Maduka Okoye hopes he will get the chance to play for Nigeria at the world cup in future, while lamenting Super Eagles failure to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
The Super Eagles lost out to eternal rivals Ghana in the playoff round of the qualifiers in March.
Okoye missed both legs of the qualifiers after contracting coronavirus.
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Despite the disappointment of missing out on what could have been his first world cup appearance for the three-time appearance, Okoye believes he still has a chance of playing at the mundial in future.
“Unfortunately, the World Cup dream has burst for now,” Okoye told Transfermarkt.
“But if I calculate correctly, I can still qualify for at least three world championships with the team given my age. That’s why I don’t stress about it at all.
“It’s a shame, of course, because it’s a huge opportunity that you’re missing out on. But I don’t see that as a problem, but as a reason to work even harder because it wasn’t enough now.
“I am very sure that we will do it again.”
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Okoye made his international debut for Nigeria as a substitute in a friendly encounter against the Selecao of Brazil in October 2019.
The 22-year-old was part of the Super Eagles squad to the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.
Okoye is expected to move to Watford this summer after extending his stay with Eredivisie club Sparta Rotterdam.
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Go to Watford and improve your match consistency because that is your biggest weakness. Talk to Vincent Enyeama and let him advice you as an older person how to be consistent and be at your peak always. The talent is there but you always mess up when it matters, I’m talking about national team. You and Osimhen needs to be Humble that’s my second advice to you two at your age because you both choose when to avoid national team, plus you two can sharp mouth at Nigerians despite your young ages with the fact that you people have hardly translate club performance to reflect on our national team, Nigerians have the right to be expectant because you guys are the ones determining the respect we command in the world football space, and when in the national team it’s high time you guys focus well before matches and leave these African joking attitudes until after you get the task done. God uplifts the humble a word is enough for The Wise.
Very well said brotherman @Endurance. These young players should grow up. They should learn from experience players. Osihmen should stop bicycle kicks in big games. Lolzzzz. I n I will pray for them. Heaven bless Okoye and Osihmen and all deserving Super Eagles players. Lolzzzz ZA ZA ZA ZA
Match consistency indeed when he made over 95% appearance with excellent performances for his club in the just concluded season. He mess up because he conceded goals which every goalkeeper do concede even best of the best. Oga go find corner sit down that man was one of the reason his club retain their league status. We have always been telling you club football is different from national team and okoye will come good for national team just a matter of time.
oga if he was 95% consistent then why was his club escaping relegation at the last day. that guy is a good keeper but his not consistently consistent reason why slip today do well tomorrow. can you point out one particular flop of vincent that cost nigeria national team dearly in over a decade he keeps nigveria national team goal post?.
Its either you were not born yet, or you werent old enough to understand what was going on in the TV yet, when Manuel Figueredo’s freekick crept under the armpit of Enyeama in Kano to deny us a place in the 2006 World cup….LMAOoooo
At 22 Enyeama was still struggling to pass trails at Bolton Wanderers.
@Ayodele, don’t waste your data on that doctor. He knows nothing about goalkeeping. Alampasu will soon move to the Bangladesh Super league. There he will show the world what he is about. Then, he will return to the Super Eagles.
Lol….you must be joking??? Bangladesh???. Alampasu should rather come to NPFL if he really wants to compete.
@Abdul and everyone
Everyone should beware – This james johnson is that bastard ghanian selfmadman, he has a huge inferiority complex and is mentally retarded – the guy is a bonifide madman, he has entered town – The assylum is missing it’s sickest inmate
Please do not respond to this abomination, a disgraceful excuse for a human but then again no Nigerian is surprised because we all know what ghana people are – I know that there must be at least one or two ghans in this world that is normal but 99% of ghans are evil, wicked, jealous, mentally retarded HATERS.
Please do not respond to these slimy ghans anymore and take just a little time to sniff out their nasty smells when they post under different names, He thinks he is smart but does not realise that it’s only because nobody has his time however just one person replying to the animal makes him think his madness is working so please guys stop responding to any ghans like selfmad, yaw, johnson(shitface) finface, and the othername the idiot uses – Antime you see any idiot saying things like “Toilet is better than you”, or saying he has a fine ghan wife LOL! (Imagine that big lie) We all know that there are no fine women in ghanland – there are all short black and no different to dwarf men, there women are like men, buty not just any man but short ugly brainless men and they cll those things women in ghanland?? lol
Anyway please be careful there are many ghana mental cases hiding in plain sight here – One wonders why that selfmadman guy can never leave anything Nigerian lol
That guy hates his own family, his prostitute mum and paedophile dad and hates the facty that he is also a ghan, he really really wishes that he was a Nigerian, but God never gave ant undeserving dog like selfmad that kind of priviledge because all selfmad and most ghans deserve is to be where they are in cursed ghanland
So Pickford of Everton which avoided relegation in the last minute is not consistent? Donno how some of you reason. Have you ever seen a goalkeeper that has never conceded goals before? Even the much talk about Mendy of Chelsea really hear am for premiership this season not to talk of goalkeeper like Lloris,Degea etc.. al
I trust you son. The sky is your take-off point…!
Whether they hate it or not, you remain the biggest and the best of all them Nigerian GKs at the moment…..Most expensive Nigerian GK of all time…!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEmvPycgbhE
A beg rest Oga. Okoye is poor. There are far better goalkeepers in the Nigerian league. Even Dele Alampasu is far better than Okoye.
Hahahahaha…kindly remind us the name of the club Alampasu plays in at the moment……LMAOoooo. You think Eredivisie is U17 world cup…LMAOoo? Maybe Sparta Rotterdam and Watford look like your U17 national team
You cannot force your opinion on me. Alampasu will bench Okoye all day long. You are not an expert so talking with you is a waste of time. I was a goalkeeper for Gombe United so I know what to look for in a goalkeeper whether they are clubless or not. A clubless Alampasu is worth more than 10 Okoyes. If you know, you know. It is a senseless to chat with layman like you.
Hahahahaha…..simple question….remind us where Alampasu plays at the moment, Mr former goalkeeper begin convulse. LMAOOooo
Na only you keep goal for Nigeria before abi….LMAOooo
You will ask them simple questions, they will start bragging about some phantom footballing careers….LMAoooo
If you truly were ever a goalkeeper, it wouldnt have taken you up to half a minute to answer the simple question I posed to you….LMAOoo.
First tell your 10 times better Alampasu to secure a club first and then bench other GKs in his club to become no 1, before coming to bench the 2nd most expensive African GK of all time…..LMAOooo.
Simple question: Kindly remind us the name of the club Alampasu plays in at the moment
Answer: You cannot force your opinion on me……LMAOoooo
You will tell us if Dr.Drey pulled a noose around your neck to reply to his comment….LMAOoo.
You too you cannot force your stupidity on us….LMAOooo. 2013 U17 World cup was almost 10 years ago…..LMAOoo. And the last time I checked, Alampasu couldnt even get hold of the no 1 shirt at U20 level nor any of the clubs he has played in for almost 10 seasons…..LMAOoo
May the hatred and jealousy in you continue to burn your heart like hot coal in a blast furnance…..LMAOooo. Continue to hate on Okoye while the boy continues to rise and be loved everywhere he goes ehn….LMAoooo
Back to sender @Dr Drey. If you live one hundred lives you will never achieve what I achieved in football. This will be my last message to you. Having worked with some of the best coaches in Nigeria, I know far better than to waste my time with a novice like you. You were still in your mother’s womb when I was keeping 10 clean sheets a season. Even when I moved to Cambodia and later on Kathmandu in Nepal, I became a household name. Who knows you? You don’t know who I am. Enough of time wasting. Go and milk your cows, boy.
Someone should please get this dude a gig on the next comedy show near him/her. He seems to be so bored these days.
If with “all you ever achieved in football”….LMAOoo… a goal keeper whom you last saw live keeping goal in a competitive game was almost 10 years ago, a goal keeper that has not been able to tie down a no 1 spot anywhere and everywhere else (even at U20 level) ever since, and whom you cannot even tell where he has kept goal since January 2021 in 10 times better than an Eredivisie GK of the year, then may I never achieve what you achieved in football…because you achieved NOTHING, ABSOLUTE NOTHING….and that’s a FACT. May I never achieve nothingness in anything I do or anywhere I go in my life. I am a born SUCCESS…and full-blooded WINNER.
Just tell us you are craving attention and want to fool around…..LMAOoooo. We know you…..Its the usual you already. There’s no need masquerading under another id and conjuring a phantom footballing career that never existed.
Igbekun, just tell us you want attention and we will give it to you. There’s no point wasting our time and taking people on wild goose chases.
Enough said already.
The pains and heat of Maduka career progress go still make some people vomit their bladder very soon…LMAOooo
@ Dr Drey, you nailed it yet again. God will continue to Bless you for what you bring to the Nigeria Fans. Okoye remains the # one best goalkeeper.
God bless you too Edoman…the Esama of New Jersey. Lol. You are highly revered too
Drey – heads up O!
That guyt wey you de yan with ma that ghanin madman selfmade O!
If you’re not aware it’s him that only empowers the bastard – James johnson shitface nor be Naija at all O, na that born bastard selfmade madman
For saying Alampasu is better than Okoye, I can’t help but imagine some things about you in my head. Honestly you don’t deserve a response.
Hahahahaha….are you minding Mr “unlayman ex-gombe utd goalkeeper” up there….LMAOooo
Since 2015 his world best Alampasu has only kept 13 top flight matches….LMAOoo….but he is 10 time better than multiple time player of the month and former GK of the season in The Netherlands….LMAOooo
Mr goalkeeping expert obviously needs to take his brains to a car-wash for proper spring-cleansing….especially that part that controls his sight….LMAOOoo
If you guys wanna criticize, at least say something reasonable. Alampasu bawo…….are you drunk or what?
My brother, abeg don’t mind that talkative parrot. He is still being rehabilitated in a Zoo in vienna. Abeg don’t waste your time dragging with a liar. Someone who feels he knows it all. Notice he has called up his fellow parrots to come and tackle you. Just have some peanuts laced with cynaide and send it to them.
Hahahaha….if you were not a daft imbecile, a useless long mouthed pig and a jealous lowlife, you too will have “fellow parrots that you can call up” even when you’ve never seen them before nor know anything about them.
But stupidity is worse than leprosy. Senselessness is a worse disease than Ebola, that is why nobody associates with a cheap lying fool like you, except for your fellow bunch of cheap liars and blackmailers
Between you and I who is the shameless liar who walks around the forum with an empty brain…LMAOooo. “Samuel Etoo was awarded an honourary doctorate degree for stuff he did for the school”….LMAOoo. Olodo has turned honorary doctorate award to bought chieftaincy title….LMAOooo
We are still waiting for you till today to show us where you got your lies that “Samuel Etoo was awarded an honourary doctorate degree for stuff he did for the school”….LMAOoo
Okponu ayirada. Alawoku oshi. Between you and I who is sounding like a rehab escapee…?
Go and eat your spicy peanuts so that you can have enough nutrients to help the palm kernel in your skull develop into a proper human brain. You can as well lace it with some rat poison if you can condone your own jealousy anymore…LMAOooo
Kennett, you have angered the good Doctor. He is now feeding you a bag of your own spicy peanuts. Lolz. Let’s see whose peanuts have the most spice.
Bros stop pretending like we don’t know you Dr dry with multiple fake names. Don’t give a shit what he says in here, he has been caught with several lies. Pretending to be a ghanaian. Don’t worry the next peanuts will be laces with pupp. Look at this liar, Eto that didnt attend a class was given honorary degree and this bastard is saying otherwise. Thought you said he went to Harvard, let your bastard self show us proof. You lying parrot
Hahahahha…ode okponu ayirada….LMAoooo. What is this one rambling….LMAOoo. Okponu speak your native language since English is too challenging for you….LMAOooo
Everybody is always Dr. Drey….LMAooo. Didinrin. Today it is SD Jones too that has become Dr.Drey. You need psychiatric attention real quick.
One moment you are claiming SD Jones is Dr. Drey, the next moment you are referring to Dr. Drey in third person…..LMAOooo….you are not convinced of your own lies…..LMAOooo??? Or what brand of madness is afflicting you…?
SD Jones was never Dr. Drey all the while he would praise and hail you and your stupidity….LMAOoo…now that you seem to have lost his followership, he has suddenly transformed to Dr.Drey in your empty brain…LMAOoo. Useless imbecile.
You must have started using IP filtering and Quantum based algorithm like your liar of a master jimmylie, to discover that Dr.Drey is everybody else on this forum including Ghanaians….LMAOoo. Whoever you offended in your village that decided to use your common sense to make black soap must be really evil.
Why not go and ask your father for proof of Etoo enrolling in Havard if you have typed “Etoo + Havard” on google and cannot find any such information online….LMAOooo. Okponu
Shameless pig….LMAoooo.
Between you and I on this forum who is the well known liar….LMAOoo?
Show us where you got your lies that “Samuel Etoo was awarded an honourary doctorate degree for stuff he did for the school”, you are still convulsing after over 4 weeks…..LMAoooo. Olodo. And you claim someone else is a liar….LMAOOo..??? Really…?
You better go and retrieve your destiny from where your step mother buried it, instead of roaming around directionless as a rehab escapee that you are, looking for attention.
If only you had sense, the fact that you are the only idiot always flinging these your stupidity around should have have rung a bell of sense into your head.
Ode omo lasan lasan.
What pains me for you is not the fact that you dont have common sense. What pains me for you is that fact that your stupidity is incurable.
Human beings are engaging in meaningful discussion here, please excuse us.
Sometimes i wonder what u say to the guards manning your cage. How you are still ranting is still baffling me. Please just present to us the degree Eto got from Harvard. And the proof he attended the school he got his honorary degree from. You this fake lying piece of shit. We all know the boring life you live in Vienna, since all you wake up and see is mountains. Stop the fake life
The boy has been playing with a shoulder injury since April 8th against Ajax. Why will he be consistent in bad belle people eye? Lmao!! Okoye is the best we have for the next decade or more. Let other goalkeepers fight for the second spot. He single-handedly help is club escape relegation while playing with an injury and he’s not consistent?? At just 22!! The sky is the beginning for the young lad.
Fallacy of hasty generalisation, you can not label a goal keeper the best when you haven’t given similar opportunity to others. I would like to see Adeleye in action for the eagles before making such assertion. Okoye has done remarkably well for himself at club level but his performances for the SE has not been spectacular. Agreed he is young and has a lot of potential with his height but there are obvious weaknesses in his game that he must improve on.
1. Distribution from the back. This isn’t Okoye’s strength but an ability that is necessary for a modern day goal keeper. You can ask about Joe Hart’s fate at Manchester City.
2. Defensive organisation. To achieve this, as goal keeper, you need to be vocal with your defenders.Again, this is not Okoye’s strength. He needs to be vocal with defenders,telling him them how he wants them to shape up because he has the best view to anticipate any danger.
3. Bad with scorching low shots. This is usual common with very tall players. The time it takes them to get down because of their height is longer. Another area he needs to work on.
4. Positional awareness. Okoye tends to take up positions that limits his ability to recover on time. Any player that masters the art of taking up good positions either as goal keeper or an outfield player will most likely be successful.
If he works on these areas, he could turn out to be a world class goal keeper.
@Golden child, you’ve already analysed almost all the qualities of a good goalie. I’m now wondering, if Okoye lacking all these qualities u listed then what makes him the best in his club then? Or may be I should ask you… Can u also tell us what okoye is good at, even if it’s just one?
Good one Sean.
Those who have voted Okoye the player of the month/year/team of the season must be incurably blind.
They should tell us how many young GKs make the team of the season in their 1st season in any top flight.
Okoye is bad, Okoye is bad…from German 4th division in 2019 to Eredivisie team of the season in 2020/2021 season to Sparta Rotterdam undisputable no 1 (even with a shoulder injury) in 2021/2022 to 2nd most expensive African goalkeeper of all time in 2022. The team that coughed out over $5m on a 21/22yr old GK must be filled with novices and laymen in the art of goalkeeping…LMAOoo
Come and tell them in Rotterdam that Okoye is not good if you will escape being lynched….LMAOoo. I am talking about the single most influential player for the club in close to 2 decades.
A prophet is never honored in his homeland. If this boy had not yet been capped by Nigeria, by now this forum wouldnt have been at peace.
Thank God the infallible Adeleye has been invited to the SE now. The Adeleye with excellent distribution, fantastic defensive organization, scorching low shots magnet, and awesome positional awareness that lost his first team shirt at club level within 1 season in the Isreali top flight…lets see how much of an Enyeama he will become in 10-15 caps as they all expect of Okoye and Uzoho. I pray they dont use their pressure of expectations to kill the boy’s career even before it takes off.
Make dem nak am too swerving knuckle-shot make we see weda e get laser-guide or infra-red thermograph or motion detection sensor for inside in gloves…..LMAOoo.
“If Uzoho was in goal vs Tunisia he would have saved that shot”……LMAOooo….we all know how that story ended….LMAOoo.
Some things are easier said than done.
@Sean,Okoye has good reflexes, shot stopping (provided it is not low), he is decent in the air when it comes to set pieces. Let’s be honest, Okoye is not very comfortable using his feet to distribute the ball to outfield players, often times he just kicks long; amongst other areas he needs to improve on. My position is that I want the best for Nigerian football and as such, I want the best legs to represent the country and if okoye is the best then so be it but he should not be coronated without giving other deserving players a chance.
As I stated he is not a bad goal keeper but I feel there is some improvements needed in his game. What if Adeleye gets his chance and proves everyone wrong, we would all be like he should be No. 1 but how would we know if we don’t try him. Most fans are guilty of sticking to their favourites , rather than being open minded to players who can enhance the team. There are fans who will still insist on Etebo being in the team but here is a player who rarely played for watford and despite their relegation, Watford do not want him. Haven’t you heard of quotes like “Who is he going to bench?”. We wouldn’t know if we don’t try would we? Would it not have been nice to see an Ndah for example In these 2 friendlies but our coaches have misused another opportunity here calling the same of players that we have seen time and again. There were fans who did not rate him (ndah) but the cameo he had playing at right back at afcon , he did very well. I digressed a little , all i am saying is that let us be fair to all. It is like Deontay Wilder saying he is the best boxer until Fury says hold my cup. If fury never challenged him, the truth is there were fans who believed that Wilder was the best (apologies to non boxing fans).
Okoye!
Has humility, a great attitude, work ethic, looks very fit.
Does wonders at his club.
But for the national team, not quite there yet.
For me, the way forward is to keep inviting him to the team, as long as he keeps performing well at his club.
It is crucial that we invite other quality goalies as well, so the goalies can all compete with each other and push each other to greater heights. Our goalie trainers have a big job to do in helping Okoye to replicate his club form for the SE.
Yes, Okoye has potential. BUT MONEY YOU’RE EXPECTING IS NOT YOURS TO SPEND YET.
For now, in the SE jersey, Okoye is not quite up to speed. Perhaps he will do better, sooner or later. All we can do is wish him well and try to help him the best we can.
As we already know, the problem is not just Okoye. It’s a team problem.
The NFF is partly to blame for this.
All living things are motivated by the expectation of reward. In the circus, wild animals perform complex tricks because they are consistently given treats as a reward. Humans as well perform better when they are adequately compensated for their work.
How do we expect the best from our players, when the NFF won’t pay their match bonuses? The players know the NFF receive significant funds from sponsors, FIFA and CAF participation fees, and other revenues. So they must wonder why they are not getting bonuses they have earned. No wonder Balogun took to the social media some time ago to air his grievances. He even expressed concerns that NFF officials will “come after him”, but he said he could care less.
The point is, if all the players have a similar mindset as Balogun expressed, it is no wonder that performance levels have gone south. The anger, frustration and bad blood is enough to significantly distract the players, and is a major contributory factor to dwindling performance on the pitch. Owing the coach months of salaries and refusing to play match bonuses is no way to motivate a team.
We can’t expect the best from our team if we are not prepared to do right by them.
There is more to say on this SE goalie matter.
Agreed, Okoye and Uzoho made mistakes that cost Nigeria dearly in recent games.
However, some fans worsened the situation by raining insults and curses on these boys. I heard Okoye even received death threats, not just him, but his entire family!
News is circulating that Okoye and Uzoho have chosen to stay away from the national team for now. It’s easy to understand why!
A true fan supports his team and the players in good or bad times. After Watford’s final game against Chelsea, I marveled at the way the fans behaved. They applauded and cheered for their team nonstop, even though they had just suffered relegation!
Nigeria fans can do more to help our boys relax, so they can be at their best. I don’t care how talented you are, if you feel your life is on the line when you’re playing a football match, you will likely not perform your best. Nigeria fans should stop the insults and threats to players when they under-perform, and be more supportive during matches. Let’s borrow a leaf from the English fans, who support their team to the very end, come rain or shine.
@Pompei, that will be the same English fans that sent racists comments to bukayo Saka? English fans are worse.Granit xhaka received death threats too at arsenal, we should just condemn such abusive treatment.
There are obviously good and bad eggs everywhere. I’m referring to the good, well behaved English fans. Go and watch that Watford vs Chelsea game, and tell me how you feel about how the Watford fans applauded their team, even though they had just been relegated.
That’s what I’m talking about.
Truth is bitter but I have to say it the way it should be.
Okoye is good but he’s not yet there most especially, at the national team.
He can’t be the best we have at the moment because Oga Rohr was lazy to scout for quality goalies in Nigeria and beyond during his time.
As we can see now, both Okoye and Uzoho were the reasons Nigeria was nocked out at the Afcon and also against Ghana and Nigeria did not qualify to Qatar.
Now that we have Adeleye and Osagwe, Nwabali and other fantastic goalies, Okoye and Uzoho may regret their actions because, Adeleye will become no1 if given the opportunity against Mexico and Ecuador.
Okoye were having shoulder issues but he managed the situation at club level but when it comes to national team duty, he turned down his national team.
Again, Okoye is good but we still have so many abundant talented goalies available to represent Nigeria while Okoye is a work in progress.
For me, Adeleye is better than them all but we have to wait and see him better against Mexico and Ecuador.
Okoye and Uzoho are in the same level according to their performances at the national team.
Eguavoen knew that and were aware of Adeleye and he said after the world cup qualifiers, he will bring him to the national team. That tells a lot about Adeleye qualities.
In one word, Adeleye is the best at the moment period.
No1. Adebayo Adeleye
No2. Osagwe
No3. Nwabali
No4. Okoye
The future of Okoye is very bright and he should keep working hard.
Super Eagles need a coach who can create competitions in the team. Can’t wait to see what Paseiro or Finidi George will bring to the team against Mexico and Ecuador. Shikena. Ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!
Oga Rohr qualified Nigeria for every major tournament during his time. The Afcon OUR OWN went to, it was Oga Rohr that qualified us for that tournament.
You expect the best work from a man that was being owed many months of salaries? Can you Omo9ja continue to be productive at your job or place of business if you are not getting compensation?
Let’s stop apportioning blame to the blameless. Oga Rohr did well for Nigeria. It’s the NFF that put us in this mess. Rohr did the best he could in the circumstances he found himself in.
@Dr. Drey no go kill person on this forum with laughter