bengine:


I totally understand your unwavering loyalty to NPFL..let me ask one simple question, Should we still keep 5slots for NPFL players with the array of talents just popping everywhere? Or you think it's time to invite the best?

I'm not against NPFL players but as soon as they get invited to Super Eagles, they go sign some stupid contract with back water league teams just to show they are in europe hence their invitation stops and we move on to the next 5npfl players and the cycle continues..

Keshi picked his players it had nothing to do with 5 spots. I never have asked for any designated spots but that doesn't mean players should get completely overlooked. Yesterday we had only 2 players participate in the Europa league and they were Alex Iwobi and Stephen Odey. Going by your comment he should be in India by now.

BascoVanVeli:



Keshi picked his players it had nothing to do with 5 spots. I never have asked for any designated spots but that doesn't mean players should get completely overlooked. Yesterday we had only 2 players participate in the Europa league and they were Alex Iwobi and Stephen Odey. Going by your comment he should be in India by now.

The two Samuels also played last night: Kalu and Chukwueze.

bros npfl players na trash. the super eagles is the apex team of the nation where the best should be invited.

BascoVanVeli:



Keshi picked his players it had nothing to do with 5 spots. I never have asked for any designated spots but that doesn't mean players should get completely overlooked. Yesterday we had only 2 players participate in the Europa league and they were Alex Iwobi and Stephen Odey. Going by your comment he should be in India by now.

Icon79:
Silly tabloid junks!

I mean, I am pretty sure that VicMo may not be in good terms with some members of the team mainly due to his reserve nature and cockiness; but these allegations of fetish and craps are just boshit!


O pari

Your a liar. Your pulling stuff out of your arse.
Where did you get the lie that Victor Moses is arrogant. That’s a lie. When has he shown cockiness and arrogance you tribal bigot?

Icon4s:


The two Samuels also played last night: Kalu and Chukwueze.

You are right I forgot about those two but 4 is still not a massive number.

Danielnino00:


Moses was never fully committed to the national team right from the start... everybody knows that... Whatever was causing him discomfort in the team is not really our business. his commitment is what matters. We hear stories of players having issue with their country FA all the time.. Somebody like Salah is currently at war with the Egyptian FA but he is still available for the team.
Moses never implied in his post that some people forced him to retire from the national team . it was his decision...

Stop making a big deal out of it

Wasn’t Moses one of the key players and leaders in our team winning African Cup of Nations back in 2013? What do you mean he wasn’t committed to the team? He had a goal and an assist during the 3 games at the World Cup.
Your hate is obvious and very bias.

charlesemeka85:
bros npfl players na trash. the super eagles is the apex team of the nation where the best should be invited.

If NPFL players are trash then all SE players are trash compared to top players in Europe.

Humility017:


yeah sure...he is from edo state
likewise Ighalo, ebuehi, moses and success

Issac Success is from Edo State? Which Success are you talking about?

Former Wolves & Nigeria keeper Carl Ikeme on cancer which took his career - and almost his life

Wolverhampton Wanderers and Nigeria goalkeeper Carl Ikeme was diagnosed with acute leukemia in July 2017.
After 12 months of gruelling treatment which cost him his career, his lifelong dream of playing at a World Cup, the chance of being present at the birth of his second daughter and almost his life, Ikeme was told he was in complete remission.

The 32-year-old must have further, less invasive, treatment and Ikeme admits he is not sure what the future holds.

"I am unemployed," he says, more than once, with a smile.

This is his story.

A devastating phone call

Ikeme had reported for pre-season training feeling physically fit and anticipating an exciting campaign ahead.

Wolves had a new manager - Nuno Espirito Santo - and there was a feeling of optimism around the club.

Ikeme had no idea his world was about to be turned upside down.

He recalls: "I had a couple of blood tests at the start of pre-season that showed my platelets were a little low.

"There was no massive alarm. I carried on training - I was fit, I was healthy.

"We did a hard session, then went to the gym. I had a bleeding nose. I never told the doctor anything because I knew he would pull me out of training - for some reason, this time I told him about the nosebleed and a slight headache.

"I had another blood test, which was still low, so he said we had to see a specialist.

"You take a little gasp of breath when they tell you what they are testing for but I never thought, a few days later, it would be cancer.

"I was at Homebase when I got a call from the doctor.

"I was expecting him to say everything was fine. I can't remember him saying 'you've got cancer' but I do remember him talking about Geoff Thomas and Stan Petrov and that it was going to be a tough year for me and my family.

"I remember being in the car park and tearing up.

"At the time my daughter Mila was four. I thought 'Am I going to be there for her?'. My partner Saba was heavily pregnant and due to give birth a week later. I thought 'I am going to die'."

'Why not me?'

Ikeme drove home to some of the toughest conversations of his life.

Saba was told. So were his parents. Mila was not.

"She doesn't know. She is too young. I couldn't tell her 'Daddy might not be here anymore'. I didn't want to change anything for her.

"She knew I was in hospital a lot but she just thought 'Daddy's not very well' or 'Daddy's got to see the doctor'. I am sure she will find out eventually but now, it is something she doesn't need to know.

"Saba was different. Obviously I have seen her cry before but that…

"Then my mum, my dad, my sister came round. To see the pain on their faces. It is something a son or daughter should never have to tell their parents; that they have cancer.

"That night, my whole thought process was around the two kids and Saba. I might have one child who would never see their dad and another who might grow up without him. How would Saba cope if I wasn't there?

"I did start off thinking 'why me? I am not a bad person'. But after a couple of days it was 'why not me'. Why shouldn't it be me?

"People have tough lives. People get diagnosed with disease. This is my journey. This is supposed to happen. Acceptance was a big part of helping me get through my treatment."

A new arrival

Ikeme was given the option of delaying the start of his treatment so he could be present for the birth of his second daughter. He declined.

He was diagnosed on 6 July and started treatment at Manchester's specialist Christie hospital a couple of days later. Maya was born five days' late, on the 16th.

"I found out through FaceTime," he said. "It was surreal knowing I was having a baby but I wasn't actually there. I had never imagined missing the birth. I didn't get to hold her for a week.

"Once the treatment started, I lost a lot of weight quite quickly, nearly two stone in three weeks.

"Initially I was still physically OK. I could go for walks.

"As the treatment went on, I needed people to help me out.

"There were times when I felt tired cooking for myself or doing things around the house.

"Mum, dad, Saba, friends would be there.

"There were also times when I didn't feel great and I just wanted to be on my own and suffer in silence.

"There were a lot of times when I felt weak and would get out of breath doing minimal things.

"One day I got a taxi to the hospital. It was so hard getting in the taxi. I was so out of breath. As soon as I got to hospital, the nurse said 'you are not looking too good. You will have to stay here'. It was tough.

"I knew how hard it was for my family. I could see it in their faces. They were there when I was in pain or suffering. I would tell them I was all right and not to worry but I can't imagine what it was like when I wasn't there.

"It is a mental thing as well. To start off with I thought about dying. It wasn't in my head all the time but I might have a bad night and think about it a little bit, or when I had bone marrow testing I might think 'has it come back?'.

"I had to ride the bad phases. I am quite strong mentally. I was planning for the future. I booked a holiday for my friend's wedding in January. That was my goal. To be there to be best man at his wedding. I was trying to plan ahead instead of thinking about the other side of things."

A lucky escape

By his own admission, Ikeme remained largely ignorant of the detail behind the treatment he was having. It felt easier that way and allowed him to focus on the more positive aspects of his life.

However, it also meant he was unaware of the consequences of situations he found himself in.

It wasn't until six months after the event, as he approached the end of his treatment and took the rare step of reading through his notes, that it hit home just how serious one incident in particular could have been.

He said: "Treatment for leukaemia reduces your immune system to nothing, which leaves you at risk of infection.

"This particular Sunday, I was at home in Birmingham and I just didn't feel right. Just a bit funny. I didn't do anything about it. I thought I could sleep it off. A couple of hours later my temperature was nearly 40 degrees.

"The hospital told me to go straight to A&E. I had a really rough 10 days in hospital. I was always thinking 'tomorrow I will be OK'. But tomorrow came and I wasn't.

"It didn't really click until I read my notes a long time afterwards and saw I had sepsis. I asked the doctors about it and realised I had been in really bad shape. It was a danger to my life and I didn't realise."

Good news - and bad

From the very first diagnosis, Ikeme knew it was unlikely he would play professional football again.

After 271 appearances, 207 of them for Wolves, the only club he was ever contracted to, Ikeme had enjoyed experiences denied to all but the very best players.

He accepted confirmation the end had come in typically sanguine fashion, knowing the news around his ultimate aim of survival was far more positive.

He said: "When the doctor suggested I needed to worry about my health not football and call it a day, it wasn't a shock.

"I had finished my last intense treatment and it was time for me to go home. I got my stuff out of my apartment and said to the medical staff 'If someone asks what the situation is now, what do I tell them?'. They told me I was in complete remission and I could get on with my life.

"It is strange really. I got home in time for Mila's fifth birthday. I was delighted to be there. But I was still recovering. I was not in the greatest of condition.

"It is still not over for me now. I am still being treated. I still have hurdles to jump.

"But I am so happy to be living a normal life, being with my family, being able to have breakfast with the kids."

Nigeria and missing the World Cup

Ikeme was born in Sutton Coldfield but his dad is from Nigeria.

He was first named in a provisional squad for the Super Eagles by manager Berti Vogts in 2007. But he did not make his international debut until 2015, after which he became Nigeria's first-choice keeper.

When his illness meant he was unable to go to the World Cup in Russia, Nigeria named him as their '24th player'.

He said: "The World Cup was the hardest thing, football wise, for me to deal with.

"When we played England at Wembley in June, I felt 'it should have been me'. It was the same during the first match of the World Cup. It is not a case of life not being fair, more that every kid wants to play at one.

"I watched the matches through multiple angles. Even though I had my own issues, I couldn't think the games didn't matter. I had an emotional involvement.

"They were my team-mates. People I class as friends. When Argentina scored in the last minute to knock us out, I was angry in my living room. I felt bad as a fan. I felt sad for my team-mates and sad for Nigeria.

"I can't explain how joyous playing for Nigeria was for me. To know my whole family was proud. To know I was representing 200 million people who are mad about football. I love it there.

"I have unfinished business with Nigeria. I have spoken to the manager, Gernot Rohr, about learning from him; about the set-up and understanding the tactics from the sidelines. He has offered me the opportunity to go and be one of his assistants, which is great.

"I am hoping to be involved in an upcoming fixture against Libya in October. If not that one, the next."

Bouncing back

There is a prominent picture on Ikeme's social media. It is of a boomerang. It is a gift from a local plumber who made it when in the Australian outback with a group of indigenous people.

Ikeme said: "The plumber didn't say anything. He just gave me the boomerang and a note when he came back to the house on the second day. It was touching that someone gave up something that was obviously sacred to him to help me with my struggle. It will always be there in my living room.

"The generosity of people throughout my treatment was moving. On social media every day people would ask if I was OK. You never realise they have that affection for you. It is something I was so grateful for - and I still am.

"I am not sure what the future holds. I am unemployed and just taking it day by day.

"I would love to go and learn from the Nigerian FA. Come to Wolves and learn a little bit from them. Maybe do a bit of media work.

"I am not anxious to jump into something because being with my family is my priority at the minute.

"I wake up every morning happy to be here."

Source: BBC

maidaboi:
Guys how was kalu performance?
Ebere eze must play for nigeria oh i like that boy playing style

The entire team including Kalu except their goalkeeper was playing like secondary school boys...passes in the final third..disgusting...ball holding...unnecessary....defense..reactive...midfield...all motion....attackers....i think three shots on target for 94minutes...Goalkeepe..several superb saves...he saved them from drubbing. I rate their performance less than below average if there is something like. Perhaps i expected them to steamroll their opponents

same old sentiment that almost destroyed the super eagles few years ago. so bros you will prefer to call up a local league player at the expense of a player in the french ligue 1,eredivisie or even the belgian league who is doing very well week in week out just for the excuse of giving locally based players a chance? thank God rohr and the current nff will never succumb to the pressure from your likes and the media to give locally based players a chance.

for an npfl player to have a chance in the super eagles he must be better than the players we have in decent leagues in europe. the same npfl that the highest goal scorer failed trials in denmark and norway hahahahahahahaha go sleep abeg!

BascoVanVeli:


If NPFL players are trash then all SE players are trash compared to top players in Europe.

BascoVanVeli:


You are right I forgot about those two but 4 is still not a massive number.

In addition, Uche Agbo and beside him are 9 players in the Europa league.

odey,kalu,iwobi,chukwueze all played in the europa league last night. don't make it sound like the best we can boast of plays in the syrian,libyan,finnish or indian league and for that reason we should give your locally based recycled players a chance in the super eagles. nigeria as a football power house in africa currently boast of players in the epl,ligue 1,turkish league,belgian league,laliga,serie A,english championship,bundesliga etc so for this reason no room for your brick layers from the npfl

BascoVanVeli:



Keshi picked his players it had nothing to do with 5 spots. I never have asked for any designated spots but that doesn't mean players should get completely overlooked. Yesterday we had only 2 players participate in the Europa league and they were Alex Iwobi and Stephen Odey. Going by your comment he should be in India by now.

the only promising talents i see in the npfl are the 2 leftbacks with enyimba n lobi stars and i pray they move to europe asap. others na hunters hahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Favor99:
Issac Success is from Edo State? Which Success are you talking about?

I mean Isaac success of Watford

This Weekend in the Spanish LaLiga

Real Madrid vs Espanyol Barcelona

1X2: 1.20 | 13.15

LaLiga | 19:45 GMT+1

Bet here ➡️ www.betdey.com/search/7/249

Chelsea have praised Nigerian defender, Fikayo Tomori, for his impressive performance against Blackburn Rovers on match day eight in the EFL Championship on Tuesday, September 18.

An England U21 international, Tomori has been loaned out to The Rams for the entirety of the season, his second loan spell after spending last season at Hull City.

The central defender has caught the eye in his last five matches in the division, helping goalkeeper Scott Carson to post a shutout in matches against Ipswich Town, Preston North End and most recently against Blackburn.

He also went the distance in both matches against Oldham Athletic and Hull City in the League Cup in which the goalkeepers did not concede.

In their most recent review of their loanees, Chelsea wrote on their official website : ''Fikayo Tomori and Mason Mount started for Derby County as they were held to a 0-0 draw at home by Blackburn Rovers after dominating the game.

''Tomori produced a solid display at the heart of the back four, alongside Richard Keogh, and helped the home side keep a clean sheet against a Blackburn team which included Kasey Palmer, who played the opening 45 minutes.''

Tomori made his professional debut for Chelsea on the final day of the 2015-2016 season against Leicester City.

Favor99:

Wasn’t Moses one of the key players and leaders in our team winning African Cup of Nations back in 2013? What do you mean he wasn’t committed to the team? He had a goal and an assist during the 3 games at the World Cup.
Your hate is obvious and very bias.

Bia come oo.. Are u a relative of Moses?
You just jumped out of nowhere and started quoting every post on Moses...



Modified..
Moses was never fully committed to the national team..everybody knows that.. He was always skipping game with different excuses and when he is available,he is late to camp.. In his 6 year with the national team he didn't make up to 40 appearance and most of it came in competitive games...
His contribution to our afcon winning squad was massive no doubt but was he the only one? what about Mikel? Enyeama? Mba? Emenike? Onazi?
His decision to retire from the national team at such an early age with no proof of a rift or discomfort between him and the NFF show that he was no longer interested in the team..

Let him enjoy his retirement on the Chelsea bench in peace .

Humility017:

I mean Isaac success of Watford

His full name is Success Ajayi Isaac.

Born in Benin City, Yes. But I doubt he is Yoruba because hardly do Yorubas bear a name like Success. They may bear Isaac though. They hardly even bear two English names.
They typically always want at least one of their native names to appear to show their roots. Eg: he would have been Success Ajayi or Ajayi Isaac. Seems one of Success' parent is Yoruba though. Not sure either cos Akoko-Edo part of Edo state bear Yoruba names too.

charlesemeka85:
same old sentiment that almost destroyed the super eagles few years ago. so bros you will prefer to call up a local league player at the expense of a player in the french ligue 1,eredivisie or even the belgian league who is doing very well week in week out just for the excuse of giving locally based players a chance? thank God rohr and the current nff will never succumb to the pressure from your likes and the media to give locally based players a chance.

for an npfl player to have a chance in the super eagles he must be better than the players we have in decent leagues in europe. the same npfl that the highest goal scorer failed trials in denmark and norway hahahahahahahaha go sleep abeg!

Same old making up of evidence. Keshi won an AFCON with that same old sentiment so respect it. Were we using NPFL players when we fell to Egypt? Was Omerou in the NPFL when he let that SA boy school him?

You are just acting like a common Nigerian who will follow the tide to blame someone else when the problem is looking u in your eye.

charlesemeka85:
odey,kalu,iwobi,chukwueze all played in the europa league last night. don't make it sound like the best we can boast of plays in the syrian,libyan,finnish or indian league and for that reason we should give your locally based recycled players a chance in the super eagles. nigeria as a football power house in africa currently boast of players in the epl,ligue 1,turkish league,belgian league,laliga,serie A,english championship,bundesliga etc so for this reason no room for your brick layers from the npfl

Listen here dud, if u don't know what a conversation is about it isn't fair to just start commenting wildly. What NPFL player have I named? Trust me when I see a guy who deserves a call up there will be nothing u can do about shutting me up. Anyways the fact still remains that if by your standard our league is poor then u should also put that standard to use in rating the players on the SE. Do we have 11 starters in Europe's top 5? Did we have 15 goal scorer? What about left back? I can go on with reasons why u can never shut the door on the NPFL.

oga if you like cry from now till tomorrow about the neglect of the npfl players they can only have a chance in the team if they prove to the handlers that they can offer more to the team than our foreign pros. you can as well resurrect keshi and reemploy him as the team's coach so that they will be a quota again for npfl players. rubbish! others are planning ahead and here you are making reference to afcon triumph 5 years ago

BascoVanVeli:


Same old making up of evidence. Keshi won an AFCON with that same old sentiment so respect it. Were we using NPFL players when we fell to Egypt? Was Omerou in the NPFL when he let that SA boy school him?

You are just acting like a common Nigerian who will follow the tide to blame someone else when the problem is looking u in your eye.

and the 100 goal striker that emerged from the local league last season couldn't pass a trial in denmark and norway of all leagues? and aside the top 5 leagues in europe is the npfl better than others? whats the current rating of the npfl in africa? when last did an npfl team made it to the finals of african club competitions? i pointed out earlier that the only good talents i can pick out from the local league are the leftbacks from enyimba and lobi stars and that of enyimba is the captain of the current u20 team so he is in the mix. i will rather give a young promising talent in the german,spanish or english 2nd tier a chance than waste the slot of old cargoes masquerading as young players in the npfl

BascoVanVeli:


Listen here dud, if u don't know what a conversation is about it isn't fair to just start commenting wildly. What NPFL player have I named? Trust me when I see a guy who deserves a call up there will be nothing u can do about shutting me up. Anyways the fact still remains that if by your standard our league is poor then u should also put that standard to use in rating the players on the SE. Do we have 11 starters in Europe's top 5? Did we have 15 goal scorer? What about left back? I can go on with reasons why u can never shut the door on the NPFL.

charlesemeka85:
oga if you like cry from now till tomorrow about the neglect of the npfl players they can only have a chance in the team if they prove to the handlers that they can offer more to the team than our foreign pros. you can as well resurrect keshi and reemploy him as the team's coach so that they will be a quota again for npfl players. rubbish! others are planning ahead and here you are making reference to afcon triumph 5 years ago

The only rubbish is being said by u. I guess u want to start an argument about quota system (which I am against BTW). Did Keshi win an AFCON with Sunday Mba yes or no? If yes then ur NPFL players are brick layers line is crap.

charlesemeka85:
and the 100 goal striker that emerged from the local league last season couldn't pass a trial in denmark and norway of all leagues? and aside the top 5 leagues in europe is the npfl better than others? whats the current rating of the npfl in africa? when last did an npfl team made it to the finals of african club competitions? i pointed out earlier that the only good talents i can pick out from the local league are the leftbacks from enyimba and lobi stars and that of enyimba is the captain of the current u20 team so he is in the mix. i will rather give a young promising talent in the german,spanish or english 2nd tier a chance than waste the slot of old cargoes masquerading as young players in the npfl

Lokosa scored 19 and couldn't pass trials, Stephen Odey scored 18 and is now playing in the Europa League such is life. Was Salah the top scorer in Italy? Being a top scorer doesn't make u the best.

and where are those local league players keshi paraded during his time as the head coach of the super eagles now? mba,odunlami,egwuekwe,ezoenyi,agbim,kwambe,gabriel reuben(whom we were made to believe he was the 2nd coming of yaya toure),oboabona etc where are they now? they ought to be in their peak now but have fallen off the radar .

BascoVanVeli:


The only rubbish is being said by u. I guess u want to start an argument about quota system (which I am against BTW). Did Keshi win an AFCON with Sunday Mba yes or no? If yes then ur NPFL players are brick layers line is crap.

thank God u don answer yourself who mimicked our inability of producing a 15 goal in any of europes tops leagues last season

BascoVanVeli:


Lokosa scored 19 and couldn't pass trials, Stephen Odey scored 18 and is now playing in the Europa League such is life. Was Salah the top scorer in Italy? Being a top scorer doesn't make u the best.

charlesemeka85:
and where are those local league players keshi paraded during his time as the head coach of the super eagles now? mba,odunlami,egwuekwe,ezoenyi,agbim,kwambe,gabriel reuben(whom we were made to believe he was the 2nd coming of yaya toure),oboabona etc where are they now? they ought to be in their peak now but have fallen off the radar .

Who cares? They got the job done is all that matters. Even Emenike fell off.

charlesemeka85:
thank God u don answer yourself who mimicked our inability of producing a 15 goal in any of europes tops leagues last season

Did I say 8 or 18. Come on bro, u don't have a leg to stand on. Don't forget players don't sign themselves.

charlesemeka85:
and where are those local league players keshi paraded during his time as the head coach of the super eagles now? mba,odunlami,egwuekwe,ezoenyi,agbim,kwambe,gabriel reuben(whom we were made to believe he was the 2nd coming of yaya toure),oboabona etc where are they now? they ought to be in their peak now but have fallen off the radar .

Hmmm.. u raised a good point here oo.. Where are there players now ?

continuity is the major aim of building a team not just quick results. emenike already have made a name in the turkish and russian league and as well was a good performer in the national team before he fell off so he had nothing much to prove to us anymore but the local based lads i mentioned in my last comment looked like world beaters who were posed for a good career after the afcon triumph but what happened? bros open your eyes and say no to mediocrity

BascoVanVeli:



Who cares? They got the job done is all that matters. Even Emenike fell off.

bros one thing you will understand in football business or all sports in general is when scouts sees a genuine talent they can do what ever it takes or even more to get them for the clubs they represent.

do you know of late that our local academy players moves to decent and better clubs in europe than our npfl players? do you know that almost 60% or even more of present super eagles team are players that were plugged from academies in nigeria?

do you know the major reason odey got a chance with fc zurich is because he was just 19-20yrs old when he signed for them and it wouldn't have been possible if he was above that age bracket?

foreign clubs prefers to invest in younger players who they can polish and sell in the nearest future to make better profit than investing on a player who have been in the local scene for almost 5 seasons and still claim to be 19yrs old hahahahahahahaha

BascoVanVeli:


Did I say 8 or 18. Come on bro, u don't have a leg to stand on. Don't forget players don't sign themselves.