kennysville:


Objectivity.... not sentiments. If he gets to camp and is found to be better, so be it. Forget player relative thingy or agent. I am far from all that. I am just like you, a mere mortal Super Eagles fan. No more no less

you think..
getting to camp is an easy ride...
players like Paul,yinka, taiwo, Dennis have still not smell any SE invitation to go prove themselves and you think...rohr should operate the goodjoe kind of camp....call up up like a 100 players for screening.....

bro....the dude is simply not good enough for a provisional list let alone make the world cup squad....

team selection is simply base on competence and not sentiments

Mujtahida:

Omo I swear if we continue with this foreign born thing your last paragraph will happen ooo and it would lead to an outcry oo

Ha! Them go begin talk about quota system. Home bred/foriegn born. Na wetin go spoil shows be that.

But make them no blame us o. Imagine someone like Iwobi joined Arsenal at the age of five and he's developed through the system, them teach am ball from that age till him grow. E get some kind areas wen him gaz use take pass our home bred na.

We need systems that aids development at the grassroots, then we'd see more of them foreign breeds begging us for a space not the other way round.

But for now, I wouldn't mind if all our back-4 are German bred

daveP:
Team chemistry is your angle. I think he'l blend. He may have much respect and isolation cos half of the current squad watched him play from their homes(not yet professional). Will he cause kasala? Compare who would between him and Enyeama? Im seeing both angles here.

I've followed those boys more than you. He will not blend....Enyeama too will not blend, but Enyeama is only being discussed because we have scarce quality options in his position.

Why is Martins being discussed?

forgiveness:



Ronaldo had won the world best player of year twice prior to that world cup. He was a tested, tried, trusted and experienced player.

With the little matches he played before chosen, he showed class.

That's what I am talking about. Performance, experience and talent. You can not buy those in the market.

Then, Ronaldo was better than Romario.

Who is better than Martins in our team currently?

Romario was in form for Vasco da Gama. Ronaldo resumed from injury straight to the World Cup. My question is if it were you who would you chose?
Who is Martins better than? For me as far as Martins is concerned it's not a question of performance. Coaches regularly drop performing players. And my contention is simple: he's had his time.

tglobal:
One recurring sentiment I think has been a serious setback for african teams over the years, has been this clamour for "new players" at every turn. Keshi was the coach for 3-4 years and up until he left, we still had a feeling that we were "building a team". I can assure you all that going by what I am reading on this thread and past trendss, these same players we are tagging as "fresh" and claiming to raise for 2022 will quickly be discarded and classified as "tired legs" by 2021. It's a cycle that never ends and I have been seeing this in play since our past golden generation of players. We have always been rebuilding and discarding players not based on what they do or do not offer but on perceived need to "inject new blood"...

Onigbinde did it, same with Christian Chukwu, Eguavoen, Siasia, Keshi and Oliseh.

I simply don't understand why the first hurdle for player invitation is age as opposed to performance. It's the National team and not an age-restricted competition! No team gets remembered for how young they are but rather what results they can produce at the time.Aime Jacquet didn't drop Ginola and Co because of their ages. He simply chose players that fit into his game plan.

Whether Martins receives an invitation or not is not my issue (I don't think he has anything better to offer than what we have). However, rejecting the idea of extending an invitation to him based on age alone is what I find puzzling.

Tell them. Thank you very much.

forgiveness:


What do you know about Martins off pitch personality?

He will blend wella because wherever he went he did. Why not now?

Now, be aware that Martins and Mikel Obi blended wella when they played together. Mikel knows how to give Martins pass to score. Watch the 2010 WC qualifiers then you will know better.

lol...Mikel knows how to give Martins pass to score

And when Mikel is not giving him the passes?

Joebie:
WC no be for the fainthearted oh.. Abi how dey talk am that time?
The first test na fight for camp. if old man beat u, that means u never ready.. make u go play U23 first.

@bolded, you funny die.

So if Yakubu come back camp, come perform pass Nacho, you go just pursue nacho abi?

E go clear for your eye wen Yakubu no go fit trap simple pass for WC.

forgiveness:



Where you expecting the coach to drop Osaze and Martins who singlehandedly qualified us for the world cup?

Osaze did very well in that world cup but Martins just came back from long injury.

Which World Cup did Martins single handedly qualified us for? Do you know the meaning of single handedly cos you like throwing that word around.

Mujtahida:

Romario was in form for Vasco da Gama. Ronaldo resumed from injury straight to the World Cup. My question is if it were you who would you chose?
Who is Martins better than? For me as far as Martins is concerned it's not a question of performance. Coaches regularly drop performing players. And my contention is simple: he's had his time.

I know but Ronaldo was class and that is what i and talking about.

You have to consider many factors before you decide on who is better. Talent, experience, performance etc

If we consider all these, Martins is far better than some players currently in the National team.

Why was Rohr keen on having Mikel during the world cup qualifiers despite lack of game and injuries?

But the same Rohr who was keen to play Mikel despite lack of game and injuries for a season claimed he didn't invite Kayode for the Cameroonian games because he was not in form even though he just won the best player and highest goalscorer in Austria league. Why?

safarigirl:
it is not age that is the issue

Team Spirit is the issue here and everybody is waving that aside as if the Osaze we carried in 2014 was able to lead us to a Quarter Finals in the World Cup

The team that led Ghana to their Q/finals position in 2010, did it not have a sizeable number of youth? Did Ghana have to bring in a player that had been exiled for two years to get there? Was it a team of exceptional talents or top scorers in various leagues?

Some are asking what happens against SA...lack of a leader was what happened. We did not lose because it was a youthful team, we lost because there was no leader on and off the pitch.

for now, we dont have a caucus that can bark orders or disorganize camp, which is good. Obagoal has a clean record in camp and several managers(club&country) applaud him for always avoiding 'trouble'. I doubt he's so grumpy to cause division in camp if invited. Ghana's determination and motivation was themselves&no one else.

safarigirl:
lol...Mikel knows how to give Martins pass to score

And when Mikel is not giving him the passes?

At least, with Mikel blending go begin, na.

safarigirl:
no, we don't do well because we pack a bunch of old legs and expect them to perform magic.

Rufai, Yekini, Ameobi, Yobo, and God knows which other grandpa we will be taking next year.....

Y'all keep messing up the team's chemistry in your quest to find an individually good player forgetting that football is a TEAM sport, not an individual one and being great individually, does not make one great for a team.

If you must fortify this team, do so with players that will blend in seamlessly, not some grand dads that will struggle to find their place in the current set up

They don't understand that it's not all about performance. Routinely all over the World, performing players get dropped. Martins is not even going to be dropped. He's simply just have to be allowed to fade away. It's really distressing that they didn't call for Martins when we were going through the qualifiers ooo. Why now? Is Martins Ronaldo?

Mujtahida:

Which World Cup did Martins single handedly qualified us for? Do you know the meaning of single handedly cos you like throwing that word around.

I said Martins and Odenwinge. It was 2010 WC of course.

Oga, Martins scored an impossible acrobatic goal that qualified us to the world Cup that year.

In short, the coach brought a one legged limping Martins from the bench to rescue us.

Mujtahida:

I am also a fan. WMD we called him then. I really clamoured for his recall under Keshi same with Osaze and when he featured in one match (I think against Malawi or so) his performance was below par. Siasia eventually gave him a recall. Guy like you said his time is up. It gets to that point for every player. In football players often start playing for clubs before their national teams and continue playing for clubs after their international careers has ended.

Exactly.. . My question is can we win world cup in Russia? The chances are very low. Do we want instant result or long time result...?

Alot of fans think say we get team... This is a rebuilding team in progress... Should we begin to parade old leg for new team cos of instant result or we should look into future and have a concise goal.?..

Anybody that's clamouring for old legs.. That's their opinion.. They are not part of technical crew

And with coach Rohr statements and work so far... He believe so much on youths and few experience that can bring sth special to the team.. And he is also looking into future according one of his interview... He has a blue print of what he wants... He has goal might not tell anyone...

But if he believe in tired leg... Good for him but I don't see him going for any tired leg anyway ... Even enyeama case is getting slim every day...

I wont bother myself... Though

safarigirl:
my dear thank you for this.

Some people are just here repeating "Martins is a threat to yoir favourite" upandan as if it will make the clamour seem legit...

Martins is not a threat to any of the core fourteen, he is a surplus to requirement.

This guy has not been in the fold since 2015 abi when? He has never played under Rohr, he is not used to Rohr's philosophy and he certainly will not get it before the World Cup simply because it is harder to teach an old dog new tricks than to teach a puppy.

I don't even know who brought up this nonsense Martins argument. I will rather we snatch Tammy Abraham from England and take him to the World Cup than Martins, that is how much I don't want to see Martins in this team.

Tammy will blend, Tammy will find a group to join and he will click with them off the pitch which will resonate on the pitch.

I am concerned with Team Chemistry and some people here just want some bull dozer that will play gragra football without any concern for the rest of the team

His age is not the problem, it is his ability to blend that I have issues with.

you see team chemistry is more broad...it also encompassed...team bond and unity...
this young players fits in well....into this category..
there is mutual respect and the team spirit is high...a team of that kind rarely suffer defeat.....will this folks willingly take instructions from mikel?
how will.they feel if they have sit on the bench for younger players?

I doubt the sincerity of the crusaders for Martins inclusion...because if they can sincerely answer the above questions...

the call for martins invitation will be aborted

safarigirl:
it is befuddling how people reason in this country.

You have young guys itching to prove their worth, yet, you want to ignore them for overused players because you think those ones are 'tested and trusted'

It is this abnormal thinking process that led us to having a geriatric failure for president in a youthful nation. Buhari was 'tried and tested' and some people thought it wise to give him a second go an look what happened.

Now, it is Martins. Not only Martins, call up Yakubu Aiyegbeni as well, he looked solid in that picture he took with AJ, should be fit enough for the World Cup

I am even shocked. It's not like Martins is burning it ever so frightfully where he is oo. There's nothing he's going to bring to the table that Ighalo, Iheanacho, Kayode will bring. Our success for this world cup will start from team selection. Once Rohr fails in that regard everything else will fail.

forgiveness:


Na wa ooooooo. So, if these two players doesn't perform (God forbids) this season, they have automatic shirt, ba!?

You and if..

Are they not performing in this current season.. ?

How many goals ighalo Don score this season.?

How many Kele don score?

All you talk about is probability.... Talk present

safarigirl:
I don't know about richest, but in what sense do you mean powerful? Because word around town says Mikel has a pretty heavy say in choice of players

I don't see anyone who's richer than him in the present crop of players we have. That dude is unarguably the most travelled SE star. From Italy, England, Russia, Germany, Spain, America and now China.



Mikel might be the most powerful reason being that Martins has been out of the Set-Up for a while. But I'm sure he's more popular to those at the glass house.

Mujtahida:

Yes, they've been tried and tested and we didn't win Nations cup with them when they were at their prime nor did we go beyond second round at the World Cup.

The pertinent question is are the current replacements currently better?

Mujtahida:

I am even shocked. It's not like Martins is burning it ever so frightfully where he is oo. There's nothing he's going to bring to the table that Ighalo, Iheanacho, Kayode will bring. Our success for this world cup will start from team selection. Once Rohr fails in that regard everything else will fail.

Are you going to the world Cup to win with Ighalo and Nacho when some teams are parading Mbappe, Griezmann and co, Neymar, Coutinho, Gabriel, Messi, Aguero and co, Diego Costa, Morata and co etc?

kennysville:


Joebie! Joebie!! Joebie!!!
How many times i call you? No let me fight you o! Lolzzzzz

On a serious note, yes he was grieving. Why was he in camp in belgium after his mom died and she was buried? Moral support? What was he standing up for? That he no longer was the captain? Watch the link below on you tube. Tell me what you would do if you were in Oliseh's shoes and also tell me what you would do as an association chairman.


https://www.google.co.za/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=%23&ved=0ahUKEwijjbCIl4_XAhXoCcAKHQqsCZIQwqsBCCYwAA&usg=AOvVaw0VTJzWxrN8ZFOD4xbU2nov

Please stop this. Enyeama was badly treated. You've never been hurt after giving your all for something and then let off in a painful way before. If you have you won't be talking so callously as I perceive you are doing now. Oliseh treated that young man horrendously. He owes us no apology. I know from experience what it feels like. In Nigeria it is often the person that is wronged that is expected to apologise instead of us like Joebie said to rally round them.

soetanoreoluwa:


You and if..

Are they not performing in this current season.. ?

How many goals ighalo Don score this season.?

How many Kele don't score?

All you talk about is probability.... Talk present

Apart from Ighalo, is Nacho performing?

forgiveness:


Are you going to the world Cup to win with Ighalo and Nacho when some teams are parading Mbappe, Griezmann and co, Neymar, Coutinho, Gabriel, Messi, Aguero and co, Diego Costa, Morata and co etc?

And you want to go with Martins? Hahahaha hahahaha. Carry Aiyegbeni join. The same you that wants Thiago Ilori to go and face this attackers is now afraid for Iheanacho and Ighalo. Very funny

komekn:


The pertinent question is are the current replacements currently better?

I ask you Sir is Martins better than these guys? Ultimately for me his time is past and he's no Ronaldo.

Joebie:
On Enyeama he was bereaved and his situation was handled so so badly. He has served us well. And he deserves an honorable memorial match whenever he deems it fit to retire officially. We need to respect our heroes. We should fault NFF on that issue. Let's call a spade a spade. Many of these NFF officials na only chop dem sabi. Many of them have not given to the country half of what these guys have done for the country. Enyeama was a captain who fought for the team. The problem is whenever someonee decides to stand up for what is right in Nigeria, we don't rally around them.

Thank you Jobie... People forget things easily... Someone mama die... You no console the person..next things you Comot am as captain...

I can bet anything on it... Oliseh will do more than what enyeama did assume he is in his shoe...

Is oliseh a saint? Law of karma

safarigirl:
I've followed those boys more than you. He will not blend....Enyeama too will not blend, but Enyeama is only being discussed because we have scarce quality options in his position.

Why is Martins being discussed?

I for call u mother confessor@boldened(if you were actually correct), but dont conclude like that na. My own angle will be that he is being discussed cos of what he can offer both on and off pitch. Osaze couldnt. Mikel needs a partner to help tell these young blood, etc why they should behave, how things were done back then.(Pirlo does that for Italy, why cant we replicate?). If you think he has totally naffin to offer, then i'd say youre wrong!! Currently with Enyeama's absence, there's no commanding presence/Figurehead among the players. (shrugs). But dont shut him out cos of his age.

soetanoreoluwa:


Thank you Jobie... People forget things easily... Someone mama die... You no console the person..next things you Comot am as captain...

I can bet anything on it... Oliseh will do more than what enyeama did assume he is in his shoe...

Is oliseh a saint? Law of karma

Isn't it amazing how we kick people in the arse in Nigeria after they've worked so hard and then we pose and expect an apology?

kennysville:
Friends, Countrymen, Nairalanders!!!
As much as we love to keep this present crop of super eagles all the way to the world cup, I think a bit of reflection is important. Its not a crime if a player is old. If he still has it in him, then he has it! At 50, George Foreman became a world heavyweight champion against a much younger opponent. What that says is simply experience came to play. I cannot exactly recall the match where Martins played last. I think it was the Tanzania game where oliseh fielded him as a 10. And boy, was he mercurial! We have to understand that some departments still need a bit of beefing up and if its because we feel Martins is a threat to our preferred players like Kelechi, Ighalo and other attackers we seem to have right now, then I say we should look at it from a different angle.

Disclaimer!.... I am not advocating for a return of martins. I AM ONLY BEING OBJECTIVE.

With that out of the way, let us take a cursory look at what Martins can bring to the table. He possesses power and a bit of pace, he does very neat dribbles and good with passes. He can be your average go to guy as a creative midfielder loaded with experience. Lets not forget how lethal he is in front of goal.

For some time we have been saying stuff like what happens when mikel is not in the team and how badly we play. Iwobi is good to a large extent but sometimes he may fade out under tight marking. He loses ball easily too. So lets not make it look like the set of guys we have right now are the dons of football. How do we preserve our attacking and possessional identity if Mikel is not in the mix? Let us not for one second think that our opponents are not watching our games. Right from 1994, the same tactics have always played out, whereby they take out or should I say neutralize our threat. Amokachi, Amuneke, Onazi, Kanu Nwankwo for those of us who like stats.

All that needs to happen is one mean tackle on our beloved Mikel and thats it. Game over. When we clamor for a player, let us define what such a player can offer before we start to make assertions as to who fits and who doesnt. There should be a good blend of experience and Youthfulness in our National team. If there is any one that we can make exception for in our National team, it is Martins , simply for the reasons stated above. My stand on Enyeama has never changed and that is no matter how big you are, you still need to respect authorities. If he is to come back, then he owes us all an apology for believing he is bigger than the national interest. He retired on his own and he should leave it that way. If Carl Ikeme werent sick, I bet he would have been totally forgotten by now. That is what time does. Even now he isnt doin pretty well. I wish him well in his endeavors but frankly for the sake of order and decorum and the good work that Rohr has done, he should steer clear. This is why you dont rubbish the legacy you build for 13years just because you want to prove a point to your coach and your FA. Cos as far as i am concerned, he is sinking fast into oblivion.

Osaze on his part, i wont advocate for him because of what he has to offer is limited.

Sir why will you compare one man sport to 11 man sport..? According to your first paragraph...

Remember bash Ali? Baba still won fight o.. He won enter Guinness book of record

Mujtahida:

They don't understand that it's not all about performance. Routinely all over the World, performing players get dropped. Martins is not even going to be dropped. It's really distressing that they didn't call for Martins when we were going through the qualifiers ooo. Why now? Is Martins Ronaldo?

help me ask what Martins wants to bring to a team that had about 6 players scoring in these qualifiers and many more involved in the goals directly or indirectly. We stringed 15 passes inside Zambia's 18-yard box before Iwobi's goal.

The last time we had a team that cohesive was when we won AFCON in 2013.

So far...

Moses V
Mikel
Kelechi
Iwobi
Moses S
Ighalo

Have all scored in this third round of qualifiers. What do we need a CF like Martins for when we are not suffering from a lack of goals? We have scored 11 in 5 with the 'average' CFs on our team, what are we using Martins for? Is it until the CF scores that we will know we have a goal?

I would much rather prefer a team with five to eight different goal threats than a team with only one goal threat that once nullified, will kill off the team.

I like this team very well and the SA loss should not be what defines them, after all, Argentina with all their stars struggled to qualify in South America and you don't see anyone harping on some of their poor results as a reason why Diego Forlan should be reinstated into the team heading to the World Cup

daveP:
Has Obagoal being to any world cup. If no, then guys, ONLY INJURY CAN STOP HIM. Whether he deserves the spot or not. How will his portfolio look like if he didnt go to any with all that stint and spark?
Just thinking the way the oga at the top would see this situo ni o.

He was part of 2010 world cup.. And he had issues with the coach cos he benched him

Na Obagoal make 'camp' on here divide like this into two for the 1st time to my knowlegde?

I'm not STRONGLY advocating his inclusion though.

daveP:
I for call u mother confessor@boldened(if you were actually correct), but dont conclude like that na. My own angle will be that he is being discussed cos of what he can offer both on and off pitch. Osaze couldnt. Mikel needs a partner to help tell these young blood, etc why they should behave, how things were done back then.(Pirlo does that for Italy, why cant we replicate?). If you think he has totally naffin to offer, then i'd say youre wrong!! Currently with Enyeama's absence, there's no commanding presence/Figurehead among the players. (shrugs). But dont shut him out cos of his age.

Why didn't you call for him during the qualifiers? Every dog has his day. Theirs have come, let them enjoy it. Leave Martins and co out.