Kog45:
We need to be worried coz WC is near and there is need to bring in good players not average ones,hope Sokari would not be another Nwakili or Aaron.

Icon4s:
There are News on Austin Ejide's recall.

jihday:
ha Ejide ke? are we that desperate? so in our 20 team league we can't find a decent keeper? sounds like hiring a mercenary because after the world cup he may go off the radar again or just retire finally.

Icon4s:


It is in the news. Hahaha

M7even:
Remember the golden generation of the Ivorian team. Compare them with that of the Egyptian golden generation. You will agree with me that the Ivorian side were always a title contender for the AFCON trophy. Pundits would have easily rated their arrays of stars to crush any African side. But there was a challenge for this Elephant side. It was obviously their GOALKEEPING. They were weak without any doubt. While the Egyptian team possessed core home based team, which was equally adept in every field. Not until there was a ripe maturity from the Ivorian goalkeeper, Barry if recall in the penalty shoot out before he was able to help the Ivorian side win the nations cup, at this point the golden generation of the Ivorian side had lost a core of its key players with the absence of drogba and others. But yet they were able to win the nations cup, with a more matured GK. Who saved and scored during PK. Shaky Barry really turning this around at that point made me value experience. I stick with Enyeama. Even as an understudy to the younger GK. Another thing is having a team is capable in every aspect and not leaving a loop hole to be exploited. We can say we have the team, but the GK is still much a worry that we need to resolve to have a Balanced side like the golden Egyptian team, whose GK continues to dominate affairs for the team. Even when he came back from retirement.

Icon4s:


William Okpara you mean.

William never impressed in the national colours.
He was not even in the national team radar at that time. You remember his outing at the 1987 WYC?

The other keeper was Wilfred Agbonivbare. This one too, we know his nick name to be Agbonibasket those days. That guy na basket. May his soul RIP

Ike Shoromu was out injured and it was time for Abiodun Baruwa to show the stuff he was made of after missing out on the 1996 Olympics party due to age discrepancy. But he made some calamitous errors especially against Yugoslavia. And we got whipped 3-0 in Zagreb, Yugoslavia. We followed that game with a 5-1 thumping by the Netherlands.

The coaching crew led by Bora Milutinovic found no local league keeper capable for stepping into those gloves and rather preferred to recall Rufai.

TheGoodJoe:



That is the problem a lot of people are making with respect to Chidiebere Nwakali's invitation. They have midfielders they want to play the role and want players from glorified leagues.

Newsflash; we lack players with the attributes of Onazi who are playing in glorified leagues.

The names of players you listed there are not naturally defensive midfielders. They will hardly get picked to play the defensive midfield role ahead of players who play that role naturally.

Also, Chidiebere Nwakali is one of the few DMF's we have who rely on pace than positioning. Also he can play as a right back. These are qualities he has that the names you listed above do not have. This is why I feel he got the call to join in camp to get a closer look. Unless you have players that fit in the attributes I ticked, I do not see how anyone will say Chidiebere Nwakali invitation is unjustified.

Icon4s:


Do you know Uzoho's weaknesses?

junnyjake:


Lol, when he tried dribble that striker and got dispossessed in the process. hahahaha!

Icon4s:


Aha! because Uzoho has not been tested. But you have seen the best and worst of Ezenwa.

I don't have anything against Uzoho but he is not tested enough to get my nod.

Icon4s:


The second error was after Mubi Oparaku did one useless bicycle kick at the edge of the 18yards box and some how the ball got to Baruwa who now passed the ball to an on Rushing Yugoslav player and that resulted in the 3rd goal. Mubi also lost his place to Eguavoen due to that school boy bicycle kick.
Bora said the World Cup is not for boys but for men after dropping Mubi for Eguavoen.

BascoVanVeli:

He can't speak Spanish �

junnyjake:


I've seen him in 2 LaLiga games and he was impressive. Made a couple of saves, no errors at all.


Every GK has a weakness, his might playing against a striker that presses a lot.

Ezenwa himself is not playing games, he's a 2nd choice keeper, we hardly access his consistency, the only difference is that we were forced to play him due to injuries.

Icon4s:


William Okpara you mean.

William never impressed in the national colours.
He was not even in the national team radar at that time. You remember his outing at the 1987 WYC?

The other keeper was Wilfred Agbonivbare. This one too, we know his nick name to be Agbonibasket those days. That guy na basket. May his soul RIP

Ike Shoromu was out injured and it was time for Abiodun Baruwa to show the stuff he was made of after missing out on the 1996 Olympics party due to age discrepancy. But he made some calamitous errors especially against Yugoslavia. And we got whipped 3-0 in Zagreb, Yugoslavia. We followed that game with a 5-1 thumping by the Netherlands.

The coaching crew led by Bora Milutinovic found no local league keeper capable for stepping into those gloves and rather preferred to recall Rufai.

junnyjake:


Does he speak Igbo with his teammates in the B-team?

Icon4s:

Have you watched Akpeyi at Chippa United?

junnyjake:

Really funny game that was.

BascoVanVeli:

Of course not,, they use Efik.

junnyjake:


Ya, He's pretty decent for Chippa.

Icon4s:


Seems funny today but we almost broke our TV screens in anger that day.

Nigerian fans of today are not near as passionate as the fans of those days.

Icon4s:


My experience tells me that club performance can sometimes be a contrast from national team performance.

chrisooblog:
yes thanks for the correction Willy okpara. How can he fail to impress when he wasn't given a chance to keep in goal for the senior national team. Apart from youth team level do you remember any time he was given a chance with the super eagles which he messed up?

By the way Rufai was in goal when the Netherlands thrashed us 5-1 in that pre-world cup qualifier

junnyjake:


So you would be more comfortable with a GK who is not only 2nd choice, but hardly play games for his club side. And wait for it, has a weakness obvious enough for oppositions to explore and punish us?

We are not in a haste to rush Enyeama back, we want to see him play and assess him, so why should Ezenwa gain his assessment with the SE.

junnyjake:


Yeah, true that. Even my mother back then knew everyone in the starting 11.

You need to see how silent the streets were whenever we playing, mirth/sadness afterwards.

We've been disappointed over and over again hence our decline in passion.

Mujtahida:
the bottom line is 30 players will be invited out of which Rohr will select his final 23 even though I see him sticking with the core 18 or 19 players with four more players edging out some players. fact is the defence needs one solid backup for balogun( which i'd suggest Omeruo takes) one more player in the midfield(which i suggest Joel Obi takes if he is fit) and one more player in the attack (which Martins, Kayode, Osimhen can take)

na suggest i suggest ooo.

Icon4s:


Your first paragraph highlights why I said goalkeeper selection is not as straight as outfield players selection. You may bring that 1st choice Ifeanyi Uba keeper to the Super Eagles and he flops big time.

Dosu Joseph was a third choice keeper for Plateau United when he represented Nigeria at the 1996 Olympics.

BTW Rohr has not ruled out Enyeama's return.

TheGoodJoe:


I doubt Dosu Joseph was a better choice than Emmanuel Babayaro. It was just another case of bias. It was more of our offensive exploits that saved us, not Goalkeeping heroics. Heck, Dosu chopped five goals in two matches in the semi final and final. However, Dida swallowed four against us.

Lazyerudite:

Mehn, Dosu was poor, really poor during the Olympics o. People need to watch the whole match and not highlights. Very poor positioning and ball handling. Lucky we had a good attack and luck was on our side

TheGoodJoe:


I doubt Dosu Joseph was a better choice than Emmanuel Babayaro. It was just another case of bias. It was more of our offensive exploits that saved us, not Goalkeeping heroics. Heck, Dosu chopped five goals in two matches in the semi final and final. However, Dida swallowed four against us.