Icon4s:


Good for him.

Siasia needs to invite him for the Olympics too if he is interested.

safarigirl:
To displace who? I doubt he's interested, he's never expressed interest. Just another pale-skinned negro like Dele Alli

BascoVanVeli:


Being wrong is not so bad, u don't have to argue needlessly. Environment means nothing. Oprah was poor and even raped and yet she is super rich. It is only hardwork that matters. Iheanacho worked hard and he made it, we didn't do him any favours he earned it.

TheGoodJoe:


We trained for the tournament under the Summer conditions and played in a winter condition in the tourney. Even a one week preparation in a similar climate would have gone a long way.

After the Brazil match, we had a less tough fixture and Coach Garba should have used the top players of the team to get them to adapt to the team's philosophy. They were the best legs, Success, Iheanacho, Yahaya and Co. but he played a different front line. Coach Garba had the illusion that was a better team. Not talent wise but based in team cohesion.

It backfired in the German game where we needed individual talents to unlock a disciplined German side.

I think Coach Garba lacked experience of coaching the U20 World Cup and I hope he gets a second chance to correct his mistake.

I expect Coach Amunike to learn from the errors of Coach Garba and prepare better for the competition.

Icon4s:


In addition, which to me was the major reason for the failure, we went with mostly inexperienced players. Yes that was lacking. A typical U20 Team should have mostly players that have played 2-3 years of professional football. Talent is not enough. I never expected much from that team. Did we have players in the mode of Sadiq Umar, Chidozie Awaziem, current form and experience of Ifeanyi Mathew, current form and experience of Taiwo Awoniyi, current form and experience of Chidera Ezeh, Sincere Seth, Azubuike Okechukwu, Current form and experience of Zaharadeen Bello, current form and experience of Musa Yahaya. These lads would be part of our next U20. . Remember it is for 2017 which means one more year of professional experience from now.That is what I call a typical U20 team that is matured and experienced

The last time we went with mostly academy 17 and 18 yr old kids.

cc Caspian22

joseph1013:


I have heard you say this a couple of time, and each time I nod my head sideways. That's not true. We lost out not because we were inexperienced but because they coach did us. If Manu's selections were more transparent, we would have excelled. He practically folded his arms against Germany and told everyone to go to blazes. And he had his way, we crashed out.

That first eleven against Brazil would have beaten Korea silly. It would have stood toe to toe with Germany with great firepower. The more games, the more that team would have jelled.

Icon4s:


Can you compare the strength of that Team with the 2005 Flying Eagles?
IMO that 2015 Flying Eagles were nt good enough for that title.

joseph1013:


It's easy to say in hindsight. But the question should be: did we use our best players to prosecute those matches? Did Manu intentionally sabotage the games to satisfy his ego?

TheGoodJoe:
After the U17, we welcome foreign talents. If they declare themselves Nigerian like Ola Aina, we can call out to the coaches that they are available. I believe Coach Siasia knows Ola is available for selection.

We can hand out invitations to players like these because we know there is a good chance for them to play for us. Unlike those who do not feel Nigerian but English or Portuguese.

Icon4s:


There is no way Manu could have intentionally sabotaged the games.

He prosecuted the WC with the crop of players he had at his disposal. You may feel he didn't use his best players but I can tell you that Manu used the best players that he felt would make him achieve results. Dnt get me wrong. I am also one of his critics on team selection.

Why do you think Clemence Westerhorf will leave out Austin Okocha and Emmanuel Amuneke till the 1994 AFCON final. Coach Manu discovered the Kelechi Iheanacho, Isaac Success and Musa Yahaya u talk abt. So of what benefit will it be to him to run them down.

The squad was largely lacking in experience.

I have always followed the WYC and I know what the composition of U20 Teams should be.
What happened to the Flying Eagles of 2015 was similar to what happened to the Flying Eagles of 1987.

The 2015 Flying were nt the strongest I have seen.

joseph1013:


Then please answer this: You are one goal down. You have more than 30 minutes into a win-or-go-home Quarter final match, your entire team have not been able to muster a shot on goal all day, you have on the bench the following attacking players Iheanacho (Man City, England), Ezeh (Porto, Portugal), Yahaya (Tottenham, England), Moses (Gent, Belgium), you've got nothing else to lose, what would you do?

What would a coach with half a brain do?

Icon4s:


In addition, which to me was the major reason for the failure, we went with mostly inexperienced players. Yes that was lacking. A typical U20 Team should have mostly players that have played 2-3 years of professional football. Talent is not enough. I never expected much from that team. Did we have players in the mode of Sadiq Umar, Chidozie Awaziem, current form and experience of Ifeanyi Mathew, current form and experience of Taiwo Awoniyi, current form and experience of Chidera Ezeh, Sincere Seth, Azubuike Okechukwu, Current form and experience of Zaharadeen Bello, current form and experience of Musa Yahaya. These lads would be part of our next U20. . Remember it is for 2017 which means one more year of professional experience from now.That is what I call a typical U20 team that is matured and experienced

The last time we went with mostly academy 17 and 18 yr old kids.

cc Caspian22

joseph1013:


Then please answer this: You are one goal down. You have more than 30 minutes into a win-or-go-home Quarter final match, your entire team have not been able to muster a shot on goal all day, you have on the bench the following attacking players Iheanacho (Man City, England), Ezeh (Porto, Portugal), Yahaya (Tottenham, England), Moses (Gent, Belgium), you've got nothing else to lose, what would you do?

What would a coach with half a brain do?

safarigirl:
Did Dele Alli express interest in playing for us and got shunned? Who is discriminating against them? Have the local guys not been discriminated against? Did Iheanacho not sit by and watch our U20 hopes dashed because of discrimination? Is Iheanacho not sitting by while Bony starts ahead of him because of discrimination? You think the EFA won't dump Dele for a kid with an English name eventually cuz of same discrimination? Bro, let us not act like football isn't a game of discrimination. We have missed better homegrown players than Kelechi and co cuz of discrimination, the diasporan boys at least have other options and can always bask in club football greatness, the kid in nigeria has none

tbaba1234:


Declare themselves Nigerian? They are Nigerians.. you can speak to them to find out if they are interested. That Ola Aina donated kits does not mean he has committed his international future to Nigeria.

Otigba rejected another country's call-up and we have still not invited him. He is a regular in the Dutch league. Our CBs play in Turkey and Scotland.

There are several Nigerians interested. All you need is to put a call across to them. Not everyone will go to press.

My experience with Nigerians born abroad is that most of them have the Nigerian identity, even players like Akpom that wants to play for England.

TheGoodJoe:



Do you understand what limited resources is? Do you understand how difficult it is for a young boy to succeed in Football in this country. Do you understand that Awoniyi and Yahaya can not play in England because despite their talents. They do not qualify for Work permits.

The likes of Alli, Barkley and Co. do not face this. What about the ratio of Foreigners that can play in a foreign European team. Yaya Toure could not play for Arsenal because of a Work permit.

So it is harder for Africans to succeed in Europe which is the highest ground for professional football.

So how can you tag Nigeria using the U17 World Cup for development and exposure of our local young talents wrong.

The Foreign born Nigerians can represent us but not at the U17 level. It is one of the few ways to expose local talents.

That is why I welcomed the CHAN tournament. It is another Avenue to showcase our local African talents.

I do know how you see it as wrong.

BascoVanVeli:


Work permit is the law of the land. Any player coming outside of Europe will have those issues not just Nigerians. The rules are simple enough they don't discriminate on anyone it is a law. England is not the only country in Europe, Osimhen won't have to file any special talent paperwork. As of now Awoniyi made a bad choice. If he went to Monaco he would have had a better chance of getting in England down the line.

Your exposure angle is overworked, as we speak Abuja FC is in Italy. Our goalkeeper was discovered after he made a trip to Italy. Osimhen even said if they allowed him to play in the Lagos festival or something that he would have not even played u-17. Our academies have been making money on the low. Look at Awaziem who came straight from Naija to porto or Simon Moses who went straight to u-20 while playing at an academy in Nigeria. The u-17 is not the only place to showcase their talents, captain Ahmed Musa did not play U-17 but he did lead Nigeria in scoring and later went abroad.
The u-17 should be for the best players under the age of 17 and not a place where deals are made to discriminate on children,

TheGoodJoe:


How can we know if they are interested, if they do not show interest?

Caspian22:


That first match against Brazil completely shattered their morale. In that match he started with his best attackers, yet he lost. And that was he lost faith in his own total football ideology.

He didn't know that the reason we lost that match was because of the mistakes the defence made, the goalkeeper and his poor midfield combination. (Ifeanyi n Matthew). I'm sure he thought the foreign pros was the cause. That was how the madness and crazy selections started. Arrogance set in and we failed.


Note: that team was extremely talented, that first loss was due to silly mistakes. All they had to do was improve and forget the mistakes. Only Enaholo the GK did that. He was impressive throughout the rest of the tournament.


This present set should learn from this, but their story has not even begun.

TheGoodJoe:



After all you wrote, are you saying our young talents have equal opportunities with the kids training in Europe?

Your answer will determine if we should accept Foreign based Nigerians in our U17 or use the U17 for grassroot development.

tbaba1234:


Give them a call... That is the way it works.. They are Nigerians. England is still trying to convince Iwobi to play for them at the 11th hour. Do you other players have to 'show interest' before you call them? A simple phone call will clarify the issue.

Coach: I have been monitoring your development and wonder whether you want to play for my team.
Player: I will be very interested or i am not interested.

These guys are Nigerians, stop treating them as foreigners because they have lighter skin or dual citizenship. How many players playing in Europe, do you tell to declare their interest before inviting them?

You see a player playing well and you reach out to him. You do not wait for him to be 'declaring interest"

safarigirl:
To displace who? I doubt he's interested, he's never expressed interest. Just another pale-skinned negro like Dele Alli

BascoVanVeli:


From up to the age of 17 our players are on equal grounds. Our boys have been crowned mvp of the last 2 U-17's so my answer to that is a resounding yes.

My question is how many English youth players end up playing with these clubs? Sure Rashford is great but when Man U needed a striker they went to France, he is only in his position by chance. If Man U didn't have so many injuries we would never know he exists.
Brasil are the kings of football yet their player are not all over England for the most part they are in smaller leagues till they are ready.

I am not saying have a team full of foriegn players but at least give them a chance, invite them and see what they can offer. Who is to say our homebased boys won't hold down their spots.

TheGoodJoe:


You miss the point that we have players who are ready to play for Nigeria who have not gotten their chance. Just like Omeruo was Coach Keshi got him. Or Aaron Samuel.

Instead of waiting for a call, reach out. The competition is high. As soon as Balogun showed interest, he got his chance. Some will get their call-ups later. We reach out to some like Moses.

I am not against calling but it is unrealistic and makes it look as if we are not a talented country. What are we begging Ibe for when we have young players who can perform.

Why bother Solanke when Nacho and Success are yet to get regular runs.

Why bother Ilori when Awaziem and Ndidi are yet to feature for the Super Eagles.

They have to show interest to boost the chances of the coach reaching out to them. We have local talents itching for a chance.

tbaba1234:


Is there anything wrong with a pale-skinned negro?

IF you see a player playing well, you reach out to him. If he is not interested, leave him alone.

Many of these players will take the first opportunity that presents itself.

England is still fighting to get our darker skin Negro even when he has declared his interest to play for Nigeria. We need to start adopting the approach of seeking out our best.

safarigirl:
Pale-skinned negroes pick England over Nigeria 98% of the time. Can't be wasting time with em, they identify with mama's side