Chrismario:


Of course, everyone is desperate to represent even me.

But Joebie thinks otherwise.

Gernot Rohr dey cook soup and the soup dey smell nice, everybody wey lick the soup like the taste. The soup still dey fire, people dey suggest say make Rohr add thyme, curry, spring onions even alum. Abeg make una leave the cook, the soup go soon done. Everybody go like the soup.

Wafu cup result

Ivory coast 1 - 0 ghana
Burkina Faso 5 - 1 Niger

Today

Nigeria vs Mali
Senegal vs togo

Mali will arrive today and also play the super falcons today I see a drubbing tonight

The same people that want dessers will kick against ajayi invitation if u ask them they will say ajayi flopped at the Olympic 2 years ago double standard

Why Liverpool fans got excited about tackling machine Ndidi…




There are two reasons why one Liverpool fan’s opinion piece about the Reds’ need for a player like Wilfred Ndidi spawned dozens of transfer stories still reverberating around the globe a week later. The first is the desperation of a click-hungry sports media for transfer gossip in February and the second is that it made complete sense.
This is a team without any discernible dynamism in midfield and here is a player who has made more tackles this season than any other Premier League player. Liverpool fans understandably went a little gooey and started dreaming of an Ndidi/Keita midfield that would condemn the stodginess of Jordan Henderson to the bench or even another club.
If Claude Puel spends any time at all on the internet, we hope he reads Mediawatch and thus knows that those reports are unfounded. We would hate the wonderfully unruffled Frenchman to get ruffled so soon after he had successfully fought to keep hold of Riyad Mahrez. But while quoting numbers approaching £100m for the Algerian, we cannot help but wonder about the asking price for the Nigerian, five years younger but equally vital to Leicester’s mission to reclaim European football.

Were you to believe the people we are duty-bound to call boffins from the CIES Football Observatory then you would put his value at around £58m. In a list released in December , Ndidi was rated as the 11th most valuable Under-21 player across Europe’s big five leagues. Only Dele Alli, Leroy Sane, Marcus Rashford, Gabriel Jesus, Anthony Martial and Davinson Sanchez were given higher values among young Premier League players, and two of that number have since turned 22.
It will not have escaped your notice that all of those players are at top-six clubs. Whether it be Liverpool or another suitor, it seems unlikely that Ndidi will be allowed to quietly excel at Leicester far beyond this summer’s World Cup. That’s not how football works in 2018.

Ndidi with another world class tackle getting us out of trouble. Absolute beast, we would be struggling without a player like him 5:20 PM - Feb 3, 2018 See ツ's other Tweets ツ
@CIinicalVardy

When a player only joins a club in January and still wins the Young Player of the Year award, you know that he is special.

When a player joins in January but makes more tackles than all but two of his teammates across the whole season, you know why Claudio Ranieri called him a ‘warrior’. Ndidi based his game on that of his hero Jon Obi Mikel, was compared to Yaya Toure in Belgium and has walked (scratch that, he never walks) into inevitable N’Golo Kante comparisons at Leicester; you can certainly see traces of all in his relentless running and prolific tackling.

The tackling is the headline statistic (113 successful tackles with Everton’s Idrissa Gueye a distant second on 85) but that has to be tempered by the fact that no Premier League player has been dribbled past more; he simply attempts a hell of a lot more tackles than anybody else, though his success rate of 62.5% trails behind both Gueye (68%) and Kante (64%). But even taken with those pinches of salt, to be that effective at 21 is simply spectacular.

“He is a fantastic recoverer of the ball, winning the ball back, and gives us possession,” says Puel, but the Frenchman has also been careful to keep using the word ‘potential’; he clearly sees his job as turning Ndidi into a complete midfielder rather than just a tackling machine. The question is whether he will get the opportunity to complete that job or whether the task will be handed over to Jurgen Klopp or Another in exchange for £60m or more.
One thing that should not be difficult to improve is Ndidi’s shooting. As it stands he has taken the most Premier League shots this season without scoring. He’s probably not quite as proud of being top of that particular table.


**Sarah Winterburn


Source: http://www.football365.com/news/why-liverpool-fans-got-excited-about-tackling-machine-ndidi

Russia 2018 WC Countdown: 118 days 23 hours to go

Thanks for the updates on the WAFU women's Cup that kicked off yesterday... please you can drop them in the link below okay... The Female National teams thread... thanks

https://www.nairaland.com/3400356/nigeria-female-national-teams-thread/16

isan:
Wafu cup result

Ivory coast 1 - 0 ghana
Burkina Faso 5 - 1 Niger

Today

Nigeria vs Mali
Senegal vs togo

Mali will arrive today and also play the super falcons today I see a drubbing tonight

komekn:


All I can say, If the desirable is not available the available becomes desirable.

The question is are these older goalkeepers who are essentially going nowhere but down. Better than the very young and maybe untested but full of potential like Uzoho or even others.

I remember a Nigerian I met at Burnley FC in 2016 he was the U23 goalkeeper, font know where he is now though or how good he really is.

They are better.

German-Born Nigeria Goalkeeper Battling To Overcome Knee Injury



German-born Nigerian goalkeeper Maduka Okoye could be missing from Fortuna Düsseldorf U19s line-up when they face table toppers Schalke 04 in the A-Junior Bundesliga on Sunday, February 18.

Fortuna Düsseldorf U19s are facing a goalkeeper crisis ahead of the visit of Schalke 04, with Mario Zelic injuring his ankle during the warm-up before the match with Arminia Klosterhard.
Okoye is struggling to overcome a knee complaint and has to undergo a late fitness test before he gets the green light to be in goal against Schalke 04.

This season, the 18-year-old has been in between the pipes 15 times for the youth teams of Fortuna Düsseldorf in the A-Junioren Bundesliga West and Regionalliga West, and has posted four shutouts.

Super Eagles manager Gernot Rohr is monitoring the performance of Okoye in Germany and could hand him a maiden call-up to the national team ahead of the 2018 World Cup.
Nigeria Football Federation scout Victor Agali held clear-the-air talks with Okoye over playing for the Super Eagles in November.

**Ifeanyi Emmanuel
Photo Credit : instagram.com/madukaokoye

Source: http://www.allnigeriasoccer.com/read_news.php?nid=26600


Russia 2018 WC Countdown: 118 days 23 hours 24mins to go

Famocious:
Fortuna Sittard Denies Oliseh's Illegal Activities Claim


Dutch second tier club Fortuna Sittard has denied that former Nigeria captain Sunday Oliseh was suspended due to his "refusal to to participate in illegal activities".

Oliseh was suspended on Wednesday for what the club "unacceptable actions".

In response Oliseh claimed the club wanted him to "violate the law".

On Thursday a statement from Sittard sais they would be taking legal advice and look to sacking Oliseh.

"Fortuna does not recognize itself at all in these accusations, which were not highlighted by Sunday Oliseh to the club," the club wrote on its website.

"The case will be presented by Fortuna Sittard to the arbitration committee of the KNVB (the Dutch Football Association), an independent body, which will now make an assessment of whether there is sufficient grounds to terminate the employment contract of Sunday Oliseh.

The club also insisted that it did not rush into its decision to suspend Oliseh.

"Fortuna Sittard expressly did not take the decision to suspend Sunday Oliseh overnight," the statement continued.

"The innumerable culpable acts as well as the disrupted employment relationship on the part of Sunday Oliseh have unfortunately led Fortuna to make him non-active.

"Fortuna Sittard has been legally advised by the Federation of Paid Football Organizations (FBO) during the entire process."

They outlined why they took the decision to put Oliseh on "non-active" duties.

"The suspension of the trainer is emphatically not motivated by the four successive losses, although it is fair to say that the disrupted employment relationship between Sunday Oliseh, the group of players and other employees of Fortuna Sittard has had a negative influence."

Oliseh was appointed as Sittard coach in late December 2016.

Sittard finished 17th in the 20-team league at the end of last season but are currently third in the table and are five points behind leader NEC.

With eight wins and just one loss earlier this season the club actually won what is called the "second period" of the league, which is made up of four periods.

The club play in the Eerste Divisie, which is the professional league below the Eredivisie, Holland's topflight, and it consists of 20 clubs.

The Eerste Divisie champions gain automatic promotion to the Eredivisie, while eight clubs made up of the period champions and the other best-ranked teams, will compete in play-offs for two further promotion places.


Source :http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/amp/football/43072901?__twitter_impression=true

As old as he Oliseh is and with all the time he has spent in the football system in Europe.

I am sorry he truly lacks WISDOM.

Kog45:
Sir,apart from Deji and Maduka who are willing, hope you know how these FBs behaves when it comes to switch allegiance,so no need waste our times in begging players for U 20 when we have pool of talents at home.

If they are ready for us no issue but i believe U17 or any age group teams should be for home grown especially 80% home grown and 20% for FB cos focusing more of our attention on FBS would be suicide to our grassroots development.

Super eagles foreign based and now Fly eagles foreign based then what remains for our young ones at home trying to have breakthrough through underage tourney better to make it HG 80% FB 20%.

Modified* pls why Germany based guys centre of attraction.

Isn't this a sentiment that won't ensure us get the best talent..why don't you say good scouting and selecting the best regardless of where you are from.. By limiting to 20%FB, you are already setting up a quota system..

The fact is most of this foreign born have a good platform and can be nurtured easily at this foreign clubs..by getting them to commit early with a U20 tournament, Nigeria senior national team can only benefit from it..

I'm not against grassroots players, if there are that good, they should be able to displace any foreign born since most FB are not full time professionals yet at 18yrs..its this kind of thinking that made us loose Alaba!! Today we can't even boost of an above average truly left-footed left back on our national team.

I just dont like the idea of setting a quota system for the U20 team..

tbaba1234:


Valid point but this is where NFF must utilize FIFA windows.

John Obuh tried out a lot of foreign based/born players when he went for the toulon tournament. He eventually still went with his own boys but it was a good trial.

So what happened to the players who were not home based Not good enough.

Kog45:
Pls why is it anytime we had poor outing at any tournament with local coach in charge is either they collect bribe or want to sell their players but for their foreign counterparts we find excuse for them.

I know the foreign one always did nothing wrong,they are the best to you guys,against South Africa i remember how some shifted the poor result on home based assistants as if they are dictating to Rohr,forgetting Rohr is the coach.

Pls can you prove it that Manu Garba collect bribe or want to sell some players outside and decided to keep the best on the bench.

Mind you i rate foreign coach far ahead of local ones based on tactical approach to game but trying to rubbish them on unsubstantiated claims is uncalled for.

I have been involved with a NFF lead selection process for Youth players in the UK.

I withdrew quite quickly as integrity, honesty and merit were not being served on the dinner table.

komekn:


As old as he Oliseh is and with all the time he has spent in the football system in Europe.

I am sorry he truly lacks WISDOM.

true talk

Icon79:
I agree with you, but I still don't think that it's a good idea. And I can understand if we select a few promising foreign based pros once we qualify for the U-17/20 World Cup, but I don't think that we have any excuse not to use our home based players in the qualifiers especially in this day and age when we've got dozens of soccer academies all over Nigeria!

These coaches should get off their a$$ and visit hundreds of high schools and football academies we have throughout Nigeria. I can assure you that they would unearth enough talent to even win the World Cup. I honestly don't see any need for foreign based players in the qualifying stages. We've got more than enough talents at home, somebody just need to discover them. And that's what we're paying these "coaches" to do.


O pari

I agree unreservedly with regards to U17.

But once you get to U20 in many cases you are dealing with full fledged first team experienced players. Players who have already played a couple of seasons of first team football tactically astute and technically top class.

Consider Ryan Ssegnon started playing for Fulham at 16 in the Championship.

Or our own boys, Iorfa, Onyedinma, Lookman, etc, etc

You will find a few players as good even better but majority will be at a distinct disadvantage compared to players in Europe.

forgiveness:



How can we compare a player that made CAF team of the year with Sadiq Umar, Taiwo Awoniyi and Victor Osimhen?

I don't think they are in the same level. No, not at all.

His only problem is, he has many players ahead of him but it doesn't mean he should not be given the chance.

But dis same player was benched by sadiq umar at d last Olympics.what abt DT?

Icon4s:


I don't see him as one for the WC either, but I think he still deserves a place in the squad in one of our friendlies or the 35 man list.

Talking about Sadiq Umar benching Ajayi. That was quite some time ago. How has Sadiq's game progressed since then?

After all Manu Garba dropped Etebor and Ajayi from his 2015 U20 squad. Today where are the likes of Bulbwa, Mathew, Awoniyi and Sokari who made the team. Compare Sokari with Etebor who are like a like for like to each other

Several factors influence players selection. So because Sadiq benched Ajayi at Rio and Sadiq is not being considered yet doesn't make Ajayi not good enough for a consideration.

Sadiq that I watched live against PSG last year in Detroit is better than Ajayi, the only problem I have with Sadiq is not reading the game and playing with his brain instead of using his body..i know he could improve on this aspect with proper coaching and I'm sure that's one of the reasons that kept him on the bench at torino..

He is a really talented and skillful lad, a tall guy like that but yet prefers the ball to his leg..i hope he sorts out some of his perceived weaknesses, he could really be a good asset to any team with his height..

Yes, for the World Cup proper, it would make sense if we beef up the squad (at the U-20 levels) with a few foreign based pros. However, I still think that we have enough talents back home to take on the likes of Lesotho, Burkina Faso, Guinea Bissau, etc. in the qualifiers. And I can assure you that no other African country would be using foreign based players in the qualifying stages of either the U-17 or the U-20.

Problem is, our naija indigenous coaches don't want to do the hard work. If we give them this leeway, don't be surprised to see them present 11 foreign based players in our next U-17 match. They are too lazy (or clueless) to groom players, so they would rather rely on the already made stars.


O pari

komekn:


I agree unreservedly with regards to U17.

But once you get to U20 in many cases you are dealing with full fledged first team experienced players. Players who have already played a couple of seasons of first team football tactically astute and technically top class.

Consider Ryan Ssegnon started playing for Fulham at 16 in the Championship.

Or our own boys, Iorfa, Onyedinma, Lookman, etc, etc

You will find a few players as good even better but majority will be at a distinct disadvantage compared to players in Europe.

Icon79:
Yes, for the World Cup proper, it would make sense if we beef up the squad (at the U-20 levels) with a few foreign based pros. However, I still think that we have enough talents back home to take on the likes of Lesotho, Burkina Faso, Guinea Bissau, etc. in the qualifiers. And I can assure you that no other African country would be using foreign based players in the qualifying stages of either the U-17 or the U-20.

Problem is, our naija indigenous coaches don't want to do the hard work. If we give them this leeway, don't be surprised to see them present 11 foreign based players in our next U-17 match. They are too lazy (or clueless) to groom players, so they would rather rely on the already made stars.


O pari

We are saying the same thing essentially.

U17 should really be about developing football in Nigeria.

You are right that the coaches can be very lazy and just pick up players that are attached to big clubs in the EPL.

My outmost desire is for NFF to pick up players who are not in the academy system and or in lower league clubs who have been overlooked for reasons outside of football.

*** Europa league ***

Oesstrunds vs Arsenal.. Àlhaji Gero and Iwobi start

Truidstar:
Gernot Rohr dey cook soup and the soup dey smell nice, everybody wey lick the soup like the taste. The soup still dey fire, people dey suggest say make Rohr add thyme, curry, spring onions even alum. Abeg make una leave the cook, the soup go soon done. Everybody go like the soup.

Indian weed right??

komekn:


As old as he Oliseh is and with all the time he has spent in the football system in Europe.

I am sorry he truly lacks WISDOM.

agree 100% he thinks this is nigeria where you can make unsubstantiated allegations and not be called out on it

komekn:


So what happened to the players who were not home based Not good enough.

He tried out just a few foreign based, not exactly, the cream of the crop.

Semi Ajayi was one the boys, plays in league 1 now. Was not good enough at the time.
Sebastian Osigwe, a gk based in Switzerland
John Felagha, a gk based in belgium

Kog45:
Pls why is it anytime we had poor outing at any tournament with local coach in charge is either they collect bribe or want to sell their players but for their foreign counterparts we find excuse for them.

I know the foreign one always did nothing wrong,they are the best to you guys,against South Africa i remember how some shifted the poor result on home based assistants as if they are dictating to Rohr,forgetting Rohr is the coach.

Pls can you prove it that Manu Garba collect bribe or want to sell some players outside and decided to keep the best on the bench.

Mind you i rate foreign coach far ahead of local ones based on tactical approach to game but trying to rubbish them on unsubstantiated claims is uncalled for.

I never accused the Manu of taking bribe

But one thing is certain, he left his best players on the bench. Iheanacho, Yahaya, Isaac Success, Chidera Ezeh, Nwakali, were all left on the bench in favor of the home based boys like ifeanyi ifeanyi, Godwin savior who did not have clubs at the time.

We under-performed even though we had better players on the bench. His selection in that tournament baffled the imagination.

TheSuperNerd:
Why Liverpool fans got excited about tackling machine Ndidi…




There are two reasons why one Liverpool fan’s opinion piece about the Reds’ need for a player like Wilfred Ndidi spawned dozens of transfer stories still reverberating around the globe a week later. The first is the desperation of a click-hungry sports media for transfer gossip in February and the second is that it made complete sense.
This is a team without any discernible dynamism in midfield and here is a player who has made more tackles this season than any other Premier League player. Liverpool fans understandably went a little gooey and started dreaming of an Ndidi/Keita midfield that would condemn the stodginess of Jordan Henderson to the bench or even another club.
If Claude Puel spends any time at all on the internet, we hope he reads Mediawatch and thus knows that those reports are unfounded. We would hate the wonderfully unruffled Frenchman to get ruffled so soon after he had successfully fought to keep hold of Riyad Mahrez. But while quoting numbers approaching £100m for the Algerian, we cannot help but wonder about the asking price for the Nigerian, five years younger but equally vital to Leicester’s mission to reclaim European football.

Were you to believe the people we are duty-bound to call boffins from the CIES Football Observatory then you would put his value at around £58m. In a list released in December , Ndidi was rated as the 11th most valuable Under-21 player across Europe’s big five leagues. Only Dele Alli, Leroy Sane, Marcus Rashford, Gabriel Jesus, Anthony Martial and Davinson Sanchez were given higher values among young Premier League players, and two of that number have since turned 22.
It will not have escaped your notice that all of those players are at top-six clubs. Whether it be Liverpool or another suitor, it seems unlikely that Ndidi will be allowed to quietly excel at Leicester far beyond this summer’s World Cup. That’s not how football works in 2018.





When a player only joins a club in January and still wins the Young Player of the Year award, you know that he is special.

When a player joins in January but makes more tackles than all but two of his teammates across the whole season, you know why Claudio Ranieri called him a ‘warrior’. Ndidi based his game on that of his hero Jon Obi Mikel, was compared to Yaya Toure in Belgium and has walked (scratch that, he never walks) into inevitable N’Golo Kante comparisons at Leicester; you can certainly see traces of all in his relentless running and prolific tackling.

The tackling is the headline statistic (113 successful tackles with Everton’s Idrissa Gueye a distant second on 85) but that has to be tempered by the fact that no Premier League player has been dribbled past more; he simply attempts a hell of a lot more tackles than anybody else, though his success rate of 62.5% trails behind both Gueye (68%) and Kante (64%). But even taken with those pinches of salt, to be that effective at 21 is simply spectacular.

“He is a fantastic recoverer of the ball, winning the ball back, and gives us possession,” says Puel, but the Frenchman has also been careful to keep using the word ‘potential’; he clearly sees his job as turning Ndidi into a complete midfielder rather than just a tackling machine. The question is whether he will get the opportunity to complete that job or whether the task will be handed over to Jurgen Klopp or Another in exchange for £60m or more.
One thing that should not be difficult to improve is Ndidi’s shooting. As it stands he has taken the most Premier League shots this season without scoring. He’s probably not quite as proud of being top of that particular table.


**Sarah Winterburn


Source: http://www.football365.com/news/why-liverpool-fans-got-excited-about-tackling-machine-ndidi

Russia 2018 WC Countdown: 118 days 23 hours to go

just pray this guy keeps being humble...
he will achieve so much than he ever dreamt of...

forgiveness:


Desperate' Austin Ejide wants to represent Eagles in Russia -

WORLD CUP 2018 By: Uche Duru | 26/12/2017

Hapoel Hadera goalkeeper, Austin Ejide has said he will work hard and do his best so as to secure a spot in the Super Eagles team that are gearing up for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Ejide 33, last played for the Super Eagles in 2014 in a friendly match between Nigeria and Scotland.
Despite playing for in Israel’s second tier, Ejide is sheer hopeful of securing a place in the Super Eagles team heading to Russia next year.


“The World Cup? I’ll try my very best until the end of the season,” Ejide told TheCable.
“But we’ll just have to wait and see. I’ll give my all, but it’s up to the Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr.”
Ejide has been named in three FIFA World Cup squads; 2002 in Japan and South Korea, 2010 in South Africa and 2014 in Brazil.


http://.com/desperate-austin-ejide-wants-to-represent-eagles-in-russia

Now, after reading this, who needs to grow?

bros Na so all of dem dey talk Na who no wan go world cup but on a serious note I think you're being too paranoid about this austin former goalkeeper issue from the little information I know ejide is not an alloy agu boy and besides even though nothing was proven the match fixing matter is still fresh in the memory

chrisooblog:
bros Na so all of dem dey talk Na who no wan go world cup but on a serious note I think you're being too paranoid about this austin former goalkeeper issue from the little information I know ejide is not an alloy agu boy and besides even though nothing was proven the match fixing matter is still fresh in the memory

The awkward pushing the ball into his net.. In 2014, Ejide was already looking past it.. 4 years later, i am too keen on him.

bengine:


Isn't this a sentiment that won't ensure us get the best talent..why don't you say good scouting and selecting the best regardless of where you are from.. By limiting to 20%FB, you are already setting up a quota system..

The fact is most of this foreign born have a good platform and can be nurtured easily at this foreign clubs..by getting them to commit early with a U20 tournament, Nigeria senior national team can only benefit from it..

I'm not against grassroots players, if there are that good, they should be able to displace any foreign born since most FB are not full time professionals yet at 18yrs..its this kind of thinking that made us loose Alaba!! Today we can't even boost of an above average truly left-footed left back on our national team.

I just dont like the idea of setting a quota system for the U20 team..

I think sir SerVik beautiful comment on this HG and FB has settled it all, try and read it then you will understand my point better.

forgiveness:



How can we compare a player that made CAF team of the year with Sadiq Umar, Taiwo Awoniyi and Victor Osimhen?

I don't think they are in the same level. No, not at all.

His only problem is, he has many players ahead of him but it doesn't mean he should not be given the chance.

Not really comparing them but they belong to the same class when we talked of future prospect.

I think your last paragraph has said it all and that's my point cos i see Ighalo, Iheanacho, Kayode,Nwakaeme and Ideye ahead of him

Iwobi with an assist against Alhaji Gero's Ostersunds.

Monreal scores. Assisted by Iwobi. Iwobi is greater than Mbappe

tbaba1234:


I never accused the Manu of taking bribe

But one thing is certain, he left his best players on the bench. Iheanacho, Yahaya, Isaac Success, Chidera Ezeh, Nwakali, were all left on the bench in favor of the home based boys like ifeanyi ifeanyi, Godwin savior who did not have clubs at the time.

We under-performed even though we had better players on the bench. His selection in that tournament baffled the imagination.

I thought Iheanacho and Success had below performance at U 20 WC.

Lol use points my friend. No be fight. You got it wrongly with your logic. You think by posting such here Agu will check ur post here and change his mind about Ejide? I’ve challenged u again. Bookmark this. If I’m wrong I will give in and grow up. But if u are wrong will u grow up in your reasoning and give in? That’s the point.
Fair isn’t it?

forgiveness:




Austin Ejide is desperate to go to the world Cup. Finito.

All you are saying up there na to save face.

My aim is to blow alarm for such not to happen. So, if it doesn't happen, it is a good tactics but if not, I go still blow alarm.

My friend, you need to grow. Finito

What is Agu's conspiracy? It seems you just want to talk but before you do that, think and get your facts right.