Umar Sadiq is a major doubt for Nigeria’s 2023 Africa Cup of Nations opening match with the Nzalang Nacional of Equatorial Guinea.
Sadiq did not train with the rest of the squad at the Ecole Nationale de la Police on Wednesday night.
The Real Sociedad striker, who had a strapping around his leg had to be attended to by the team’s physio.
The striker reportedly picked a knock in the Super Eagles 2-0 friendly defeat to the Syli Stars of Guinea on Monday.
Head coach Jose Peseiro will hope he recovers in time for the clash against Equatorial Guinea.
Napoli hitman Victor Osimhen is currently the only fit striker at Peseiro’s disposal at the moment.
The other two strikers in the team; Kelechi Iheanacho and Terem Moffi are expected to join their teammates in camp this weekend.
Iheanacho, who just recovered from muscular injury will arrive camp on Saturday.
Moffi, a late replacement for the injured Victor Boniface will join the rest of the squad on Sunday.
By Adeboye Amosu in Abidjan
33 Comments
The CURSE on the SE as regards the ill treatment and SACKING of GENERAL ROAR is real my people…
MY FRIEND STOP THE CAP. I TOLD YOU PEOPLE MUSA IS BAD LUCK!. HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I SAID IT. YOU PEOPLE CAN PLAY DUMB ALL YOU LIKE BUT IT IS NOT LIKE I DID NOT SAY IT!.
THE INJUSTICE OF MUSA PRESENCE IN THAT TEAM AND THE NATURE OF HOW HE KEEPS FINDING HIMSELF ON THAT LIST AND THE BLATANT LIES AND EXCUSES GIVEN BY NFF AND SOME OF HIS LOYAL BLIND FANS!. IS CAUSING THIS TEAM TO CRUMBLE.
DID I NOT WARN YOU PEOPLE???????????????????????????
WITHOUT WASTING TIME, COACH PASEIRO SHOULD REPLACE HIM WITH CRIEL DESSERS IMMEDIATELY EFFECT.
AND THIS IS MAJOR REASON WHY CAF ALLOW 27 PLAYERS TO BE SUBMITTED.
Both NFF & PASEIRO are ignorant.
Nonsense pessimist report. He ties a bandage around, then he is injured; so juvenile a report.
Anyone that has played football will understand that 99.9 % of footballers always carry one pain or the other, and as longer as you can still do your thing on the pitch, it’s never a problem. STRANGE SO CALLED NIGERIAN FANS ARE DELIBERATELY USING EVERY MEDIUM TO ORCHESTRATE THE DOWNFALL OF OUR SE. THEN WHEN THE GHANAIANS SAY SOMETHING, THEY WILL COME OUT TO ATTACK THE GHANAIAN FANS. IF YOU SAY YOUR DAUGHTER IS A PROSTITUTE IN PUBLIC AND I START CALLING HER A PROSTITUTE, WHY BLAME ME THEN?.
IT’S SIMPLE, LET PESEIRO AND TEAM FAIL FIRST BEFORE PULLING OUT THE WHIP, OTHERWISE YOU ONLY FIGHTING TO FAN YOUR EGO, OTHERWISE WHY NOT JUST STAY QUIET AND WATCH TO SEE YOUR FEARS MATERIALISE, A WAIT THAT MAY JUST BE A REOCCURRING DECIMAL. NIGERIANS I FEAR UNA.
Eureka!
Ahmed Musa can play with Osimhen , they can form strong attacking for Super Eagles , if Peseiro play with 4-4-2 formation.Ahmed Musa is a pace and quick attacking forward he can actuate the rival defence , then Osihmen can come from behind to score goals.
Glory. I wonder why people are so filled with hatred and bad luck. They have forgotten this is sports. If you don’t like who is included or sacked and the person is included or sacked, can you move on and enjoy yourself and wish them well. We go kill ourselves ni.
Everything can’t be perfect now. Yes I don’t like Musa’s stay in that team, it’s injustice. But maturity requires I love on and wish them well. This is not war
We have seen coaches include players contrary to public options and they have won tournaments.
Yobi did not deserve to be there in 2013. Same with keshi. In world cup 1982, the highest goal scorer (I have forgotten his name) just came out from prison. The coach believed in him and he came out good.
Even the world cup Brazil won under scolari, public options were against him taken Ronaldo. But they won.
While not justifying Musa inclusion but can we be matured to move on and stop wishing them bad luck and misfortune.
“Nonsense pessimist report. He ties a bandage around, then he is injured; so juvenile a report”
@Glory sir, now that he sat out training today (Thursday), is it still not yet a cause for concern in spite of the “pessimistic report?
I wonder how many other players are nursing injuries “silently”; oh, sorry, all players have one form of injury.
Super Eagles are always excuse manufacturers – thankfully, no one will say it is a young squad when they misfire.
A squad worth over 600 billion Naira will be mad if they underperform after all the years of being together.
YOU PEOPLE DONT GET IT DO YOU?
LET ME BREAK IT DOWN.
IF A SHEEP LEADS A PACK OF LIONS INTO A WAR, THE LIONS WILL FIGHT LIKE SHEEP. HOWEVER IF A LION LEADS A HEARD OF SHEEP INTO BATTLE, THE SHEEPS WILL FIGHT LIKE LIONS.
NIGERIA WANTS MEDIOCRE BY ALL MEANS AND WILL EVEN GO AS FAR AS HANDING MEDIOCRE THE ARMBAND. NO WORRY NAAAAHHHHH NATURE MUST SURELY OBLIGE. YOU PEOPLE SHOULD ENJOY THE RIDE STUBBORN BUNCH OF NIGERIANS MTCHEEEW!!!!!!!!!!
Don’t worry Ugo. Ahmed Musa is also an option in centre forward position. He is fit and ready to be deployed.
We will be fine.
Musa cannot give what he doesn’t have .he is obviously one of Nigeria best yes ,he has been a consistent player over the years yes ,he is always ready to give his best anytime any day yes but as we speak musa not the musa me and you know ,age and non consistent football have slowed him down .don’t expect anything from musa he has tried and needs to say good bye to international football.
Joseph, I am astonished!
Musa is only 31 years old. There are older players like olivier Giroud still playing international football.
His experience will be valuable.
I hope he is not in spain already. .
If oshimen own happen the team shud just take next flight back .
@deo Gift Orban is a better option. Gift Orban for Musa.. if Sadiq is really inured then I will say Orban for Sadiq and Nwakali for Musa anyway. That sounds like a team that is serious about winning AFCON not this Musa shenanigans
Ugo, Musa is a beast in front. The years haven’t diminished his raw pace and brutality. He is fit and rearing to go.
I will pick Paul Onuachu ahead of Gift Orban. Onuachu has height, physicality and a keen eye for goals. He is the quintessential Iroko tree in the compound of goals!
Ugo, the Super Eagles will shock you in this Afcon. With Uzoho, Musa, Ekong and Frank the tank Onyeka we can never go wrong.
These are not ‘Shaku Shaku’ players, they are the cream of the crop!
I Agree with you on Frank Onyeka I have always backed him on this forum @JimmyBall can attest to that. However with Ekong maybe his presence and Experience is needed in the Back and he is still plying regularly It would have definitely made more sense to put an Inform Balogun (@Rangers). but then again Nigerians and the coaches seems to always get the kind of Experience we need right i.e. Musa instead of Victor Moses and Ekong instead of Balogun.
Interms of Musa and Uzoho I do not Agree hoha.. With Uzoho ( not many options). But with Musa We have too many options and not just normal Options players with Big I mean HUGE!!1 Potential who are just getting done in by this Old MAN MUSA!!!!
I hear you Ugo. Musa will do his best if called upon.
Ugo he is there now what can we do. Let’s wish them well. Your points are noted but you should know that in life what you can’t directly control you don’t bother yourself about.
God bless @ Christian Ministry. Exactly my point. Personally, I have multiple reasons to turn my back on this team but NIGERIA IS FAR FAR BIGGER THAN MY CHOICES. SO I can only support and wish the team succeed otherwise I will be a disgusting, vain ego tripper.
@Glory Spare me the Disgusting Ego Tripper Blah Blah Blah BS. That point only makes sense when we are debating players who are excelling at the same rate in their club careers and have similar potentials as well not when one side is doing real well in their club career’s and gaining international recognition at an alarming rate only achieved by Osimhen and Boniface of recent and needs encouragement not injustice. On the other side you have a player who has faded into obscurity not relevant in club and has been on the decline for 6 whole years and only mysteriously becomes relevant for international duty??. then it’s not a case of Nigeria has options but rather of Blatant Bias and Injustice. so your disgusting vain nonsense you just spewed does not make sense seems more like a personal attack, Correct me if I am wrong.
@ Ugo, you know I personally right from Rohrs later period have always wished Musa retired from the team. But somehow I can understand his inclusion now though I still very skeptical about it. Musa is, beside very experienced, he is a winner. Omeruo is a winner, iheanacho is a winner though at junior level, Osimene, chuzzy, Look an etc are winners and that winnerz mentality combined experience and vibrancy from the newbies is always good recipes for ultimate victory.
Yes I might be wrong but since I can’t change anything now, I think it’s better to wait,see n watch while maintaining that nigerian never fading optimism. @ Ugo you mentioning Orban who to me is all about potential yet unproven at international level combined with his nationality issue. How you put such player in the frame. His time will surely come and when that happens, nobody will deny him that just it was with Osimene. Peseiro just like Rohr has his short comings but for, WHEN YOU MISTAKENLY ENTERS TAXI IN SO MUCH RUSH TO GET TO WORK, THEN SUDDENLY FINDS OUT, THE DRIVER WHO IS DRIVING AT A FRIGHTENING SPEED IS DRUNK, YOU WILL ONLY BE SCREAMING, CURSING, AND THREATENING HIM AT YOUR OWN RISK OF BOTH ARRIVING TOO QUICKLY AT LIFE’S JOURNEY AND NEVER ARRIVING AT WORK DESTINATION. NA SWEET WORDS AND SUPPORT TO THAT DRIVER GO MAKE YOU REACH WELLA OOOO.
@Glory Michael Owen was once untested but England like serious nations that wants to succeed do took him to WC look how it paid off England benefited. Wayne Rooney same thing albeit these players were even younger..I Can List many teams Brazil did it with Ronaldo El fenomino took him to 94 Wc and made him sit on the bench and learn and experience the tournament look how it paid off for them in 98 WC. Rohr even though he passed me off in his latter days at the helm of SE did it with Osimhen too. It is only in Nigeria were the story is different. Nigeria Will take an old player to appease him than take an exciting talent that Can learn from and, even add to the overall tournament..
Lol PS for how long must we suck it up and pet this team and support them throughout one bad decision after another im hopes not to upset them and so they can play well. We owe the. Nothing. They owe the country their best be it from. Administration to coaching to players.
Anyway it is well. Deep down I wish them the best but I am happy about our sports philosophy.
Yeah @ Ugo, when percentage ratio between no. of experienced players and newbies in a team tilts more to experienced, then bringing few talented rookies will make some sense, but when it’s tilting more to rookies like in our case presently, it becomes unquestionably sensible to choose an experience player over an additional newbie, for you to have that balance. PLEASE UGO, DO YOUR RESEARCH, AND YOU WILL FIND OUT VERY FEW TEAMS, IF EVER AT ALL HAVE WON A TOURNAMENT WITH ROOKIES. Football is won on and off the pitch. Experience is extremely vital off the pitch.
Every teams coming to Afcon have there own short coming, there’s no perfect team in the whole world name them, Argentina, Brazil, Italy, England, Senegal etc, it’s just because we are very close to our dear super eagles, even it’s we the fan that usually expose our team weakness for our enemies to see, I could remember a course I took in 300L , thermodynamics about 29 years ago, my professor teaches us that there’s no perfect engine. Therefore, no perfect team, I still believe that if super eagles win their first game the confidence to carry on will come, 1990 we were beaten by Algeria by 5:1 yet we played in the final, 2013 we struggled out of our group, that comprised Zambia, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia and Nigeria with 5 points, one against Ethiopia with two penalties, then drew the remaining matches, it was quarter final things changed for our eagles when we miraculously best ivory coast and from then on the spirit of champions came upon our dear super eagles, let wait and see again things will surely happen I meant good thing.
“Therefore, no perfect team, I still believe that if super eagles win their first game the confidence to carry on will come….”
That line would have made much more sense (don’t get me wrong) if it did not happen with Eguadiolas Eagles (sorry, Dr Drey) in AFCON 2021.
Those guys dusted the group stage only to fall to COVID ravaged, unknown assistant coach led Tunisia.
Guess what? Many of those in that squad are also in this one…. that have scored 18 but conceded 19 goals in the last 12 matches (12 nil victory is discounted because na secondary school abu Dhabi kids them play).
Those of us jittery are concerned about that premise. Now we have injured players who say they are not until when physical football sets in in the proper tournament.
Nothing will be confident about this squad.
Eagles have the most top 4 finishes in history…true…but first second-round tourney, they crashed out (2021).
We are so scared of a “highly promising” repeat this time around sir.
This leopard is capable of changing its spots but would (not can) it?
Our match against Tunisia complacency kills super eagles when they hear Tunisia they relax, thinking they would just roll over them because of the news they heard about them that COVID 19 have depleted them, if it were Cameroon, we could have see different ball game.
Thank you adedokun. What you can’t change why trouble yourself. Can we because of One player wish other players bad luck? That’s not fair. I think everything is down now for eagles except Oshimen being the current APOTY.
A team that’s down needs not fear any fall.
I also wonder why fans get si scared about afcon as of other African teams are completely perfect.
It’s bad when we are scared about equatorial guinea guinea bisau etc in a tournament
Our match against Tunisia complacency kills super eagles when they hear Tunisia they relax, thinking they would just roll over them because of the news they heard about them that COVID 19 have depleted them, if it were Cameroon, we could have see different ball game.
Eureka!
Me I no get wahala.
As long as my man Frank “Buffon” Uzoho is in between the sticks, we are good to go.
With Uzoho, I’m ready to go to any war!
Thumbs up Brotherman Pompei. I am glad that you have seen the light. With Uzoho there will be no “Shaku Shaku” goalkeeping.
Currently, okoye is the first choice goal keeper in his club. After the game against Tunisia, many SE fan came hard on him nearly destroying the promising career of the young man. Many even said Uzoho is better than him lol.
Hahahhhaha…..I remember the racist amongst them saying Uzoho would easily have saved the Tunisia shot Okoye conceded….LMAOoo…..Okoye has no business in the SE….He is only getting into the SE because he is light skinned….yen yen yen eyn.
The boy is gradually establishing himself a the very top now.
I am so glad the kid is shutting all his haters up 1 by 1 with the passing of everyday. Just as he fought his way from being 4th choice at Sparta to becoming the Gk of the Sesaon in the Eredivisie, he his also fighting his way to becoming the no 1 of a Serie A club like Udinese.
I pray it never gets to the point where we will go cap in had begging him to return to the SE with all these wannabees hanging around the team now