Mujtahida: Please I know this is a football thread so I crave the indulgence of everyone to post this story on Giannis Atetokuonmpo aka the Greek Freak
The Unspeakable Greatness of Giannis Antetokounmpo The Bucks’ All-Star isn’t changing the way his position is played. He’s changing the way all the positions are played. By MARC STEIN NOVEMBER 3, 2017
The Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo is already in the conversation for the Most Valuable Player Award this season. STACY REVERE/GETTY IMAGES By MARC STEIN November 3, 2017 MILWAUKEE — Michael Redd averaged 26.7 points per game at the height of his Milwaukee Bucks career. Redd earned a $91 million contract as a Buck, won an Olympic gold medal while a member of the Bucks and stood as the Bucks’ lone N.B.A. All-Star for a span exceeding a decade.
You could thus make the case that Redd, based on his résumé, knows better than anyone else in the basketball universe how it feels to be Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The problem: Redd couldn’t suppress a laugh when that idea was presented to him.
As he stood on the floor of the Bucks’ first home, in anticipation of watching the Antetokounmpo show at an arena unforgettably known as the Mecca, Redd made the claim that none of his predecessors — from this franchise or otherwise — could truly identify with the prodigy affectionately known as the Greek Freak.
“I’ve never seen anybody like him,” Redd said. “We’ve never seen anything like this.
“The numbers he’s getting right now are almost on accident. Once he learns how to play play — unstoppable. It’s almost like he’s from another planet.”
This is the sort of breathless praise Antetokounmpo routinely inspires in his fifth N.B.A. season. Building on a 2016-17 campaign in which he became the Bucks’ first All-Star since Redd in 2004 and won the N.B.A.’s Most Improved Player Award, Antetokounmpo zoomed to averages of 31.3 points, 10.6 rebounds and 5.1 assists entering Friday’s play — benchmarks no player in league history had ever hit, in unison, through the season’s first eight games.
Yet it is the manner in which he operates, on top of the sheer statistical delirium, that makes the 22-year-old from Greece such a phenomenon. The N.B.A. is famed for the comparison game it triggers any time a new star emerges, but no one has quite figured out how to size up this 6-foot-11 235-pounder who occasionally needs just one dribble from midcourt to swoop to the rim and does all that scoring without a dependable perimeter stroke to open up the rest of his game.
Is he a budding Magic Johnson — albeit with more athletic ability? Is he the next LeBron James — only blessed with much more size and length? Can we call him a full-fledged point guard now? Is it more accurate to say he’s more of a point forward?
What, exactly, is he?
“Point all,” Bucks Coach Jason Kidd said, after a lengthy pause in search of the proper summation.
The veteran Bucks guard Jason Terry, referring to his former longtime teammate Dirk Nowitzki, the revolutionary power forward, explained the conundrum this way:
“Dirk, in my eyes, is the best European player to ever play this game,” Terry said. “He literally changed the way his position is played. But Giannis doesn’t even have a position. He does it all, and he’s still learning what to do out there.”
A Huge Milwaukee Fan
To the Bucks’ delight, “all” includes a trait that tantalizes team officials as much as his 60 percent shooting from the field so far, or anything else the league’s hottest individual force does with a basketball in his hands: Antetokounmpo unabashedly loves Milwaukee.
It’s a city that, despite a string of successful teams in the 1980s and a squad that fell one win short of the N.B.A. finals in 2001, has never fully shed its “unfashionable” label, which was affixed when the best player in Bucks history — Kareem Abdul-Jabbar — forced a trade to the perennially glamorous Los Angeles Lakers in 1975.
But Antetokounmpo, in a recent interview, went so far as to assert that where he plays directly influences how he plays.
“I’m a low-profile guy,” he said. “I don’t like all these flashy cities like L.A. or Miami. I don’t know if I could be the same player if I played in those cities.”
N.B.A. teams saddled with Milwaukee’s small-market, glamour-shy profile generally live in fear of big-market behemoths signing away their brightest talents at the first free-agent opportunity. Antetokounmpo is in the first year of a four-year, $100 million contract extension — $11 million less than the maximum he could have signed for — but the Bucks are well aware that teams out there are plotting their recruiting pitches for the summer of 2021.
Visitors to Milwaukee, however, quickly discover that it’s no exaggeration to describe Antetokounmpo’s future as the least of the Bucks’ concerns in their bid to become a credible contender for the first time in nearly two decades. It also doesn’t hurt that, by virtue of his speedy ascension to All-N.B.A. status and contention for other top individual honors, Antetokounmpo is on a course to be eligible for a so-called “supermax” contract extension from the Bucks via the league’s new Designated Player Exception during the 2020 off-season, which would put him in line for a new deal well in excess of $200 million.
As he tweeted in July, to the presumed glee of every Milwaukeean, “I got loyalty inside my DNA.”
An Unexpected Loss
The connective tissue that links this star, team and city runs as dense as you’ll find on the N.B.A. map, perhaps surpassed only by Nowitzki’s two decades’ worth of roots in Dallas or maybe the deep bonds shared in San Antonio by Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. Milwaukee hasn’t simply been the backdrop for Antetokounmpo’s fairy tale rise to American stardom; it has been home for virtually his whole family for all but the first few months of his N.B.A. life.
Antetokounmpo admits, furthermore, that the unexpected death of his father just over a month ago has him leaning on his adopted hometown more than ever. Charles Antetokounmpo died of a heart attack on Sept. 29 at age 54.
“I can feel the love from the city every day I step on the floor,” Giannis Antetokounmpo said. “For me, what I’m going through now, I appreciate it even more.”
Charles and Veronica Antetokounmpo, who moved from Nigeria to Greece as undocumented immigrants in 1991 in search of a better life, secured the necessary paperwork to relocate to Milwaukee along with Giannis’s two younger brothers halfway through his rookie season. Kostas Antetokounmpo is a redshirt freshman at the University of Dayton now, but the rest of the family moved into a new downtown complex before this season, with Giannis and Alexandros Antetokounmpo (a high school sophomore) housed on the fifth floor and Charles and Veronica on the fourth.
After years of well-chronicled struggle for the family in a northern section of Athens known as Sepolia, they have found Milwaukee as idyllic as it was portrayed to be in the sitcom “Happy Days,” where not even the frigid winters can detract from the comfort they’ve experienced as a unit.
Only now, as they confront Charles’s death, even more responsibility has been heaped on the ever-widening shoulders of the Bucks’ phenom. Veronica Antetokounmpo, meanwhile, has moved up a flight to be with her sons on the fifth floor in the wake of her husband’s death.
“Leading your family is a lot tougher than basketball,” Antetokounmpo said. “Especially right now. But I’ve got to be strong for my family.
“Things,” he continued, “are going to get better.”
Places to Improve
The areas for on-court improvement are obvious for Antetokounmpo even as he stuffs box score after box score. His outside shot still needs copious amounts of work — he is not close to trusting it in times of need — and there is room for growth in reading the game at both ends, consistently making his teammates better and refining his decision-making.
Yet it’s also ridiculous, and rather cold, to nitpick what is missing from Antetokounmpo’s blossoming game given the level he is consistently hitting with that 7-foot-3 wingspan of his. Doubly so at a time of profound grief.
“He’s like a plane that just started taking off,” Kidd said. “He’s at 10,000 feet.”
When he arrived in Wisconsin, via the 15th overall pick in the 2013 N.B.A. draft, Antetokounmpo was measured at 6 feet 9 inches and weighed less than 200 pounds. A half-decade later, he is closing in on 240 pounds, and coaches and teammates routinely refer to him as a 7-footer.
The Milwaukee assistant coach Frank Johnson, noting Antetokounmpo’s bulked-up body and added strength, said, “He gets bumped now and he loves it.”
As for his perimeter game, Johnson preaches patience, pointing to the countless nights of extra shooting he is getting alongside the mentoring “Coach Sweeney” — the Bucks assistant coach Sean Sweeney. The way Johnson talks about the work-in-progress jumper is reminiscent of what league observers said for years about Shaquille O’Neal’s persistent free-throw woes.
“If he had that already,” Johnson said, “it wouldn’t be fair.”
Terry, the Bucks guard, said: “Of course he has to keep working on his outside game. But Giannis just has a peaceful confidence about himself. You can see it. Last year, he didn’t have that.”
The legendary Kobe Bryant, now in his second season of retirement, had seen enough coming into training camp to challenge Antetokounmpo via Twitter in late August to make a bid for the league’s Most Valuable Player Award.
Asked why he set such a high target, as part of his #MambaMentality campaign, Bryant said last week via email that he was moved by Antetokounmpo’s “rare physical gifts that are matched by a rare inner passion.” ‘The Giannis Effect’
Bucks staffers do worry that Antetokounmpo is occasionally too hard on himself, having watched him head straight for the practice floor on the same night as a frustrating loss more times than they care to remember. One example of his blame-me tendencies: He said last week, on the morning after a home setback to the Boston Celtics, that he was still angry “for personal reasons,” implying that the 96-89 defeat was all his fault.
But the Bucks do not try to influence Antetokounmpo’s thinking too much. They prefer to let him figure things out as they come — except when he decided during the summer that he wanted to have a garage sale as a part of his recent move.
He wanted to stage the sale to pay homage to his Athens youth, when he and his brothers had to peddle knockoff watches and sunglasses to help his parents and siblings survive. The Bucks’ front office and Veronica Antetokounmpo ultimately talked him out of it.
“I’m a great seller — that’s one of the other talents I have,” Giannis Antetokounmpo said. “I wanted to do it so bad. But they told me I couldn’t because three or four thousand people would show up.”
Sounds like a safe estimate given the Bucks’ rising popularity in Green Bay Packers territory and Antetokounmpo’s central role in that rise.
At the Milwaukee Brat House near the team’s current Bradley Center home, the manager Jennifer Fellin said she saw more patrons wearing Bucks gear now than at any other point in her eight-year stint at the restaurant. It is a fashion trend she attributes largely to the Giannis Effect.
The Antetokounmpo-led Bucks, Fellin asserted, have risen to “cool” status.
“They have breathed new life into the city,” Gino Fazzari, owner of the nearby Calderone Club restaurant, said.
Team executives, mind you, are realistic. They know Antetokounmpo will be fiercely pursued by rival teams (and, perhaps more worryingly, stars from rival teams) at the earliest opportunity. They know those future suitors will point to a three-headed Bucks ownership structure that has come under increasing scrutiny in recent months and paint the arrangement as a potential source of instability. They know, even as construction proceeds swiftly on an impressive $524 million arena scheduled to open next fall and complement Milwaukee’s gleaming new practice facility across the street, that Antetokounmpo might find it hard someday to resist looking around if the Bucks cannot fortify their roster and rediscover playoff success.
After all, even Bryant and Tim Duncan — two legends whom he hopes to emulate in terms of never switching teams, as Antetokounmpo recently told Time Magazine — flirted with leaving their teams before opting for the increasingly rare only-one-jersey approach.
“I really don’t see Giannis going anywhere,” Redd said. “Even in the future.
“With what he’s doing on the court, it’s going to automatically draw people to come play with him. I know people have that stigma about Milwaukee. But it won’t be hard for him to attract talent here. I just want a ring when they get a ring.”
Outlandish as the retired Redd sounds at the moment — given, for starters, Milwaukee’s lack of a consistent second scoring option as well as a need for more speed and more shooting — Antetokounmpo encourages the lofty talk. He is convincing when he says he thinks he “can take this organization to the next level and bring that championship,” undoubtedly projecting so much confidence because he’s so aware of how far he has come.
In the month since his father’s death, Antetokounmpo revealed that he often found himself looking at a picture on a private Instagram page he maintains. The image shows Giannis, Kostas, Alexandros and their older brother, Thanasis, who currently plays for Panathinaikos in Greece after a brief stint with the Knicks, all sleeping in the same bed.
Giannis estimates that he was 10 or 11 at the time. One bed for the four children was all Charles and Veronica Antetokounmpo could manage. The parents slept in a small nearby den, as Giannis recalled, behind “like a curtain.”
“It’s an unbelievable story,” Antetokounmpo said. “Good stuff.”
Memories like that leave little doubt why the only N.B.A. city that the Greek Freak has ever known can feel like the promised land.
“There’s a lot of things you can do in Milwaukee, too,” he said proudly.
The whole league can see that now.
Gainnis Antetokumpo is not a new kid on the block. His potential is well known when he burst on the scene back in 2014 I think? He played in the world all star team against team USA in the all star game of 2015. Infact, the Antetokuopo are 3 brothers. They all play basketball. The youngest seem to have the highest celine. At high school, he was almost 7ft tall. Sadly, none of them is interested in playing for Nigeria. If someone told you otherwise, ask him about the youngest of the Antetokuopo's.
Back in the day, I used to have fierce arguments with you about this incredulous idea of training over gametime. I'm at a loss that you still preach it as gospel. It is the same drilling excuse you made that has turned Kelechi into someone who has gone from someone with an exceptional ball control (in the U17) to someone who cannot even trap the ball without pressure. It's getting worse by the day. I remember I was among those who voiced out then that drilling is no guarantee for anything.
I remember Chrisantus and how we used to wonder why he kept at the bench at Hamburg when he could have gone somewhere else. But if it were happening today, you would ask that he stayed because he is in the same team with the incredible Ivica Olić and Mladen Petrić in his debut season and the legendary Ruud van Nistelrooy two years after.
But how and where did our golden boy turn out?
I saw you cherry picking Sane the other day, but we both know that had Sanchez transfer gone through, Sane would have no chance on the back of Sanchez's form last season. Gametime improved Sane, not bench time. Delph is now playing a full back position but only the pressures of game time could have helped him thus far.
I'm not in the business of cherry picking examples for I know that there is no strategy or tactic cast in stone. It might well be that the coach would throw Victor into the fray and he would seize the chance, and then we will see you attribute it to the drilling with Gomez but I cannot see you saying anything right now even though they've now been together for 15 solid months.
So why not admit that drilling is no guarantee, and desist from using it as an 'encouragement' for any player to rot on the bench?
All this long story adds to one simple answer. Morata. He is a top quality player that spent lots of time on the bench. So stop arguing off point when you can see it with your two eyes.
While I said Iheanacho should stay and learn, people like you screamed through the roof that he should move for playing time.
Now he has moved, it is you here trying to put the blame on me. That is so ridiculous.
You thought he was ready, I believe the young man still has a lot to learn. Iheanacho stayed only a season with Guardiola. Look for a better point.
Back in the day, I used to have fierce arguments with you about this incredulous idea of training over gametime. I'm at a loss that you still preach it as gospel. It is the same drilling excuse you made that has turned Kelechi into someone who has gone from someone with an exceptional ball control (in the U17) to someone who cannot even trap the ball without pressure. It's getting worse by the day. I remember I was among those who voiced out then that drilling is no guarantee for anything.
I remember Chrisantus and how we used to wonder why he kept at the bench at Hamburg when he could have gone somewhere else. But if it were happening today, you would ask that he stayed because he is in the same team with the incredible Ivica Olić and Mladen Petrić in his debut season and the legendary Ruud van Nistelrooy two years after.
But how and where did our golden boy turn out?
I saw you cherry picking Sane the other day, but we both know that had Sanchez transfer gone through, Sane would have no chance on the back of Sanchez's form last season. Gametime improved Sane, not bench time. Delph is now playing a full back position but only the pressures of game time could have helped him thus far.
I'm not in the business of cherry picking examples for I know that there is no strategy or tactic cast in stone. It might well be that the coach would throw Victor into the fray and he would seize the chance, and then we will see you attribute it to the drilling with Gomez but I cannot see you saying anything right now even though they've now been together for 15 solid months.
So why not admit that drilling is no guarantee, and desist from using it as an 'encouragement' for any player to rot on the bench?
Sane didn’t feature prominently in the first half of the season following his switch from Schalke, but the 21-year-old is now a key part of Guardiola’s team and has been hugely impressive of late.
As reported by Goal, Sane said: “It is a lot of fun to work with him, he expects a lot from me. But that helps every single player move forward. He has improved me in all areas.
“I want to prove myself now and show that I would like to be part of the national team all the time. I definitely took a step forward and developed.”
As you can see, Sane was not a regular but he improved. So you can call it cherry picking but it is a good example for you to understand most of the work goes on on the training pitch. Then also hours analysing footages and tactics.
So you can keep saying game time improved Sane with the facts staring at you.
Osimhen is a young player in Wolfsburg, training with Mario Gomes. For his age, it is a dream come true. He should make the most of his opportunity, learn and work hard. His chance will come and he will take it.
No need moving. He might find himself in a worse situation.
I'm not thinking of a move away permanently though.
A loan move from January till the summer would be great.
He needs to play more than anything now, if he isn't playing how would he be assessed to know where to improve?
Forgiveness, I do appreciate your enthusiasm when clamoring for some players to be included in your team and loathe your bitterness against those invited in their places.
No one here hates Kayode, in fact most of us here live him, same with Raheem lawal, I personally love his play.
But you trying all within your strength to talk other players down, making it seem like they wouldn't have been in the team except they paid their ways through or their being from a part of the country is just enough to get them in the team is you doing those players a disservice.
This in turn breeds animosity within the observers, and this wasn't really your plan at first.
A player might fit Rorh's plan than another or Rorh prefers seeing one's face instead of the other, we're humans afterall not robots. Understand that.
That's why I said you are ignorant and insensitive if you maintain your line that we do not need anyone engaging these players to play for us and I am repeating it again. This stance of yours is one that riles and disturbs me. Sincerely.
Now I know that some of us here were co-opted into a WhatsApp group. Just this last Saturday, the story of a 22 year old Greek basketball player who is well on his way to becoming a great, even greater than Hakeem Olajuwon - in basketball was posted. His name is Giannis Antetokuonmpo also known as the Greek freak. The interesting thing is that Giannis only became a Greek Citizen two years ago. Giannis parents, Charles and Veronica are Nigerians who immigrated to Greece in the early 90's and gave birth to Giannis and his brothers there.
Now here's the point I like to make that stresses your ignorance: in the course of discussion on the group regarding Giannis, many were wowed and some were like why didn't he play for Nigeria. That was when one of the posters said he(as in the poster) has met Giannis who would have played for Nigeria but that Greece had fast tracked his switch of nationality and he (the poster) went on to state that there are many Nigerians abroad in Australia, Germany, Italy whose parents routinely ask him how they'd get their children to represent Nigeria. He talked about how he met some good basketballers of Nigerian descent in Germany and a swimmer in tanzania whose Dad was/is Nigerian. The 'how' is a problem that rapport and engagement can solve. And that is precisely komekn's suggestion which you oppose for no good reason whatsoever. How - for you - rapprochement and engagement equates to begging is a mystery to me.
There are talented athletes, basketballers, swimmers, footballers of Nigerian descent all over the world cut off completely from how we do things here but whose heart is still at home with us because of the blood that flows in their veins.
Now komekn spoke in the broad context of engagement and rapport with footballers in EUROPE and you say that we do not need anyone to engage these players to play for us. How ignorant can one be more than this again, how insensitive? If you do not engage them and create rapport, how do you know who will agree to play for us and who will not?and since its not by force, anyone that declines the honour, we by pass such a person or still try and persuade them some more. In your mind they should just cross over and say 'heyyyy Nigeria, here I am. I want to play for you' . Na so e easy?
Because Tammy has bounced us, we are hurt. But not everyone of them is Tammy. It was Rohr who convinced Ebuehi to play for us, Rohr convinced Dessers to play for us, it is Rohr who has been making contact with Torunarigha, Uduokhai and Akpoguma on our behalf. Would it not have been better if we have designated persons, passionate Nigerians, who understand Nigeria and also the foreign country to engage these players on our behalf once it is ascertained that they are talented? Would it not be good to have a formal structure of engagement through which parents whose kids desire to represent Nigeria find it easy to register their interest? Na Rohr wey be Oyibo man dey engage players and talk them to represent your fatherland for you! Shame on you!!
Guy you dey fall hand abeg with this narrow mindedness. I don't want to talk politics but this is precisely the same mindset that prevents rapprochement and understanding across socio-cultural and political divides in this country. Everybody sits in his own enclave and speaks from that narrow perspective without trying to understand the view point of the other man, of the other ethnic group, culture or religion. It infuriates me. It makes me mad when I encounter narrow mindedness. Joebie knows.
Imagine if a Nigerian born and brought up in the UK talks dismissively about the problems we encounter in Nigeria in a manner that shows he lacks an understanding of our challenges, I'd take that person on if I have the opportunity. Indeed I was happy when safarigirl questioned and challenged komekn regarding his understanding of the plight our players in Nigeria face when they go abroad to ply their trade. You are in Nigeria talking about people in the UK yet you have no inkling what it feels like for them regarding such issues as playing for Nigeria. For you it's a simple matter. No, my brother, it's not so simple when you leave them in a vacuum to make that decision. The only thing that makes that decision simple is relationship built through engagement and rapprochement. Gerrit?
You can shout ignorance from today till tomorrow. The point is simple. Anyone that wants to play for us just needs to declare. We do not need a special program to get them to play for us. Which program did we run for Balogun? He reached out to us.
Not long after that, he was called up. Senninger came to Nigeria and reached out. When Rohr feels he can offer something to the team he will get invited.
Ola Aina used to send his kits to Lagos.
We want those that want to play for us. Declare and make yourself available. Not undecided folks or those that do not feel Nigerian.
We need those who are proud and dream of wearing the Super Eagles Jersey. You think you can run special programs to carter for all of them and inject passion for Nigeria into them?
If that is narrow thinking, good for you.
Anyone that wants to play for us should declare. Anyone that does not feel Nigerian is free to do what he wants.
I'm not thinking of a move away permanently though.
A loan move from January till the summer would be great.
He needs to play more than anything now, if he isn't playing how would he be assessed to know where to improve?
I understand your point and I take it to heart. I feel at this time, learning is more important than just playing. He might go somewhere, get playing time but will lose the opportunity of learning from someone who has done it well for a long time.
I am not saying he should not get playing time later but this time is a phase for learning.
All this long story adds to one simple answer. Morata. He is a top quality player that spent lots of time on the bench. So stop arguing off point when you can see it with your two eyes.
While I said Iheanacho should stay and learn, people like you screamed through the roof that he should move for playing time.
Now he has moved, it is you here trying to put the blame on me. That is so ridiculous.
You thought he was ready, I believe the young man still has a lot to learn. Iheanacho stayed only a season with Guardiola. Look for a better point.
Wait...you still believe he should HAVE stayed in City?
You know he would have had little chance of going to the World Cup if he stayed, right?
The cherry-picked example of Morata reveals your inconsistency and error-laden argument.
How can you attribute Morata's great ability to bench warming at Madrid? The same player that had a phenomenal season a year before at Juventus. He helped Juventus win the league. He was even the one that scored the winning goal for the Old ladies to win Coppa Italia against AC Milan.
Who else remembers his great form in the Champions League that year? Juventus lost against Barca in the final but Morata was one of the key players that got them there. He scored against Manchester City. He scored against Sevilla. He scored against Dortmund home and away. He disgraced Real Madrid home and way. In fact, he was so good that year that he was nominated for the UEFA Team of the Year.
Yet this is the same man thegoodjoe wants us to believe is performing well in Chelsea because he chopped bench last year. You really don't want to gerrit.
Wait...you still believe he should HAVE stayed in City?
You know he would have had little chance of going to the World Cup if he stayed, right?
The cherry-picked example of Morata reveals your inconsistency and error-laden argument.
How can you attribute Morata's great ability to bench warming at Madrid? The same player that had a phenomenal season a year before at Juventus. He helped Juventus win the league. He was even the one that scored the winning goal for the Old ladies to win Coppa Italia against AC Milan.
Who else remembers his great form in the Champions League that year? Juventus lost against Barca in the final but Morata was one of the key players that got them there. He scored against Manchester City. He scored against Sevilla. He scored against Dortmund home and away. He disgraced Real Madrid home and way. In fact, he was so good that year that he was nominated for the UEFA Team of the Year.
Yet this is the same man thegoodjoe wants us to believe is performing well in Chelsea because he chopped bench last year. You really don't want to gerrit.
You are making my point for me. Morata was on the bench at Real Madrid. Went to Juventus and immediately you could see his quality.
Iheanacho is still not a regular at Leicester City. I doubt Rohr is dropping him from his World Cup list.
MetalJigsaw: Is that all? Then Mikel Obi should be sitting on the bench for both of them because they're both faster than him.
These are the factual abilities of Ogu: * A good retainer of the ball just like Mikel Obi. He hardly gets dispossessed of the ball.
* He's always a threat to opposition goalkeepers with his hot, long-range shots.
* Accurate passing
* Physical presence.
No wonder His FC can't do without him.
Ogu works best when you are dominant and keeping possession
For a big guy, he really does not put his weight about or get stuck in. His passing is fairly limited. He is not the type to hit a 50 yard long pass.. It is always short and simple. Good for keeping possession but not a creative outlet.
You are correct on the positives.
Ogu will probably work best with a battler and a creative person. He can help with the transitions.
Two Nigerian strikers of separate generations were both on target across the global leagues last weekend, as Peter Osazde Odemwingie hit a goal for Madura United of Indonesia, while Anthony Nwakaeme made hay for Hapoel Be’er Sheva of Israel.
In Indonesia, Odemwingie continued his blistering form in the Indonesian League when he grabbed another goal for Madura in their 3-1 triumph over Barito Putera, AOIFootball.com reports.
First half goals by Nigerian-born Indonesian striker, Greg Nwokolo and Fachrudin Aryanto gave Madura a first half lead before Rizky Rizaldi Pora reduced the deficit 9 minutes into the second half to setup an intense finale to the game.
Just as he was the hero last weekend, 36-year-old Odemwingie, who seems to be enjoying his football again in Indonesia, ended any hope of a possible comeback.
That happened when he curled a fantastic shot from the edge of the box round the goalkeeper and into the top hand corner of the net to seal victory for the home side.
The goal was the former Lille of France striker’s 16th league goal of the campaign and he had a match rating of 8.5.
The result now leaves Madura 5th, with 60 points from 32 games, 3 points behind table-toppers Bhayangkara who have 63 points from the same number of games played.
In Israel, Nwakaeme and fellow-Nigerian, John Ugochukwu Ogu were both in action for Be’er Sheva in their 2-0 win over Maccabi Petach Tikva in the Israeli Ligat HaAl.
Ogu missed the last two weeks with a slight injury, although he returned back to training last week, he still sat out their last two games before starting in today’s game.
Nwakaeme on his part extended his purple patch in front of goal to three goals in his last three games with a goal in the 77th minute, which helped Hapoel Be’er Sheva kill any hope of a late fight back from their host.
The 28-year-old Nwakaeme has found the back of the net four times in the league this season, and his current form suggest he could retain the best player of the year award he won last season, when he fired 14 goals for his team to power them to the league title.
Two former Super Eagles attackers – Aminu Umar and Sylvester Emeka Igbonu – hit goals in Europe last weekend, three fringe players – Emem Eduok, Ubong Ekpai and Edafe Egbedi also struck targets, Super Falcons striker, Desire Oparanozie proved that the ladies should not be left out of the statistics when she snatched a beauty in France.
In Russia, Sylvester Igbonu scored his fourth goal of the season for FK Ufa, however the goal was just a consolation has they lost 3-1 away to Spartak Moscow.
In Turkey, Samuel Eduok was on target for Kasimpasa in their 2-2 draw against Bursaspor, in a game that featured four Nigerians.
Eduok opened scoring for the home side in the 32 minute and was replaced in the 86th minute, while his teammate, Kenneth Omeruo was in action for Kasimpasa for all 90 minutes.
However, Mikel Ndubuisi Agu saw 46 minutes before bowing out with injury, while Troost-Ekong was on for the entire duration for Bursaspor.
Also in Turkey last weekend, Olympic bronze medallist, Aminu Umar scored a late equalizer to deny Fenerbahce three points against relegation threatened Osmanlispor in a 1-1 draw.
The goal was the striker’s second of the season while Raheem Lawal was on for just 4 minutes for Osmanlispor.
In Sweden, former junior international, Edafe Egbedi scored his side’s second goal in their 2-0 victory over FK Karlskona in the Swedish Division One League.
In Czech Republic, Ubong Ekpai opened scoring for Fastaz Zlin in their 2-2 draw at home Sparta Prague, and the 22-year-old striker has now scored 5 goals this season.
In Denmark, Paul Onuachu was on for 63 minutes as Midtjylland in got their 2-1 win over Helsingor, but his compatriot, Rilwan Hassan was not listed for the encounter.
In France, Chidozie Awaziem was not listed for Nantes in their 2-1 victory over Toulouse, but female star, Oparanozie scored the winner for Guingamp in their 2-1 win away to Soyaux.
In Austria, Ibrahim Alhassan (Muazzam) was on for 30 minutes as Austria Vienna lost 3-1 to Mattersburg.
In Belgium, Joseph Akpala started for KV Oostende in their 4-2 victory over Zulte Waregem which had Nigerian duo of Olayinka and Madu in their ranks.
Akpala was on for 60 minutes, while Peter Olayinka and Kingsley Madu were on the bench for the entire match duration.
Also in Belgium, Henry Onyekuru was introduced by Anderlecht in the 71st minute in their goalless draw with Club Brugge which also had Dennis Emmanuel Bonaventure on their team.
Emmanuel was introduced in the 73rd and got a late yellow card as both players could not find the back of the net.
Same evening in Belgium, Abdul Ajagun was on for an hour as his side Kortrijk lost 2-0 away at KV Mechelen.
Similarly, Taiwo Awoniyi was on for the entire match duration but could not save Mouscron from going down 2-0 against Waasland Beveren.
In Cyprus, Abdullahi Shehu captained Anorthosis Famagusta to a 5-1 thrashing of Olympiakos Nicosia.
In Germany, Leon Adeyemi Balogun was on the bench for all 90 minutes in Mainz’s 1-1 draw away to Borussia Monchengladbach.
In Holland, Tyronne Ebuehi was on from start to finish as Den Haag drew 2-2 at home to Feyenoord; but Kelechi Nwakali was not listed by Vitesse in their goalless draw against PEC Zwolle.
In Italy, Joel Chukwuma Obi was on for 73 minutes as Torino played out a 1-1 draw away at Inter Milan, while Sadiq Umar was on the bench for Torino against his former club, AS Roma.
In Norway, Samuel Adegbenro was introduced in the 78 minute but could not prevent his side from losing 2-1 away to Aalesunds.
Anthony Ikedi and Shuaibu Ibrahim started for Haugesund but could not prevent them from losing 1-3 at home to Stromsgodest which had Anthony Izuchukwu on the bench for the entire match duration.
Chidiebere Nwakali was on for 71 minute as Sogndal fell 2-0 at home to Tromsol, while Chidere Ejuke was on for 81 minutes as his side Valerenga lost 1-2 at home to Molde Fk.
In Portugal, Oghenekaro Etebo was on for the entire duration as CD Feirense lost 1-0 to Maritimo.
In Israel, Nwakaeme scored the second goal for Hapoel Be’er Sheva in their 2-0 win over Maccabi Petach Tikva.
The striker has now scored four goals in his last three league games after failing to score in his first four league outings, and his Nigerian teammate, John Ugochukwu Ogu was on the entire match duration.
In Spain, Olarenwaju Kayode was on the bench for the entire match duration as Girona beat Levante 2-1, while Stephen Odey was only good for the bench in Switzerland, as his side, FC Zurich drew 1-1 at FC Sion.
Back in Turkey, Eddy Ogenyi Onazi lasted for just 40 minutes when he was stretched off with an injury for Trabzonspor in their goalless draw away to Kayserispor.
Changchun Yatai of China striker, Odion Jude Ighalo has landed in Atlanta, Georgia, USA to begin an early holiday, after injury kept him out of his club’s final match of the season in the Chinese Super League last weekend.
Ighalo had been summoned for the international matches against Algeria and Argentina but had to withdraw from the pool after spraining his knee against Chongqing Lifan the previous weekend.
The former Watford of England star, though, was forced to start his vacation earlier than planned due to the injury.
Former under-23 national team invitee, Slavia Sofia left-back, Victor Deniran welcomed Ighalo to Buckhead in Atlanta.
Ighalo finished the just concluded Chinese Super League season as Yatai’s top scorer with 15 goals from 27 appearances, but will be out of action for ten to fifteen days.
Exciting Winger Samuel Kalu Named To Team Of The Week In Belgium
Nigerian winger Samuel Kalu has been named to the Belgian First Division A Team of the Week by voetbalkrant.com, following the last round of matches in the league.
Playing from the right wing, the 20-year-old put in a stellar performance as Gent beat Standard Liege 1-0 at the Ghelamco Arena on game week fourteen last Friday.
In a 4-2-3-1 formation, Kalu filled the right wing position and Gent teammate Mitrovic played on the right side of central defense.
The former AS Trencin wonderkid already has 32 appearances for Gent in all competitions since his debut in January 2017, scoring seven goals and has shown his creativity by providing eleven assists.
Kalu is considered one of Nigeria's most promising young players in Europe at the moment, and could gatecrash manager Gernot Rohr's World Cup roster if he continues to shine leading up to the tournament in Russia.
Despite his young age, Gent coaches have shown faith in him, starting him in 16 league games in 2017.
I heard that Olarewaju Kayode has also been invited. Is it true? Someone please confirm
Rohr Adds Man City Olarewaju Kayode To Super Eagles Squad For Algeria, Argentina Clash
As first reported by Owngoalnigeria.com, on loan Manchester City forward Olarewaju Kayode has been added to the Super Eagles squad for the upcoming games against Algeria and Argentina.
Owngoalnigeria.com reported that the 24 year old who is presently playing for Spanish La-Liga side Girona on loan from Manchester City is in line for a late call up to the team following a spate of withdrawals due to injury.
Kayode who was not even on the standby list confirmed to Owngoalnigeria.com that he has been summoned by coach Gernot Rohr to the camp of the team in Morocco.
”I’m happy for the opportunity given to me by the coach. I hope to give my best to the team if I’m selected for the games against Algeria and Argentina”, he told Owngoalnigeria.com
His last game for Nigeria was the 0-2 loss to South Africa in the AFCON 2019 Qualifiers, with coach Rohr leaving him out of the squad for the games against Cameroon and Zambia.
DrKlever don tell am say Iwobi no be winger, my oga still come put am for wing.
Whick kain stubborn person be dis
Abi you no watch Arsenal Match
Shey Na Mikel go sit for bench for iwobi to play ni?
Iwobi still have alot to learn as AM comparing to Mikel.. Mikel has Done that role for many years now... The only reason iwobi can get the role is when Mikel is not playing... For now he should stick to his wings..
Ogu works best when you are dominant and keeping possession
For a big guy, he really does not put his weight about or get stuck in. His passing is fairly limited. He is not the type to hit a 50 yard long pass.. It is always short and simple. Good for keeping possession but not a creative outlet.
You are correct on the positives.
Ogu will probably work best with a battler and a creative person. He can help with the transitions.
Every player works best or plays better when his team is dominant and are keeping possession.
We don't need players that only perform well against a weak opponent. Instead we need players that can swim against the direction of the tides thereby getting the team going against all odds.
Shey Na Mikel go sit for bench for iwobi to play ni?
Iwobi still have alot to learn as AM comparing to Mikel.. Mikel has Done that role for many years now... The only reason iwobi can get the role is when Mikel is not playing... For now he should stick to his wings..
TheGoodJoe: Owngoalnigeria is a fantastic sight. Very analytical and sometimes good in their forecast. Their only challenge is that they try to post their analysis as facts. They should stick to tagging lots of their work as analytical opinions and forecast. Stop using anonymous source when it is a well analysed point.
If they stick to that, they will be a powerful source of information.
They will read you observation.. Very nice one I must say..
With Simon and Victor Moses out we are now limited in the wings position. So Iwobi will definitely start from the wings. Mikel maintains the AM position. The other wing position will likely go to Ahmed Musa.
D more I see how Mikel is irreplaceable for us ryt now the more I wonder how someone could have benched him for onobi,oliseh village ppl strong... I swear!!!
This guy should be heading the technical department of the NFF and not going to Monaco
Nigeria you say? They will rubbish me ... It takes a strong well and craziness and ability to step on powerful toes before you can make a head way in Nigeria..
Only if he has a heart for Nigeria Technical dept...
The first wave of brain gain was from the early nineteenth century to the early twentieth century when returning and repatriated slaves from Brazil, Cuba, Sierra Leone came to Lagos and injected new streams of life into the town - in law, education, religion, politics, music, culture and even sports and galvanised the rapid development of Lagos into a vibrant, throbbing city. You remember Ajayi Crowther abi?
