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Nairaland Forum / Entertainment / Sports / 10 To Watch In Nigerian Premier League This Season (4762 Views)
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10 To Watch In Nigerian Premier League This Season by honeric01(m): 2:34pm On Nov 01, 2010 |
Last term, it was the likes of Godfrey Oboabona, Dele Olorundare, Oke Akpoveta, Austin Kadiri, Ejike Orji, Charles Taylor, Morufu Yusuf, Nasiru Ali, Philemon Daniel, Moses Bunde, James Okwosah, and record scorer, Ahmed Musa, among others who grabbed the headlines for their performances in the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) after making unannounced entries to the top-flight. This season with these players now known quantities and with the departure of Musa to Europe, SuperSport.com scouts out the Premier League for 10 players that could have the league at their feet by the time the 2010/2011 season ends next year. Five of them have featured in the championship last season as understudies in cameo roles while others are new in the top-flight. Emeka ‘Yobo’ Eze, Enugu Rangers He is a fantastic midfielder with great work ethic. Yobo as he is fondly called by fellow teammates at Internazionale Enugu joined Enugu Rangers on a two-year loan deal, which will run out in 2012. In the pre-season friendly games he featured for Inter Enugu, the teenager, who turns 18 on December 22, has been outstanding. His father, a referee and staff with the Enugu state sports ministry, has been a big inspiration to the player, who can break up opposition’s play and set up an offensive style in a flash. Eze can also play in a holding role and little wonder the Flying Antelopes’ head coach, Alphonsus Dike, insisted on having the youngster in his group for the new season. Chris Madaki, JUTH FC This left wing back was one of the reasons that Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) Football Club found their way back to the top-flight in Nigeria after a season in the lower league. Last season, 18-year-old Madaki showed that he has a sweet left foot that can hit the ball with so much power behind it and that earned him the sobriquet of Roberto Carlos. The former Keffi United and Plateau United showed how consistent he can be last season in the Nigeria National League (NNL) also known as the National Division I with his tackles and offensive abilities though those performances were blighted by suspensions and injuries along the way. Madaki is no doubt an important player in the setup of JUTH FC playing personnel. Even the club’s head coach, Tunde Rahman, testified to that saying: “His qualities are very important to us on the pitch because he brings so much for us especially when we are on the offensive.” Last season he scored twice, but fans and opponents should look out for his dead-ball skills and pace on the left flank of The Healers in the new season. Kelvin Kpakor, Kwara United He is 17 years old and one of the football-playing sons of former Nigeria international, Moses Kpakor. Coincidentally, the same man, who gave his father the chance to play for the Super Eagles in the early 1990s, Clemens Westerhof, took Kelvin under his guidance at the Kwara Football Academy as a football apprentice. Unlike his father, who played in a more defensive role, Kelvin is an offensive and aggressive footballer with an eye for goal. On August 8, the teenager showed what followers of the Premier League should expect from him in the 2010/2011 season when he chipped Sunshine Stars’ goalkeeper, Afeso Attah, from 35 yards during the Super Four in Ijebu-Ode. Little wonder, former African Coach of the Year award winner, Kadiri Ikhana, did not blink before handing the youngster a full contract for the new season. Kelvin Kpakor is known for his strength, pace and ability to shoot with both feet though he is left-footed player. Ousmane Pape Sane, Sharks This Senegalese centre-back last season showed that he is a massive player in the art of defending. His ability to keep attackers at bay was one of the reasons that the Blue Angels miraculously escaped relegation after starting their first 10 games without winning a single match. The 26-year-old former Police FC of Senegal defender has been a subject of transfer to Enugu Rangers but the management of Sharks blocked the move since he is regarded as an important part of the Blue Angels. Sane is a strong centre-back, full of pace and a hard-tackler. Magnus Iwuoha, Enyimba Little is known about Magnus Iwuoha. Only recently, a blog writer from Norway, Øivind Henrik von Mehren, who specialises on covering football talents in West Africa, contacted this writer to seek information on the former Jigawa Golden Stars’ striker. Definitely that speaks volume about the talent of the Enyimba man. Iwuoha, 21, had little chance to prove himself last season in the colours of six-time Nigerian champions, Enyimba. Last season, Iwuoha got just a handful of appearances for Enyimba and scored just two goals. But when he got his chance to play in the Super Four against Kano Pillars on August 8 inside the Gateway International Stadium, Ijebu-Ode, he responded with a superb goal after he was played through by Rasheed Olabiyi. The petite striker is fast and is known for cameo role at the Peoples Elephant. Enyimba fans will remember how Iwuoha’s 85th minute strike sealed three points at Lobi Stars last season. George Akpabio, Plateau United He is strong and has the ability to shoot with precision. Akpabio also has the qualities of good positioning and the ability to dribble. Just few days ago, he completed 17 years and has been named in the seniors of Plateau United for their Premier League campaign in the new season following his impressive performance in the lower league last term in which he finished as the club’s top scorer with eight goals. The striker was groomed through the youth ranks of Plateau United before he was elevated to seniors of the club. Akpabio is one of the reasons Plateau United have found themselves back in the top-flight after six years in the lower league. Chinedu Udeh, Heartland Heartland appear to have pulled off a coup in the transfer market by beating their oriental rivals, Enugu Rangers, in signing one of the biggest goalkeeping talents in the professional league in Nigeria. At age 19, Udeh stands at an intimidating 6 ft 4 with sharp reflexes to cut off crosses. Udeh was initially thought to have joined Enugu Rangers for this season on a year loan deal from Inter Enugu before the Naze Millionaires’ coach, Samson Siasia, snapped him up. Enugu Rangers’ coach, Alphonsus Dike, was impressed with what he had seen of the goalkeeper and said: “He has prospects because he has shown that since he came to us. But in spite of his massive talent between the sticks, Udeh will have to compete with other Heartland goalkeepers. Joseph Thompson, Kano Pillars His full name is Joseph Atang Thompson and has often been mistaken to have joined Kano Pillars from Enyimba. But the 21-year-old midfielder moved from Cotonsport Garoua of Cameroon to Kano Pillars in 2009 and has played a big role in the middle of the pack for the former Nigerian champions. Thompson plays in the mould of a Mikel John Obi with attributes of shielding, passing and dribbling his way through opponents. He has had little play time in the past, but that might change in the new season with the departure of Solomon Okpako to Panionios, Thompson will be relishing his chance to hit the headlines this season. Andrew Michael, Ocean Boys In the title-winning season of his former club, Bayelsa United – now relegated, Michael got a few cameo roles under coach Monday Odigie. But the player, who came through the ranks of the Yenagoa club’s reserves in 2008/2009 season, fell out of the pecking order last season due to the presence of more established players. In the wake of Bayelsa United’s relegation, he moved to city rivals and former champions, Ocean Boys, for the new season. Michael, 19, is strong and pacy on and off the ball and can shoot with both feet. He could finally break the duck at Ocean Boys this season as he is one of those to watch out for this season. Bright Ejike, Sharks He was first scouted at the football talent show anchored by John Fashanu before he was reportedly snapped by Enyimba in the 2008/2009 season. He featured prominently in the Super Four of 2009 along with Uche Kalu in attack, as they competed against Bayelsa United, Heartland Football Club and Warri Wolves. But when Okey Emordi joined the Peoples Elephant just before the start of the season, he was surprisingly sent out of loan to Sharks, where he scored seven times and formed a telepathic partnership with Victor Ezeji. The 25-year-old is known for his pace, balance on the ball and dribbles. He can also play from both wings, and is now a setup of the Nigerian Under20s under coach John Obuh, who is also head coach at the Blue Angels. Last season, he is one of the few players that netted a hat-trick. Ejike got a treble against a struggling Zamfara United in the Blue Angels’ five-nil win on April 25, 2010 at the Liberation Stadium in Port Harcourt. © SuperSport.com
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Re: 10 To Watch In Nigerian Premier League This Season by Adonike(m): 3:23pm On Nov 01, 2010 |
Nicest Post on NPL. Up Nigerian League. Africa's Best! |
Re: 10 To Watch In Nigerian Premier League This Season by honeric01(m): 3:44pm On Nov 01, 2010 |
honeric01: Nice one, i like this part |
Re: 10 To Watch In Nigerian Premier League This Season by honeric01(m): 1:23am On Nov 02, 2010 |
Those who like the NPL, here are the players you should watch out for. |
Re: 10 To Watch In Nigerian Premier League This Season by GAR3TH(m): 6:26am On Nov 02, 2010 |
nice to see Ousmane Pape Sane and Bright Ejike from shark F.C, . .THE TEAM TO BEAT ![]() |
Re: 10 To Watch In Nigerian Premier League This Season by medjai(m): 7:21am On Nov 02, 2010 |
Ok, I'll watch out for them |
Re: 10 To Watch In Nigerian Premier League This Season by Ranoscky(m): 9:37am On Nov 03, 2010 |
Hmmm.,.,. Interestin. Hope they'll do well and get called up to represent super eagles in the future. |
Re: 10 To Watch In Nigerian Premier League This Season by lordvamon(m): 10:38am On Nov 03, 2010 |
ka anyi newe nu anya |
Re: 10 To Watch In Nigerian Premier League This Season by Mortiple(m): 10:43am On Nov 03, 2010 |
honeric01: Welcome to ala-Owerri! You have got great height befitting for a goalkeeper in the order of Peter Cech, Edwin Van Der Sar and our own DOSU JOSEPH. |
Re: 10 To Watch In Nigerian Premier League This Season by DejiYesufu(m): 10:53am On Nov 03, 2010 |
Great post. Let's celebrate our own. Enough of this Man U, Chelsea, etc gibberish!!! |
Re: 10 To Watch In Nigerian Premier League This Season by holydante(m): 10:57am On Nov 03, 2010 |
this is such a good and positive step honeric01, with dstv's coverage of our league, we sure hope laudable improvement and attention will be felt. thanks for this man |
Re: 10 To Watch In Nigerian Premier League This Season by Shinor(m): 11:14am On Nov 03, 2010 |
Thanks honeric01. Been waiting for such news. Its about time we started to talk about our own. We don't have to wait for the big newspapers/ TV channels. We can do it starting from NL. When I see the way our people worship managers like Arsene Wenger I am at a loss. His style is not new neither is it revolutionary. The late Abdullahi Bebe who coached Stationary Stores to League victory in 1991 adopted the same style. Starved of transfer funds, he opened the doors to young players such as Akeem Ogunlade who at 18 was one of the youngest if not the youngest to captain a league winning side in our footballing history. It's about time we celebrate our own. With all the noise about a collapsed economy in Zimbabwe, the local sides such as Caps United still draw a full house whenever they play. And yes they watch the EPL in Zimbabwe. Same thing in Kenya. There's still major rivalry amongst the local sides despite the large following generated by the EPL. Even the EPL is not perfect. It took over 100 years of football in the UK to get to where they are today. Let us start restructuring our football. The change that we all talk about, that we all so desire, starts with YOU. |
Re: 10 To Watch In Nigerian Premier League This Season by Maxidoe(m): 11:47am On Nov 03, 2010 |
Bright Ejike, Sharks Na wah oh Naija we would never change, check out, he is 25 years old and now a set up of the Nigerian under 20 |
Re: 10 To Watch In Nigerian Premier League This Season by honeric01(m): 12:19pm On Nov 03, 2010 |
Maxidoe: Out of the whole post, na wetin your eyes see be that? always looking for loopholes abi? ![]() ![]() |
Re: 10 To Watch In Nigerian Premier League This Season by honeric01(m): 12:27pm On Nov 03, 2010 |
Shinor: I tire too oo, it's only on the international football club you see most of the users of this forum, most of them hardly visit the local scene except when they want to come and criticize or abuse Nigeria and the setup. ![]() |
Re: 10 To Watch In Nigerian Premier League This Season by Nobody: 12:42pm On Nov 03, 2010 |
this is the best soccer thread i have read in yours the author should keep it up, maybe make it a weekly thing brother, our league is beautiful, spicy, action packing enthralling, eventful, emotional, unpredictable and best of all, full of talent |
Re: 10 To Watch In Nigerian Premier League This Season by Maxidoe(m): 2:47pm On Nov 03, 2010 |
honeric01: Yes out of the whole post na wetin my eyes see be that, or is it not valid.I was never looking for loophole it was glaring and starring at me in the face. Yes some Nigerians sha they rather run away from a problem or fact simply because it is not palatable or it is not in their favor.For the fact that you saw it and chose to ignore it, does not mean everyone must ignore it. A guy is said to be 25 years old and yet is in a team meant for under 20 and you think there is no problem with that.I bow for una sha. |
Re: 10 To Watch In Nigerian Premier League This Season by honeric01(m): 3:22pm On Nov 03, 2010 |
^^^^ It didn't occur to you that maybe the writer made the mistake? there's nothing new when it comes to news about age cheat in Nigeria, so why make it sound as if it's my "huge" news? who in this world does not know Nigerian footballers lie with their ages? even Sepp Blatter knows that, why not fault him for keeping quiet? ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Re: 10 To Watch In Nigerian Premier League This Season by mensdept: 3:23pm On Nov 03, 2010 |
Adonike: Absolutely! Kudos to honeric01 for this post |
Re: 10 To Watch In Nigerian Premier League This Season by semid4lyfe(m): 4:11pm On Nov 03, 2010 |
Am I the only one who thinks nicknaming an up & coming footballer "Yobo" is a curse? ![]() Anyway, Alphonsus Dike is widely regarded as the Arsene Wenger of the Nigerian league so dude can önly up his game playing under him.
Left footed players are rare and one in a dozen so I'm always happy to read/hear about one. Also, it's good JUTH Fc is now in the Pro-league cos this will put him in the radar of bigger clubs and hopefully handlers of our U-21/Olympic team. Hopefully he'd overcome his injury problems & have less discipline issues this season. Also hoping he packs a shot better than that of Valentine Nwabili if not as good as Taiye Taiwo's in that his left foot ![]()
Nice! Another left footed player. Hope he's the true son of his father? ![]() His father was a footballer and he's been to "football"school and being coached by Clemens Westerhoff and professionally by Khadiri Ikhana arguably one of the best coaches in the league. He can only improve on the innate soccer ability he inherited from his dad with the coaching he's gotten from Westerhoff and will continue to get from K. Ikhana. |
Re: 10 To Watch In Nigerian Premier League This Season by Maxidoe(m): 4:15pm On Nov 03, 2010 |
honeric01: Yes everybody knows that Nigeria is an age cheat, but not this blatantly.Its huge news because the age is clearly stated as 25, and yet would play for under 20. What we are used to is a 25 years old giving his age as maybe 16,18,17,or 19.This article is not about Sepp Blatter so i would be deviating by faulting sepp blatter, put up a topic to that effect and trust i will fault him. |
Re: 10 To Watch In Nigerian Premier League This Season by mybetop: 4:37pm On Nov 03, 2010 |
[img]http:///e7vVT[/img] |
Re: 10 To Watch In Nigerian Premier League This Season by semid4lyfe(m): 5:10pm On Nov 03, 2010 |
Hehehe. . .I watched that Enyimba vs K.Pillars game and I still recall the goal he scored against them. He scored the winning (2nd) goal when scores were still tied at 1-1 by dribbling the pillars goalkeeper in a one-on-one and slotting the ball into an empty net. I recall pillars vociferously protested the goal claiming it was offside and play only resumed after about 5 minutes. The guy reminds me of Muri Ogunbiyi . . .very petite but skillful. Honeric, you suppose know the guy nah ![]() ![]()
Na the problem of Naija be that. . .everybody wan be footballer, not that I blame him afterall na footie money dey for here. Dude should have taken to basketball or volleyball instead with that kind of 6ft4" height ![]() Anyway, height is a good natural attribute/asset of a goalkeeper. The other goalkeeping stuff can be learned & improved upon with training. I hope he gets enough games with heartland cos he'd need them to improve and the worst thing that could happen to a goalkeeper is sitting perpetually on the bench.
Never knew until now that Solomon Okpako is now in Greece. Anyway, is he Nigerian or Camerounian?
I still recall this dude from that 1st Oceanic Football show. I'm happy he stopped playing "jeun jeun" football and is now playing professionally. Nor be yam to be signed to a play for a club in the pro-league. |
Re: 10 To Watch In Nigerian Premier League This Season by mamagee3(f): 1:22am On Nov 04, 2010 |
There's Nigerian Premier League? ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Re: 10 To Watch In Nigerian Premier League This Season by honeric01(m): 2:19pm On Nov 04, 2010 |
semid4lyfe: I know some of them but not all, yes Joseph is not a Nigerian IMO. I didn't take notice of that guy you said plays like Ogunbiyi. |
Re: 10 To Watch In Nigerian Premier League This Season by semid4lyfe(m): 4:53pm On Nov 04, 2010 |
honeric01: Lol. . .to be fair, I don't think you watched that particular match cos I remember I came gloating after the match and you said something like you didn't watch the match and that next season dey. You know se nothing for K.Pillars this season sha? No Solomon Okpako, No Ahmed Musa. . .shey that im hausa strike partner (I don forget im name) still dey sha? ![]() |
Re: 10 To Watch In Nigerian Premier League This Season by honeric01(m): 5:48pm On Nov 04, 2010 |
semid4lyfe: Yes didn't watch the live match but i watched the replay, even if they don't have the names you listed, they still have other players, their management and structure is well in place, they are the most organized in the whole of the league, have you seen/watched their basketball team play before? they have won the Nigerian basketball league 3 times in a role. by the way, Ogaga is still with them sha! ![]() |
Re: 10 To Watch In Nigerian Premier League This Season by medjai(m): 6:44pm On Nov 04, 2010 |
Wow! I didnt know Okpako has left Pillars. There's this guy that plays on the right for Pillars, Shehu Shagari, he is a very exciting talent and a bright prospect for the future |
Re: 10 To Watch In Nigerian Premier League This Season by semid4lyfe(m): 6:53pm On Nov 04, 2010 |
honeric01: Ok. . .I don hear. Na wetin you dey always talk be this ![]()
Shuo! wetin carry b.ball enter footie matter? ![]()
Yes! Yes! Thank you jare. . .na im name be that. . .Ogaga Ogaga. Fantastic Player he is. . .but sadly he won't win you the league ![]() |
Re: 10 To Watch In Nigerian Premier League This Season by honeric01(m): 7:07pm On Nov 04, 2010 |
medjai: Yes Shehu Shagari, another good player, they have one Amodu too i think, they have alot of Nice/fast players, i love that club but not as high as Insurance of Bini with the newest stadia in Naija ![]() |
Re: 10 To Watch In Nigerian Premier League This Season by honeric01(m): 7:11pm On Nov 04, 2010 |
semid4lyfe:but am i lying? ![]() semid4lyfe: Yes, i had to mention that for you to know that they are not just into football, they have a basketball team too, now do you see how "organized" they are ![]() Well i want a competitive league, that's all i need and i am glad there are up to 8 clubs that are likely to win the league. |
Re: 10 To Watch In Nigerian Premier League This Season by Ladyrsky46: 12:47am On Nov 08, 2010 |
Nigeria, premier league? ![]() ![]() Interesting. Since when? |
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