chrisooblog:
hi everyone! as much as i agree that the national team needs strengthening we should not be advocating an all comers affair. right now i think we have a good pool of exciting players to choose from. we should now only invite players especially in our weaks like the full back positions, in particular left back and top striker who will give ighalo good competition.

to be honest i haven't seen fanendo adi play before so i can not judge his quality but from what i have read about him he's a big center forward who could be useful for long balls or knock downs in the box. at the moment we don't have too many players of his type playing at that top level except osimhen, awoniyi and sadiq umar. however these aforementioned lads are not quite ready (maybe osimhen given one year to improve) so adi could be useful. i agree however that we should first look at him in a friendly match setting.

Orkpekyandega:
[b][size=14pt]
AF Nigeria Bundesliga 2016/2017 Manchester United
Super Iheanacho fires first UEFA Champions League goal
[/size]
Kelechi Iheanacho scored his first Champions League goal as Manchester City walloped Borussia Monchengladbach 4-0 a rescheduled game Wednesday night.


Iheanacho was a late sub for hat-trick hero Sergio Aguero, who appeared to come off with a left thigh injury.


The Nigeria star was set up a minute into added time by another sub Leroy Sane. He freed himself from his marker before he fired home with his favoured left foot from the top of the six-yard box.


Barcelona lead the group after their 7-0 spanking of Scottish champions Celtic.


It has been a most productive last 10 days for Iheanacho after he got off to a great start with the match winner for Nigeria in an AFCON qualifier against Tanzania.


He will then grab the match winner for City against United in the Manchester Derby and ensured his club’s perfect start to the new Premier season.


In another UEFA Champions League clash, Nigeria forward Ahmed Musa came off the bench in the 70th minute for Jamie Vardy as Leicester City thumped hosts Club Brugge 3-0.
africanfootball.com/news/647348/Super-Iheanacho-fires-first-UEFA-Champions-League-goal
[/b]

Orkpekyandega:
REVEALED: Barcelona own goal shuts out Efe Ambrose at Celtic
africanfootball.com/news/647128/REVEALED-Barcelona-own-goal-shuts-out-Efe-Ambrose-at-Celtic

safarigirl:
I swear, United fans are the most insufferable people on earth, especially the Nigerian ones.

Imagine one saying that Rashford scores important goals and Kelechi doesn't, only for me to remind him that it was Kelechi's goal that earned City UCL qualifier's spot over United based on goal difference last season. The bros was even telling me Rashford scored important goals against Midtjylland and the goal that ended Arsenal's title hopes....abeg where was Rashfraud when United needed to qualify for UCL?

He evej went further to justify Rashford being better because "he scored on his debut for club and country and we should respect that"....na so I vex tell the bros say make e respect the only person scoring goals for his own country now.


Congrats to Kelechi on his first UCL goal, let Rashford be deceiving them with pace while Kelechi stuns them with goals and assists. Who pace epp? Na flashy things dey spoil quick

TheGoodJoe:


I am with BascoVanVeli on this. I am always against a steady team. Look at Manchester City. Sterling said he has to keep performing well because of Sane. That does not mean Manchester City is not searching for a player that can do better than both Sane and Sterling.

We have Aguero and Iheanacho. Yet we signed Gabriel Jesus who is another exciting prospect.

A team should be the collection of the best players that can represent the country and are ready to represent the country. Both local and foreign born.

When a player shows a sign, (this is the important part) that he can do better than the present player in the National team, or performs better than those in the National team, then we must invite that person.

If not, we are not fielding our strongest squad.

Icon4s:


We are all saying the same thing my brother. No body is saying we should not invite new players who are performing at club levels to the national team.

The only things I would not agree with you here are:
-You being against a steady Team. The lack of having a steady Team for the last 10years or more is responsible for where we are today. A good national Team should have something close to a starting 11. at least 9 out of 11 regular starters. Look at the '94 Team for instance, a 6 years old boy then could read out the starting 11 of the Super Eagles. Look at the German and Spanish Teams for instance most of the players have been featuring since before the 2010 WC.Some inclusions have been made in recent times bt that has been gradual.

- You keep comparing national team with club football. Clubs can afford to buy players n put in any department they feel they want to beef up but you can't do that with the national team. If in the national team you don't have a credible RB for instance the best you may do is to convert a DMF or one of the CBs to a RB. You cannot buy a RB just to increase competition.

Sane, Gabriel Jesus and Nolito nclusions. Yes 3 of them and not a complete over-haul of the Mancity squad which is what I am also talking about. 2-3 inclusions per game is still enough to instill competition especially in positions where we need that competition.

TheGoodJoe:


If we have the best players selected for the National team, finding better talents take time. That is what happened in the case of Spain.

Finding better players than Xavi and Iniesta is a monumental task. However, when their form dipped, Spain refused to fill in the likes of Koke and Thiago Alcantara. Things went bad for them to the point of collecting 5 goals in a game.

So I do not want us having the idea of a STEADY TEAM but the BEST PLAYERS.

Okocha and Kanu were not steady players but the best players for their role.

Icon4s:


The best crop of players does not necessarily make the best Team.

You see, I like the approach Rohr has adopted in building our team thus far: Start with the known before chasing the unknown.

We need to have a team structure and then start building from their

That idea of calling 40 home based players to camp first and then invite only 14 or 15 foreign based players just to leave 3-4 spaces for home based players is trash to me. Team selection should be merit based.

Rohr already knows the caliber of players he needs to prosecute our qualifiers. He invited the players and tested the team against Tanzania. He must have noticed some lapses and weak links in the chain which he hopes to correct ahead of the next game against Zambia. 3 players that were not part of the Tanzania clash that I expect back in the team are: Kenneth Omeruo, Alex Iwobi and Oghenekaro Etebo. I also feel either of Success or Adi or both could be called up too. And I can tell you with the pool of players we have all just needs is to get our tactics right especially in the delivery of goals. One on one I dnt see Adi as being better than Ighalo, Iheanacho or Success. If for squad of 18 players I need 3 strikers why should I invite a 4th?Adi has been performing in his MLS club no doubt but we are all entitled to our opinions when it comes to team selection and I rate the 3 earlier strikers ahead of him.

TheGoodJoe:


I remember us calling back Omeruo and Oboabona. Now we used Leon Balogun at Center-back, he flourished.

When we had Emenike and Ideye, Ighalo started performing and we invited Ighalo.

We can not stick to a steady team. If a better player emerges, we carry him to the camp. Then the coach monitors him closely and sees if he is better.

Just as Salisu Yusuf invited Musa Mohammed. Just as Ndidi started performing and Salisu invited Ndidi.

I think Salisu deserves the credit more than Rohr so far. Salisu showed innovation and vision and invited youngsters who showed promise.

That is the point. We can not have a steady team. When we see a player who can do better, we invite him.

If Rohr feels Adi will do better than Ighalo, he should invite him. If Rohr does not feel he will do better, he can leave him out.

Not Ighalo must play because he is part of the steady team.

Icon4s:


The Omeruo, Obaobona and Leon Balogun you mentioned have been part of the Team for years now. Where I have issue is ignoring Omeruo or Balogun and be inviting one Jamiu Alimi just in the name of scouting for raw talent or something. Some people even often forget that Troost-Ekong has always been part of the Super Eagles defence since the days of Keshi. I over heard some1 one day calling him (Ekong) that new defender. Nigeria currently has a large pool of CB options let us consolidate on that and adopt the best pairing with 1 or 2 substitute CBs.

We have a large pool of players for selection. Rohr did the right thing by inviting from that pool. Gradually new players would be introduced.

And to your last sentence, have I not been advocating for Iheanacho to lead the attack instead of Ighalo? Ighalo has not proven his rating for the national team so why not try another player from that same pool.

Some other players will get their time also. Not every Nigerian footballer will get to play for the Super Eagles. The coach may decide to invite Adi for the Zambia clash, all well and good, but I expect consistency in our line ups from here hence forth.

Icon4s:


The Omeruo, Obaobona and Leon Balogun you mentioned have been part of the Team for years now. Where I have issue is ignoring Omeruo or Balogun and be inviting one Jamiu Alimi just in the name of scouting for raw talent or something. Some people even often forget that Troost-Ekong has always been part of the Super Eagles defence since the days of Keshi. I over heard some1 one day calling him (Ekong) that new defender. Nigeria currently has a large pool of CB options let us consolidate on that and adopt the best pairing with 1 or 2 substitute CBs.

We have a large pool of players for selection. Rohr did the right thing by inviting from that pool. Gradually new players would be introduced.

And to your last sentence, have I not been advocating for Iheanacho to lead the attack instead of Ighalo? Ighalo has not proven his rating for the national team so why not try another player from that same pool.

Some other players will get their time also. Not every Nigerian footballer will get to play for the Super Eagles. The coach may decide to invite Adi for the Zambia clash, all well and good, but I expect consistency in our line ups from here hence forth.

TheGoodJoe:


The best crop of talents should make the pool of players we invite and play. Leaving a better talent out of the pool for a weaker player because he is a regular invitee, make us weaker.

We won the AFCON under Keshi because he scouted the best players home and abroad. Then some of them became the go to players.

If a player shows quality that he can be better than the pool of players, we should invite him.

No one says invite a low quality player in the name of scouting.

The talk is about a better player than what we have. If we walk this way, the squad will reach a steady peak.

If we keep inviting a regular squad based on history with the team, we leave out talents that will make us have a steady peak.

Icon4s:


I don't really see anything to argue about here cos we are almost saying the same thing.

We agree that we have a pool. And selection should be made based on merit from the pool.

What I am talking about is having a Team that will have up to 9 regulars( and of course based on merit) with maybe 2-3 inclusions from outside the pool if need be. Or are you of the opinion that the coach should rotate the squads with every game? Or what are you talking about?

Icon4s:


I don't really see anything to argue about here cos we are almost saying the same thing.

We agree that we have a pool. And selection should be made based on merit from the pool.

What I am talking about is having a Team that will have up to 9 regulars( and of course based on merit) with maybe 2-3 inclusions from outside the pool if need be. Or are you of the opinion that the coach should rotate the squads with every game? Or what are you talking about?

tbaba1234:


From 90 to 94, The Nigerian team was chopped and changed. Westerhof hardly used the same team for two matches in a row. He had a core of reliables but he was very flexible in his invitations.

He blooded in young players early. He dropped players when they went off the boil. There was really competition in the team. It was that competition that gave rise to a formidable team by 94.

TheGoodJoe:


We have a pool of best players. While we keep searching for better players to add to the pool.

If we find a better player, we test him with the pool. If he is better than any in the pool, it means the pool is no more made of the best players.

So we replace one in the pool with the new better player. This makes the pool have the current best players.

While the we continue searching for better players home and abroad.

TheGoodJoe:


As I said, no regulars. Invite those who show better promise than those in the pool. That is the key. Not because a player is regular, means his position is secured.

If a player pops up in another club and he is doing better than the regular, he should get an invitation to camp. Not the starting line up. This is not rotation.

There is no steady team but best players. We keep looking for better players. The camp will decide if the player will fit into the team or not.

TheGoodJoe:


I am with BascoVanVeli on this. I am always against a steady team. Look at Manchester City. Sterling said he has to keep performing well because of Sane. That does not mean Manchester City is not searching for a player that can do better than both Sane and Sterling.

We have Aguero and Iheanacho. Yet we signed Gabriel Jesus who is another exciting prospect.

A team should be the collection of the best players that can represent the country and are ready to represent the country. Both local and foreign born.

When a player shows a sign, (this is the important part) that he can do better than the present player in the National team, or performs better than those in the National team, then we must invite that person.

If not, we are not fielding our strongest squad.

chrisooblog:
every successful team needs or has had a touch of consistency. you may add or substract two or three but the basic spine needs to be there. take our golden generation the 1994 super eagles set. we knew who would almost all the time start. yekini, finidi, ben iroha, amokachi, jayjay, uche uchechukwu, peter rufai plus or minus a couple of players based of coaches formation, injury or loss of form. the world cup winning german team check there line up in 2010 compare to 2014 you would see that most of their stalwarts for that 2010 team were ever present in 2014.

i agree that for teams to progress and succeed you need to evolve but the trick is knowing the right time to change personnel and bring in fresh talent. do it too soon and you upset the balance of the team, do it too late your team stagnates. germans of the mid 80s to mid 90s dominated but the core of their winning group like klinsmann, luther mathais, brehme, hassler etc were kept on for too long and by the time they were replaced the new guys couldn't cope because it was a sudden change of the old guard instead of a seamless change.

as icon has rightly noted you can not use club football to do a comparison. man city, man u, arsenal etc can always go to buy quality players to replace any player in their ranks who has lost form but with the national team even if you have an aging quality player you want to replace if the replacement is not up to scratch you make do with your current guy until another can be discovered or groomed. unfortunately if the grassroots programme of the fa is nothing to write home about then it will many years before you can get quality ready replacements.

Icon4s:



Westerhorf took charge of the Green Eagles during qualifiers for the Italia 90 World Cup.
Westerhorf had to rely on most of the Maroc 88 players to finish the qualifiers for the World Cup.

After we crashed out of the World Cup qualifiers he had the African nations qualifiers to handle and then came Algiers 1990 AFCON.

This was the opportunity for Westerhof to build the new Team more so as a good number of the Maroc '88 squad were aging. Mind you a good number of the old lads still remained in the Team: Rashidi Yekini, Stephen Keshi, Ademola Adeshina, Uche Okafor, Austin Eguavoen, Peter Rufai
Infact Keshi, Okafor and Eguavoen were 3 defenders carried from Maroc '88 even to 1994. Uche Okechukwu and Ben Iroha were included from Algiers 90 and I dnt need to tell you that crop was the best defence troop we have ever produced. They were in that defense up till the 1994 World Cup. That is the consistency I am talking about. Rashidi Yekini and Samson Siasia were some of the other players of the 80s era that transcended to the mid 90s.

Now, down to the Team Rotation:

Look at this formation below:

..........................Rufai

Eguavoen....Keshi....Okechukwu.....Iroha

....................Oliseh

Finidi........ Oliha/Okocha.......Amuneke

.............Amokachi
...................................Yekini

4-4-2

Substitutes:

Okafor
Nwanu
Adepoju
Siasia
Agbonavbare
Okocha/Oliha

More than 22 years after I am sure you too still remember this deadly squad.
That was how that team was set up for most of its matches.

I am not a against the introduction of new players. My point is we need a regular set of 14 players based on merit. New additions can be brought gradually as the Team will also need to evolve with time.

If I ask you to name your likely starting 11 for the Zambia clash and I name mine, I know they will not be much different.
We know the players we need to form the new Super Eagles already any other performing players can be introduced as time goes on. That's my point. No need for wild goose chase now.

chrisooblog:
every successful team needs or has had a touch of consistency. you may add or substract two or three but the basic spine needs to be there. take our golden generation the 1994 super eagles set. we knew who would almost all the time start. yekini, finidi, ben iroha, amokachi, jayjay, uche uchechukwu, peter rufai plus or minus a couple of players based of coaches formation, injury or loss of form. the world cup winning german team check there line up in 2010 compare to 2014 you would see that most of their stalwarts for that 2010 team were ever present in 2014.

i agree that for teams to progress and succeed you need to evolve but the trick is knowing the right time to change personnel and bring in fresh talent. do it too soon and you upset the balance of the team, do it too late your team stagnates. germans of the mid 80s to mid 90s dominated but the core of their winning group like klinsmann, luther mathais, brehme, hassler etc were kept on for too long and by the time they were replaced the new guys couldn't cope because it was a sudden change of the old guard instead of a seamless change.

as icon has rightly noted you can not use club football to do a comparison. man city, man u, arsenal etc can always go to buy quality players to replace any player in their ranks who has lost form but with the national team even if you have an aging quality player you want to replace if the replacement is not up to scratch you make do with your current guy until another can be discovered or groomed. unfortunately if the grassroots programme of the fa is nothing to write home about then it will many years before you can get quality ready replacements.

Icon4s:


There must always be regulars. ELSE YOU DON'T HAVE A TEAM.

tbaba1234:



Oliseh joined that team in 93/94
Okocha in 92
Amuneke played his first game in 93

Several players were part of the building process.

Reubens Agboola
Elaho
Emeka Ezeugo
Emenalo was at usa 94
Friday Ekpo
Chris Ohenhen


Etc

Before we got to the 94 team.. There were plenty changes along the way.

chrisooblog:
every successful team needs or has had a touch of consistency. you may add or substract two or three but the basic spine needs to be there. take our golden generation the 1994 super eagles set. we knew who would almost all the time start. yekini, finidi, ben iroha, amokachi, jayjay, uche uchechukwu, peter rufai plus or minus a couple of players based of coaches formation, injury or loss of form. the world cup winning german team check there line up in 2010 compare to 2014 you would see that most of their stalwarts for that 2010 team were ever present in 2014.

i agree that for teams to progress and succeed you need to evolve but the trick is knowing the right time to change personnel and bring in fresh talent. do it too soon and you upset the balance of the team, do it too late your team stagnates. germans of the mid 80s to mid 90s dominated but the core of their winning group like klinsmann, luther mathais, brehme, hassler etc were kept on for too long and by the time they were replaced the new guys couldn't cope because it was a sudden change of the old guard instead of a seamless change.

as icon has rightly noted you can not use club football to do a comparison. man city, man u, arsenal etc can always go to buy quality players to replace any player in their ranks who has lost form but with the national team even if you have an aging quality player you want to replace if the replacement is not up to scratch you make do with your current guy until another can be discovered or groomed. unfortunately if the grassroots programme of the fa is nothing to write home about then it will many years before you can get quality ready replacements.