safarigirl:
I didn't actually

I checked my mentions and replied you before I came to the thread

Jarus:


Before some of you joined NL not to talk of starting this thread, some of us have been discussing this issue of APOTY every year.

I took part in every NL thread on APOTY in the last 10 years!

And before I discovered NL in 2007, I have been actively been discussing APOTY award since 1998, offline.

When it comes to Nigerian football, only very few folks here are as passionate as I am.

This is just being realistic, no Nigerian has deserved APOTY and not given.

The nearest was JJ vs Hadji in 1998 and JJ vs Eto'o in 2004, but still Hadji and Eto'o had a slight edge in the 2 years.

There is also a school of thought that believes Ghana's Kuffour deserved the 1999 award ahead of our own Kanu. I don't agree with that but it is worth mentioning that even in some of those controversial periods favoured Nigeria.

The earlier we realize that no one is sitting somewhere denying Nigerian players any award, the better.

If you do very well and shut down the world of football like Eto'o, Drogba, Yaya, Aubameyang etc, no one will deny you any award.


Let's face it, what we have been producing in the last 15 years are just average players. Produce world beaters like Yaya, Drogba, Eto'o, Aubameyang etc and see if you will no win it.

tbaba1234:


I understand why you say that but his stats in Germany have not been bad. Perhaps, Nigeria does not know how to use him.

Jarus:


You are very funny.

Drogba that was the 10th best player in the world in 2005 was the player you want to compare with Martins?

Essien, the best player in French League and 22nd in the World for 2005?

You talked about FIFA stuff, but those 3 players got bigger recognition by FIFA, and you want the order to change in Africa?

forgiveness:


I think NFF should intensify moves to approach some of these players now.


Tosin Adarabioyo - Manchester City

Dominic Solanke - Liverpool

Lookman Ademola - Everton

Kehinde Tosin - Manchester United

I think we have to forget the past and still approach Tammy Abraham. After all, Zaha also shuned Ghana before he latter turned out for them.

tbaba1234:


Why? What is wrong with Ujah?

Personally, i am not a fan of his style but his consistent scoring record speaks for him.

forgiveness:


FIFA is FIFA, CAF is CAF.

Ok, let me agree you thought Eto won AFCON in 2004 hence your wrong submissions.

Let me also agree Eto was the best in 2004/2005 season but can you pls explain what he did to win the award for the 2002/2003 and 2003/2004 season?

Oh! I remember he played for middle table Mallorca then.

safarigirl:
anybody that has been used and dumped is a left over.

If English senior team has called you up and have no need for you any more, na leftover you be.

MetalJigsaw:
And when was that. Past or present?

pleas let's focuse on the present players

elyte89:
Anthony ujah has only played 7games for Nigeria since his first debut in 2013,and mostly coming in as a sub


So I feel its too early to discard him just like dt..if he can do fine in his present club,we can consider him


If we can condone emenike for 2years without hitting a bar let alone of scoring,so I don't c any reason stopping d coaching crew giving him d chance again.

Meanwhile I read, somewhere dt d match BTW us and Poland has been confirmed, and d time of of d match is 20:45pm..any oda friendly?

Joebie:
this is the mindset I was talking about. Having the view that FIFA or UEFA's opinions always have to reflect in CAF.

Joebie:
Okay.. let me get this out of the way, i'm not arguing for Nigerian players as regards APOTY.. But I understand, if you got that impression.
What I'm simply saying is the same criteria don't always apply year after year, whether its FIFA or CAF awards. Why is that? It's commonsense, it's humans that vote.
And you cannot take away politics entirely in the voting system. So what we have is we tally up subjective opinions to make an objective opinion. Does that mean the system is flawed? Not necessarily. That's the rules. Can it be better? Definitely!

As regards your claim, if you can find me a witness or two who has been with you here as early as you have,and can tell us that all you have said is true, then fine.. merely stating it doesn't make it true.

tbaba1234:


Provide evidence of when Solanke beckoned to play for Nigeria..

Joebie:
Who was he up against in those seasons?

terzurum5:

You say wetin?
Na so you hate us reach?




Come again please.

Joebie:
Oga when dem call u name now you will complain oh.

I'm for the call up of Adarabioyo and Tosin though..

But you know what i mean.


Modified
Oh and I forgot to add because you mentioned Tammy. Tammy does not deserve another approach. he never deserved another approach. we have already set the ball rolling. what he needs to do is declare that he has a change of mind.. then it's up to us to accept him back or ignore completely.
AND. his current form is not good enough. let's keep watching him against Qatar 2022

elyte89:
Anthony ujah has only played 7games for Nigeria since his first debut in 2013,and mostly coming in as a sub


So I feel its too early to discard him just like dt..if he can do fine in his present club,we can consider him


If we can condone emenike for 2years without hitting a bar let alone of scoring,so I don't c any reason stopping d coaching crew giving him d chance again.

Meanwhile I read, somewhere dt d match BTW us and Poland has been confirmed, and d time of of d match is 20:45pm..any oda friendly?

forgiveness:

People don't give chance to players not familiar to dem.
Anthony Ujah deserves another chance if he does well this season.

terzurum5:
FIFA’S TIMELY WARNING TO SUPER EAGLES: FIVE REASONS ICELAND CAN SHOCK THE WORLD

www.nairaland.com/attachments/6445517_iceland_jpegde6cecc58beb8267ef44a3c911a26a8e
World football governing body and owners of the World Cup competition has warned the global audience to watch out for the mystery team called Iceland when the World Cup kicks off in June next year.


Iceland, one of the two debutants and the smallest county ever to qualify for the World Cup, will feature in Group D where the Super Eagles will be attempting to cross to the next round.


Iceland will be Nigeria’s second opponents after that of Croatia before facing Argentina.


FIFA in its website gave five reasons why Iceland can shock the world. It remarked that there is an undeniable novelty factor to the small country’s participation at Russia 2018.


“Even their manager, Heimir Hallgrimsson, acknowledged as much after their spot at the FIFA World Cup – and place in history as the smallest nation ever to qualify – was secured. “This is really odd,” he said. “I mean, Pele, Maradona… Aron Einar Gunnarsson.”


FIFA warned that no one should be fooled by this light-hearted suggestion that Iceland, and their bearded captain, might seem out of place among the game’s greats on the global stage.


“For all the focus on their record-breaking population, they were also the smallest country ever to qualify for the UEFA European Championship – and everyone knows how that tale unfolded.


‘Indeed, while Iceland’s World Cup hopes haven’t been aided by a tough draw that has pitted them against Argentina, Croatia and Nigeria, there is plenty of cause for optimism. And if Lionel Messi, Luka Modric and Co need any reminding, FIFA.com has five reasons why the Nordic newcomers are a team worth fearing”.


According to FIFA the Icelanders are serial giant-killers. “‘The bigger they are, the harder they fall’ seems to be the motto of a team that, over the past couple of years, has beaten the likes of Croatia, the Netherlands, Turkey, Ukraine, Greece and, most famously of all, England.


“As midfielder Olafur Skulason said: “I could see the newspapers in other countries talking about how unlucky we are to get that kind of group – but that is exactly what we want. We want those big games. We want to play against Argentina. What an amazing team to play against in the first game ever for Iceland in the World Cup!”


FIFA also remarked that Iceland can better their EURO heroics. It will be recalled that Iceland stunned the football world by qualifying from their group at UEFA EURO 2016, then knocking out England in the last 16.


But despite their outstanding results, which also included a win over Austria and a draw with eventual champions Portugal, the players insisted that performance levels were below par. “I strongly believe we’re better than we showed in most of those games,” veteran defender Kari Arnason told FIFA.com.


“There were nerves at the EURO but we’re normally better in keeping the ball, working openings.” This was borne out in qualifying, when Iceland impressed en route to topping a group featuring Croatia, Turkey and Ukraine.


It also bodes well for Russia 2018. As Arnason said: “It’s nice to say that we did so well [at the EURO] and still have a lot of room to improve.”


FIFA also points out that Iceland have a star No. 10 of their own. Lionel Messi might be Group D’s headline act, but Iceland also have an influential and highly effective No10 in the shape of Gylfi Sigurdsson.

The midfielder is undoubtedly the ace in the debutants’ pack, with vision, shooting ability and set-piece expertise among his most notable attributes. As Sigurdsson’s former manager, Lars Lagerback, pointed out, he also epitomises Iceland’s team-centred approach.


“Together with Henrik Larsson, I would say that Gylfi is the best team player I’ve worked with,” Lagerback said of the man Everton paid £45 million for. “He always plays for the team and must be one of the best two-way midfield players out there.”


FIFA also hailed the Icelandic team spirit which it described as second-to-none.

Though their midfield playmaker stands out, Iceland’s strength lies not in star players

https://www.sportsvillagesquare.com/2017/12/21/fifas-timely-warning-super-eagles-five-reasons-iceland-can-shock-world/

tbaba1234:
Ebuehi and Ehizibue named among top 5 right backs in the Dutch eredivise...

Kudos to the boys.