tbaba1234:
Ludogrets just said that the player from Kano Pillars (Lokosa) is below the level to be signed by their club.

Chai, this is our league top scorer. What a shame!!

He never kicked a ball in Bulgaria from reports.

The above report is from a Bulgarian News site.

Kai

tbaba1234:
Ludogrets just said that the player from Kano Pillars (Lokosa) is below the level to be signed by their club.

Chai, this is our league top scorer. What a shame!!

Even the academy boys have a better chance of playing for Ludogrets..

tbaba1234:
Nigerian striker Junior Lokosa will not sign the Bulgarian football champion Ludogorets . There was controversial information about him, as it became clear that senior coach Dimitar Dimitrov wants to see him in action during a training or two-sided game.

On Wednesday, however, the agent of the player said he would not be taking samples but would sign a contract directly. According to the coaching leadership, however, the player in the club, Kano Pilarz, has no level to be a new addition to Ludogorets. 

Even the academy boys have a better chance of joining the first team of the seven-time champions. 24-year-old Lokosa has 18 goals this season at the Nigerian championship for Kano Pilar.

His world cup dreams are over. Bring in Henry Onyekuru

solonnachi:


His world cup dreams are over. Bring in Henry Onyekuru

He was never good enough. His inclusion is just to satisfy local fans.

He is already in the provisional list.

Junior Lokosa: Super Eagles’ New Boy



Online Editor in Sport14 hours ago

THISDAYLIVE




Super Eagles Manager, Gernot Rohr on Monday released a provisional list of 30 players ahead of the remaining three friendly matches before the World Cup in Russia, beginning with the May 28encounter with the Congo Democratic Republic. The list came with two surprise names – Kano Pillars’ Junior Lokosa and Italian Serie A’s Crotone forward, Simeon Nwankwo. Can the duo beat the odds and make the final 23-man list to Russia? Kunle Adewale reports

Junior Lokosa has been taking the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) by storm scoring 18 goals in 20 matches, the latest being a brace in Sunday’s 3-1 victory against Katsina United at the Sani Abacha Stadium.
In a telephone chat with THISDAY, a former Nigerian international, Friday Ekpo said it would have been an injustice against the local league and indeed home-based players in the Kano Pillars striker’s name was not included in the provisional list.
“It would have amounted to gross injustice if Lokosa’s name was absent from the list. The Nigerian League is still the strongest in Africa and if a player could score 18 goals with the league still a long way to go, no national team coach could ignore such a player. What he had achieved so far is not a small feat. He should indeed be celebrated,” Ekpo said.
Asked if he thinks the Nigerian League top scorer could make the final 23-man list, the former Shell of Gabon midfielder reacted thus: “Why not? Every of the 30 players in the provisional list have a chance, a lot would depend on how much they are able to take their chances in the remaining friendly matches and how well they comport themselves in camp.”

Ekpo, however, cautioned that the striker should not be overwhelmed by the presence of foreign professionals.
“He is as good as any Nigerian striker playing abroad. The only difference is that he is playing in the home front and this is what he should have at the back of his mind and therefore gather the necessary confidence and concentrate on doing what he knows how to do best-scoring goals,” Ekpo added.
Also speaking, Atlanta ’96 Olympic gold medalist, Emmanuel Babayaro, noted that the names were purely based on merit, adding that Lokosa’s call up was the biggest surprise in the list.
“I think the list is okay. I am looking forward to seeing if we can finally break that last 16 hurdle and get to the quarters for the very first time. I think this is overdue and hopefully, Russia is where history will be made. I am delighted that three home-based players – Dele Ajiboye, Junior Lokosa and Ikechukwu Ezenwa – made the provisional list and my guts tell me Lokosa will make the 23-man final list. He is the surprise package for me,” Babayaro said.

Born August 23, 1993, in Badagry, Lagos state, Lokosa fell in love with football at a young age which angered his parents.
“It wasn’t easy because all parents want their children to go to school,” he said in an interview in March. “However, when they realised football was in my blood and they couldn’t pull it out, they had to accept it. I think today, everybody in the Lokosa family is happy.”
Knowing what he wanted, he stuck to his dream of playing football. He began on the streets of Ajegunle, a Lagos community known for high poverty and crime.
Football began to grow from being just a hobby to a career for Lokosa when his brother took him to a field where he began to play structured football. Soon, things started taking shape, as he got signed to play for an amateur side before catching the eye of First Bank football club.
The 24-year-old centre-forward was still with Lagos-based First Bank Football club in 2017 and was “praying to God” for a better team when, “like a miracle”, he was offered the chance to join Kano Pillars.
“I didn’t plan to join Kano Pillars. However, one day, I returned from training and I got a call from someone who asked if I wanted to play for Kano Pillars and I said yes.
“Of course, I was praying to God for a better team to play. So it was like a miracle to me. The following day, I travelled to Kano and everything went on smoothly. I have to thank God because joining Pillars is a big lift in my career,” he recalls”.

Lokosa had a debut to remember for Pillars, scoring in the match against Niger Tornadoes. His goal for Kano pillars came as no surprise to his First Bank teammate Abou, who would later tellgoal.com: “I am very happy for my pal, Lokosa. I believe in his abilities and I am not surprised he scored on his debut at Kano Pillars.
“Lokosa is a lethal striker who makes goal-scoring look very simple. He plays with so much calm, yet he punishes goalkeepers. I wish him all the best and to Kano Pillars, they are lucky to have a lethal striker who will score so many goals that will make them achieve their set goals.”
When Lokosa scored his 11th goal of the season, he was asked how happy he was: “I wasn’t really happy because my goal did not give the three points to my team,” he responded. It was not our intention to draw again at home but there was nothing we could do to save the situation. We still feel bad with the result but we just have to move on. That match has come and gone.”
He responded in typically calm fashion when asked to respond to clamour for his invitation to the Super Eagles.
“I don’t know much about that but every player wants to play for his country so my case is not different. By the grace of God, when I am invited I will do my best. However, if God says it is not yet time, there is nothing I can do about it. At the moment, I have a job in hand so I have to focus on it,” he said.
Meanwhile, Kano Pillars Chairman, Tukur Babangida has confirmed that the NPFL’s leading marksman, will be off to Bulgaria to have his medical and fitness tests with Ludogorets.
The administrator said he decided to set the record straight due to insinuations in the media that the player was embarking on a trial abroad.
“Kano Pillars are only allowing him to go for medical and fitness tests. He is not going to have a trial.
“You should know the mentality of Nigerian players once they are contacted by any European club. They and their agents will put pressure on you to allow them to go and if you say no, they will be thinking otherwise. Transfers open in July in Europe and if he cannot go in June, then he has to wait until January. He has his options but he has no guarantees that he can get a club in January depending on his performance,” he said.
Another player that would also be hoping to make the cut to Russia is Crotone of Italy striker, Simeon Nwankwo.
The striker scored eight goals this season.
It remains to be seen how much impression the duo of Lokosa and Nwankwo would make on Rohr as the battle for Russia heats up.

Happy birthday, Safarigirl!

BascoVanVeli:


He never kicked a ball in Bulgaria from reports.

The agent came with the idea that he should have no trials. The coach insisted on seeing him play first.

tbaba1234:


He was never good enough. His inclusion is just to satisfy local fans.

He is already in the provisional list.

So because a club passed on signing him he is not good enough? If he had done a trial you would still have had something to say.

tbaba1234:


The agent came with the idea that he should have no trials. The coach insisted on seeing him play first.

Kano Pillars said no trials and that was a smart idea because a player on Nigeria's 30 man list should never need trials in Bulgaria.

solonnachi:


His world cup dreams are over. Bring in Henry Onyekuru

What has this got to do with the SE? He never kicked a ball!

BascoVanVeli:


Kano Pillars said no trials and that was a smart idea because a player on Nigeria's 30 man list should never need trials in Bulgaria.

Kano Pillars can not say, no trials, that is between the player and his agent/manager.

Several players have been invited by Nigeria and never invited again. Even his being on the 30 man list is a trial to see if he meets the grade. Rohr will see him for the first time. Even local players with caps for Nigeria have gone on trial.

Lokosa is no Thiery Henry or CR7

Danielnino00:
Etebo starts

Not surprised

tbaba1234:


Kano Pillars can not say, no trials, that is between the player and his agent/manager.

Several players have been invited by Nigeria and never invited again. Even his being on the 30 man list is a trial to see if he meets the grade. Rohr will see him for the first time. Even local players with caps for Nigeria have gone on trial.

Lokosa is no Thiery Henry or CR7

Kano Pillars pay his Salary how can you even say that. Stephen Eze made it into Bulgaria without trials, Alhassan, Aremu and Odey all didn't need trials so what are you talking about. You are the same one who will put the player down for going on trials.

BascoVanVeli:


Kano Pillars pay his Salary how can you even say that. Stephen Eze made it into Bulgaria without trials, Alhassan, Aremu and Odey all didn't need trials so what are you talking about. You are the same one who will put the player down for going on trials.

Stephen Eze and Afeez Aremu were monitored during CHAN. It was easy for the clubs to watch them.

Odey had already gone to Denmark for trials before Zurich signed him up.

The NPFL does not have that visibility or credibility, hence clubs insist on having a second look.

I do not like local players especially top players going for trial but i understand why clubs ask for it. It is up to us to build the credibility of our league.

Lokosa side of the story

“Ismael Adedoyin put his foot down when the coach said he wants to see him (train), possibly to devalue him and say this is not what he wants. So, why would we give him such an opportunity?

“The sporting and the director of football operations agreed the boy does not undergo trials. This was what we agreed before we left Nigeria.

“I brought this deal and I insisted that I do not come with the player alone. I insisted that his agent, Ismael (Adedoyin) comes with him to protect the player and the interest of Kano Pillars.

“If he was coming for trials, I’m I not enough to bring him for trials? Did Ismael have to come? These are the pertinent questions to ask.”

BascoVanVeli:


That may be it because like I said he looked completely different in la liga.

exactly, he will get used to the ball in time.

tbaba1234:


Stephen Eze and Afeez Aremu were monitored during CHAN. It was easy for the clubs to watch them.

Odey had already gone to Denmark for trials before Zurich signed him up.

The NPFL does not have that visibility or credibility, hence clubs insist on having a second look.

I do not like local players especially top players going for trial but i understand why clubs ask for it. It is up to us to build the credibility of our league.

Afeez didn't go to CHAN. The fact is that people can only treat you the way you carry yourself. If clubs know that the best players in the league won't go on trials they will find ways around the issue. But we can't just sit down and hope for manner to fall from above.

fabyom:
I lost my one and only sibling yesterday to the cold hands of death. My elder bro, he was just 40 years old. Got sick the same day he was to start a very lucrative job after years of struggling without a well paid Job. Trying to control how sad I am.

I wish him RIP... I wish I could just get you some chilled liquor to think it off bro.

BascoVanVeli:


Afeez didn't go to CHAN. The fact is that people can only treat you the way you carry yourself. If clubs know that the best players in the league won't go on trials they will find ways around the issue. But we can't just sit down and hope for manner to fall from above.

The deal was agreed after WAFU cup so the club had an opportunity to watch him in competition.

An important angle is the performance of your exports, if your best exports are lighting up the European leagues then you will have a reputation. This is what the Brazilians have. Our best exports from the NPFL in recent years are not exactly lighting up Europe.

OMANBALA1:
Saying US is overrated is nothing but stark ignorance because you dont live there neither do you know what benefits a US citizen gets. You might not feel among because you were not born there but economic-wise its the place to be ,if you want to get good education and make good living.

Omanbala, I have lived in the US for over a decade. I was fortunate enough to do my last two years of secondary school there. Who ever told that it is overrated is most certainly correct. The USA that you're currently thinking of has been gone over two decades ago. After the stock market crash of 2008, nothing was ever the same. When I lived there in Boston, racism was seriously rampant amongst police and civil servants. University was so ridiculously expensive that I had to transfer to Canada after my freshman year. Getting a decent paying job is like finding a needle in the haystack. On top of that, healthcare is just too damn expensive, so if you were sick and didn't have it, you are screwed. The cost of living just continues to rise everyday. It got bad for me at once that I had to go days eating merely 1 packet of 300g noodles and that was it. Thankfully, I switched to schools in Canada, found a job and got scholarships, but over half of the US population faces the problems I face. The American dream is dead. USA is just not the land opportunity (unless you have LOTS of money). I think Canada has taken that title. As well, one must consider the copius amounts of gun violence.

Benfica To Pay N101.5 Million Compensation Fee To ADO Den Haag For Eagles RB

Portuguese Primeira Liga side Benfica have agreed to pay 240,000 euros (approximately N101.5 million) compensation fee to ADO Den Haag following their signing of Tyronne Ebuehi, according to Dutch broadcaster Omroep West.

The Nigeria international will complete his transfer to The Eagles on July 2 when the transfer market officially opens for business in the country.
Though the right-back is joining Benfica as a free agent, the Portuguese side are obligated to pay training compensation to ADO Den Haag because he is under the age of 23, as per Fifa regulations on the status and transfer of players.

It is claimed that Benfica may loan Ebuehi to a Dutch club for a year, he agreed the move to the club in the January transfer window but remained in the Netherlands where he could play regularly and improve his chances of getting into the Super Eagles World Cup squad.

It seems the defender's groin injury is not serious as Benfica signed him after a medical examination.

The multilingual Ebuehi spoke in Portuguese during his presentation on Saturday.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel
Photo Credit : slbenfica.pt

source : ANS

Ebuehi appeared to be limping in his Benfica presentation..

tbaba1234:


The deal was agreed after WAFU cup so the club had an opportunity to watch him in competition.

An important angle is the performance of your exports, if your best exports are lighting up the European leagues then you will have a reputation. This is what the Brazilians have. Our best exports from the NPFL in recent years are not exactly lighting up Europe.

It was not right after Wafu it prior to CHAN. plus WAFU cannot in anyway be compared to CHAN. Etebo, Shehu and Musa are exports doing great in Europe. Add Omuero and Emem Eduok

tbaba1234:
Lokosa side of the story

“Ismael Adedoyin put his foot down when the coach said he wants to see him (train), possibly to devalue him and say this is not what he wants. So, why would we give him such an opportunity?

“The sporting and the director of football operations agreed the boy does not undergo trials. This was what we agreed before we left Nigeria.

I brought this deal and I insisted that I do not come with the player alone. I insisted that his agent, Ismael (Adedoyin) comes with him to protect the player and the interest of Kano Pillars.


“If he was coming for trials, I’m I not enough to bring him for trials? Did Ismael have to come? These are the pertinent questions to ask.”

This shows that Kano refused trials.

Bolowolowo:


Omanbala, I have lived in the US for over a decade. I was fortunate enough to do my last two years of secondary school there. Who ever told that it is overrated is most certainly correct. The USA that you're currently thinking of has been gone over two decades ago. After the stock market crash of 2008, nothing was ever the same. When I lived there in Boston, racism was seriously rampant amongst police and civil servants. University was so ridiculously expensive that I had to transfer to Canada after my freshman year. Getting a decent paying job is like finding a needle in the haystack. On top of that, healthcare is just too damn expensive, so if you were sick and didn't have it, you are screwed. The cost of living just continues to rise everyday. It got bad for me at once that I had to go days eating merely 1 packet of 300g noodles and that was it. Thankfully, I switched to schools in Canada, found a job and got scholarships, but over half of the US population faces the problems I face. The American dream is dead. USA is just not the land opportunity (unless you have LOTS of money). I think Canada has taken that title. As well, one must consider the copius amounts of gun violence.

Ha, America my America.. Lol..

Without good health coverage, you are in trouble if you fall sick. You will just go bankrupt. Certainly, the worst thing about America.

I have enjoyed scholarships for all of my education in America so that has been a big positive for me. But i know several people have to deal with huge student debts. Education is crazily expensive.

However, with the right qualifications, there are some great jobs out there.

BascoVanVeli:


This shows that Kano refused trials.

No it doesn't

tbaba1234:


No it doesn't

If the club said they refused trials and the agent said he was protecting the club's interest what do you think that means?

BascoVanVeli:


If the club said they refused trials and the agent said he was protecting the club's interest what do you think that means?

The agent is there to protect the player and club's interest.

That does not show that 'Pillars refused trials'. It shows that the agent was doing his job.

I'm very sure Moses was playing with total caution today. Dude don't wanna miss the world's biggest sport tournament...

Congrats to him for the victory...

tbaba1234:
Ebuehi appeared to be limping in his Benfica presentation..

Did guy might just play himself out of d worldcup