safarigirl:
don't bother your little head about such details, a professional coach is being paid to handle the team line-up

Mickael2:

quick question, so a training clone should still remain a member of our national team? not that I hate Mikel but if he isn't going to play a match till November then he shouldn't really start don't you think?

Mickael2:


I know your crush on him is legendary but you have to agree wit me here, Musa Mohammed was kicked out of the first eleven for the exact same reasons. is he above the law??

TheGoodJoe:


Definitely Mikel has my full support if he leaves. I hope he goes to a club that plays a good passing game that suits him and play in an advanced role than the DMF.

Mickael2:

I know your crush on him is legendary but you have to agree wit me here, Musa Mohammed was kicked out of the first eleven for the exact same reasons. is he above the law??

Mickael2:

quick question, so a training clone should still remain a member of our national team? not that I hate Mikel but if he isn't going to play a match till November then he shouldn't really start don't you think?

tbaba1234:


As at today, i will argue yes... a decade ago, Roda Jc was bigger.

safarigirl:
So, I had an argument with this guy who said we needed Dominic Solanke, I told him our current forward line cannot accommodate Solanke and he began asking me who we have that's better than Dominic. He called Ighalo a one-season wonder, said V Moses has glass legs, Musa is washed up, and he didn't even think Etebo was worth a recognition.

Maybe na me no dey understand, but please, does anyone have stats that prove this Dominic is better than our current options on the forward line or are people still rating him based on English media hype?

Mickael2:
oga forgiveness, you never notice Obasi since? not a bad bench piece if you ask me

Mickael2:

quick question, so a training clone should still remain a member of our national team? not that I hate Mikel but if he isn't going to play a match till November then he shouldn't really start don't you think?

safarigirl:
So, I had an argument with this guy who said we needed Dominic Solanke, I told him our current forward line cannot accommodate Solanke and he began asking me who we have that's better than Dominic. He called Ighalo a one-season wonder, said V Moses has glass legs, Musa is washed up, and he didn't even think Etebo was worth a recognition.

Maybe na me no dey understand, but please, does anyone have stats that prove this Dominic is better than our current options on the forward line or are people still rating him based on English media hype?

Kelechi Iheancaho
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015– Manchester City 30 (10)

National team‡
2013 Nigeria U17 7 (
2015– Nigeria U20 2 (0)
2015– Nigeria 6 (4)

safarigirl:
i know your dislike for him is legendary, hence, I can't agree with you.

Once again, never compare Mikel with Musa, that's an insult on Mikel's over 10 years playing career. A big insult you should be ashamed to even consider.

A player is doing brilliant for you, a tested and trusted player and you insult his effort by comparing him to an inexperienced child who plays a far more sensitive position. Honestly, some Nigerians and their sense of loyalty is disturbing, he has not put a foot wrong for us, yet, some of you can't wait to throw him out the window even though he's suffering because he put this country first.

There would be no questions of Mikel's regular playing time for club if he had not gone to Brazil, NONE. The man is suffering consequences of playing for a team that was for all intents and purposes, useless, before he injected some life in their defeated bones, and you ungrateful people have the nerve to try and throw him out on top of his suffering?

Haba! You should be ashamed to even say these words, how will anybody give his all for a country filled with people like you? Are you even worth it?

tbaba1234:
Brazilian stars were released for the Olympics and faced no consequences with their clubsides. Imagine if Iwobi or Iheanacho had insisted on playing the olympics, they would probably be out of their respective teams. Sometimes, it is difficult to blame players like Success and Victor Moses because they are just starting to impose themselves on their teams. I remember Kanu facing a similar problem after the nations cup.

It is a struggle for African players that want to succeed abroad.

princesuko:


Dominic Solanke Stats
National team‡ Apps Goals
2012–2013 England U16 6 (1)
2013–2014 England U17 14 (11)
2014–2015 England U18 7 (3)
2015–2016 England U19 10 (3)
2016 England U20 2 (1)
2015– England U21 3 (0)

Club Team
2013-2014 Chelsea u18 25 (20)
2014-2015 Chelsea u21 45 (41)
2015-2016 Vitesse 25 (7)

Kelechi Iheancaho
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015– Manchester City 30 (10)

National team‡
2013 Nigeria U17 7 (
2015– Nigeria U20 2 (0)
2015– Nigeria 6 (4)

Alex Iwobi
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015– Arsenal 19 (2)

National team‡
2011–2012 England U16 7 (1)
2013 England U17 3 (0)
2013 England U18 1 (0)
2015– Nigeria 7 (1)


Etebo
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013–2015 Warri Wolves 64 (23)
2016– Feirense 4 (3)

National team‡
2015 Nigeria U-23 17 (11)
2013– Nigeria 7 (5)

Isaac Success

Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2014 BJ Foundation
2014–2015 Granada B 20 (9)
2014–2016 Granada 49 (7)
2016– Watford 2 (1)

National team‡
2013 Nigeria U17 7 (7)
2015– Nigeria U20 4 (2)

princesuko:


Dominic Solanke Stats
National team‡ Apps Goals
2012–2013 England U16 6 (1)
2013–2014 England U17 14 (11)
2014–2015 England U18 7 (3)
2015–2016 England U19 10 (3)
2016 England U20 2 (1)
2015– England U21 3 (0)

Club Team
2013-2014 Chelsea u18 25 (20)
2014-2015 Chelsea u21 45 (41)
2015-2016 Vitesse 25 (7)

Kelechi Iheancaho
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015– Manchester City 30 (10)

National team‡
2013 Nigeria U17 7 (
2015– Nigeria U20 2 (0)
2015– Nigeria 6 (4)

Alex Iwobi
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015– Arsenal 19 (2)

National team‡
2011–2012 England U16 7 (1)
2013 England U17 3 (0)
2013 England U18 1 (0)
2015– Nigeria 7 (1)


Etebo
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013–2015 Warri Wolves 64 (23)
2016– Feirense 4 (3)

National team‡
2015 Nigeria U-23 17 (11)
2013– Nigeria 7 (5)

Isaac Success

Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2014 BJ Foundation
2014–2015 Granada B 20 (9)
2014–2016 Granada 49 (7)
2016– Watford 2 (1)

National team‡
2013 Nigeria U17 7 (7)
2015– Nigeria U20 4 (2)

TheSuperNerd:
The "bolded" seals it for me.

Bia Oga Mickael2, I hereby ban you from discussions on "Legend Mikel"..... I told you I remember how you entered this thread with your hatred for mikel flying all over the place but I respect your analytical prowess...

The ban is indefinite!!!!!

And whether Mikel plays or not before November 12, but trains always at Chelsea's Cobhams ground with his colleagues leading to the Battle of Uyo, then I am okay with it. As we have been shown times without number, Mikel no dey eva suffer match/game rustiness. THE GUY NA LEGENDARY BADASS BIKO.

MIKEL HAS NO EQUAL AND REPLACEMENT Right Now in the Super Eagles and also his class is just incomparable. He's our midfield generalissimo. Haba!!!!!!!!!

Meanwhile, I did tell you unless we can devise a means or strategy/formation to execute games comfortably in Mikel's absence, Then we gotta pray Mikel stays fit always.

So have you come up with a "Mikel-less" Super Eagles formation?? (I think I am close to one myself just in case )..... Please submit it to Johnson (AKA Yara Yara), my Special research assistant... After which your ban can begin.

Icon4s:
As far as the current crop of players are concerned, we have no replacement for Mikel. We only have players we can jst manage to cope with and pray our opponents dnt capitilise on the weekness.

Top on my "interim" replacement for Mikel if injured is Oghenekaro Etebo. He showed he could cope with the demands from a CMF in the Egypt double header.He also played that role occassionally at the 2015 CAF U23 tourney.

Another player we can consider is Raheem Lawal.

Our permament replacement for John Obi Mikel is still in the bakery of Arsene Wenger , though currently on loan to a Dutch second division side: KELECHI (CARZOLA) NWAKALI


JUST A LITTLE FROM MY HISTORY BOOK OF NIGERIAN FOOTBALL

I have been following different generations of our CMF starting from the 1980s:From Henry Nwosu to Friday Ekpo to Austine Okocha to Obi Mikel.

Quality CMF emerge once in a decade.

Henry Nwosu was the master that emerged in the 1980s. Young Nwosu started playing that role enrout qualification for 1982 WC. He was just 18years old! He scored Nigeria's only goal in the semifinal of that qualification against Guinea. 1-0 aggregate win. I dnt watch that game but i saw the clips some time in the late 80s. Nwosu was the CMF marshal from then on. 20yrs old Etim Esim emerged during qualifiers for the 1986 AFCON. We didnt qualify. He kept Nwosu on his toes. Etim again was in the squad for qualifiers for 1988 AFCON. By then he was playing with Gent of Belgium while Nwosu was at ACB of Lagos. Etim could have easily walked into that CMF role.However, he had a rape case and ran away from Europe to his village in the then Cross Rivers state . Nwosu went ahead to win the Golden Ball award at Maroc '88.

Westerhof came in with a 21yrs old Thompson Oliha at Algiers '90 AFCON. Oliha marshalled the position even up to 1994 AFCON and WC. Okocha was a sub to Oliha in both tourneys. 20yrs old Okocha debuted against Algeria enroute qualification for 1994 WC. He scored from a free -kick.

Okocha's final break through came after his performance in that Second round game against Italy. Where he was sending the Italian players to "go buy akara at Dugbe market" . Ekpo never came back to the team.

Okocha's legendary held sway even up to the mid 2000s. At a point we never believed Okocha would retire one day. We suddenly woke up to realise that we needed a replacement for him. Christian Obodo, aka bundle of skills, a product of the 2001 Flying Eagles, was performing magic with his skills at Peruggia of Italy.
A 21 yrs old Obodo was invited but.. Okocha had widened the shoe.

We managed with Okocha until John Obi Mikel, a product of 2003 Eaglets & 2005 Flying Eagles emerged. 19yrs old Mikel's Debute game was a gainst Zimbabwe at the 2006 AFCON. He scored few minutes after being introduced. That was the begining of the end of Okocha's reign.

Mikel we still have today, but at 29 there is need to once again introduce a youngster to carry us further. Introducing Kelechi (Carzola) Nwakali, an 18yrs old product of the all conquering 2015 Eaglets. He currently stands out, in terms of talent and skills, among his generation. We expect Rohr to gradually introduce him into the team. I dnt see Mikel post 2018 WC. Hope Kelechi Nwakali would have matured enough to step into that shoe.

Note the age at which Nwosu, Okocha and Mikel were introduced into the team. Our greatest CMF were those introduced at a very young age and allowed to grow in the team. Food for thought for our coaches.

Kog45:
Please stop lying,u hate him!how on earth w u describe Mikel as a clone for God sake.

Whether Mikel is playing or not leave that for Rohr to decide and not u myopic football analyst who always reason with sentiment and hatred.And who care whether u like him or not and who are u to like him.

The last match against Zambia gives Mikel,Iwobi,iheanacho,Ekong and Ikeme an automatic shirts against Algeria,unless injury set in which we don't pray for,no problem u are free to switch off your TV seen Mikel against Algeria.

TheGoodJoe:


Mikel is not above the law. He is the law. How many players will put their club careers on the line for the Super Eagles?

Mikel is a genius. His class on the ball is not comparable to anyone we have. We can not do without his class.

Imagine if we played the Olympics without Mikel. This is not a debate. It is just how it is.

safarigirl:
i know your dislike for him is legendary, hence, I can't agree with you.

Once again, never compare Mikel with Musa, that's an insult on Mikel's over 10 years playing career. A big insult you should be ashamed to even consider.

A player is doing brilliant for you, a tested and trusted player and you insult his effort by comparing him to an inexperienced child who plays a far more sensitive position. Honestly, some Nigerians and their sense of loyalty is disturbing, he has not put a foot wrong for us, yet, some of you can't wait to throw him out the window even though he's suffering because he put this country first.

There would be no questions of Mikel's regular playing time for club if he had not gone to Brazil, NONE. The man is suffering consequences of playing for a team that was for all intents and purposes, useless, before he injected some life in their defeated bones, and you ungrateful people have the nerve to try and throw him out on top of his suffering?

Haba! You should be ashamed to even say these words, how will anybody give his all for a country filled with people like you? Are you even worth it?

Mickael2:



once again you neglected the main point there, I saying that of he does not train then he can't keep up the same intensity he showed against the zambians, simple and short. I am not comparing him to Musa obviously, I just meant that Muss went through the same type of issue and although he was naturally Rohr's preferred right back, he was not played because of lack of game time. anyways sorry, before you call me another name worse than the one you just did

zicky:
kool, but you forget to mention Wilson Oruma, I remember the guy for the pk miss against Senegal Afcon 2002

safarigirl:


He can't keep up with what? Is it today Mikel started playing for us?

Can you tell us how regularly he has been playing all these years? Is it a space of 4 weeks of no game time that Mikel has not had?

The way you're approaching this matter, it's as if you just started following the National team this year.

Okay, tell us the regular players you want to replace Mikel with in 3 weeks.

Is a RB and a DM the same? Has Icon4s not said here that the position of defence is highly sensitive? You want to put Musa without senior team experience in club level against Mahrez and Feghouli them? You no go insult person wey talk this thing wey you talk here? Honestly, read your write-up again. E deserve insult, we suppose plank you sef

safarigirl:


He can't keep up with what? Is it today Mikel started playing for us?

Can you tell us how regularly he has been playing all these years? Is it a space of 4 weeks of no game time that Mikel has not had?

The way you're approaching this matter, it's as if you just started following the National team this year.

Okay, tell us the regular players you want to replace Mikel with in 3 weeks.

Is a RB and a DM the same? Has Icon4s not said here that the position of defence is highly sensitive? You want to put Musa without senior team experience in club level against Mahrez and Feghouli them? You no go insult person wey talk this thing wey you talk here? Honestly, read your write-up again. E deserve insult, we suppose plank you sef

Mickael2:

.



I doubt if you even understood my point at all. to answer your questions, Mikel has always played at least a game every two weeks for Chelsea, the problem was that he used to come in around the 80th minute mark but still. for me that was invaluable game time, now we are saying that he won't play at all! not even for ten minutes, I mean at all at all, that is a problem.

is Mikel going to start as our DMF for the game or as our CMF? I think it's the second option, so using your logic his position isn't sensitive or isn't that your point? I still don't get what you were trying to say there though. and again you have rubbished Musa just to prove your point, please leave Musa out of this

TheSuperNerd:
Bia Nwokem!!! You still dey talk?? U have accepted "the ban" naa....

Oya this your "at all-at all-at all- analysis" on game time don do...

How many weeks passed between August 21st and October 9th?? *answer am sharp sharp*

Mickael2:


7 weeks sir, but then you add another four weeks. that's assuming he doesn't play till November and you will understand my fears.
anyway sorry sir, I have gone to the other room, I just wanted to answer our madam

Mickael2:


I am not undermining his abilities one bit. ok maybe you all don't understand what I meant by a clone, it wasn't an insult at all. I have already said that if we can be guaranteed a dissimilar performance to the one he showcased against Zambia, then am ok with his inclusion, but if you do not play a match is it possible to keep up that intensity? these are Algerians for Christ's sake, not some Zambians without tactics, they will come with their full team and they will play through the middle

Mickael2:



I would have reacted in a stronger way but kindly read SirGoodJoe's comment which I was replying. he said Mikel should continue training with them till January. now what do you call a player who only trains without actually playing? a training clone for me. so how is that portraying hatred?