Mikel Obi could be in line for a return to the Super Eagles squad in 2019 after he posted a cryptic message on his Instagram page, @mikel_john_Obi, along with a picture of himself in action for Nigeria with the caption, “Can’t-Wait”.
Mikel has not featured for the Super Eagles since the 2018 FIFA World Cup where he failed to lead the team past the group stages of the Mundial.
The 31-year-old missed Nigeria’s last five games against Seychelles, Libya (home and away), South Africa and Uganda which fueled talks about his
impending retirement from the national team after 13 years.
But Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr insisted in a recent interview with
“Mikel remains in our plans and we all know why he has been out of the team. Mikel Obi will decide if he wants to play at AFCON 2019. He was omitted because of fitness issues, but we will look at his performance before the tournament,” Rohr told Completesports.com.
“The situation with Mikel was that after the FIFA World Cup in Russia he wanted to take a break.”
“He told me he needed rest and motivation. When he is ready, he will be back. Mikel is a fantastic captain.
“We will see what happens in the future. We have a new captain Ahmed Musa and its working well he is young with the right spirit.”
Nigeria’s next major international match is the last 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Seychelles, scheduled for March 22 at a yet to be named home venue.
The Super Eagles are already through to the 2019 AFCON to be hosted by Egypt.
The three-time AFCON champions lead Group E with 10 points from five games and are followed closely by South Africa on nine points, while Libya are third with seven points. Seychelles are rock bottom with just one point.
By Johnny Edward.
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COMMENTS
Welcome Boss! Your services are very much needed in the Super Eagles.
Pls when you are back fully play in this position.
UZOHO
AINA BALOGUN EKONG COLLINS
NDIDI MIKEL
KALU IWOBI MUSA
IGHALO
Very average line up! Can this team play a World Cup starting from your Goal keeper lmao!
Sincerely if we look at this line up from a neutral angle as a foreigner. A good team will fancy their chances against this setup!
Can you please name a better line-up? You may be right, who knows.
Hahahahaha…..very fantastic question my brother…..Are you minding that frustrated failure….?
Its his favoured players like Igbekeme, Musa Muhammed and Isaac success that are world class players. All others are trash. They are the ones that MUST be in the team for us to win the world cup. LMAO.
He has some cloned FIFPro world XI with nigerian blood hidden somewhere in his village that are better than all the players we have in our nationl team Setup at the moment. That’s why he perpetually ridicles all our players and the entire national team as a whole.
Drey your father is a failure that is why you lack respect and manners dirty son of a bitch. Very soon you will be unable to afford internet that is almost free in Europe before you know how much of a failure you and your entire generations back home are! Smelly big
Hahahaha….Iberibe….Old man with no sense. You have failed again. My father isn’t a failure, the aged man is gracefully aging and enjoying his last years on earth in his retirement home in his village after serving this country meritoriously for decades as a 1st generation career diplomat. If your empty brain understands that you should know that that europe you use in bragging on CSN is like yaba bus-stop on the way to ikorodu via apapa for some people. It so much freaks you that you see every other person beneath you. If you brag so much, like a cockerel that is on heat, about owning a loaf of bread, what should the owner of the bakery do…? LMAO. I’m sure you must be the 1st man from your family to set foot on european soil…thats why you feel so deitified about it. You dont even know if i live in the same europe where internet is almost free or some other parts of the world where internet is also almost free. lolz. No wonder…its because you have access to free internet you come on a public forum to continually ridicule young men who are earning a decent living with their talents….most of them even earning more than you…or do you earn 100k pounds per week where you are slaving….??? lolz.
Please kindly answer @ Goal’s simple question and lets move on or go and bring the FIFPro XI players with nigerian blood who are ‘FAR BETTER’ than the ones we have now (which I beleive Musa Mohammed will be part of them…lmao).
The last time I checked, the young men we have playing for us now are still the best we have in europe, and they are doing well for themselves and the national team. They are a relatively new assemblage and their careers are in the ascendancy…the best we can do for them is to support and encourage them as they grow, in age and in experience, as a team and not ridicule them. If your sorry ass isn’t a world class in your own field, what rights do you have to ridicule Nigerian players…???…Old fool….!!!
Once again…kindly answer @ Goal’s question
Is this line up world class if you want to be honest? And can anyone of this lad don the shirt of the catalans??? Love the green but i still laugh at the whole set up in reality! After the 94eagles down till kanu and okocha set the rest about Naija is all about drama! Until we get the right coach before talents will be groom and a formidable team will be set up!
Olodo…so it is the senior national team coach that grooms talents…??? Lmao
It was luiz felipe scolari that groomed C.Ronaldo, luis figo etc all…? or it was westerhoff that groomed stephen keshi to be stephen keshi, or jay jay okocha to be jay jay okocha or kanu to become kanu or its the spanish national team coaches that groomed the players in real madrid and barcelona. And you claim you know football….!! LOlz
I believe your right coach must be siasia who couldnt beat common fishemen teams like guinea and Egypt to qualify for 2 afcons 2012 and 2017 respectively and your world class players must be musa mohammed and igbekeme.
Going by your insanity, Uruguayan fans must stop support their team since they cant produce another team like the ones that won the world cup in 1930 and 1930. So too Portuguese fans should stop supporting their team since they cant reach the same heights as the team that got to the Euro semis in 2000 and finals in 2004. Also netherlands fans too should stop supporting the oranje gang since they cant reproduce the likes of the johan cryuff lead teams that got to back to back 1974 and 1978 worldcups or the 1988 Euro winning team with the likes of Van basten, ruud gullit and koeman and rijkaard. All these countries fans must continue to boo their players and rain insults on them and ridicle them on social media.
Honestly, you need to be taken to ogbuashi river to wash your head properly
Chima my guy, instead of complaining please name your “World Class” line up and explain why they are better than the one you are criticising.
Sorry Man samuel Chukwueze is our most dangerous player currently. Why you can’st see that is beyond me
Right top notch i will come out with my top 11 before tonight and red or white you all will see a true super 11 eagles
Hallelujah!
This line up would be beaten by any top teams in the world.currently we lack grade A players hopefully in the next two years we should be ready for any world class teams
Bro we stand strong to the truth we can not join the majority to sing the dance of shame when we can actually do better! I salute you for your transparency sometimes they think we are not Nigerians or we are wizards who don’t want good for our team or we are haters but only the truth makes them think so and I will cease commenting on this forum just like many of my guys just come here read and laugh at majority of them but don’t want to waste their time correcting their naive views! Na me get time sha
Goal and Addisboy has asked you a simple question….kindly answer them and stop boring us with your long theses….!
No be your fault!
Yes o. Nor be my fault.
Kindly answer their questions please.
By the way, I thought you claimes Mikel and Moses retired from the nationa team after the world cup because of rohr and ighalo…..so how come mikel is stating he cannot wait to be back to the SE…?? Bloody lair……you must provide us with the link to that piece of story or else, you must apologise to everyone on this platform for coming to tell us lies so early into a new year.
Stupid boy knowledge is power no wonder you cant understand anything tangible from the views of we should challenge our player to bring out the best in them. Plus i said mikel and moses absence from the team based on insider news was a fallout from Rohrs tactical blow out at the World cup. I’m done with you bye
It is laughable how some of us make analysis,don’t understand wat u mean by world class players.Wat is it about the Catalans,the Messi and all his Catalan talent has not won the world cup and made little or no impact at the last world cup.How many Catalan players do u have in Spanish team,yet made nothing out of the last world cup.How many French players did u have in Catalan,yet won the world cup.Please those reasoning are long gone and forgotten,name does not play football team does.And who says we do not have world class players in Iwobi,Igalo and Mike.They are our own world class and we r proud of them.U cannot mention 4,5 midfielders in the world without a mention of Indidi,Iwobi is adjudged to be the fourth best passer of the ball in the world.Plss we should learn to respect wat we have.Cheers.
Nigerians be realistic with your words you mean Ndidi iwobi will be mentioned in the top 4,5 midfielders in the world and yet Nigeria couldn’t pass the group stage of a World Cup! Modric Kroos Eriksen Silva Busquet Veratti D Bruyne Kante I’m still naming Pogba Etc no one will mention any of our lads in today’s football. Fine if Iwobi or Ndidi were of other nationals with their potential and good working atmosphere they will be groomed into legends but what structures do we have in place in Nigeria expect mouth structure and we deceive ourselves when we are not even rated to 30 in the world!
Let’s be Neutral in our way of viewing things if Abdul has not named that starting eleven I would have not made any comment with regards but I was really bored and couldn’t hold back my laughter when I saw the line up except for Iwobi starting from the division two national team goal keeper to Ighalo I was really sad and thinking a country of over 100million what is this? And a tiny Croatia team will assemble a team comprising of brilliant 11players! I don’t know but many are blinded by nationality instead of pushing our players to up their game aim higher so better clubs will sign you like Liverpool Realmadrid and co instead of all China Qatar Saudi it makes no sense. I’m france a division two player will not come close to the national team but in Nigeria we are here combing journey men as a team of stars if iheanacho for example was a Brazilian he will fight and make it at man city but because he is a Nigerian he just want to play and make his money that his why he choose the easy path and still he is finding it hard! All this is a result of our way of thinking in Nigeria and if we don’t change we continue rounding circles gone are those days Kanu will be in Inter Milan Amuneke Barca adepoju Madrid oliseh Dortmund okocha psg but today what are we seeing? Ekong Udinese Emeruo leganes balogun Brighton Simon Levante bench kalu Bordeaux it is only iwobi we can boast of who’s an Arsenal player and he is not 100% starter but he is closer. In a great view Nigeria football is dead and just a shadow of itself everyone is just making money and no longer dreaming to achieve greatness again that is why Kanu was the last CAF best from Naija. Take it or leave it until we take the truth challenge this Journeymen to be ambitious like Mordic Ribery Ronaldhino Gabriel Jesus Mane Salah before they will realize this passion and fight! But should we continue fooling around with them if they win Burundi 2-1 and draw against Uganda then loose out of world group stage then we have no dream ourselves to see a Nigerian as CAF best talkless about world best!
I have read your write up with deep fascination, although you are entitled to your opinion but with all due respect, I think you erred in some part..
Abdul named his first eleven, and you feel they are not world class material, cause any team can beat them. heck even Burundi and Uganda..
you think people win matches on dailies, or the internet.or you think names play football..
now look at that team and take every individual one by one.
Mikel might be getting closer to the end of his career, but how can you tell me a champions league winner, a nations cup winner, EPL winner, Olympic silver medalist, (and he won all this playing, not on the bench), isn’t world class? Yes he might be old, but don’t take away his class, he earned it.
How many class of 94 can you say have all these? I guess only Kanu, not even okocha.
Yes the 94 squad might have the better talent(although that’s debatable),But talent alone don’t just cut it in reality. That’s why the greatest place to see talent is in the grave yard.
Oliseh was always a part time player in juventus, flopped in Dortmund. Adepoju never had it good in Madrid. Amokhachi best time was in Brugge,besiktas,everton,you can’t call all these club world class, can you?
We are all so engulf by emotions when we talk about the class of 94,that we forget that, life evolves through eras, and although they might flourish in 94,they might not in this new era. Things have changed. So as football..rather than see Nigeria not improved,
Teams have totally improved. Which is good for football as a sport.
Those days, teams like Mauritania, guinea bissua, Comoros, equatorial Guinea, couldn’t compete, even in Europe, Iceland, Wales, were no where. But things are different today..teams have totally improved.
And Nigeria is not an exception.we are doing good.
Not everyone can play in Barcelona or Manchester United.
As long as they are regulars, and combine well as a team.. Key word, is team..
Have you forgotten, the Keshi squad of 2013 that won the ANC?how many were world class,according to your definition..
And to add, population don’t play sports.. If it does, India, China, the US,Pakistan,Bangladesh, would be World Champions every now and then.
Teams win championships, not population.. And in football, only 11 can get into the field, no matter how many your people are.
Croatia has a team, not just talent, a team.and I think, we are gradually getting a team.. We are already seeing it. We are doing good in our continent, and we can only grow with this our momentum.
Sorry for engulfing your space.
This is my take….
Well said from your views! I see some sense while i maintain the views of our players to step up and aim high
Iberibe….so the best way to challenge them is to keep come on public platforms and insult them and call them mediocres. Really you dont even have a bearing. Honestly. You keep ranting about the 94 squad….that was our golden generation…they won the AFCON after 3 attempts….their next biggest achievements was winning just 2 matches at the world cup…their coach spent 5 years with them before they could achieve those. All of that squad didnt walk straight into big clubs in europe, they all started from small clubs and gradually made their name…..Kanu didnt start his career at Inter…he actually started at Jong Ajax, the youth team of ajax before graduating to the senior team, Amuneke was at some point in time playing in Zamalek of Egypt, Mutiu adepoju was at some point in real madrid castilla playing in spanish 3rd division, Stephen keshi, siasia and Ikpeba were playing in clubs like Antwerp, Lokeren and Nantes. Willy Opara was playing in Olando Pirates in south africa. Rashidi yekini was playing in Victoria setubal and later real betis, Taribo was in Auxere in france, Peter rufai was outrightly clubless at some point btw 1990 and 1993. These clubs are no bigger than the ones our current team of young players are playing…..but we celebrated them, they were our heroes, we used to get behind them when the national team is playing…they werent even winning all their matches then…they werent steam-rolling everybody on the african continent….they they were playing draws and recording loses to the same uganda and burundi and those teams you call fishermen teams….. I know your sorry ass was still scavenging for food in refuse dumps in your village as at those years…thats why u dont know all these and cant make sensible judgements….. if our journalists were calling them fools, mediocres, failures and other derogatory names your frustrated ass is calling them today, where would they have found encouragement to rise in their career and give their all to the national team and the nation. it was their collective efforts for the national teams that translated into progress in their careers, that later saw some of them play for Inter, Juve, Barca etc at their peaks.
We currently have a team of players most of whom got their international debuts in the last 2 years and started their european careers in the same small cadre clubs your ‘much glorified’ ’94 squad were in. They havent even played in an AFCON yet and have won 1 game at the world cup, they have lost just 1 game to of any sort to an african team in the last 2-3 years….so what is the basis of your comparison. If the fact that we are playing in small teams is what makes you ridicle our players…..name one big team any member of the Eyptian team that won 3 back-to-back AFCONS where playing in. The same you who will insult these set of players will come back here and tell us Musa mohammed (HNK Gorica in croatia) and Igbekeme (spanish 2nd division) are your world class players that must be in the super eagles.
You claim to know football, but you are too senseless to understand that population doesnt play football….China, India, USA are some of the most populous nations in the world, even more populous than Nigeria, has that translated to 5 world cups for them…? Even in europe where you are currently scavenge, England and Russia are some of the biggest nations…wwhat have they won at the Euros….England that prides itself as the home of soccer has never even played in the final of a Euro and has not won anything since the controversian 1966 world cup win. But you will never see or here the fans of these countries run their teams down.
So since we don’t have a FIFPRO XI, what should we now do…go to innoson to manufacture footballers…? or we should go to ajaokuta and fabricate steel skeletons for our players…?
When you have finished ridiculing our players….please crawl back to your cave and think of how you too will become a world class financial analyst that will put the name of Nigeria on the world map like other professionals like Wole Soyinka, Philip Emeagawali, Prof. Gabriel Oyibo, Ngozi Okonjo Iweala and Oby Ezekwesili has done…till then you too are a mediocre and thus have no right to run down the few players we can assemble as a SE team at the moment. Afterall all those professionals and even our footballers are nigerians like you who emerged and are respected at the world stage….unlike a mediocre you who only comes to CSN to announce your self and even your analysis are always so dumb that one begins to wonder who was the drunkard that even awarded you a certificate to be a financial analyst….analysis like Musa Mohammed is ‘FAR BETTER’ than Ola aina…..and Isaac success is ‘FAR BETTER’ than Ighalo
Young man I can see that you are looking for someone to help you run around that is why you don’t see things from a perspective that you out to. Sorry to say by the special grace of God almighty I’m a family man blessed with kids and doing fantastically well in my field of life. it is bitter people like you that is why Nigeria has a negative name all over the world when you can not fix yourself by highlighting problems and getting the best of results. Average mind average thinking poor result! That is why the white man remains ahead!
Old man…congratulations for being a family man with children and for doing well in your field of life. Im also a family man with children and also doing well in my field of life….so also are the nigerian footballers earning decent living all over the place, except for the young ones that are still growing their games little by little. You have absolutely no right to call anybody mediocre or ridicule them….if you feel ridiculed too….even when you aren’t in anyway world class either in your field or in your analysis of football…..then imagine what the people whom you constantly come here to ridicle feel. The golden rule of life…do to others what you want to be done to you….if your ‘so called’ old age hasnt taught you that…then you should go and take lessons in maturity and humitlity. i haven’t seen anywhere where destructive critisms elevated any nation. The countries you call great today didnt become great overnight it takes a process. maybe apart from Brazil, Argentina, Germany, that has managed to remain on top continually, every other nation has had their ups and downs. even though we have had our downs since 2002 AFCON, we are graudally rebuilding today and the composition of our national team holds some hope and promise….but if you cannot stand being ridiculed…then never come here to ridicule our players….they are all we have for now until another ‘golden generation emerges’. And golden generations just dont emerge from the blues…they evolve over a long period. The current belgian set up started evolving from 2008 olympic. The all conqering spanish side started evolving after a disastrous outing at france 98, England has never even won anything in half a century…they are also evolving begining with their u17 and u20 world cup wins.
Once again…if you cant stand being ridiculed….stop ridiculing our players
@chima Samuel, Bro you are perfectly correct with ur analysis, as of today Moses is still our best player, the guy almost single handedly took us to the last World Cup, most of our young players are still upcoming with serious potentials, so in couple of years we should be ready. By the way igbekeme is far better than iheanacho, John Ogu and other average super hype eagle players.
In February 2013, the World woke up to this outrageous news by Al Jazerra:
“Supposed underdogs Nigeria downed favourites Ivory Coast 2-1 in Rustenburg Sunday in an absorbing Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final to set up a last-four meeting with Mali”
The Guardian covered the same shocking story saying : “Nigeria beat the tournament favourites Ivory Coast 2-1 to reach the semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday, keeping Didier Drogba and his team-mates from lifting the trophy.”
The equally bemused BBC ran the same story by stating:”Nigeria progressed to the semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations with victory over favourites Ivory Coast.”
To be honest, when I saw the ‘Goliath line-up’ of the Ivorians in that quarter final, even I did not give our Super Eagles ‘David line-up’ any chance on the day.
Drogba, Yaya Toure, Kalou etc etc against Sunday Mba, Oboabona, Onazi!!!! the match was over before it had even started!!!!!
Yet our boys prevailed and went on to lift the trophy…
Big names don’t always win football matches; big performances do.
Yes, we don’t have the same universal household names that we used to have like Okocha and Kanu in years gone by.
However, be in no doubt, any team that takes our Super Eagles of Nigeria for granted will do so at their own peril!
Ivory Coast found out the hard way in 2013.
Ivory Coast starting lineup vs Nigeria 2013:- Barry, Eboue, Tiene, Bamba, Zokora, Romaric, Yaya Toure, Tiote, Gervinho, Kalou, Drogba
Nigeria starting XI vs Cote d’Ivoire 2013:- Enyeama, Ambrose, Omeruo, Oboabona, Echiejile, Onazi, Mikel, Mba, Moses, Emenike, Brown
So @Abdul, let me fully throw my weight of support to your line up above.
With the right substitutions at the right time with each player giving 110%, I would say it is “a potential” Afcon winning team in my view.
Analysis:
– You have 3 solid defenders with recent experience of defeating African football giants like Algeria and Cameroon. They also have top flight football club experiences.
– Your defensive midfield pairing has a perfect mixture of youth (Ndidi) and experience (Mikel).
– Your attacking midfield has flair (Iwobi), fluidity, bags of pace, passing abilities, goal threats, power and precision.
– Your centre forward is a proven goal scorer who still feels he has something to prove. He will be bouyed by goals he has scored against top African oppositions like Cameroon in big qualifiers.
Conclusion
In all, you came up with a deceptively lethal line-up which has more to offer than the naked eyes can initially see.
Abdul’s fantasy line-up
UZOHO
AINA BALOGUN EKONG COLLINS
NDIDI MIKEL
KALU IWOBI MUSA
IGHALO
Deo speak in a World Cup view not afcon because I have told you the main views is world I pay no emphasis to Africa tournaments beating Cameroon and co who all have administrative issues and propagandas affecting them after sacking their cup winning coach Hugo. Let’s talk about how will that line up fare in the World Cup even though they give 200% I don’t give them a chance if football was giving of everything you have then Senegal with their determination will be crowned champions of the world today! Brain and technique plays the game and how can we achieve this the answer is simple- Planing infrastructure and structures should be put in place in a conducive friendly strategic atmosphere where players will be groomed to be ballon d’or dreamers! You don’t go to an exam setting a 51% target as your target and pass that exam. Abdul line up is very average neither do I have a line up from the 100million Nigerian population because we have failed to groom world beaters we let our talents wallow after grassroot tournaments either by age cheat or poor structure. Mikel and Messi where one on one at u20 lheanacho was u17 world best Toni kroos of Germany was u20 best but today compare the path and name our players made and that of this guys? Who is more fulfilled? We have lost the grooming plan Etim Esin, Osanga king, Karim Shuaibu, victor brown, Sanni Emmanuel and co have been wasted I pray Chukwueze and Oshimeh don’t go same way! The earlier we realize this waste talent factor the better for us because that is why the Tammy, Ali and co don’t want to play for Nigeria! In the advanced world they see what the average Nigerians do not see!
Hahahahaa…..he wants to conquer the world when he hasnt conquered africa yet…! Even the so-called ’94 squad only qualified for the world cup at the 2nd attempt and only won the nations cup at the 4th attempt after passing through 2 foreign coaches and an 8 year gestation period. They won 2 matches at the world cup and lost 2. We currently have a new assemblage in which over 70% made their international debuts in the last 2 years….within the period, they qualified for the world cup with a game to spare and won 1 wc game and lost 2. They are just about playing in their 1st nations cups (apart from Mikel, Musa, omeruo and Onazi)
.
“Planing infrastructure and structures should be put in place in a conducive friendly strategic atmosphere where players will be groomed to be ballon d’or dreamers”
.
So is it the players that will put those infrastructure and structures in place or is it their fault that they arent in place…? why should you always come and be ridiculing them for what is no fault of theirs…? if we arent grooming world beaters why not channel your fraustrations to the administrators and government officials, as well as grassroot coaches who are supposed to be doing that, why should you come and mock ridicle our players all the time…? I thought you claimed to be a family man with children….? is that how you motivate your children to greatness….? by mocking them or calling them mediocres…?? Abdul’s team might be average, but are those not the best we have anywhere on this planet…? is it not what we have we will make use of at any point in time…? Do national teams buy players like clubs do…? @Goal and addisboy askd you to name better nigerian squads but you have been running from pillar to post….jumping from one lane to the other and making all sorts of excuses.
If our talent base is depleted since the nineties…is it the fault of the national team coach or the players…? where were the neighbourhood football fields that used to dot many parts of lagos, Ibadan, benin, PHC, Enugu, Onitsha etc….? Back then as early as 4am you see young men on the streets jugging and getting ready for morning training at the nearest football field. where are those fields today..? where are secondary school chmapionships (principals cup, governors cup) and YSFON..? Where is our national sports festival today..? Where are talented grassroot coaches like Ismaila mabo, seb Imasuen, Paul hamilton, Anthony Lebechi, Fanny Amun etc…? where is our local league…? How are the current crop of players to blame for all that has gone amiss…? Why should they be the target of you ridicule and insults on daily basis…? Was it nigeria that killed the careers of etim esin, victor brown, opabunmi, lukman haruna, chrisantus macauly etc (same players you accused of using fake birth certificates). what grooming plan do you want to implement for a player that chooses to go and sign for a club he feels like signing for in europe…? is it the NFF that will choose clubs for them to sign in..? Was it NFF that chose Instanbul BB for Musa Mohammed or Chelsea for Mikel or Mancity for Iheanacho, whereas there were clubs like Ajax, PSV, Feyenoord, Arsenal and others who are well known for grooming young players to stardom waiting on the wings…? Is it constant destructive critisisms and ridicles that will transform them to world class players…???
You really have phsycotic problems….you are a fraustrated man and should go and deal with your issues first and become a world class whatever you call yourself first before coming here to accuse others of not being world class in their own professions.
If you dont have a better XI nigerian players than the ones we have now keep you gut shut and channel your anger to the administrators and not the young men striving daily to put the name of the nation on the world map.
Stop speaking from 2 sides of your mouth all the time…one moment u r are not concerned about africa….another moment G..Rohr must win the 2019 AFCON. I dont know how our players will gain experience, exposure and develop into world class players if dont first succeed at continental level before taking things a notch higher to the world stage.
…and later you will claim you know football….!!! LMAO
@ deo, now you should understand why I am ‘pissed off’ (sorry for my street language) whenever Mr. Rohr underlines the fact that we have a young squad. That language is not inspiring at all because it gives the impression that our boys are inexperienced and so will need a lot of luck to make any meaningful impact.
They are young, but they can be giant killers! The late Stephen Keshi weņt to the Nations Cup with a rag tag team and came back with the trophy. We need Mr. Rohr to impart such can-do spirit into his boys and stop calling them young even though we all know they are!
I fully agree. Nigeria’s biggest weapon is teamwork. The team is the star. On our day we can beat anybody, bit only if every player is giving all they have and is in song.
We have a pretty good squad and more now than before we are developing a pretty good bench.
Whereas before we had 12 decent players, we now have at least 20 decent players and the task is to blend them into a recognised structure.
There is no need to be world class for 3 years as we will not be facing anything but African competition until 2022. CAF have told us that our players are not even the best in Africa yet and that has got to be the target.
It’s a bit like the old NEPA problem. There is no need increasing the voltage supplied until the cables are upgraded otherwise the old wires will catch fire because of new transformer.
We need to understand that developing a squad, a team, a player is not done overnight and in isolation with just one unrealistic target in sight, it has to be incremental and holistic for it to be sustainable.
Also like a child who is brilliant at maths and far higher intellectually than his classmates, the insufficient mental stimulation will cause them to loose focus and interest.
Let’s focus on the immediate target, being the best in Africa, then when we are on top of Kilimanjaro, we can survey the horizon and aim for the next target.
Let’s walk before we try to run. Even if we beat France and Croatia tomorrow, it’ll be futile
@Bomboy, I think Rohr is merely trying to “manage expectations” when he refers to his Eagles as young.
@Chima, the immediate assignment before our Super Eagles now is an AFCON tournament hence that is and will be to focus of my analysis for weeks to come.
Globally, I sort of agree with the school of thought that Nigeria is not a powerful force at the moment.
If you ask me to rate teams globally, I will crudely categorise them as:
World class: France, Brazil, Argentina, Belgium
High quality: Croatia, England, Germany.
Quality: Italy, Spain Uruguay.
Average: South Korea, Denmark, Nigeria, Egypt, Senegal, USA.
Basic: China, Zambia, Cameroon.
I think we have a long way to compare with the likes of Belgium or England but the squad above from Abdul will compete favourably with the like of Uruguay, and the current Spain and Italy sides in my view.
Globally, in this current time, I think we are in good company with teams like: South Korea, Japan, USA, Greece, Scotland, Mexico, Denmark, Australia, Austria, Sweden and Denmark…
Great analysis @deo. I think I have an idea how you arrived at the metrics you used in rating the teams into categories based on team quality, but permit me to disagree with you on England. I simply refuse to rate England above Nigeria any day, any time till tomorrow. Lol.
You even put them 2 steps above us, not 1 step sef. My heart never skips if we’re playing England. Never! England? The same England of Kane, Sterling and Rashford? Haba. I agree with your ranking of Croatia and Germany, but England no way. They cannot even confidently boast they can beat Uruguay. I agree largely with your classification, but here I’ve done my own remix. Personal opinion (while also wearing my naija-tinted sunglasses. Lol):
High quality: Croatia, Uruguay, Germany, Spain, Italy.
Quality: Nigeria, Senegal, England, Egypt, Japan, Portugal
Average: South Korea, Denmark, Cameroun, Ghana, Cote Divoire.
Basic: China, Zambia, SA etc
Wow, oga Kel; you put my darling Super Eagles of Nigeria in the same class as Portugal, England and by implication Italy, Spain, Holland.
You have made my day indeed.
These teams are naturally expected to reach the last 8 of any world cup.
Even my brother Ayphills once suggested to me that England are “world cup contenders” and judging by how they performed in Russia, he was right; I was wrong.
Are we there yet?
Are we potential world cup quarter finalists or potential world cup contenders? I don’t think we are there just yet and this – in my view – sets us apart from England.
Now realism is at play!
Great debate going on here. I can’t stop laughing at some of the jibes coming from all corners. For someone to think that a Spanish division 2 player is better than a premier league player begs how wise and sensible the persons brain is. A player that’d never played any top flight football in his entire career at the age of 24.
Who is a world class player or a world class team? Throughout the history of the WorldCup only 8 countries had ever won it. If it’s that easy at least 20 different countries should’ve won it . The French team that won the WorldCup have been together for about 5 years. Lost in the quarter finals in 2014, lost in the final of the Euros before finally winning the Mundial last year.
With the exception of Chukwueze who might gate crash the potential first 11. Nigeria doesn’t have anything better than the first 11 @Abdul ditched out earlier. The defensive unit with possibly Omeruo replacing Balogun in the long run is as solid as any defensive unit on the African continent and beyond. Two defenders playing week in and week out in the Scudetti. A midfield of Mikel and Ndidi will be the best combo in recent years with Iwobi in front. While Kalu(scored a superb goal in midweek) And Musa starts from the flanks. Though I might be tempted to take Osimhen or Success ahead of Ighalo, but based on experience and pedigree I will give him the benefit to lead the line in Egypt come what may.
This young team had been to the WorldCup. Won a game at the Mundial, qualified with a game to spare for the AFCON. The team will certainly peak by the the time 2022 comes around. Obviously, some armchair critics are shortsighted to see what Rohr is building. Take it or leave it SuperEagles will continue to evolve.
Please permit me to enter the fray from another point.
Two changes that can make this team achieve a lot in this emerging era.
1. I believe the Super Eagles should adopt the 3-5-2 formation as current players available for selection have skills set suitable to that formation better than any.
2. Let coach Rohr look for his own “Bonfrere Jo” that will setup the team astutely and instil tactical discipline
We have players, across the park, who remind me of the Cameroonian team that rule Africa after our much talked about Super Eagles 94 set!
My proposed line up might be radical in outlook but I believe they will prevail.
Goalkeepers
Uzoho/Emmanuel Daniel(Olympics)/Theophilus Afelokhai/Ezenwa
Defenders
Omeruo-Troost Ekong-Balogun (Semiu Ajayi, John Ogu, Awaziem as subs)
Wingbacks
Musa Mohammed (RWB) Jamilu Collins (LWB) (Moses Odubajo, Aina, Ebuehi, Abdulahi)
Central Midfield
Ndidi (Mikel Agu, John Ogu, Mikel as options)
Attacking Midfield
Iwobi-Kalu (Chukwueze, Simon, Etebo as subs)
Strikers
Ighalo, Musa, Victor Moses, Success, Oshimen (choose any two from the list to start)
Revolutionary, yes but these will give us speed, guile, strength and attacking play for 90 mins of any match!
My humble opinion
Nice one Birikiti you shock me I never expected this line up from you I will say big Kudos at the mention of goal keeper Emmanuel Daniel, the Rwb and Lwb. From your list I will go for a starting eleven that coach Siaone will go for as an all attacking coach! GK- Emmanuel Daniel- Right back Musa Muhammed, Ekong, Akpoguma, Collins-Ndidi,Mikel, Iwobi- Chukwueze, Success, Musa Subs Ezenwa, Dele Alampasu,Balogun, Kenneth, Semi, Etebo, Kalu, Iheanacho, Moses Simon,Igbekeme, Oshimen! These are my 22 the starting eleven can be altered based on form at any given point! Should Victor moses want to come back the door is open if only he will play for the team and no personal glory! A Siasia inspired team will take on the world because he knows how to fashion out the best out of even a below average player. These are the coaches we need not the one who will be calling his players young that is the more reason they will be relax and be making smelly plays because they are seen as young kids, what do we expect from kids even the Bible day the heart of a child is foolishness! This alone will impact negatively in the players head and they will be making silly plays while they respect oppositions
“A Siasia inspired team will take on the world because he knows how to fashion out the best out of even a below average player.”
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Hahahahaha…..His team couldn’t take on Guinea and Egypt on home soil to qualify for 2012 and 2017 AFCONs.
Tell him to look for a clubside to inspire first. Amokachi is in Hercules in Finland, Amuneke was in Al Khartoum before being snapped up by tanzania, even eguavoen is now coaching a greek 2nd division team.
Your siasia is still waiting for NFF to leave the labour market..!
hehehehe….clap for yourself. Thank you and weldone. We have seen your team of “world class” players that can win the world cup. Unfortunately, 80% of the names you listed have always been in the list of others whom you come here daily to insult and call mediocres. You even added 2 goalkeepers who haven’t kicked a ball in 2 years, whereas our current no 1 has been so good that half of the points his teams have in the league are in the 7 matches he’s played for them, out of about 22 matches….he’s even been nominated for mvp award in his league twice. Plus a striker who has only scored 9 league goals in 5 years in european top flight. To show how much of a clown you are…you’ve even included kevin Akpoguma who has stated clearly he doesnt feel nigerian (despite all the overtures of G.Rohr and NFF) in you team…..i have been rolling with laughter. Why not add Jordan Torunarigha, david alaba, dele alli, Manuel akanji and ross barkely too.
And you will come here and tell us you are the only one that knows football…..lolz
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Old age can really be a curse sometimes. LMAO
This is the profile of the much gloried, “WORLD CLASS” ’94 squad around 1992-1994
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Peter Rufai – Go ahead Eagles/KSK Bevereen
Austine Eguavoen – KV Kortrijk
Iroha – Asec Mimosas/ Vitesse Arnhem
Stephen keshi – Anderlect/ Rsc strasbourg
Uche Okechukwu – Brondby/ Fenerbache
Chidi nwannu – KSK Beveren/ Anderlect
Finidi George – Sharks of portharcourt/ Ajax
Thompson Oliha – Iwuanyanwu National/ Africa sports (CIV)
Rashidi Yekini – Africa sports/ Victoria Setubal
J.J Okocha – Borussia Neunkirchin/ Eintratcht Frankfurt
Amuneke – Julius Berger/ Zamalek
Samson siasia – Lokeren/ Nantes
Emeka Ezeugo – Aalborg/ Budapest
Amokachi – Club brugge/ Everton
Sunday Oliseh – FC liege/ Reggiana (oliseh later played just 8 games at juventus and 53 games in 4 years at dortmund – average of less than 15 games per season [perpertual bench warmer])
Alloy Agu – MVV Maastritch/ RC Luttich
Victor Ikpeba – RFC liege/ Monaco
Efan Ekoku – Norwich city/ Winbledon
Mike Emenalo – Eintract Trier/ Notts County
Uche Okafor – Hannover 96/ UD liera
Mutiu Adepoju – Real madrid castilla/ Racing santander
Wilfred Agbonavbare – Rayo vallencano
Coach: Clemens Westerhoff – Vitesse Arnhem (1984 -1985) No career trophies or medals before he was appointed in 1989 to coach the SE.
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Super eagles of today
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Francis Uzoho (20yrs) – Elche/Deportivo la coruna
Ola Aina (20yrs) – Torino/Chelsea
Shehu Abudulahi (25yrs) – Bursaspor
Leon Balogun (31 yrs) – Brighton
Ekong (25 yrs) – Udinese
Omeruo (24yrs) – Levante/Chelsea
Jamilu Colins (24 yrs) – Paderborn
Tyronne Ebuehi (20yrs) – Benfica
Semi Ajayi (24 yrs) – Rotherham
Chidozie Awaziem (22yrs) – FC Porto
Ndidi (20yrs) – Leicester city
Mikel Agu (24 yrs) – Victorial Setubal
John Ogu (30 yrs) – Hapoel
Etebo(23 yrs)- Stoke city
Mikel obi (31 yrs) – Tianjin teda/ Unattached
Alex Iwobi (22 yrs) – Arsenal
Sam Kalu (19 yrs) – Bordeaux
Sam Chukwueze (18 yrs) – Villareal
Moses simon (23yrs) – Levante
Ahmed musa (26yrs) – Al nasr
Odion Ighalo (29 yrs) – Chanchung yatai/ unattached
Isaac Success (22 yrs) – Watford
Kelechi Iheanacho (21 years) – Leicester city
Victor Osimhen (19rs) – Chaleroi/Wolfsburg
Ikechukwu Ezenwa (30 yrs) – Enyimba
Coach: Gernot Rohr – UEFA Cup silver medal winner (1996) Intertoto cup winner (1995) French lig 2 winner (1992), Swiss cup winner (2005)
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I’m still struggling to pin point the big clubs the ‘so called’ ‘world class’ 94 team played in before their showing in 1994 world cup. They werent completely dominant even in africa and struggled away from home during qualifiers, despite the fact that most of the teams they used to play back then were always mostly comprised of local based players. This team used to struggle seriously against north african teams and the likes of Ghana, Cameroun and CIV back then. They won the AFCON on their 4th attempt, qualifed for the world cup at their 2nd attempt and won just 2 matches at the worldcup. But what stood them out was that they were a TEAM. SOLID, MATURED MEN, ATHLETIC, WELL-GROOMED and PLAYED TOGETHER FOR YEARS. They all brought about the best in each other. Okechuku brought out the best in keshi and vice versa, oliseh brought out the best in iroha…iroha brought out the best in amuneke, okocha brought out the best in siasia and finidi…finidi brought out the best in Yekini. And so on. They all only progressed in the careers as they grew more and played more and gathered more experience while playing together. Going by the clubs they were playing in then, we should also tag them as ‘MEDIOCRES’.
But some truely mediocre people cannot see beyond their noses. They have free internet and hence can come online and start typing junk and reign abuses and ridicles on our national team players.
I dont know when anybody on this forum has ever ranked the SE with or close to any of the top 10 on the FIFA rankings.
I must commend you for a job well done, Dr. Drey. Facts, not personal opinion. Kudos!
And a word to our coach: we have achieved more with a less talented squad. Please go to the Nations Cup with the intent to win the top prize. If you don’t, you won’t be crucified as long as the boys play out their heart for us die hard fans.
Thanks once again Dr. Drey.
Fantastic facts Dr. Drey. In all reality there’s not much to separate the great 94 team from the present SuperEagles. Although they were the Only African team ever to be ranked 5th by FIFA and in terms of Physicality, Gusto and Panache they rank in the top of best ever African team assembled. However, in only two years this present team is on its way to greatness with the way GR is grooming them to be. Personally, I want them to win the AFCON in Egypt this summer, but I’m not expecting them to win it at all cost. A Semi Final berth will be enough for me and by 2021 AFCON they should be the clear favorites. For now Egypt as host will be the undisputed favorite, Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria will all come with a fight.
Our West African Brothers Ghana with the likes of Partey, Kwadwo, Andre, Atsu and Dede. Senegal have Mane, Guye, Koulibali and Balde as well as Ivory Coast still also boast top class talents at their disposal. It will be a fascinating AFCON, but watch out for my SuperEagles to at least make to the Semi Final Stage where anything is possible from there on. #FLY LIKE AN EAGLE INTO THE FUTURE#
Wow look at the way that Chima guy embarrassed himself and his family… Everyone is still waiting to see your fifpro11 team. Where is your partner in crime (omo9ja) has he gone to hide ?
Guy thanks for schooling Mr Chima, I was getting tired of his negativity towards the super eagles.
And I can’t be here 24hours so no one schooled me because realism first the the root of success! This is why we kept on talking about Jersey instead of smelling danger after pre World Cup friendlies. In real fact the black man has a very low IQ that when you try to give them a fact they go wild and still end up wallowing in the pit of failure. Some are celebrating Kalu scoring a goal when we have Brazilians French painting Europe with Hatricks as their headline and at the end of the season you’ll see a Neymar scoring 40+ goals but here are we able to count our one goal a month from a player and yet we think highly of ourselves.
I’m ok to celebrate a player that scores 1 goal per season. At least I’m not clamoring for world class players who never kicked an orange in over a year. It’s not a coincidence that you always come here to open your mimics yourself. We know that one teeeteee. Look at how Drey embarrassed you with facts. Yet you can only claim that players who have not kicked the air in over a year should be called up. Now I realize how smart you are. I full ground remain.
Fool…i know you were still in your village scavenging from dustbins when westerhof was hired in 1989 after Manfred Hoenner left. So you dont know more than what free internet gives you.
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Our Maroc ’88 team had peter rufai, stephen keshi, austin eguavoen, Rashidi yekini, Bright Omokaro, alloy agu, sam okwaraji etc most of whom westerhoff carried on with after our failed italia 90 world cup qualification. he added more homebased players like friday elahor, daniel amokachi, mutiu adepoju and took us to algeria ’90 where we lost in the final, by 1992, the likes of Uche okechukwu, rueben agboola, finidi, siasia, thompson oliha where thrown into the mix as westerhoff carefully and patiently built his recipe of a team. He won bronze at senegal ’92. Come ’94 the likes of amuneke, oliseh, efan ekoku, uche okafor, ben iroha were fully on board and we won the AFCON and qualified for the world cup. In all westerhoff used over 70 players in 5 years to build the 94 squad. building on the team Manfred hoenner assembled circa 1988.
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Unfortunately, you are as mediocre as mediocrity itself, you lack information and also lack knowledge.
Are you serious with this line up? 3 goal keepers non of whom has played a competitive game for months. Please remind when last Emmanuel Daniel played and his current team? Also are they the “world class” players you keep refering to?
Dr. Drey I had been away from this platform since morning but I am back and I was able patiently perused through everyone’s arguments here but I love that you proved your points TO the tail end.
Well, I believe we all want the best for Nigerian football. I mostly found myself on internet searching for Nigerian players in diaspora who can make viable impact in the national team . I am so patriotic about Nigerian football that I don’t like to see or hear Nigeria loose any match most especially the super eagles. But in all ramifications, it’s good to criticise but how and when to do it has always been the problem….at the end it is for all and sundry. Football is team work before individual brilliance that’s what I noticed that your co-debator failed to understand. With that line up i drew above, with good team chemistry, good bench like: SAMU, Henry, Simon, Kenneth, OSIMEHN, SUCCESS and others, Nigeria can defeat any team in the world.
What the players only needs is CDD:Commitment, Determination and dedication.
Dr. Drey, I hail your resilience.
Only you na MEN!
Should Nigeria loose I feel disoriented and when we win and win playing well I am so joyous. So if anyone should think I hate Nigeria then the person should be dealing with his own problem.
@chima Samuel,Bro I know you love the super eagle and you are a patriotic Nigerian.Bro you need to understand the mindset of most Nigerians, hypocrisy,mediocrity and know it all syndrome will continue to be the bane of that country, after all these ppl elected a old jihadist to govern them.The point is this team is not ready yet for prime time, in two to three years we should be ready.Nigeria teams are getting knocked out yearly on continental competitions, how many of our players playing for the big European clubs, so for me I think a good coach with better plans can make our team dangerous and competitive again. We should look at what Southgate is doing with England team. By the way fire brigade approach would not help.
Maybe when you hire your so called Mourinho, Wenger, Alegri, Guardiola, Klopp then we will have a coach with better plan. We don’t have a coach with proper plan yet you believe the team will be ready in two years time under the same coach that has no proper plan. I can’t stop laughing at how delusional people some people are.
https://youtu.be/UNwwMoqRmzw
I am not hearing anyone add Iheanacho to their fantasy team list. If I can have my Iheanacho – who is currently suffering from low confidence – back to any form close to the clip above, then he will open defences in Egypt to devastating effect.
Iheanacho is becoming a sort of an “alternative player”. a player who offers something different; unpredictable; unplaceable. You can never really predict what u will get.
Iheanacho is going through a rough patch. The brother needs our support. The clip above is less than 12 months old – Iheanacho still has star qualities.
Quite a few players going through a tough time patch are moving about:
Awoniyi from Gent to Mouscron (loan)
Ajagun from Kortjik to Nicosia (loan)
Osimhen doing well Wolfsburg to Charleroi (loan).
I think Iheanacho might need to change clubs to one who’ll utilise his strengths. Same for Kelechi Nwakali.
I really do want to see both Kelechis enjoy their football. Nigeria will be better for it.
So many times we’ve said “last chance saloon” and somehow I think if he loses his spot in the SE it’ll be a year before he is considered again with the players we have emerging.
In a similar way that Agu and Osimhen waited over a year to be recalled
He needs to first lose weight. Have you seen how overweight he has become lately? Thats a good starting point. How can you run fast ahead of defenders when you are this heavy?
Iheanacho, if either you, your representatives or family members are reading this, please listen to your fans and shed some of those pounds.
– We love you
– We want you to terrorise defences in Egypt.
So please, heed the advise of Pashcal and shed some weight (pleeaseeeeee); it will do you some good…..
Same thing happened to Onazi not long after marriage and he lost his starting shirt in SE. Top players always keep in shapee.g. Vardy, Kane, C. Ronaldo, Mikel. Lukaku was almost ballooning too.
I think we should end this discussion.we all love the Super Eagles and them to always do well. I’m a very reasonable person who can see some good point from another person’s opinion. @chima I agree with you in some areas like the manner the coach addressed his team, though no one can deny that the team is still young but the coach should instil in them a winning mentality/ we can do it mentality. Rohr should also give players more playing time and he should encourage players who can dribble to hold the ball more when they are losing possession easily instead of insisting on one touch football. @chima should realise that we are not Brazil, France and the rest. We have to make do with what we have and encourage them to be better. Thank you all for your contributions!!
You’re right!