TheGoodJoe:


It has been too long to remember.

blueto:
Sir Icon4s is right as regards the players that should start against Argentina. Experiments and testing of fringe players should be done against Algeria, while the first starting xi should be used to prosecute the game against Argentina. the coach of[b] [b[b]]Argentina have released list with the likes of Messi, Aguero, Di Maria and others to face the S.E[/b[/b]] [/b]and it wouldn't be fair to just use them as experiments by capping our bench warmers against them. It will not be seen on a good note which can also deter the likes of Germany from organising friendlies with Nigeria. No highly rated team will want to be used as experiments for testing bench warmers. Not too long ago, this was reported to what made Egypt to pull out on a friendly with Nigeria when they perceived that Nigeria was planning to parade a “weaker” team against them. The Argentines are not just going to play the game for the fun of it, they want to see how their team can perform against this good Nigerian side.

As for the S.E, playing one of the rated favorites should enable the team to know the areas to improve on, and that may not be possible when playing with fringe players. The team's strongest starting xi should be featured from start to finish if possible, lets see what they will look like in the encounter. Who knows, Nigeria might just beat them and that will draw recognitions from other highly rated teams and put Nigeria in a better position to get more grade A friendlies.

krattoss:
little known onyekuru?

krattoss:
why do the Argentina's coach likes releasing list like 2-3 weeks prior to any international match..??

Joebie:
Nigeria Rejected Facing Iran, Saudi Arabia And Morocco In Friendly Next Month
Published: October 21, 2017



Nigeria Rejected Facing Iran, Saudi Arabia And Morocco In Friendly Next MonthThe Nigeria Football Federation say they had offers from Iran, Saudi Arabia and Morocco before opting to face Argentina in a high-profile pre-World Cup friendly in Russia on November 14.

NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, disclosed at the weekend that nearly all arrangements have been concluded with regards to the big match, subject to approval by world football –ruling body, FIFA and agreeable flight arrangements.

''We have had long and fruitful talks, and we can say that we have an agreement,'' Sanusi told thenff.com.

''We await the approval by FIFA and also, we have to agree on the flight arrangements that would be comfortable for the players and crew.

''The match will come up on 14th November, four days after the Super Eagles’ final 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying match away to Algeria.

''We had offers from teams like Iran, Saudi Arabia and Morocco but we have opted for the Argentines''.

Nigeria's last competitive match of 2017 comes away at Algeria on November 10.

--AllNigeriaSoccer

TheGoodJoe:


There is a cylindrical plate in the wrist of U17 players. How The hell will citrus fruits put that plate when it is not there? Na wa.

I believe some of our players who failed it were within the age bracket but due to the strictness of the scan, where a player younger can fail but a player older can not pass to a high degree accuracy, the young ones who failed might be within the age bracket.

The only reason Maduabuchi Obinwa's case raised dust was because he was American born. If he was Nigerian, no one will care.

Icon4s:

Bros you still dey for that Iheanacho's age matter?

goldfish80:


I know MRI can be cheated organically with intake of lots of fruits, especially oranges. I will really struggle to give credibility the the age of some of these players simply because they "passed MRI scan".

I saw the argument some pages back about people who finished secondary school at 14. I laughed, because most these people who finished at that age had the luxury of attending private schools. It is very easy to transition from primary school to secondary school owned by the same proprietor in the process, you could skip a few classes and finish at 14 or 15.
Anyone who went the full dose of 6years in primary school, 6years in secondary school, cannot graduate from secondary school at 14.

We know these players come from very poor homes. Most of their parents are unskilled workers. I mean these talents are mostly from the ghetto if I must spell it out. How many kids from the ghetto can you really beat your chest and say they finished secondary school at 14?

The sand Castle comments I see here, could pass as pure comedy gold sometimes.

Mickael2:



I mean that is 12years already, the assumption now is that they started primary school when they were 2years old and I was wondering the essence of nursery school, except the person's mom started attending nursery one for him when he was still in her womb

edi287:
I think Onyekuru will eventually be converted to a 9. We should try him out at that position during one of the friendlies. It might turn out to be an internal solution to our striking issue atm

isan:
Hello guys this is my first time on this thread, hope to have a nice time discussing Nigeria football with u guys thanks.

safarigirl:
welcome to the table sir, we also hope that you will be a great addition to this thread as well.

Meet Joebie for your bottle of Udeme

Mickael2:



Let me put it in lay man's language, do you still grow after you turn 17? The idea behind that MRI is the fusion of the long bones, it is theoritically assumed that once you get to that age you can't grow tall again, but I repeat haven't you seen people above 17 growing perfectly well?

komekn:


He also talked about Kayode and made quite an expose on him as well. But Chukwudi was the fall guy because even Omeruo had huge question marks at the time.

Let's not forget that our young Ndidi failed his MRI scan. But let's leave this matter it's just too big a can of worms that we really don't need to open.

Joebie:
IMPORTANT READ

---

Odegbami: World Cup Funds – Why No NFF President Has Ever Won A Second Term!

October 21, 2017 9:31 pm

Kayode Thomas is a very well known Nigerian journalist, irrepressible, courageous and hard working. Through the years, I have followed his career from a distance. His candour is remarkable, frank to a fault and down to earth. He is not one whose views can be easily discarded or disregarded. He sticks to his viewpoint like a leach, irritating the hell out of whoever is on the receiving side of his argument.

A few days ago, he stirred the hornet’s nest. He authored a public letter to the President of the Senate of the National Assembly, Senator Bukola Saraki. That letter is creating waves of reaction all over.

Specifically, in his letter, he demanded that the Senate President dismiss a request purportedly made by the Minister of Sports to the senate for urgent appropriation of funds to enable the ministry, or the NFF (I am not sure who the funds were meant to go to), start early preparation of the Super Eagles for the 2018 World Cup.

I cannot confirm that such a request was made but considering the state of the country and the present government’s focus on eradicating corruption within the country’s body polity, no one should be surprised that alarm bells are ringing with another World Cup around the corner. The four-yearly event has been a cesspool of corrupt practices since Nigeria started going to the global fiesta in 1994.

Every Nigerian knows that it is a jamboree for everyone, except the actual participants and those that attend outside government sponsorship. Even the players, seeing that they are been used as cannon fodder for this ugly practice that is so obvious to every living Nigerian, have been forced to join in the unprecedented sharing of ‘free’ money from government that could have been better used to develop Nigerian football to the greatest heights.

I cannot reproduce Kayode Thomas’ letter here for obvious reasons. He used some pretty harsh words. His most scathing is that the request for any funds from government is a scam!

He then went on to say that the profligacy of the past must be stopped, and that the change mantra of the present government for which he worked hard to put in place must also take effect in Nigerian sports.
The question now is this: Is the request truly a scam? What really are the facts? Why is the issue of funding not simple and clear enough for all to understand?

The NFF is supposed to be a non-governmental, private organization, according to the statutes of FIFA. But here in Nigeria, there is a concerted effort to install the NFF as an agency of government by law. The bill is before the national assembly moving slowly and dangerously to fruition one day soon.

FIFA tries to support and help the federations to sustain independence by funding the entirety of their participation in FIFA’s most important and lucrative event that rakes in unprecedented income for the global organization. FIFA provides basic funds and logistic support for every participating country that can take care of their preparation, participation and even much more beyond the championship. Mark the word ‘basic’.

The federations also know that the World Cup gives them an opportunity to do business, big business, with companies falling over each other to pay for association with their national teams.

Every federation is at liberty to do any extras on their own steam. They can choose to go to the moon for training. They can bring along to the event their entire population. They can do as they wish.

So, why should government come into the matter at all?
That is the question begging for an answer.
The reality is that here in Nigeria, government has always provided all the funds even since 1994!
The NFF draws up a budget through the sports ministry. The funds are often appropriated to them after a little threat by players and pressure from the gullible public for funds to prepare the Eagles. The federation adds these to the funds from FIFA and other sources, and, thereafter embarks on a mind-boggling spending spree.

Often there is a whole army of people – politicians, officials of the ministry, wives, girlfriends, family members, supporters, business associates and so on, that attend the World Cup as a holiday of a life time, all expenses paid for and no accounts ever rendered to government because the NFF is ‘non-governmental’. Can you believe it?

I read one of the several reactions to Kayode’s claims. It came from a gentleman whose views on Nigerian sports cannot be disregarded. He knows the story of Nigerian football and sports as a whole inside out!

Chief Jibade Fashina-Thomas, Uncle Jabby is one of the last members of the visionaries that drove Nigerian sport in its most glorious days in the 1970s, under the leadership of late Isaac Akioye. He was a brilliant and most respected journalist before he became the first spokesman of the then National Sports Commission,

This is a lightly edited excerpt from his published response.

‘Oh, Kayode, what a patriotic Thomas thou art! You have brazenly hit the nail hard on the head not caring whose ox is gored. Your letter to the Senate President is a clarion call and a crusade against barefaced corruption.

You see, requesting for funds to prepare teams for international competitions like the World Cup football championship is an old game in the Sports Ministry. The government is blackmailed into coughing out millions of US dollars for euphemistically preparing the national team, whose members are mostly in active professional competitions in foreign countries.

Meanwhile, FIFA adheres to its policy and sends funds to all participating countries to prepare their teams. The NFA, or whatever it is now called, has never accounted for such bailouts. The Sports Ministry is aware of the FIFA subventions but goes ahead to use the football championship to rake in its own loot from an unsuspecting (?) government. And nobody has questioned the Sports Ministry how the taxpayers’ money was “spended” (apologies, Solomon Dalung).

If you think the two NASS committees on Sports do not know what is going on, then you are making a ‘mugu’ of yourself. They lie in waiting with their forks and knives sharpened for their own slices of the cake before the whole loot is ‘spended’. It is an orchestrated racket, an age-long scam.

Finally, our paths may not have crossed, Kayode, but I know enough about you through reputation. A million letters will not stop the NASS from approving Dalung’s request, regardless of the faulty procedure, but hundreds of sports loving Nigerians can….by picketing the National Assembly.
So, it is time you don your tracksuits and get ready for that march. We must not allow Dalung’s move to go unchallenged’.

So, this is the reality. No country can claim not to have enough basic funds from FIFA to attend the World Cup.
The players know this too, and despite collecting all approved bonuses from government, rightfully demand a separate share of the grant from FIFA.

So since 1994, they have been collecting about 50 percent of the total sum granted from FIFA and sharing amongst themselves.
The NFF collects the balance and uses to fund the lavish lifestyles of its leadership.

It is for these funds that no President of the NFF can return for a second term. It is for these funds that the NFF can never be granted the autonomy and independence FIFA statutorily demands for a federation to become its member. It is for these funds that the NFF, which should be a completely private body, will soon be inserted into the laws of our country, contrary to FIFA rules, and made a government agency to be funded by government.

--CompleteSportsNigeria

BascoVanVeli:
Onyekuru will be far more dangerous if he defended less – ex-Belgium coach Anthuenis


By admin -
October 22, 2017, 10:17 am

Everton loanee Henry Onyekuru is firing on all cylinders at Anderlecht, but he could be a lot more dangerous if he did not have to defend a lot in his own half, according to ex-Belgium coach Aime Anthuenis.

Onyekuru has scored seven goals in all competitions for the Belgian champions and really caught the eye with his sparkling performance against PSG in the UEFA Champions League in midweek.

But Anthuenis, who also coached Anderlecht between 1999 and 2002, has advised the club’s new coach Hein Vanhaezebrouck the Nigeria forward will be a lot more deadly if he links up more closely with top striker Lukasz Teodorczyk rather than be asked to defend in his own half of the pitch.

“Onyekuru does not have to do too much defending in his own half of the pitch because he is on top form and it’s crucial he supports Teodorczyk more upfront,” the respected former Belgium coach advised.

He also hopes Anderlecht will soon be back at their best should the likes of Teodorczyk, Sofiane Hanni and Leander Dendocker regain their self-belief and form.

http://scorenigeria.com.ng/2017/10/22/onyekuru-will-be-far-more-dangerous-if-he-defended-less-ex-belgium-coach-anthuenis/

TheGoodJoe:


I think this is also an advice for Rohr. We need a to keep the defensive midfield and defence balanced, thus giving the creative players more freedom to attack. This will give us a more deadly set-up.

The S. Moses getting nods over Onyekuru seems to do with defending S. Moses offers. However, in a more balanced set-up, I see Onyekuru giving us more goals and making us more lethal upfront.

isan:
Hello guys this is my first time on this thread, hope to have a nice time discussing Nigeria football with u guys thanks.

tbaba1234:


I read that Rohr was upset with Simon Moses for his failure to track back enough against South Africa. Even victor Moses defends.

I think Rohr selects based on your ability to work hard for the team.

safarigirl:
welcome to the table sir, we also hope that you will be a great addition to this thread as well.

Meet Joebie for your bottle of Udeme

TheGoodJoe:


The plates is for bone formation. After the formation of the bone, the bone still grow. So it is a misconception thinking the MRI scan for U17 is for bone growth. No, it is for bone formation. After 17, the bone stops forming and continues growing. After the plate goes, FIFA will not allow you play in the Tourney.

TheGoodJoe:


That is why I prefer a more balanced set-up where the forward players concentrate more in attacking than defending. We are lacking in our defensive set-up and require numbers to defend. This in turn diminishes our attacking strength.

With a more balanced set-up, someone like Onyekuru can be considered.

goldfish80:

Not in this case. We are discussing pure scientific theory here. Not until you have made your research on the theory of the efficacy of using citrus to cheat MRI age detection scan.

Icon4s:


The thing is no one's opinion is useless here and no one has The superiority of opinions. If we consider our ways of reasoning in the past and how we reason now you'll find out that we have all learnt from each other in diverse ways.

TheGoodJoe:


There is a cylindrical plate in the wrist of U17 players. How The hell will citrus fruits put that plate when it is not there? Na wa.

I believe some of our players who failed it were within the age bracket but due to the strictness of the scan, where a player younger can fail but a player older can not pass to a high degree accuracy, the young ones who failed might be within the age bracket.

The only reason Maduabuchi Obinwa's case raised dust was because he was American born. If he was Nigerian, no one will care.