What you said is the truth and nothing but the truth.

Which always annoys me when NFF will say they don't have money to pay coaches or take care of their national teams, when if they do the basics right companies will be desperate to pump billions of naira into the federation.

lovewins:


Exactly. We won't just have to deal with corruption, but impunity and disregard for merit. You'll suddenly see merit thrown out the window, and you'll see them advocate for quota per state for players. The project will die a natural death.

Billionaires also aren't fools. They only put their money in something that will yield profit. The truth is it's easier to invest in Nigerian football when government is totally divested. People like Soname of Remo Stars and Shola of Sporting Lagos are taking a big risk doing so now.

I remember someone talking about how the DSTV broadcast of NPFL games became a thing of the past. DSTV had drawn a calendar of matches they would broadcast before the season began to allow for effective logistical movement. The NPFL would literally change broadcast venue 2 days to the game because a governor wants to attend another match not on schedule. DSTV will have move by road their multi million dollar equipments to another state because a governor decided to attend a game and he must get airtime.

You make a good point in that we don't have a sponsorship problem. Sponsors will only partner with a product they believe will give them the needed visibility without plenty drama. To also correct you, BBN didn't get 300M o, the primary sponsor alone in 2022 (Yellowcard) gave them $2M which in today's value is 2 Billion Naira. This doesn't even include the money they got from many of their other sponsors.

He came on in their last game and he did quiet well. With Mark Van Bommel as the coach, I believe Ejuke games will improve significantly. Rememeber, he was out injured for a long time.

charlesemeka85:
him dey start games for them?

Marjoribanks:
I believe if our defense is properly utilize it should stand firm against any team in the world. I do not see an African team with so many defenders in Europe top leagues.
Yesterday against Benfica Awaziem was declared as World Class by analysts!

in the Defense positions I think we re decent. With the inclusion of Torunarigha and Adarabioyo(not yet confirmed if he is really interested) we re good to go

Also for future purposes Ogbu of Slavia Prague and Okoli of Atalanta will be awesome

Left back we already hv zaidu(porto), Onyemaechi(Boavista) and Bassey(Fulham)

Right back we hv Aina(Forrest), Osayi(fenebache) and Ebuehi(Empoli)

Ohhh! I forgot Ogbu. Will add it immediately! Of course!!

charlesemeka85:
in the Defense positions I think we re decent. With the inclusion of Torunarigha and Adarabioyo(not yet confirmed if he is really interested) we re good to go

Also for future purposes Ogbu of Slavia Prague and Okoli of Atalanta will be awesome

Marjoribanks:
He came on in their last game and he did quiet well. With Mark Van Bommel as the coach, I believe Ejuke games will improve significantly. Rememeber, he was out injured for a long time.

ok

Marjoribanks:
Ohhh! I forgot Ogbu. Will add it immediately! Of course!!

the boy is doing well in Slavia Prague and a regular starter

When I heard how much companies are pumping into that reality show I just SMH but I can't honestly fault them because that's what most young people are watching.

Nigerian football administrators are just damn too lazy and shortsighted. Caicedo's home town club are about to cash out earning $29m. Imagine what Remo Stars would earn from Ebenezer's future transfers if he becomes world class.

charlesemeka85:
imagine a useless reality show like bb9ja attracting sponsors that put in over 300m just to house, clothe and feed jobless folks for over a month 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Nigeria is a hub for emerging footballing talents and if the nff present such proposal to clubs in europe such as Chelsea,Madrid,Inter,Milan,Manchester United,Man city,Madrid,Bayern,Dortmund,Ajax etc these clubs will battle to hv an affiliation with the football centre

Marjoribanks:
I believe if our defense is properly utilize it should stand firm against any team in the world. I do not see an African team with so many defenders in Europe top leagues.
Yesterday against Benfica Awaziem was declared as World Class by analysts!

Our undoing is d midfield…we need good midfielders ….go and check teams dt do well in tournaments, it’s largely won by a team with good midfielders and a keeper..we need correct two CM/AM midfielders and I hope a delete comes good for now

elyte89:




Our undoing is d midfield…we need good midfielders ….go and check teams dt do well in tournaments, it’s largely won by a team with good midfielders and a keeper..we need correct two CM/AM midfielders and I hope a delete comes good for now

let’s see if any will emerge before the end of this new season

I think Jpes should try out the likes of alhassan,onyedika, Nwakali and Folorunsho in any of our friendly games

Also bringing in Akinsanmiro to train with the team won’t be bad

Examples of better midfield than ours in Africa? We have midfielders playing in Europe top leagues. For me, they are good enough. The coach should be the one to do is job by extending invitations to them and get the best out of them!

elyte89:




Our undoing is d midfield…we need good midfielders ….go and check teams dt do well in tournaments, it’s largely won by a team with good midfielders and a keeper..we need correct two CM/AM midfielders and I hope a delete comes good for now

I kept wondering why a team like Ajax would want to sign a 27 year old player with one good season of football in a Championship. So I kept digging for answers and I found that Ajax director of football was in charge of Arsenal when Akpom was a highly rated academy player. Nwakali has played on loan in several clubs yet not one single manager or director has called for him. The talent is visible for all to see, does it has more to do with character? Even Nantes wants Awaziem back! All the same, I am happy that Nwakali is back to playing top flight football. The sky is just the starting point for him. We need him to utilize his God given talent supremely cos we need him in the Super Eagles urgently!

Marjoribanks:
Now I can forgive Ajax for what they did to Bassey!

Marjoribanks:
Examples of better midfield than ours in Africa? We have midfielders playing in Europe top leagues. For me, they are good enough. The coach should be the one to do is job by extending invitations to them and get the best out of them!

They are not. Our midfield is seriously lacking in creativity. When Iwobi doesn't play, you can see the difference.
We need creativity.

Nwakali and Aribo are there!

Gigax:

They are not. Our midfield is seriously lacking in creativity. When Iwobi doesn't play, you can see the difference.
We need creativity.

charlesemeka85:
which number 10? Una go just come open mouth waaaaaa Dey yarn wetin una no knw

Akpom being played deep at boro by carrick doesn’t imply he is an AM. Harry Kane played the same role at spurs under Jose and conte

Ajax wants him as a striker to battle the number 9 position with Brobbey Abi wetin be em name

Brobbey na better werey can get into the best positions but can’t score to save his life.

Ajax don’t trust him as a finisher

His lack of composure cost us valid points last season

Marjoribanks:
Nwakali and Aribo are there!

Aribo has failed when it mattered most . Most especially in a physical African games,he has been given enuf chances, but he has not really imposed and impress himself in most games.normally we shldnt b looking for another player to assist iwobi if he’s playing well

Marjoribanks:
Oshimen- Napoli
Awoniyi- N. Forest
Moffi- Nice
Boniface- B. Leverkusen
Sadiq- R. Soceidad
Akpom- Ajax
Iheanacho- L. City
Orban- Spurs
Dessers- Rangers
Sor - Genk
Tolu- Genk
Onuachu- Genk
Akor Adams- Montpellier

Wingers
Lookman-Atlanta
Chukwueze- Milan
Simon-- Nantes
Ejuke- R. Antwerp

Midfielders
Iwobi- Everton
Ndidi- L. City
Onyeka- Brentford
Onyedika- C Brugge
Alhassan- R. Antwerp
Aribo- Southampton
Tijani- Salzburg
Nwakali- Chaves

Upcomers
Ebenezer- Inter
Eletu- Milan
Daga- Milan/Watford
Dele Bashiru- Watford

Defenders
Osayi- Ferna
Bassey- Fulham
Akpoguma- Hoffenh
Ajayi- Westbrom
Aina- N. Forest
Sanusi- Porto
Onyemaechi- Porto
Ebuehi- Empoli
Toruniga- Gent
Ekong- Greece
Balogun- Rangers
Awaziem- Boavista/Nantes
Tosin Adarabioyo- Fulham/Monaco/Tottenham
Ogbu- Slavia Prague

Players that could join for the World Cup qualifiers
Ugochukwu- Chelsea
Chukwuemeka- Chelsea
Udogie- Tottenham
Olise- Crystal Palace/ManCity/Chelsea
Madueke- Chelsea

Best squad in Africa? Yes/No
What areas need improvements?

Calm down you can only pick 23
Nff will push 3-5 players down your throat so you’ll be left with 18 players

Then the coach will pick the usual suspects like he always does

We’ll have 2008 gameplay and hard fought results

Then get knocked out

So I’m not expecting much

When fans can pull in better players than our scouts and coaching crew you know there’sa problem somewhere

lovewins:


The problem is we have corrupt and incompetent people running the NFF. Nduka Ugbade had to have an open camp of 100s of players before he could come up with a team for the u17. This shouldn't be at all.

All the NFF needs to do is serve as regulators to academies. Propose policies that will make for stronger football academies then monitor and extend invitations to the best players to form your age grade team. This merit based system won't allow them room for their corrupt practices.

The DG of the DSS reportedly lobbied to have his son on one of the game grade teams. A Lebanese who naturalized to become Nigerian was a part of the last u23 team. His only profile was he being a player for a nameless second division team in Azerbaijan. He took pictures with the NFF president and came to said camp injured. Little wonder Nigeria won't be going to the Olympics next year.

Nothing beats open trials bros as long as it’s u17
Open trials Is highly recommended.
U19 is for young professionals in our league and abroad this includes academies also

You can’t get the best u17 from our academy
Because 80% of kids can’t afford to go there

You see why academy players turn out average ?

Amedino99:
we should continue to leave youth teams for the home based kids. We should not rely on foreign countries to unearth talents for us. They can join from the u20( maybe 40%) and the main team.

This is the simple truth, over reliance on foreign based players has made us forget our culture in raising youth players

Back then the hungriest and skillful gets poured and you can see it in the results

But now its just the privileged and lucky

Aribo and Nwakali! Then we have Eletu, Ebenezer and Nnamdi coming up!

elyte89:



Aribo has failed when it mattered most . Most especially in a physical African games,he has been given enuf chances, but he has not really imposed and impress himself in most games.normally we shldnt b looking for another player to assist iwobi if he’s playing well

Marjoribanks:
Examples of better midfield than ours in Africa? We have midfielders playing in Europe top leagues. For me, they are good enough. The coach should be the one to do is job by extending invitations to them and get the best out of them!

Would you please calm down
Na name them take they play ball ??

Who get squad reach Belgium and Brazil How he end

Let’s be realistic and stop painting our players in limelight as if they’re that Good
We only have a handful of good players then the rest are ok players.

Arrange our squad as you see fit but we’ll never be a top seed to win afcon, maybe 3rd or 4th

But we’ll never walk in as the best team

Our players are scattered around like termites, we have no football identity our key players are getting washed because they can’t evolve

elyte89:



Aribo has failed when it mattered most . Most especially in a physical African games,he has been given enuf chances, but he has not really imposed and impress himself in most games.normally we shldnt b looking for another player to assist iwobi if he’s playing well

He’ll still be called up to the squad just watch my bro

You go tire for coach

Marjoribanks:
Aribo and Nwakali! Then we have Eletu, Ebenezer and Nnamdi coming up!

If Jp is serious ….one of Nnamdi /ebenizer shld b invited for d dead rubber game

Marjoribanks:
Nwakali and Aribo are there!

Aribo is box 2 box and Nwakali is best playing deeper. Both don't have a great final ball.

Did you watch the last AFCON or Aribo's pass to Oshimen for our 2nd goal against S. Leone? Watch football and stop asumming! Our major problem is a good goal keeper! With a good goal keeper we would have gotten to AFCON finals and qualified to the world cup even with playing Ghana with a 3rd string midfielders!

Gigax:

Aribo is box 2 box and Nwakali is best playing deeper. Both don't have a great final ball.

Marjoribanks:
Did you watch the last AFCON or Aribo's pass to Oshimen for our 2nd goal against S. Leone? Watch football and stop asumming! Our major problem is a good goal keeper! With a good goal keeper we would have gotten to AFCON finals and qualified to the world cup even with playing Ghana with a 3rd string midfielders!

Goal Keeper is not the reason we weren't able to beat Ghana. How many clear cut chances did we create in that game? We need creativity and a Goal Keeper.

How many clear cut chances did Ghana first team create against our 3rd string midfield? Almost all our midfielders were out injured. And yes, we lost due to a goal-keeping error. Iwobi and Ndidi our best midfielders at that time were all out injured! Bonke and Onyeka got injured after 45 minutes. We had to play Shehu and Musa in midfield for 45 minutes in Abuja. Yet we did not lose the match. I will stop responding to you henceforth. Watch football guy and stop being myopic!

Gigax:

Goal Keeper is not the reason we weren't able to beat Ghana. How many clear cut chances did we create in that game? We need creativity and a Goal Keeper.

Chelsea have activated £35m release clause into Michael Olise’s contract — deal advancing to final stages 🚨🔵

Clause has always been there despite denials and all parties will be in touch to finalise the agreement.

Olise already said yes to Chelsea, time to fix details.

#FabrizioRomano

chrisooblog:
You forgot to add Akor Adams.

Goalkeeping department is still threadbare.

Attack is fire.

Midfield and defense on paper should be adequate but reality tells a different story.

seems we might have over prayed for the strikers when we were in deficit cos what is this depth.

Marjoribanks:
I kept wondering why a team like Ajax would want to sign a 27 year old player with one good season of football in a Championship. So I kept digging for answers and I found that Ajax director of football was in charge of Arsenal when Akpom was a highly rated academy player. Nwakali has played on loan in several clubs yet not one single manager or director has called for him. The talent is visible for all to see, does it has more to do with character? Even Nantes wants Awaziem back! All the same, I am happy that Nwakali is back to playing top flight football. The sky is just the starting point for him. We need him to utilze is God given talent supremely cos we need him in the Super Eagles urgently!

I thought his new coach was his former coach in la Liga 2.

Amedino99:
seems we might have over prayed for the strikers when we were in deficit cos what is this depth.

I think we just need to assign other on field positions to expectant mother's.

Look for one in your area and "strictly" tell her, "madam, this your family, na keeper and 10 we need, Abeg no born striker.

Awesome!!! Thank you!

Amedino99:
I thought his new coach was his former coach in la Liga 2.

typicalgamer:



This is the simple truth, over reliance on foreign based players has made us forget our culture in raising youth players

Back then the hungriest and skillful gets poured and you can see it in the results

But now its just the privileged and lucky

and besides they are foreign based. Until they are capped in competitive matches for the senior team, they are free to chose whomever they see as a viable option.rice and grealish represented Ireland up to u21 level but once they saw a way out they quickly crossed over to England.