Ademola Lookman has reflected on his impressive performance for Nigeria at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Lookman was one of Nigeria’s top performers at the competition, finishing as joint-top scorer with William Troost-Ekong.
The 26-year-old was the hero in Nigeria’s Round of 16 victory against eternal rivals Cameroon, with his brace sending the Super Eagles to the quarter-finals.
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“My favourite goal was the second goal against Cameroon, it gave me goose bumps, my parents were watching on,” the winger said in an interview with Calister Enejele.
Lookman also explained how it felt to be Nigeria’s joint-top scorer in his first-ever AFCON tournament.
“Very happy, obviously as an attacking player, we always want to help the team by doing that and the team was amazing, everyone helped out,” he said.
“It was amazing, first tournament with the team, it was something I really, really enjoyed.”
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COMMENTS
That 2nd goal is also one of my favourite recent SE goals, because it involved an interplay between three players (Bassey, Iwobi, Lookman) that totally confused the Cameroonians. It showed Bassey’s skill as a left-back, Iwobi’s passing ability at its best, and Lookman’s movement and eye for goal.
They Will freeze him out of the team an start claiming that NPFL must be given a chance. Players Like Lookman will be used as scape Goat by NPFL coaches for the failures and these same Coaches will constantly be in Finidi’s Ears making noise and trying to influence him…
We the fans will never agree to backhand Maneuvres. If Finidi succumbs to pressures, we will shout for him to be offloaded. We shall never allow the SE to be infiltrated by unconscionable, hungry, unskilled coaches. Let the real SE fans brace up for a harsh confrontation! We shall not sit on the fence.
@KangaA we have a real fight on our hands with what is about to transpire for our Darling Super Eagles a HUGE fight. But unfortunately standing together is out of ourhands As Majority of Nigerian Fans are overly patriotic about Nigeria and Super Eagles but have no knowledge about Super Eagles best players and Who the Best Players in Nigeria are or where they play. I saw a post on Facebook about Victor Moses hailing our True Wing Wizardry Legend and, no word of a lie some Fans were talking about “I thought this guy got injured after AFCON is he still playing for Nantes in France” they were mistaking him with Moses Simon. Yet these are the fans that constantly clamour for Musa’s name when he is rightly Omitted these are the same Fans who made NFF order Peseiro to Include Musa to AFCON the same FANS are the ones Asking NFF why the NPFL players are not in Super Eagles these same fans will eat up anything an ex International fills thier clueless minds with regarding Super Egles and yes these are the majority of Nigerian Fans Back home, As innocent as this may seem yet it is so Damaging to the future of Nigerian Ball.
We are in for a Big fight as the Media outlets don’t really help matters giving people like Unael Voice yet not even covering the Upward trajectory Orban is On in Lyon scoring goals from the bench and getting stuck in.. Media Outlets that will fill the headline stories with Confusion about Musa not being invited to SE instead of talking about how Nigeria can Get Super Star Midfielder Olise to our Cause.
Arrogant Nigeria France is doing well and Dominating World Football with Mbappe and Co and have been doing so for decades with the likes Zidane (Algerian Decent), Desailly (Ghana) and Co you name it. Putting France on the map players who don’t even Have French Blood when you talk of Zidane today what does the world Say? ” FRANCE LEGEND”.. here we are trying to freeze out Boys with Nigerian Blood or Boys born in Nigeria who just didn’t play for NPFL clubs from Super Eagles. Naija no Sabi good Thing and if Finidi comes in with the Homebase Mentality a Coach who Was 2nd to Rhor and Peseiro then he failed in the claims for Continuity ad NFF and Findi are just Scams as we all know..
Because as Coach of Enyimba and Deputy to Pesiero he can’t fool me to thinking he cannot see the difference in quality between Eruope Based Players and NPFL
Ugo I found it hard to figure out your message. What is your concern here. Why are you afraid. Can you be clearer.
Moreover, Musa issue is in the past now. Can we move forward.
You see Nigeria problem don dey there since. E no go end now.
Let’s just be hopeful and support the super eagles.
SMH, cooking up and other rubbish as usual. Even if he does are you the coach. Na when local coach takes over, that’s when you want to be imposing players for them. Una heartless sha
You be Oloshi….NFF secret operative
Look at this fake Nigerian, pretending to be Ghanaian. I don warn una make you trash your tv when the super Eagles are playing or support the PE teacher next door.
Nothing like just wait and see
This is one of the reasons I vehemently stand against the appointment of local coaches because they can’t just deal with the complexity of NFF’s love affair with NPFL players. It’s like these big heads in Abuja are stuck in a bad rom-com, where the plot is predictable, the characters lack depth, and the jokes fall apart.
By the virtue of what’s been blown into his trumpet, Finidi is already waving the flag for homegrown talents like it’s the latest trend. But hey, we all remember when Victor Moses, a player of dual nationality, basically carried us to victory in 2013 AFCON. Does this ever strike their heart at any stage or time? I doubt this a lot. Look at our last AFCON squad. It was like a foreign legion, save Seyi Olorunleke, who gathered dust on the bench from the beginning to the end at that tourney. Didn’t we do well enough at the competition to warrant maintaining the status quo? From one of his latest interviews, it’s evidently clear that Finidi will definitely perceive scouting players of Nigerian origin abroad a total waste of time. To him, that act of looking for an Iwobi, a Lookman or an Okoye in top European leagues is a complete waste of time because there are “gems” in the Nigerian league to be dug up!
But let’s not forget the Moroccan league, which is apparently light years ahead of ours. Did anyone see their local players in the team that hit the semi-final, setting a new African record that will be tough to match, not talk of breaking? Yes! I repeat, with their foreign-born players leading the charge, the Atlas Lions changed the narratives of our collective participation at the mundial as Africans. Yet here we are, pompous and clueless Nigeria, cursed with bad leadership and governance, scrambling to find talent in local matches like it’s a game of Where’s Wally. Local players that can’t even qualify for CHAN or achieve anything meaningful in continental competitions for their clubs since Eyimba won the CCL in 2003 and 2004.
Peseiro spilled the tea, revealing how the NFF practically tried to shoved NPFL players down his throat. But even after scouring every nook and cranny of Nigeria, dude couldn’t find anyone worth a second glance. Because let’s face it, our foreign-based stars shine brighter than the local lads, and that’s due to tough competitions they face week in, week out, in their respective clubs in top European clubs. And that’s what these stupid guys wanna sacrifice just bacuse one Monsuru from Kano Pillars must be in the Super Eagles by fire , by force?
So, forgive me if I don’t hold my breath for Finidi’s reign. I mean, sure, I want him to succeed for the sake of our World Cup dreams, but let’s just say my optimism is as shaky as the head of this sick NFF.
King A,
I couldn’t agree with you more when you sound a note of caution in Finidi bowing to pressure. That said, how will Finidi attempt to navigate not biting the hands that feed him if the pressure to include homebased players become insufferable?
According to the Sun Newspaper: “Finidi’s mandate as Super Eagles coach is to qualify the country to the 2026 World Cup and also involve more home-based players in the team. There is a plan in place for a camp to be opened early before the main team, this will involve players from the domestic league.”
Well, Rohr and Peseiro expertly navigated this quagmire. Even NFF Technical Director Eguavoen largely overlooked homebased players for AFCON and world cup qualifiers – so there’s hope that Finidi will do the right thing.
But, the calls for inclusion of homebased players in Finidi’s Super Eagles is coming from forces beyond the NFF.
“I hope Finidi who is a coach in the NPFL will deem it necessary to give opportunities to the best legs in the league to play for the Super Eagles.
At the moment, Nigerian clubs are not doing well in the continent but that is not enough for anyone to conclude that there is a dearth of talent in the domestic league,” said Finidi’s former colleague Moses Kpapor.
Again, it will be interesting to see how Finidi goes about to walking that tight rope between being his own person and kowtowing to pressure from those who put him in that position even if it means putting the knickers of a large body of fans in the twist!
Oga @Kenneth Shut your Dirty Trap or you think Say we nor know you be under Cover NFF employee hungry man way day on thier Payroll.
so they are Paying you to come and create confusion here Abi.. Mumu.. Even you that is against Europe Based stars why did you go overseas for search of a better life?. You are the kind Of Parasite we need to rid this forum off the type of person that makes this NFF Onigbese think they are doing welll.. No wahala Oga destruction You will Enjoy your Super Eagles when we are Languishing in 150 position in world football Anumanu Foolof the highest order.
Starting camp with home based players was what UNEARTHED Finidi himself during the days of Westerhof. I can never forget his debut match against Burkina Faso. I can only wish Finidi well.
Home based camp made the Nigerian teams extra competitive as the foreign players come and are not sure of making the match day squad because of what they will meet in camp. The atmosphere, the passion and determination makes the team really competitive. Not coming to camp and you are sure of starting the next match.
Mind you, he is the only Nigerian to have been inducted into the Ajax FC hall of fame. So all these SE players better behave themselves as none of them come close to Finito.
God bless you for this. Someone here that the ex-players are envious of the current. Just laughable
@Coache
As much as one will give Finidi is leeway. It is imperative to understand that no one is denying Finidi’s playing legacy but being a good player doesn’t make you a good coach eg. Maradona. It is like comparing oranges to apples.
And we should understand,era changes. The Nigerian league in the days of Finidi can’t be compared to now. You can’t even compare the Nigerian league of the early 2000s to the current situation. It has simply deteriorated. That’s a fact and we all know it.
Besides,in the 80s and early 90s,which is Finidi’s time, we had just a handful of Nigerian players playing abroad, so it was only rational to get the players from the homefront. And as stated, the league was quite good. We had the Bendel Insurances, Shooting stars, Julius Bergers, Enugu Rangers, Sharks, Stationery Stores, Bcc Lions,I.Nationales etc. running wild in the continent. Doing wonders. So it wasn’t far fetched to get players from a functional league. At the time, getting to the semi finals of the Caf Club competition by a Nigerian was mostly a given. It was expected. Can you say the same now?
Can you beat your chest and say Enugu Rangers will take out Djoliba of Mali in the first round of a CAF Club competition or arguably our best for while ,Enyimba ,take out Zanaco of Zambia? No one can rationally say that. No matter how patriotic or bias we can be. Facts don’t care about feelings.
So let’s be logical,the question is ,what’s the point of opening a homebase camp ,when we have a technical department of the FA, who should have been watching the league and know who is the best in every position. Heck Finidi coaches in the league. Are you saying he doesn’t know the best legs in the league? Why waste time camping, when you can just invite the best in the league for a position directly to the main Eagles camp?
For example, if you feel you got a better midfield quality in the NPFL than what we presently have, why don’t just invite him or them ,directly to the Super Eagles camp? Or is the homebase camping a training camp? Are we suggesting they are just training materials? Are they not quality enough that they are need more training?
But I digress, like I have always stated, the Super Eagles is not a training ground. It is the apogee of professionalism. This is the height. This is for the best amongst us that do what they do. This is for those that are ready. We should always regard it as such. You don’t go into a last stand of a major battle with rookie military personnel, unless they’re used as pawns to be slaughtered. You go in there with your elite. Whether we like it or not, the Super Eagles is for the Elite.
I wish Finidi all the best,like most Nigerians, even his critics, I want to see him succeed ,if he does, we all do. Nigeria wins. Nevertheless, one always have to rationalise ones’ sentiments or you get burnt.
Hehehehe….Mr Hush, wonderful points up there. Some things aint just rational. Why should the criteria and platform for the selection or invitation of a homebased player to the SE be differendt from that of foreign based players
They keep trying to convince us that homebased players are as good, or even better, in comparison to their foreign based counterparts, but they will go ahead and ask that homebased players be camped 2 weeks before their foreign-based counterparts…..LMAOoo. Pray tell me, if the foreign based players too also have the luxury of a 2 week camp before every qualifier, will their performances not be 10 times better than what they produce from their usual mere 2 days of full training…?
They will say homebased players should be “blended” with foreign-based players…LMAOo….basically saying their inefficiencies should be masked under the competence of foreign based players.
No, the homebased players are as good as the foreign based, open camp on Sunday evening for a Thursday game as is the current practice, and dont blend them with any foreign based players…..start 11 of them and name a further 11 on the bench. And lets see how results will pan out afterwards….LMAOoo.
What is good for the goose is good for the gander
We all were witnesses to how they disgraced us when they faced a largely “homebased” Mexico team a few years ago after 10 days of camping, whereas a foreign based SE team would train for 3 days and pull at least a draw against the same team.
Like I have said before, we are in such a precarious situation in the WCQ, if Finidi likes, let him choose this period as the best time to start experimenting with homebased players. I have lowered my expectations already.
AT @COACHE NPFL HAVE NOT GIVEN SE ANY TALENT STRAIGHT FROM THE LEAGUE NPFL PLAYERS THAT CAME FROM THE LEAGUE STIlL HAVE TO FIND THIER FEET IN EUROPE BEFORE GETTING THE NOD AND THESE ARE THE ONLY WAYS THE NPFL CAN LAY CLAIM TO PRODUCING ANY TOP TALENT and they are only a handful I can think off recent years Ighalo, Musa and Etebo.. NIGERIA HAS A TOP TALENT PLAYER PRODUCING FACTORY CALLED OUR STRONG ACADEMIES THANk GOD WE HAVE THAT. ONLY THE ACADEMIES HAVE PRODUCED IF WE ARE TO BE HONEST WITH OURSELVES THE HIGE+HEST CALIBER PLAYERS COMMING OUT OF NIGERIA IN HISTORY. I.e. THE LIKES OF OSIMHEN, BONIFACE AND OBI MIKEL’s .. NPFL IS NOT OuR TALENT BED TODAY, IT IS OUR ACADEMIES I KEEP SAYING IT, SO ALL THIS NPFL STORIES IS RUBBISH Awoniyi I can go on and on. ALL OUR TOP TALENTS IN WORLD FOOTBALL NIGERIAN BORN COMMING OUT OF NIGERIA ARE FROM THE ACADEMIES NOT NPFL YOU HEAR. NAME ONE FROM NPFL WHO HAS PLAYED 10 GAMES iN THAT WEAK LEAGUE?. OYA oGA @COACHE I AM WAITING NAME THEM?
@Mr Hush,
Your post was well crafted, Great job. My support for starting camp with Home based players is psychological if you have been following my posts.
When Nigerians are given leeway without competition, they relax and that has been our bane. With the home based in camp, all foreign players when they come to camp see what is going on and they take dressing. That has been the secret of Siasia success with the U23s and Westerhof.
When no home based in camp, players come in on Thursday for a Saturday game but now, you will see the urgency and hunger to succeed because of competition. Enough said.
@Coache the problem with Nigerians has always been the inability to pinpoint the root of the problem even if the problem is starring them Dead in the Eye..
Who told you that a Victor Osimhen will feel threatened if a @Deo Favourite lol Joseph Atule for eg. is in camp? lol I laugh in Chinese.. It may be different if the Same Atule had for eg. been going viral for scoring an un prescidented 20-30 goals in the league and is on the cusp of delivering CAF Champions League Glory to Nigerians for the first time in 24 years… then Osimhen may sit up.. then Osimhen may feel threatened maybe a big maybe.. But to think a Player who has just Achieved what only one of the greatest Footballers in the World Not Africa THE World was able to achieve at Napoli (Deigo Maradonna) is quite simply the height of Insanity if you claim to understand Modern ball and very Lauguable. do you think Boniface will be threatned by that?? Can you people not see that we are in a Golden Generation or are Nigerians just so destructive and Blind??., Nigerians nor sabi good thing oo. There is a Saying Bitting off more than you can chew, very pretinant for the average Nigerian mentality.
I mean boys doing what no other player from Africa did not even your Drogba’s, Leverkusen have never won the League they just did and 2 of thier biggest stars are Nigerian, DO Nigerian’s even understand the magnitude of the talent we have TOday??… Oga @Coache this is a golden Generation we are in. Wake the hell up! and understand that.
Moreover all our Osimhen’s, Boniface, Chukwueze, Iheanacho’s did they kick a ball in NPFL?? or was it the Academy’s that gave us these talents? and they still had to get most of the Knowledge they have now in Europe and fine tuned before they were what we see today. Even the Ones that Played in NPFL your Ighalo’s, Etebo and a Fan favourite Musa do you know how much they went through in europe before we see what we saw in thier Haydays they too had to be refined in Europe. SO what is the Aim of this Camp to find players that will do what stay in NPFL or Sell to Europe? so where is the Continuity if the latter is the case? Where?.. is this all not smelling like BS to you oga?. becuase if we train players to Sell to Europe then tomorrow those players become alienated because the greedy pigs have go thier Kickback from the transfer and have moved on to new dollar signs( New Payers) who then Loses out and Gains. Well we fans Lose and your Ex International Criminal Gods Win for thier Own Pockets. Oga Coache Make una Wise up ooooo!!!!!! Stop falling our Super Eagles hands
The only outcome I see for Nigeria with Finidi’s mentality if god forbid he has this destructive mentality is Nigeria will fail. Super Eagles will Suffer, CHan Eagles will Suffer, NPFL will suffer. That is the only outcome because any player that gets exposure with Super Eagles from NPFL, is just a waste of time We lose games the lucky one that gets spotted by a Tanzania league will move and be overlooked for next call up and this pitty cycle only enriches the pockets of the Criminals and destroys our Ball,, Mehn this all makes no sense to me it is so Sad and Mind Boggling. YOU SO CALLED BLIND PATRIOTS BE WARNED!!!!
SUPER EAGLES IS FOR FINISHED PRODUCTS WE ARE NOT A LOW TIER PLAYER TRAFFICKING NETWORK YOU HEAR!!!!
Ugo, you are so funny. 🙂
Joseph Atule is the next Osihmen. Hahaha! 🙂
Mr Hush,
Though not directed at me, I read your post rejoinder above to Coache with much interest.
As I already stated elsewhere, what I think is most important is how Coach Finidi will attempt to juggle so many competing interests from various actors and stakeholders in manner that still allows him to stay focused, arrive at a balanced judgement and produce a compelling Super Eagles outfit that will be competitive and achieve set objectives.
For me, it is no longer intellectually stimulating to engage in conversations around the geographical location of the leagues that players are selected to represent the Super Eagles. It just doesn’t cut the rational mustard anymore.
And this is why.
Whether anyone wants to accept it or not, the Super Eagles belongs to all of us: male, female, young, old, Christian, Muslim, atheist, Ibo, Yoruba, Hausa etc (you get the drift).
With these personal delineations comes personal choice.
So, there are many of us who want more or less players invited to the Super Eagles across the following divides:,
indigenous, dual nationality, Premier Leagues only, African Leagues, Nigerian League, Lower divisions in Europe, USA leagues etc. So long as the Super Eagles Head Coach is convinced that these players – when invited – will give 100% and contribute to strategic efforts.
Who am I to impose my preference on others? Brotherman Ugo doesn’t want NPFL players being considered for the Super Eagles but, I suspect he would ‘manage’ Anayo Iwuala (when he was still homebased or even that that he plays in Kuwait) than Ahmed Musa any day of the week.
The Super Eagles belong to all eligible players regardless of where they ply their trades and it is the sole responsibility of Head Coach Finidi to chart his own course and settle on his own players, wherever they might be playing thier football, no matter who gets angry.
Again the Super Eagles entity belongs to us all. Who am I to impose my will on others? I know it drops a lot of fans off their trolleys the minute you mention the inclusion of homebased players, players from lower divisions in Europe or players from other African or East European clubs. Well, each to their own.
It brings me back to the central theme of my message: it is up to Coach Finidi George to balance various competing interests in the selection of suitable players to represent the Super Eagles. If he likes he can go to Mars, Pluto or the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean to bring players to represent Nigeria, I don’t care. So long as these players turn up, deliver resplendent performances and propel Nigeria to greatness, those are my priorities.
I am 100% in alignment with Coache’s message of opening the camp earlier to forster seriousness, concentration and competition among players. If nothing else the good ones among the homebased players will be retained to prosecute future Wafu, Chan and homebased assignments.
Thank you.
AT @COACHE NPFL HAVE NOT GIVEN SE ANY TALENT STRAIGHT FROM THE LEAGUE NPFL PLAYERS THAT CAME FROM THE LEAGUE STIlL HAVE TO FIND THIER FEET IN EUROPE BEFORE GETTING THE NOD AND THESE ARE THE ONLY WAYS THE NPFL CAN LAY CLAIM TO PRODUCING ANY TOP TALENT and they are only a handful I can think off recent years Ighalo, Musa and Etebo.. NIGERIA HAS A TOP TALENT PLAYER PRODUCING FACTORY CALLED OUR STRONG ACADEMIES THANk GOD WE HAVE THAT. ONLY THE ACADEMIES HAVE PRODUCED IF WE ARE TO BE HONEST WITH OURSELVES THE HIGE+HEST CALIBER PLAYERS COMMING OUT OF NIGERIA IN HISTORY. I.e. THE LIKES OF OSIMHEN, BONIFACE AND OBI MIKEL’s .. NPFL IS NOT OuR TALENT BED TODAY, IT IS OUR ACADEMIES I KEEP SAYING IT, SO ALL THIS NPFL STORIES IS RUBBISH Awoniyi I can go on and on. ALL OUR TOP TALENTS IN WORLD FOOTBALL NIGERIAN BORN COMMING OUT OF NIGERIA ARE FROM THE ACADEMIES NOT NPFL YOU HEAR. NAME ONE FROM NPFL WHO HAS PLAYED 10 GAMES iN THAT WEAK LEAGUE?. OYA oGA @COACHE I AM WAITING NAME THEM?
@COACHE NAME ONE CURRENT STAR FROM SUPER EAGLES TODAY WHO HAS PLAYED 10 GAMES iN THAT WEAK LEAGUE NPFL?. OYA oGA @COACHE I AM WAITING NAME THEM?
SEGUN ODEGBAMI and UNAEL AND CO and the likes keeps going on about how our FInidi’s empleyment will improve the number of homebased in Super Eagles whic will help our league LOL!! my question is how?. Even the Finid’s and co he use as example from the past what did Findi do after SE exposure in his playing days did he stay in Nigeria and improve the league or go to Europe?. Make una park well Joor and let NPFL focus on CHAN as an avenue to Europe and better thier career’s
Enuf said!!!!!!
But where the home based players given the INVITES? let alone game time. Let me even inform you that the SE of Westerhof days always play a friendly match the Thursday preceding the Saturday games. That is why that 94 Class have been unmatched @Ugochukwu.
When you play a match or knock about before the main match, you get many talking points which will be avoided on mat h days. Finito is in that Westerhof breed.
@Coache we took at all Home based team to play Mexico’s 3rd Choice Squad, I need not remind you how we came back home with our tails between our legs, Pesiero’s first High profile Friendlies against Ecuador and Mexico in fact his first games in charge of Super Eagles he took almost 5 home based to camp with the team. Or you think he was playing?.. The Same Pesiero resulted to making a rule that he does not want Home-based players for the remainder of his tenure if he is too suceed with Super Eagles and rightly so. it is only in goal keeping Department that he tried because we were so thin there and his hands were really tied, needless to say, Let me not remind you that he had to go to South Africa to un earth Nwabali as he did not even see a Goal Keeper worthy in our league to claim the No 1 Shirt. When I say that No good player is left in NPFL the good ones are gone the following season after a good one. Nigeria’s talent ben and exports today in Europe in SE are from the Academies and Youth National team (Under 17 to be exact) where big European teams send scouts to those Junior WC’s and snap up the likes of Osimhen that is how Man City also unearthed Iheanacho and fine tuned him. Please @Coache your name Is a Misrepresentation if you will play dumb to what I am saying.
In fact going back to that Mexico Friendly which Pesiero took charge of exactly 7 months after our Embarrassment against their 3rd team. Pesiero took a better squad with still 7 or so Homebased (AS was imposed on him in the beginning) and some of our European stars against Mexico’s first team. and the result was a Draw if i am not mistaking go and watch the match and see how weak we looked when Home-based players were on the ball….
Typo correction
Coache we took *an* all Home based team to play Mexico’s 3rd Choice Squad
Nigeria’s talent *bed*
I am too passionate about Super Eagles and watch it destroyed by the same people who are suppose to harness and protect it..
Incase you people do not know football puts countries on the map look at what Messi has done for Argentina, Ronaldo for Portugal i can go on and on Pele for Brazil.. But here in Nigeria we are debating about stunting the career’s f big potentials skilled enough to play in Europe in favour of Pie in the sky Thinking about a talentless bunch in NPFL who’s sole mission and Purpose for an SE invites is to enrich the pockets of thier Agents and god Fathers and maybe just maybe get a shot in the Kazakstan league. Knowingly or unknowingly
This one keeps talking about Westerhof’s days…..LMAOoo.
MR Man, wake up…westerhof’s days was some 3 decades ago.
Even you, are you the same today as you where during Westerhof’s days…? Can you do the same things the same way as you used to do them during Westerhof’s days.
Abeg, stop irritating us with this your westerhoff’s days rhetorics. Westerhof used what worked for him then.
In 1989 when westerhoff took over we couldn’t boast of up to 23 players in total playing in Europe. There were only a handful of them. 98% of the best Nigerian footballers where playing locally and they were also playing well on the continent where for 10 years at a stretch (1986-1996), at least 1 Nigerian club will reach the final of a Conteinental tournament.
It was only logical and plain commonsense back then that Westerhoff would pick players from the local scene…..but even at that by 1994 AFCON, we only had 1 homebased player in the AFCON Squad….infact the same Westerhof preferred taking 2 clubless players to replacing them with more homebased players…..that’s just 5 years into the golden era you are trying to paint.
Just few months after 1994 AFCON, the same westerhof who you deityfy so much went to the World cup in USA with zero homebased players.
So please tell us a better story other than this your “Westerhof Era” rethroics.
Westerhof used what he had because our best players where local, from using a 100% homebased squad in 1990 AFCON, the same westerhof switched to a 95% foreign based squad within 4 years. That should tell you that there was a paradigm shift where our best players were all based abroad.
And that should inform you that invitations to the national team should be based on the merit of who and who and who are the best footballers Nigeria can muster at that instant.
Now the question is, are the best nigerian footballers home based….??
Hi Dr Drey,
I am once again putting my camel’s nose in the tent of a conversation that didn’t involve me but please, indulge me.
Regarding your last sentence above, my expectations of world cup qualification success was also dealt a harmful blow following Finidi’s appointment as Head Coach of the Super Eagles simply because I thought at the time that there were more suitably qualified candidate and that Finidi is largely untested as a coach of a national team of a country even half the size of Nigeria.
So, I think it will take a miracle for Nigeria to qualify for the 2026 World Cup owing – not to the quality of our oppositions – but the tactical nous and depth of experience of the coaches he will be up against.
But, are my expectations rock bottom? Well, not exactly.
You see, if we fail in upcoming Afcon and world cup qualification assignments, more of my anger and frustrations will be directed at his Glass House employers rather than Finidi himself.
That said, i intend to scrutinize Finidi himself intently for decisions he reaches, activities he undertakes and players he selects pre-, during and post- matches. I will be looking to see whether the way he approaches his tasks is inconsistent with what one would expect of a coach who:
– has managed one of the most successful Nigerian club for 3 seasons
– has recent continental cup competition experience as head coach
– was part of Nigeria’s coaching crew to the second most successful Super Eagles outing in the Afcon in 23 years
– has European coaching experience at any level
– and as a player worked under some of the most accomplished coaches in the history of football.
If one scratches beneath the surface, Finidi has a lot going for him. Does that still make him suitable for the Super Eagles Head Coach job? I will say no; I definitely would never have endorsed his application. But now that fate and NFF incompetence have conspired to land the role on his laps, it’s really a golden opportunity for him to leverage his most recent NPFL and Super Eagles experiences and successes to make this role his and to make success of it.
Super Eagles success for Finidi is not impossible though – to be honest – it seems (highly) improbable.
Typo correction
Coache we took *an* all Home based team to play Mexico’s 3rd Choice Squad
Nigeria’s talent *bed*
I am too passionate about Super Eagles and watch it destroyed by the same people who are suppose to harness and protect it..
Incase you people do not know football puts countries on the map look at what Messi has done for Argentina, Ronaldo for Portugal i can go on and on Pele for Brazil.. But here in Nigeria we are debating about stunting the career’s f big potentials skilled enough to play in Europe in favour of Pie in the sky Thinking about a talentless bunch in NPFL who’s sole mission and Purpose for an SE invites is to enrich the pockets of thier Agents and god Fathers and maybe just maybe get a shot in the Kazakstan league. Knowingly or unknowingly
@Deo
I responded earlier, comprehensively but for some reason, it wasn’t posted by Completesports (maybe some discrepancies on the website) but anyways, I appreciate your position and see reason why you could take that stand but I differ.
We all agree, the best legs should be invited to the Super Eagles, no matter where they are. They have to earn it. The irony and hypocrisy is pressuring Finidi under duress to forcefully invite local based players ‘just because’. That I am against with. If there is a good player in the NPFL better than what we have abroad, then ı got no qualms if he is invited. But we all know that’s not the case currently. The Nigerian league isn’t that currently. In his interim state as coach, there is a reason, Finidi sent an invitation to a Tanimu playing in Tanzania rather than any player in the NPFL.
On this one, I share similar sentiments with @Dr Drey and @Ugo and as most.
As much as we are being supportive, we should be rational.
but I will emphasise, Finidi has my support, I have no choice but to wish him well, I want to see Nigeria win, that is all I care about. But I am not blinded by my bias or deep patroitism. We just have to do what is right to get sustainable positive results. Not stop gap wins.
@Coache, thinking placing Homebased in camp for weeks will push the foreign boys to come early is living in the past. And I say that respectfully. The boys come to camp early these days. Atleast most if not all. This is not Finidi’s era where they hold us to ransom. Time have changed. Football has changed. Quality is different now. There is no easy meat on the continent and world football and global geopolitics is different. The boys know this.
Besides, no matter where one is based, it is always down to passion, will and effort.
Let’s just see what comes of Finidi’s era. Time always tell.
Hush Dr Drey. Good points. Sometimes I just wonder why we do something upside down. .
We should not be talking about this home based players talk at this time. But I think these guys at nff need help.
Even during westerhof days. He never joked with the foreign based players. They formed the core of the team and then they were the ones playing the world cup qualifiers. They formed the super eagles A team.
The super eagles B team comprised of some foreign based players who can’t break into the A team mixed with some excellent home based players. The likes of amuneke and oliseh started out with the B team. The B team played the nation cup qualifiers then. You should note again that this team comprised of majorly foreign based players who couldn’t break into the A team that comprised of the likes of keshi, rufai, yakking, siasia, amokachi, uche okeychukwu, etc.
So where did people get the information that westerhof was using home based players.
There was the third super eagles that comprised only home based players. This team was used then for WAFU tournament and ECOWAS cup.
Iroha and finidi first played for this third team. It was when they excelled and westerhof saw their brilliance that he pushed them to the first team. You should also remember that Moses kpapor was a common name with the second and third team until he also was pushed to the first team.
Westerhof did not risk home based players in the super eagles A team then. And that was even when the league was good with quality players in it and with our clubs like BCC lions of gboko, ranchers bees of Kaduna, iwuaanyawu nationale of Owerri doing very well in club competitions in Africa.
I want to believe finidi won’t be foolish to listen to clueless nff who wants to use the opportunity to expose players to agents and make money.
But according to Ugo I have my fears about finidi because of that straight invitation to Tanimu the other time and what he did to Tella and ademola.
I believe if finidi wants to do a good job he should learn from the organization and the system westerhof used in those days and improve in It.
Our best legs are based abroad. Look at how those boys created something out of nothing at afcon. Great guys. Can these clueless home based players do that? No. They can’t for now. Because they have failed at champions league and Chan.
If finidi is having a home based camp he should have them for chan purpose and to see if one or two can be given the opportunity to come around when the big boys are around.
Westerhof was not a very intelligent coach but he was a great organizer and someone who loved Nigeria and the super eagles. The system he used which I described above can still work today.
I hope finidi will learn from this and just improve in it.
For those getting scared about the world cup, we will qualify.
South Africa will be roundly beaten here and in south Africa. Mark my words.
Dear Mr Hush,
Thanks so much for your reply above and I have to express my disappointment in not being able to read your more detailed response. It does happen to me too severally on this site where my contributions fail to publish particularly when they are quite wordy, hence I break them into parts 1, 2, 3 etc.
As much as understand your views, I do take issues with some of the things you said.
Firstly, I don’t think anyone is putting a gun to Finidi’s head to invite homebased players into the Super Eagles. But, yes, there is thinking and a school of thought in certain quarters (including members of the NFF Technical Committee) that the inclusion of Homebased players into the Super Eagles serves a greater good of promoting our indigenous identity. Hence, successive Super Eagles coaches are encouraged and mildly importuned to incorporate homebased players in their plans.
Yes, if you ask me I think this line of thinking has major drawbacks.
However, it’s up to the coach to navigate this request. Eguavoen, Rohr and Peseiro faced similar requests but they ultimately looked elsewhere. My point is that, nobody is forcing Finidi to do what he doesn’t deem profitable to his ambitions. However, if he is mentally “weak” he might cave in to demands inimical the success of his own’s strategy.
I read some contributions and their appears to be an under-current suggestion of a hierarchy of leagues that Super Eagles players should be drawn from. That I don’t agree with. When Keshi benched a Spanish La Liga midfielder Nosa Igiebor for an NPFL midfielder in Sunday Mba, when he dropped France based Taiye Taiwo for an Isreal based Juwon Oshaniwa, we all saw that calibre of league a player plays is not the be-all and end-all. Any player carefully selected after a rigorous scouting process from any league can come into the Super Eagles to produce a powerful performance that can better than another player playing in a higher profile league.
The higher the league doesn’t always translate to higher performance in the national league which was why NPFL Sunday Mba ended the career of Spanish La Liga Nosa Igiebor in the national team.
The NPFL has been very poorly run for almost about 10 years now, yet, Anayo Iwuala just a few years ago held his own in Super Eagles colours.
Decent players can be found anywhere at any time; there are no rhyme or rhythm to it!
Thank you.
@Deo
Thanks for the hint on navigating around Completesports’ comment section loopholes. Could be quite daunting.
That said, I do understand where you coming from as regards Players selection.
And I do agree with you that good players can be found anywhere not necessarily how good the league is. But the probability of finding quality in the Nigeria league is quite slim. Currently, our best legs are abroad. And that’s just facts.
Am I totally against inviting players from the local front to the Eagles? Not necessarily. If Finidi feels a good midfielder is in the NPFL that can fix our attacking midfield conundrum, why not? But they have to merit it.
I am just against the pressure of these “forces ” pushing the coach to invite Local based players on emotional grounds. I find that ludicrous and selfish. It’s just cheap blackmail.
If you are to play in the Eagles, you have to earn it. You have to be quality.
Anyways, it is down to Finidi. He’s on the driving seat. Let’s see what he has to offer.
Great points here Mr Hush. Thanks