Icon4s:


See, in national team action u dnt jst base your players' assessment on club performances in the last 1 or 2 months.

You and I have seen Ighalo on several occasions and we know what he is capable of. He has not scored in the EPL for some time doesn't mean if he is gifted with opportunities against Egypt he will nt convert them. Football is like that. You enjoy a period of continues banging of goals and then another period without goals. 14 EPL goals for a whole season already makes him a prolific striker.
Ighalo is by far our best center forward option.

National team duties are quite different from club duties. Experience counts for much especially in a big game.
That is why I am nt moved by the performances of the likes of Chidozie Awaziem, Ehizibue, and the rest. The technical committee I am sure have taken note of them for future call-ups.

A young defender starting 2 or 3 games for the senior team of a club in my opinion is not enough for me to press for an inclusion of that player in the senior national team for a game of the nature. At best I can for now press for his inclusion in the U23 and maybe in the games against Chad and Tanzania (if he continues playing). It is nt an issue of "bc Awaziem starts for Fc Porto he is now automatically better than Ambrose and Obaobona". You cannot rule-out the place of experience and co-ordination in the center back position.

I, jst like most coaches believe so much in experience at center back. We can play a debutant at Right or Left back positions bt not at center back bc it would be too risky more especially in a would be tension soaked game. We are all not so comfortable with Ambrose - Obaobona CB back pair bt believe me that is the best pair we can afford for now.

My hope is for us to build a new Center back pair from Rio Olympics and graduate them together into the Super Eagles. It could be Awaziem-Omeruo pair or which ever pair that makes the starting 11. Football is a Team sport and co-ordination in the area of defense matters. U saw how the Omeruo and Obaobona CB pair worked for as at the 2013 AFCON. Throwing in defenders at random has been our major problem and it will continue to hurt us if we continue in that trend

The young players will definitely get their turn but first we need to manage the situation we find in our hands now.

forgiveness:


You know now! But i will not be happy if they don't play him.

Orkpekyandega:
Who do you think can our super sub in place of Ighalo in case he fails to find the back of the net? looking at the options we have

Good one there Sir, but at the same time am not too comfortable that the Coach had to let go of Chisom Chikatara. At least he should have asked him join the Olympic team.

Icon4s:



That is why I am nt moved by the performances of the likes of Chidozie Awaziem, Ehizibue, and the rest. The technical committee I am sure have taken note of them for future call-ups.

A young defender starting 2 or 3 games for the senior team of a club in my opinion is not enough for me to press for an inclusion of that player in the senior national team for a game of the nature. .

[b][size=14pt]
Okocha Reveals Arsenal Starlet Iwobi Has Chosen Nigeria Over England
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Former Nigeria international Emmanuel Okocha has revealed that his nephew, Arsenal’s man of the moment Alex Iwobi, will not turn his back on Nigeria, amid reports in the British press that he has been approached by the FA to represent England in competitive games.


The 19-year-old Iwobi has 11 caps in total for the youth teams of England, all of them in non-competitive fixtures, and has played two friendlies for Nigeria, meaning there is still a window open for him to change his mind and represent England as things stand.


“Iwobi is here in Nigeria for the match against Egypt, so hopefully if he plays a part, he can no longer play for England, that will be it,” said Emmanuel Okocha to allnigeriasoccer.com.

“He wants to play for Nigeria and that is why he is here.”


Iwobi trained with Nigeria’s Olympic National Team a year ago but could not make his competitive debut against Gabon in an All Africa Games qualifier because there were uncertainties regarding if he needed approval from Fifa before switching his international allegiance.


The offensive all-rounder netted his first senior goal for the Gunners last weekend against the Toffees.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

[size=14pt]
Watford Marksman Ighalo On His Way To Abuja To Join Nigeria Squad
[/size]

Watford marksman Odion Ighalo has landed in Nigeria to link up with the Super Eagles ahead of their make or mar clash with Egypt in Kaduna this coming Friday.

The 26-year-old just landed in Lagos and is on his way to Abuja to link up with his international teammates.


Rumours had been rife that Ighalo would not be fit for the showdown against the North Africans but those suggestions were put to bed when he played the full game at the Vic this past weekend against Stoke City.

The former Udinese, Granada and Lyn Oslo man netted against Chad in the Super Eagles first home game of the AFCON qualifying series.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

[b][size=14pt]
Aaron Samuel, Odion Ighalo,Godfrey Oboabona Hit Super Eagles Camp
[/size]

Nine invited players have arrived at the Bolton White Apartment camp of the Super Eagles, the Nigeria Football Federation has announced via official sources.


Portuguese-based stopper Abdullahi Shehu was still being expected in camp as at 1400 hours on Monday, contrary to the earlier reports that emanated from the Federation.


Arsenal’s Alex Iwobi, Obi Mikel(Chelsea), Aminu Umar(Osmanlispor FK), Ikechukwu Ezenwa(Sunshine Stars) and Portugal-bound Etebo Oghenekaro were already in camp on Monday morning.


The latest players to join the camp are Odion Ighalo(Watford), Aaron Samuel(CSKA Moscow), Godfrey Oboabona(Rizespor) and Ifeanyi Mathew(Kano Pillars).

The squad will resume preparations for the AFCON qualifiers against Egypt this evening, with a training session scheduled to take place.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

[size=14pt]
Official : Heanor Town Announce Signing Of Former Wolves Player Simeon Osheboke
[/size]

Heanor Town have snapped up Simeon Osheboke, formerly on the books of Evo-Stik Northern Premier League Premier Division side Mickleover Sports.


On his curriculum vitae, Osheboke previously turned out for Holbrook Sports before penning a deal with Mickleover Sports.three years ago.

Born in Nigeria, he was on the payroll of Wolverhampton Wanderers prior to his switch to Mickleover Sports.

The financial terms and duration of contract the player signed were not disclosed.

Igho Kingsley

[b][size=14pt]
EXCLUSIVE: ONOBI FINALLY AGREES TO FLY TO FINLAND AND COMPLETE KuPS TRANSFER
[/size]

Paul Onobi has finally put to rest the controversy surrounding his move to Kuopion Palloseura (KuPS) of Finland after agreeing to fly to Finland to complete the remaining formalities of the deal.


He will now travel to Finland tomorrow to team up with the three other Nigerians at the team, the trio of Azubuike Egwuekwe,Paul Onobi and Aliyu Abubakar who are already there.


The 23 year old initially refused to travel to Finland insisting on receiving his sign on fee before leaving the shores of Nigeria but owngoalnigeria.com can exclusively reveal an agreement has been found between both parties.


We gathered the brouhaha started when an agent named Segun who claims to be representing the Sunshine Stars midfielder traveled to Finland to have talks on the player’s behalf but was rebuffed by KuPS.


KuPS insisted they are already in talks with their contact in Nigeria who made the player sign the dotted lines on their behalf and won’t talk to a third party.


Frustrated by the refusal of the Finnish team to speak with him, Segun returned back to Nigeria and ironed out issues as directed by the club with their contacts.

[b][size=14pt]
IWOBI NOT INTERESTED IN ENGLAND LATE ATTEMPT TO LURE HIM
[/size]

Owngoalnigeria.com can exclusively reveal that Arsenal teen sensation Alex Iwobi is fully commited to the Super Eagles of Nigeria despite a late attempt from England to lure him into their national team set up.


“It has been on for a while but the last few weeks it went a notch further but am fully committed to Nigeria and am focus on the Egypt game” He told owngoalnigeria from the Super Eagles camp.


England according to the electronic edition of the daily mirror tried to talk the 19 year old into switching allegiance back to them after representing them at youth level but met a brick wall in his family who want him to follow in the footstep of his uncle former Nigeria captain Austin Okocha.


However he still remain eligible for England unless he plays in this Friday AFCON 2017 qualifiers against Egypt as he has only played two friendly games for Nigeria.


He was the first to arrive the camp of the Super Eagles and the man who scored his first top flight goal for Arsenal on Saturday in their 2-0 win over Everton is very much at home with interim manager of the Super Eagles Samson Siasia who made him switch allegiance to Nigeria a year ago.


Siasia who still doubles as Nigeria U-23 coach invited then 18 year old Iwobi to train with his team in 2015 and sang the youngster praise after then although he never got to play for the team as the Super Eagles called him up.

[b][size=14pt]
EXCLUSIVE PICTURE AS AKPEYI HEADS TO NIGERIA FOR AFCON 2017 QUALIFIERS
[/size]

Daniel Akpeyi has flown out of South Africa to join the Super Eagles ahead of their AFCON 2017 qualifiers against Egypt owngoalnigeria.com can exclusively reveal after our cameras sighted him at the departure lounge of the Oliver Tambo airport in Johannesburg

The Chippa United goal tender was behind the post yesterday for Chippa United in their 2-2 draw against Maritzburg United.


29 year old Akpeyi was second choice to former Super Eagles captain and net minder Vincent Enyeama has been in the international wilderness since the exit of former coach Stephen Keshi.


He has one cap for Nigeria but he is well respected locally within the Nigeria football league where he has turned out Gabros International,Nassarawa United, Heartland FC and Warri Wolves.


In the Eagles camp he will push Carl Ikeme of English Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers for the number one spot for the back to back game against group G leaders Egypt.

BlackAlbino6:
[b][size=14pt]
MORE BRIBERY ALLEGATIONS ON SAMSON SIASIA
[/size]

Interim coach of the Super Eagles Samson Siasia is once again in the spotlight regarding another allegation of receiving bribes for most the players in his U-23 team for the friendly game against Brazil.


A text message is presently being circulated to most media agency by an aggrieved soccer player agent who alleged players who made the team for the Brazil friendly paid within $4-5,000 to be a part of the team.


The message further alleged that two agents namely Marcelo Houseman from Argentina and Arsalan Urmat from Turkey own the chunk of the players on the trip to Brazil.


This is the second time in a space of one week that Siasia has been accused of favouritism in his selection for the U-23 and Super Eagles as owngoalnigeria.com exclusively reported that Kano Pillars forward Prince Aggrey was dropped from the Super Eagles camp after he refused to work with an agent close to the Super Eagles interim coach.
http://owngoalnigeria.com/2016/03/21/more-bribery-allegations-on-samson-siasia/
[/b]

Icon4s:


Who are those clowns in that pix u posted as Super Eagles?

Bc of that CHAN now every d!ck and Harry can now claim Super Eagles player.
Please players in that pix there are not the Super Eagles. Those ones are CHAN eagles.
See as the numbers 11, 18, 17 and 3 them put hand for knee like suwegbe

See pix of Super Eagles here:

tbaba1234:


Way too much belief in the NFF technical committee.

Ambrose was not considered good enough for even the bench in Celtic's last game.

Oboabana is on the bench in Turkey.

The best assessment of a player's form is their club games.

Our starting CBs can't make the bench in inferior leagues.

Awaziem has started more than 2-3 games now. He is considered Porto's best defender by many of the fans.

Quality does not hide itself. Omeruo played just one friendly for Nigeria at right back before going on to play CB, most of the nation's cup. He was not selected for the first game.A kid with one friendly appearance at RB displaced your most experienced CB.

Remember Omeruo was playing in Dutch league then.

Invite Awaziem or Ehizibue and see if they will not pick a place in the Eagles. Based on the quality I see in the team, I have no doubt that they would.

Apart from Omeruo and Balogun, the rest are not better than Otigba and Awaziem.

BlackAlbino6:
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Leon Balogun fit for Egypt return clash - NFF
[/size]

Balogun (left)

Injury-hit Germany-based defender Leon Balogun could still play a role in an AFCON double-header against Egypt according to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).


According to the NFF, Balogun, who is nursing hamstring complaint, is being programmed for the return leg in Alexandria on Tuesday next week.

Balogun's Bundesliga club Mainz 05 announced the defender's injury, adding he will be out for some time.


In the meantime, England –based goalkeeper Carl Ikeme, defenders Efe Ambrose and Abdullahi Shehu, midfielders Kelechi Iheanacho and Azubuike Okechukwu and forwards Ahmed Musa, Moses Simon, Victor Moses and Fanendo Adi were being expected to land in Abuja on Monday night.


South Africa –based goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi, defenders Stanley Amuzie and Elderson Echiejile and midfielder Ogenyi Onazi would arrive in Lagos on Monday night and travel to Abuja by first flight on Tuesday.


Arsenal prodigy Alex Iwobi was the first overseas –based player to arrive in the Super Eagles’ camp in Abuja, on Sunday, before Turkey–based Umar Aminu and Godfrey Oboabona, and John Mikel Obi, Odion Ighalo and Aaron Samuel.

The Super Eagles will arrive in the city of Kaduna, venue of Friday’s against the Pharaohs of Egypt, on Tuesday.
http://africanfootball.com/news/620804/Leon-Balogun-fit-for-Egypt-return-clash-NFF
[/b]

Icon4s:


Omeruo was introduced in a friendly and at Right back u said. Recall i said young players can b more easily experimented at Right and Left Backs which was also Omeruo's case. Recall also i said Awawiem may b called up for d Chad or Tanzania game. Fact is u do nt experiment at CB in a crutial game.

I am banking on the experience of Ambrose and Obaobona to do the job. Fact that they may nt b regular in their clubs doesnt mean dey have lost steam and fitness as defenders.They are what we've got now and we have to make do with them.

Icon4s:


One of the reasons why I feel we dnt need Ighalo in Rio....

We have so many U23 attackers that are setting Europe ablaze. We need to see them in Rio so as to fully assess their national team capabilities which has in so many cases proven to be different from club capabilities.