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Girondins of Bordeaux manager, Eric Bedouet has lauded man of the match, Samuel Kalu after his sparkling display that helped Bordeaux secure a nervy 1-0 win over Dijon in a French Ligue 1 game on Sunday, reports Completesports.com.
While Bedouet was bemused by his side’s failure to kill off their opponents in the keenly contested game, the performance of Kalu drew special mention.
Kalu provided the assist for Andreas Cornelius to score in the 77th minute of the game which secured Bordeaux the vital three points and a move up to 10th position in the league table.
The 21-year-old has had a hand in his team’s last four goals (scoring three goals and providing one assist).
“He’s doing us a lot of good right now after we worked a lot with him to make the right choices, individual or collective in the final third,” 20minutes.fr quoted Bedouet as saying of Kalu’s showing.
“He is still a young player who is learning. He’s a little behind in terms of language as he speaks mostly English but he integrates well with the squad.
“He also laughs a lot at what he understands. He is really a very good person.”
Bordeaux’s veteran striker, Jimmy Briand, also praises for the Nigerian international and adds that once his skills are polished he will move on.
“He is really doing us a lot of good right now. He’s still a young player who learns very well,” Briand told 20minutes.fr.
“Indeed, the margin of progression of Samuel Kalu seems huge at only 21 years because it is still a player who spoils many of his actions because of bad choices.”
“The day he settles this, he should not stay long at the Girondins de Bordeaux.”
10 Comments
I see Kalu taking Africa by storm. This is influence, having a hand in your team’s last 4 goals. Scoring 3, and providing one assist. Capping with a MOM performance that puts in the team of the week with the best in French league.
Keep it up and refrain from bad choices off the pitch and the best clubs will come begging for you.
The bad choices referred to here is tactical choices, when to go solo, or two to beat one, when to let go vs keeping the ball, when to shoot vs passing to a team mate, when to entertain vs being business minded and ruthless.
Anyway, skill is inborn and can only be polished but tactics is acquired, physical and health education 101, LOL, Obi is no longer a boy.
He just has to be cool headed and ambitious.
Model his game after two players he admires, emulate and copy their moves.
Work extra hard, watch his match clios to see his errors, criticize and correct himself, then he will surely make to tje Chelsea and Bacas of this world.
If Fredie Kanute, Seidu Keita and our own Amuneke can make it to Baca and excelled in Baca, Kalu and Chukweze can make it and I see them making Nigerians proud again after many years of starless Super Eagles.
Great luck to you.
May God take you the mountain top where you belong.
Spot on, CJ. Kalu is the kind of player France would have quickly snapped up if Rohr had not capped him. Once a French coach starts praising a black player, in a twinkle he’s donning the famous LeBleus shirt.
Kalu, Chukwueze, Osimhen, Collins and most of these new kids on the block in the SE are sure a gift to Nigeria. I dare say Nigeria are the clear favorites to lift the next Afcon. Whereas other big names in Africa majorly have one or two megastars like Mane in Senegal, the Super Eagles is brimming with a constellation of super talented up and coming stars.
In other news, I read Victor Moses has caved in to Pinnick’s pressure and rescinded his earlier decision to retire from international football. So we might be seeing Nigeria’s footballer of the year 2018 at the next Afcon in Egypt.
@ Kel. That’s going to be a great piece of news if V.Moses returns. It will only add to the quality of the team and make it stronger….however, he should drop his prima-donna mentality wherever he is coming from when coming to the national team…..this time around, he will not be begged to play as a wingback or as a goalkeeper. If he’s not ready to give his all as Kalu did vs SA away, then he should please stay away. Lastly, he should go and learn the national anthem of Nigeria. Even the likes of Balogun, Troost and Ebuehi who are true true Oyinbo born, bred and buttered now sing the national anthem when the team files out before matches. Uncle moses will keep mute as if he’s a mercenary whose allegiance lies elsewhere.
No single player is bigger than a whole team. The year Eric cantona was dropped from the world cup, France won it for the 1st time…the year Micheal Owen was offloaded from liverpool, they won the champion’s league after many decades…Nikola Kalinic was kicked out of the croatian team at the last world cup for feeling too big to be a sub….Croatia went on to have their best ever placing at a world cup.
Welcome back V. Moses. Glad to have you back on board.
I just hope all these praises doesn’t get into his head. Meanwhile, its a good thing that his manager and more experienced colleagues has identified his decision making as the area where he needs to work hardest. I hope they can help him overcome that challenge and make him a star for both the club and the SE. But as i said, discipline on the part of Kalu will be key as from now henceforth. I’m almost getting tired of praising a youngster one season and the next he’s already bitting the dust, due to indiscipline, either on or off the pitch. The last time Kalu returned from international break, switched off his phones and refused to go to training….if he tries that another time he might as well begin to kiss this newfound love from his team goodbye.
The reward for hard-work is and always will be more hard-work….!
AMEN my bro i join your prayer band for them because they are doing well for themselves at the moment and with good and responsible attitude on and off the pitch i see them going places
Meanwhile:
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Former Real Madrid youth-teamer Mutiu Adepoju has advised Villarreal teen sensation Samuel Chukwueze not to leave Spain amid speculation linking him with a move to Arsenal.
Apart from the Gunners, several European teams are keeping tabs on the Nigeria international and Villarreal will struggle to keep him if they are relegated at the end of the season and he continues his red hot form.
”As a La Liga fan and ambassador, I will want Chukwueze to continue in La Liga. Chukwueze has great quality and he has shown it , that is why everybody is looking for him,” said Mutiu Adepoju.
”I will prefer he stays in Villarreal, it won’t be long for a bigger team in La Liga to look for him. They have been looking for him. That is where he started and he’s going to have a better future there.”
On the aspect of Chukwueze’s game that he should improve, Adepoju said : ”He is improving in every game. All his games that I have seen, I have seen great improvement and he should continue like that.
”He should be consistent. He has quality both in shooting and dribbling, getting himself into space to receive the ball and attacking the opponents.
”He should continue growing and improving and when the time comes, he’s going to be a great player.”
Chukwueze has been directly involved in seven goals in 18 first-team games for Villarreal since his debut and has found the net in the Europa League, Copa del Rey and La Liga.
Samuel Chukwueze will not get a work permit to play for Arsenal or any club in the English Premier league until 2020 because of the rules. A nice to Arsenal would be suicidal to his career as he will have to be loaned out in the same way Omeruo, Awoniyi and Onyekuru are currently. He had to play 75% of Super Eagles games in a year before he is eligible to play in England and he has only played half of one friendly so far. If he plays in the rest of the matches this year and is picked for the AFCON squad then he will be eligible from next year. Any EPL team that comes sniffing should be told to come back next year with a pocket full of cash.
I also concur that he should stay with Villarreal for the rest of the season, as he is guaranteed playing time and will continue in his rich begin of form. Moving to a new club now will see him have to adapt, adjust to a new set of teammates and playing philosophy. Better for him to move after the season has ended (whether they stay up or not) so that he has the pre-season to get used to a new environment plus teammates and formation/playing style
*a move to Arsenal would be suicidal to his career development
Nigeria U20 Squad
Goalkeepers: Akpan Udoh (Unattached); Olawale Oremade (Oasis FC); Detan Ogundare (Kogi United)
Defenders: Mike Zaruma (Plateau United); Ikouwem Utin (Enyimba International); Igoh Ogbu (Rosenburg FC, Norway); Solomon Ogberahwe (El-Kanemi Warriors); Valentine Ozornwafor (Enyimba International); Olasunkanmi Aliyu (Emmanuel Amuneke Academy)
Midfielders: Peter Eletu (Prince Kazeem Academy); Quadri Liameed (36 Lions); Aniekeme Okon (Akwa United); Jamil Muhammad (Kano Pillars); Afeez Aremu (IK Stat, Norway)
Forwards: Adamu Alhassan (Kano Pillars); Yahaya Nazifi (Sonderjyske FC, Denmark); Ibrahim Aliyu (Oasis FC); Adeshina Gata (Wikki Tourists); Ibrahim Abubakar (Plateau United); Okoh Victor (Real Sapphire FC); Maxwell Effiom (Enyimba International)
Wats your assessment guys?