joseph1013:


Excuses! How can you know if we don't want to try someone else. Let him take the back seat and watch someone else attempt to do so, pal.

tbaba1234:


Forgiven

I have nothing against him. From what I have seen, he is not good enough. I am not the first person saying it. Some journalists have expressed similar sentiment.

BascoVanVeli:


So a question for u ole buddy ole pal, who is that somebody? Cuz we have not had a consistent attacking midfielder in years.

Icon4s:


Not good enough for which team? The Olympic team or the Super Eagles?

tbaba1234:


The Olympic team is as close to the Super Eagles at it comes. I believe that everyone in the Olympic team should stand a chance of breaking into the Super eagles.

I do not see Sokari leading our midfield. I can see Etebor making the step up, for instance.

joseph1013:


The answer opens up when you consider the players we have not tried. They have been mentioned today.

BascoVanVeli:


Let me be honest sometimes i don't know who is who in our midfield. Seems like they all do the same duties.

MEN:

Manchester City: Why Kelechi Iheanacho
must start against Everton

http://
www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/
incoming/manchester-city-kelechi-
iheanacho-must-10688470

Mail
Produced a terrific, instinctive finish to
help ease City past Norwich and score his
fifth goal of the season on only his third
start. He has made 11 appearances off
the bench. He also showed good link-up
play, flicking on a long ball in the move for
Kevin De Buryne’s goal.

Sergio Aguero and Kelechi Iheanacho show
Manuel Pellegrini that 4-4-2 can be a useful
weapon in race for Premier League title

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...-
race-Premier-League-
title.html#ixzz3wxIhjhLb


ESPN

FW Kelechi Iheanacho, 8/10 -- The
youngster appears to be fearless. He took
his goal on his weaker foot very well and
showed some excellent link-up with
Aguero. There were also some good
chances where he tested John Ruddy and
was unlucky not to find the net more than
once.

Guardian:
Iheanacho begins to shine at Manchester
City

Many Manchester City supporters have
been keen to see more of Kelechi
Iheanacho, if necessary at the expense of
Wilfried Bony, and against Norwich the 19-
year-old demonstrated he is a very
genuine striking option for Manuel
Pellegrini, either starting or from the
bench. Strong and aware, Iheanacho
appears to be an instinctive and precise
finisher with a maturity that belies his
youth, and what was also evident on
Saturday was that his team-mates trust
him with the ball. With Sergio Agüero
almost back to his best, the emergence of
Iheanacho as both a foil for the brilliant
Argentinian and a goal-scorer in his own
right could be crucial as City pursue
success in four competitions.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/
blog/2016/jan/11/fa-cup-talking-points-
third-round


Times

At 19, Kelechi Iheanacho is still finding his
way in the game but his performance here,
in which he ran Norwich City ragged and
scored a fine opportunistic effort, will give
more credence to those who want the
young forward to be given the chance to
shine on a more regular occurrence.
Iheanacho, working alongside a
frighteningly efficient Sergio Agüero, not
only adds pace and presence but also
possesses vision and awareness beyond
his years.
The Nigerian, who first caught the eye
while playing at the 2013 under-17 World
Cup, could become one of City’s most
exciting talents in years should he
maintain his trajectory.
Iheanacho could retain his place for
Wednesday’s Barclays Premier League game
at home to Everton with Bony unlikely to
have recovered from a calf injury

They also gave him a rating of 8/10

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/public/
football/article4661.ece


Finally, Yaya has had his say;
“Yes, I am very close to Kelechi and he
sees me as his mentor,” Yaya told
SportingLife.

“I see him closely and I trust him and I
have been trying to push him up. I know
what I have done to encourage him to
continue to believe in his talent.
“I see him as one of my younger brothers
coming through one day. I hope that
Kelechi can be one of the top players on
the field in the future.”
https://www.naij.com/692555-yaya-toure-
describes-relationship-iheanacho.html

Icon4s:


So between Iheanacho and Etebor hu do u rate higher in that position?

Jst give a simple and honest answer. Dnt be scared of the "Nacho" fans attack.

tbaba1234:


I rate iheanacho higher to be honest. That kid is a natural. Etebor is quite impressive with his power and pace but Iheanacho is the most natural finisher Nigeria has produced in a while. Potentially a superstar.

zuchyblink:
we now have 3 No. 10: Iheanacho,Etebor and Iwobi

Icon4s:


It is no news that the last midfield maestro we had was Austine Okocha.Joel Obi would have been his successor bt ... u know his story.

However, two fantastic central midfielders have jst emerged: Kelechi Nwakali and Azubuike Okechukwu both 17 & 18 yrs olds respectively. These are midfielders that boss oppositions jst like Okocha did during his days. Midfielders that can single handedly influence d course of a game. We are tired of the Mikelish timid kind of midfielders. We can only hope Azubuike and Nwakali progress well and live up to our expectations.

I would like to see them both play d next U20. One of which can b made to play a more forward role (AM) prefarably Nwakali due to his excellent passing skills, dribbling abilitied and good eye for goals.Let him play jst behind Osimhen or Sadiq Umar or hu ever emerges d first choice Centre forward.

edi287:

Barkley, Aogo and Alli all rejected Naija. Its not like we ignored them.

I agree we should have a better scouting system to unearth these gems, that doesn't mean we should forget the ones at home. We should spend more time developing our grassroots instead of waiting to call up players that got their education/spent their whole life abroad and have no personal attachment to naija. There has to be a balance.

forgiveness:


I hope they play to our expectation. However, don't forget that Raheem Lawal was the joint highest goal scorer and the best Nigerian player at the previous U23 Africa championship and he is a better attacking midfielder than those two players you mentioned and the guy plays regularly for his club in that position.

Bros, comparing Okocha to those lads?

forgiveness:


I hope they play to our expectation. However, don't forget that Raheem Lawal was the joint highest goal scorer and the best Nigerian player at the previous U23 Africa championship and he is a better attacking midfielder than those two players you mentioned and the guy plays regularly for his club in that position.

Bros, comparing Okocha to those lads?

forgiveness:



Are you saying if I born pikin for abroad and train dem in abroad, they have no personal attachment to naija?

Barkley and Alli never rejected Nigeria. They were never approached by NFF. That's all.

Icon4s:


Okocho never won any MVP when he was 17. Neither did he win any tourney bt Azubuike and Nwakali at 18 & 17 respectively have won both MVPs and National titles and both as captain. U think these 2 lads cannot develop to d level of Okocha. See o watched Okocha play at the 1993 AYC. He wasnt so ececeptipnal.

BascoVanVeli:


Okocha played for no youth teams in 93 he was already a super eagle.

BascoVanVeli:


Okocha played for no youth teams in 93 he was already a super eagle.

Icon4s:

Raheem Lawal featured for the Super Eagles during Keshi. He wasn't so impressive. Raheem is abt 26-27 yrs old now and must have reached d summit of his career. K. Nwakali and Azubuike are jst starting and have shown so much promises. Our hope lies more on them.

tbaba1234:


He played AYC1993

Atlanta 96 was a youth team too

Icon4s:


Okocho never won any MVP when he was 17. Neither did he win any tourney bt Azubuike and Nwakali at 18 & 17 respectively have won both MVPs and National titles and both as captain. U think these 2 lads cannot develop to d level of Okocha. See o watched Okocha play at the 1993 AYC. He wasnt so ececeptipnal.

edi287:

No I'm saying if your child is born and bred abroad, don't expect he/she to automatically play for Nigeria because you say so or whatever. Fact is we DID try to get Alli to play for us through Fashanu and he refused. Same with Barkley.
How anyone would expect Barkley to play for us despite being estranged from his father and the fact that he uses his Mother's last name is beyond me.

BascoVanVeli:


Welp I just might be wrong but i do know he was on the se since 93 and he was never average.

tbaba1234:


He was not a starter in the Super Eagles in 93/94. A certain Thompson Oliha started over okocha.

He was flashy and had potential but the end result was often lacking.

Icon4s:


Yeah spot on man. The 1994 AFCON team was so stars studded that Okocha and Amuneke were subs. Amuneke's break through was d only game he played in that AFCON which was d final against Zambia. That I think was d only game Okocha played too.

While Amuneke played in all our '94 world cup games, Okocha only played in d 2nd rnd game against Italy. Thompson Oliha (RIP) was the midfield martial then. Okocha took over from him displacing Friday Ekpo, another fine central midfielder. Oliha took over from Henry Nwosu at Algiers '90. Etim Esin was a threat to Henry Nwosu going into Maroc '88 bt indiscipline caused Etim Esin d opportunity.Meanwhile Henry Nwosu debuted in the Espana 82 WC qualifiers against Guinea and scored the only goal as we scaled through on 1-0 aggregate.That game was played in 1981 at d National stadium Surulere, Lagos. Wjat i remember most abt d game was how the 17 yrs old Henry Nwosu was carried shouldera high by d Lagos fans hu invaded d pitch.

tbaba1234:


I remember Friday Ekpo very well. My football memory starts from Algiers/Italia 90. You are a chairman. Lol..

tbaba1234:
Nwakali and Chukwueze to join Arsenal... Good news.. Hope they can break in.