the TV.”

In the 63rd minute, the manager subbed me on.

I ran out onto the field for Anderlecht at 16 years and 11 days old.

We lost the final that day, but I was already in heaven. I made good on my promise to my mother and to my grandad. That was the moment I knew we were gonna be O.K.

https://cdn.theplayerstribune.com/uploads/73bd5c33-romelulukakuquotecard2artboard-1.jpg?width=1440

The next season, I was still finishing up my last year of high school and playing in the Europa League at the same time. I used to have to take a big bag to school so I could catch a flight in the afternoon. We won the league by a mile, and I finished second for African Player of the Year. It was just … crazy.

I actually expected all that to happen, but maybe not so fast. All of sudden, the media was building me up, and putting all these expectations on me. Especially with the national team. For whatever reason, I just wasn’t playing well for Belgium. It wasn’t working out.

But, yo — come on. I was 17! 18! 19!

When things were going well, I was reading newspapers articles and they were calling me Romelu Lukaku, the Belgian striker.

When things weren’t going well, they were calling me Romelu Lukaku, the Belgian striker of Congolese descent.

If you don’t like the way I play, that’s fine. But I was born here. I grew up in Antwerp, and Liège and Brussels. I dreamed of playing for Anderlecht. I dreamed of being Vincent Kompany. I’ll start a sentence in French and finish it in Dutch, and I’ll throw in some Spanish or Portuguese or Lingala, depending on what neighborhood we’re in.

I’m Belgian.

We’re all Belgian. That’s what makes this country cool, right?

I don’t know why some people in my own country want to see me fail. I really don’t. When I went to Chelsea and I wasn’t playing, I heard them laughing at me. When I got loaned out to West Brom, I heard them laughing at me.

But it’s cool. Those people weren’t with me when we were pouring water in our cereal. If you weren’t with me when I had nothing, then you can’t really understand me.

You know what’s funny? I missed 10 years of Champions League football when I was a kid. We never could afford it. I would come into school and all the kids would be talking about the final, and I’d have no idea what happened. I remember back in 2002, when Madrid played Leverkusen, everybody was like, “The volley! Oh my God, the volley!”

I had to pretend like I knew what they were talking about.

Two weeks later, we were sitting in computer class, and one of my friends downloaded the video off the Internet, and I finally saw Zidane smash it into the top corner with his left.

That summer, I went over to his house so I could watch Ronaldo Fenomeno in the World Cup Final. Everything else from that tournament is just a story I heard from the kids at school.

Ha! I remember I had holes in my shoes in 2002. Big holes.

Twelve years later, I was playing in the World Cup.

Now I’m about to play in another World Cup, and my brother is playing with me this time. Two kids from the same house, the same situation, who made it out. You know what? I’m going to remember to have fun this time. Life is too short for the stress and the drama. People can say whatever they want about our team, and about me.

https://cdn.theplayerstribune.com/uploads/0a71d26c-usatsi_7975485.jpg?width=1000

Man, listen — when we were kids, we couldn’t even afford to watch Thierry Henry on Match of the Day! Now we’re learning from him every day with the national team. I’m standing with the legend, in the flesh, and he’s telling me all about how to run into space like he used to do. Thierry might be the only guy in the world who watches more football than me. We debate everything. We’re sitting around and having debates about German second division football.

I’m like, “Thierry, have you seen the Fortuna Düsseldorf setup, though?”

He’s like, “Don’t be silly. Yes, of course.”

That’s the coolest thing in the world, to me.

I just really, really wish my grandad was around to witness this.

I’m not talking about the Premier League.

Not Manchester United.

Not the Champions League.

Not the World Cups.

That’s not what I mean. I just wish he was around to see the life we have now. I wish I could have one more phone call with him, and I could let him know …

“See? I told you. Your daughter is OK. No more rats in the apartment. No more sleeping on the floor. No more stress. We’re good now. We’re good …

… They don’t have to check the I.D. any more. They know our name.”

https://storage.googleapis.com/www-theplayerstribune-com/uploads/f53b686b-romelu-lukaku-signature-black1.png
Romelu Lukaku
BELGIUM

ykalhaji:
We are saying the same thing. But he was still our holding midfielder Nigeria is not an European team where long passes work. How many passes from Leon connected ? I understand Rohr's tactic that was why he played Ighalo and Mikel up front(long passes from deep & Ighalo muscle his way and maybe score), it would have worked if the 2 costly mistakes had not happened but that is what you get by game planning to your opponents strength. Etebo was given too much responsibilities. That was Mikel's position. Iwobi should have played in the middle, Nacho and Vic Moses should have spearheaded the attack. Then Etebo brought in the 2nd half to replace a tired Mikel. That would have ensured we scored at least 2 goals.

About cornerkicks, we should forget the over emphasis on defending them, we should just do our best. The last game showed that the apprehension in defending them is so much, that we lost the game simply on the fear some of the guys have defending corner kicks. I say let's stop worrying about it, defend what we can and then play our game. The fans will understand if we lose but not playing entertaining and free flowing ball, no that one we can't and should not forgive.

TheLoneCitizen:
Digged this up.

Sainty92:
Since Nigeria lost to Croatia, i have lost interest in watching any other game at the world cup. Although i watched all the early games before Nigeria's game. Now i have lost the vibe to watch any other until probably our next match. Nigeria should not end my worldcup this early o. Who else is in my shoes?

andrew444:
If na naija dey play belgium go don score us,e too sure me

Oasis007:


Give Reasons pls.

Oasis007:
Bruh..... what Rohr did against Croats can be likened to what Mourinho did against Sevilla in the UCL. Sometimes a Tactician shouldn't play his Tactics to nullify your Opponents, rather play to your Team's Strength.

I swear it's never lost for the Eagles. I had to re-watch the Combo of Mikel and Onazi at the 2014 World Cup with Babatunde as a No. 10, and what comes to my Head is; Ndidi and Iwobi are a bit better than Onazi and Babatunde of 2014.

Pair Mikel with Ndidi, let Mikel plays as a deep-lying Playmaker cos he gets eyes for long, decisive and accurate passes. He can shield the Ball, cool the tempo and coordinate the Defence.

No one tackles better than Ndidi in the Squad, he's young, athletic, fit and can tirelessly cover grounds like Kante. With Iwobi as an AM, he's definitely gonna create something from nothing.

Also we need to play with 2 Strikers - Ighalo for his better and proven Holdup plays and Iheanacho for his decisive off-ball Movements and eyes for Goal.

Tyrone and Moses should play as Wing-backs, with the Trio of Ekong, Balogun and Omeruo as CBs. I didn't include Ogu in the Defence coz I ain't sold he can play the CB effectively in a competitive Game.

3 - 4 - 1 - 2 Formation is all what Rohr needs to bring out the best in the Boys. I hope he listens to ex-internationals, Pundits and Fans who are clamoring for the Formation to be played in the next Game - cos if he fails with the same 4 - 2 - 3 - 1 with Mikel as an AM for the Team - Lord...... he's gonna see the other side of Nigerians.

Oasis007:
Bruh..... what Rohr did against Croats can be likened to what Mourinho did against Sevilla in the UCL. Sometimes a Tactician shouldn't play his Tactics to nullify your Opponents, rather play to your Team's Strength.

I swear it's never lost for the Eagles. I had to re-watch the Combo of Mikel and Onazi at the 2014 World Cup with Babatunde as a No. 10, and what comes to my Head is; Ndidi and Iwobi are a bit better than Onazi and Babatunde of 2014.

Pair Mikel with Ndidi, let Mikel plays as a deep-lying Playmaker cos he gets eyes for long, decisive and accurate passes. He can shield the Ball, cool the tempo and coordinate the Defence.

No one tackles better than Ndidi in the Squad, he's young, athletic, fit and can tirelessly cover grounds like Kante. With Iwobi as an AM, he's definitely gonna create something from nothing.

Also we need to play with 2 Strikers - Ighalo for his better and proven Holdup plays and Iheanacho for his decisive off-ball Movements and eyes for Goal.

Tyrone and Moses should play as Wing-backs, with the Trio of Ekong, Balogun and Omeruo as CBs. I didn't include Ogu in the Defence coz I ain't sold he can play the CB effectively in a competitive Game.

3 - 4 - 1 - 2 Formation is all what Rohr needs to bring out the best in the Boys. I hope he listens to ex-internationals, Pundits and Fans who are clamoring for the Formation to be played in the next Game - cos if he fails with the same 4 - 2 - 3 - 1 with Mikel as an AM for the Team - Lord...... he's gonna see the other side of Nigerians.

Oasis007:


Some Monikers really amazed me. I thought they religiously believe in Rohr, trust his Project and ready to stand by him even if he fails at this World Cup.

They preached severally to us not to be fickle-minded, just in case things go south at the Mundial. They tagged Rohr the second coming of Messiah, and the best thing to ever happen to Nigeria Football - post-Westerhof Era though.

Alas! They keep wailing more than bereaved. They keep lamenting, gnashing Teeth, ready to tear down Rohr and his Project. My Point is; why are they preaching what they can't practice?!

Some Monikers are looking up to them cos they are Homies on this Thread, but they've failed those who believed in their loyalty and patriotism.

TheSuperNerd, Michael2, Mujtahida, Tbaba1234, Joseph1013, Komekn, Icon4s, Forgiveness, and some other notable Monikers weren't as well happy with the Result, but didn't discard Rohr, the Project and the Players because of the Match.

They analyzed the Match, where it went wrong, and suggested tactical Solutions to avoid another negative Result in our next Game. They ain't cursing or insulting Rohr or the Coaching Crew, they picked the talking-points, analyzed it, debated it and already move unto the next Match.

Pls Eagulians, enough of wailings. Let's go back to pre-world Period. Let's believe again...... coz in a Game of Football - Nothing is Impossible..

Mujtahida:
When coachee go don tell them say Belgium players dey play for better club pass them.

Sainty92:
Since Nigeria lost to Croatia, i have lost interest in watching any other game at the world cup. Although i watched all the early games before Nigeria's game. Now i have lost the vibe to watch any other until probably our next match. Nigeria should not end my worldcup this early o. Who else is in my shoes?

Mujtahida:
You guys are the ones who are very sensitive to such insinuations oo. Yet here you are travelling that road with glee. If forgiveness should so much as whisper such a thing, na chorus una go begin sing.

ChrisKels:
Oboy no more camp news, wetin dey happen?

TheSuperNerd:
From @NekuEA

"The treatment of the Super Eagles, after only their first match, is why people are absolutely terrified to fail in Nigeria!

It is a game, you win some, you lose some- but we must be committed in our support for our national team. �� � #NaijaAllTheWay"




I laugh at the many shameful comments condemning this team. It is a pity.
So if your child comes back feeling sad after having a bad day in his first paper at school, what you will do is to castigate him and bring him down abi... Especially when this same child is one that has shone in previous classes before now.
What motivation is he expected to carry into his next paper when the reaction is calling him a failure already and a waste of space, unserious and all.

This is really really good. This loss has exposed us all. Well done people. Now I know the extent to which each and every moniker can stand by this team.


#SoarSuperEagles #IStandWithTheEagles #WeDontGiveUp

Bolowolowo:
Would this work?? Any thoughts??

TheLoneCitizen:
He is the only box to box player in that team, he has the best work rate. He knows how to dribble, he knows how to shoot.


In totality, he has at least a bit of every player except a goalkeeper. From mad tackling to explosive pace. Is this reason enough?

safarigirl:
I swear, you get am

Na wetin I don dey reason since afternoon, what is so wrong with Kelechi playing SS to Ighalo?

We don't have the personnel to play a single forward. If our lone striker was a Lukaku or Costa, you can try that, but Ighalo doesn't have the mass, nor the strength to pull their moves. He doesn't even have height.

Field a taller Kelechi with nimble feet and watch the pressure subside from Ighalo.

Rohr no dey too reason na wetin make and Salisu is just a minus 1 in that Technical department.