Nigeria striker, Victor Osimhen has responded to Victor Ikpeba’s remarks, criticising his wasted bicycle-kick against Ghana during the 2022 World Cup African qualifiers playoffs second leg in Abuja, Completesports.com reports.
The Super Eagles drew 1-1 with the Black Stars at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, and Nigeria consequently lost a berth at the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup on the account of an away goal advantage. The first leg in Kumasi ended goalless.
Former Super Eagles forward, Ikpeba, had urged Osimhen in his post-match analysis on SuperSport Tv to improve on his finishing, faulting the Napoli striker’s decision making on the field of play.
“Victor Osimhen is a good player but is not yet a finished article, forget he’s playing for Napoli,” Ikpeba had criticized on SuperSport after the match in Abuja.
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“Some of those crosses he might have controlled instead of trying to do a bicycle-kick.
“He’s still a young player, but I hope he can improve while he is in Napoli and help the national team in the future.
“He needs to understand when to play the ball and when to play bicycle- kicks.”
Super Falcons striker, Asisat Oshoala, had subsequently commented on Osimhen’s post on Instagram, jokingly reminding him of Ikpeba’s criticism.
“Werey dem say mk u No dey do bicycle kick,” Oshoala wrote.
Responding to Oshoala’s comment Osimhen, which seemed to be a jab on Ikpeba.
“I go continue to dey do am,no be that pundit go tell me wetin to do,” replied Oshoala in that Instagram banter.
Osimhen has scored 10 goals for Nigeria in 20 appearances.
By Toju Sote
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COMMENTS
Those close to this guy need to advise about the consequences of pride and the reward of humility.
The last time he was raining insults on fans. I’ll just advise him to just ignore and focus on his career.
Of course he was one of the few that showed up in that game but the fact is that he could have done better on those occassions when he tried to be spectacular rather than doing the needful. The only reason why many of us overlooked those misses was because of his great commitments to the team.
I won’t blame Egu for these actions but lunching our attacks by lobbing the ball to Osi to wrestle two overdetermined defenders in Ama & Djik was a completely dumb tactic.
All the past local national team coaches and assistants should not be considered for any of our national teams unless their records show they are the best.
Not sure if any of the them has won any competition (senior team) or won national league or FA cup before.
The nff needs to evaluate the teams in the league and identify coaches with bright philosophy.
Recently,, I watched some highlights of NFL matches online and I’m really impressed with way some teams are set-up with identity. Coaches of the top 5 years in the league should be given the chance to be part of the national team.
I hope picnic stops picking & picnicking and finish his last term in office this year by doing things the right way.
Just my 5 cents.
“I won’t blame Egu for these actions but lunching our attacks by lobbing the ball to Osi to wrestle two overdetermined defenders in Ama & Djik was a completely dumb tactic.”
I couldn’t agree with you more. For me, that long ball route one tactics is not bad but I would recommend two strikers slugging it out with Ghana’s two center backs. That way the odds will be even. You saw what happened in the dying minutes after Ighalo was introduced. He knock down to Osihmen created a golden opportunity but the Napoli man flunked the chance with a silly bicycle kick.
That said, had Osihmen timed his run (like his club manager adviced severally) to stay onside, Eguavoen’s strategy of having just one centre forward might have given us the second goal in the first half.
Players have to stand up to be counted……
Overconfident I m beginning to think cause the loss .
Again there was no scissors kick in the 1st leg.
Lastly during training in Abuja did anyone saw him doin the bicycle type kick.
* top 5 teams**
You don’t attempt bicycle kicks in a match of such magnitude. It is a high risk low returns manoeuvre that should be attempted have the technique has been honed over time. I haven’t seen Osihmen score many bicycle kicks. With what was at stake against Ghana, that for me wasn’t the right platform.
I was deeply disappointed.
The second one particularly from Ighalo’s munificent knock down, that should have been controlled before executing a low volley. Osihmen had the space and any contact from the defenders could have resulted in another Nigeria penalty.
But he went for glory.
Perhaps that was what Eguavoen meant by suggesting some of the players didn’t exhibit enough character consistent with the demands of the occasion.
For the records, Ghana didn’t defeat Nigeria across two legs. Questionable decision making, reprehensible goalkeeping, gaunt technique and inadequate concentration from the Super Eagles players led to the away goals technicality that Ghana profited from.
Our players should learn to rise to the occasion.
Thnak you. Ghana didn’t and couldn’t have beaten Nigeria in any of the duels; they only managed the game better (down to the technical crew) and survived Nigeria.
Going by Osimhen’s infantile outbursts on social media, it’s clear the young man still has a lot of growing up to do, both on-field and off-field. Aside from those instances you mentioned, there was another guilt-edge chance he could have simply left to Lookman behind him and the Leicester man was baffled. Osimhen then gestured that he should have spoken up and that he didn’t hear Lookman say “Leave.”
There was just so much youthful exuberance from Osimhen on the day – like he was out more to enjoy himself and score a smasher to shut the Ghanians up, rather than just do a simple job of first securing the ticket.
Ighalo’s introduction brought in more maturity, assurance and purposefulness in attack, but it was too little, too late (another tactical blunder from the bench). All of these added to the fact that of the 11 men on the field, only 2 had played previously in the Abuja stadium. So it was more or less like a neutral ground or playing away for them. Eguavoen is good, but not excellent in terms of details.
On a different note, I think there’s a negative aura with this government though and even if we played Lesotho, we would have lost the ticket willy nilly. It could even be a silly thing as disqualification from fielding an ineligible player. You just watch after this government has packed his kaya and left in May next year, this SE team will win the 2023 Afcon. I believe in hard work, but I also know there’s good luck and bad luck, negative or positive aura and fate.
Top notch analysis Kel – you hit the nail at the centre of the head!
“Eguavoen is good, but not excellent in terms of details.”
Excellent observation – bang on the money!
Kel, Eguavoen was on to something (he could have struck gold) but he lacked the clarity of thought to fully establish and finetune his own approach whilst identifying and taking concrete steps to neutralise its shortcomings.
It wasn’t a mistake that he breezed through the Afcon group stages before the wheels fell off (spectacularly).
In retrospect, his approach wasn’t bad at all. It was discernable, but sadly too discernable which is made worse by his inability to plan for its shortcomings.
In several years time, another savvy coach will look bad at Eguavoen’s template from the 7 games that he played and will build up on it with fascinating and productive effects.
The coach will imbibe what can be imbibed, discard what needs to be discarded and then inject unique ideas of his own to beef it up.
I repeat, Eguavoen was on to something, but he didn’t know it hence he could or furnish it with the “fine details” that you alluded to.
Thanks Kel.
True @Deo. Probably would have been best he’d stuck to his technical role in the NFF where he could slowly push his template for all national teams while the individual coaches/managers tweak and deal with the details.
Well, the deed is done and we look forward with renewed hope and enthusiasm. I just wished it was another country that had got the ticket at our expense. Not Ghana. And not Cameroun. So looking forward to SE crossing paths with them soon again in the Afcon qualifiers or Afcon proper. The vengeful result will be legendary.
We ll still whoop ur assess whenever we cross path again lol
Osimehin should try and be respectful to his elders. Criticisim makes one better. The Ikpeba he talked to anyhow is an ex African footballer of the year, olympic winner and experienced top footballer in his days. Completesports just didn’t put it the way osimehin put that responce. It was pure disrespect to Ikpeba.
Anybody wey don first play ball suppose know say before e control the ball then turn, defenders don collect the ball. Ikepba dey talk rubbish
Controlling the ball can confuse the defender at times too. It depends on the direction of control. It happened in that same match when Osimhen was able to breeze through with one of his chest control.
Pride goes before a fall. Ikpeba is a legend for club ( Monaco) and country.
Listen to experienced players, learn and improve.
@ Larry, I would expect Victor Ikpeba to show absolute maturity/understanding towards Victor Osimene’s reaction. He Ikpeba and SE fans should try see through Osimene’s frustration.
Firstly, loads of wrong, deceptive advice of care for him, coming from all kinds of people including idle ex internationals, got him to miss out AFCON participation; a tournament that could have set him on goals scoring spree/fortune straight unto the world Cup qualifiers against Ghana. Then missing out the coming world Cup, a place, the entire football fraternity would have converged to finally n truly take a bow for this great talent.
I strongly believe Osimene is still been really really traumatized by the fact that SE will not be playing at the world hence his very harsh reaction to Ikpeba’s statement.
Ikpeba as an experienced person should have known that this isn’t the best time to castigate such a player, that gave everything but yet no chance of participating in any major tournament yet, especially now he is in his cycle of FAVOUR/BRILLIANCE.
The problem with us Nigerians,is we don’t know when to criticize. We allow anger/pain to over rule our judgement of people, event, circumstances. This attitude is extremely destructive. It kills the good cook to eat the dead cook’s food raw/tasteless.
Anyway with regards to your mention of our local league, I beg to disagree with you. I personally, I am an advocate of our local league. But truth be told, haven watched most our league teams, it’s so evident, that with the exception of Finidi, majority of the coaches lack the ingredients to produce quality team/players. Yes Enyimba might be losing some matches, but you can see the work of finidi in that team; how they try to play together constructively. Give them another season together with few more decent players, then we will be watching a really crack side ready to take on any team.
From watching our local league teams play, right from over the years, you can easily see why, with even more talented players, Ghana most times always beat us. Oh how I miss coaches Shaibu Amodu/his 90s BCC lions of gboko team, Willy bazuaye, Sebastian Broadricks, Kadiri Ilana/Enyimba team.
Ghana’s football culture has always thrived on tactical discipline and almost all their local coaches seem to only understand football from tactical point of view. But for us Nigerians, our football philosophy is founded on speed,skills to entertain and robustness. Sadly that aspect of robustness hardly exist anymore.
That sense of speed n skills is what makes our local coaches always believe, a player can throw a long pass to another player at almost 10metres away,for the reciever to run into the pass, using his dribbling skill to outwit any opposing defender,in a manner that suggests; go do it alone.
A good tactical coach/team will always love that style to play against as he simply get his players to occupying the large empty space between the passer of long ball and receiver. Winning that long pass off the supposed reciever,an opposing player’s team mate 9out of 10 always win second balls and then initiate an attack to put pressure on their opponents defence.
It is a very very wrong archaic way to play football. It only gives a sense of rush of blood to score but seldom produce goals, while a working build up play defined on either the DIAMOND OR TRIANGLE will produce goals like a milling machine, more like the patient dog eats the fattest bone.
In that diamond or triangle build up play,you are always passing balls to a diamond or triangle location instead of just an individual. This increases the speed of getting support, reduces chances of losing the ball as well as helping in keeping possession. Keeping possession for at least 10minutes increases your chances of dominating your opponent for the greater percentage of the game which is most likely gonna allow you score goals as well as leave the opponents little chance to score.45 ÷ 10 = 4.5 meaning , if your team can at least keep possession 3 quarter of each half of 45 mins, there is a very strong chance, the opponents will get psychologically demoralised and eventually concede defeat, only then counting on luck to win/survive.
@Glory… Osimhen has pride,forgetting that he still has knock fed himself enough to make those knocked-knees of his which normally is a case of malnutrition growing up go away…
He has started making some money and senior men can critisize him again. Ikpeba was one of those attackers down the pecking order in the 1994 team but even at that… Osimhen is still miles away from reaching Ikpeba’s level. He should growup on his petulant childish ways on the pitch and off it…
@ Jimmyball, sure Osimene n anybody can be criticised, but wisdom tell us when best to criticize otherwise we do it selfishly; only to sooth our own anger. Reason the Bible in Proverb,encourage parents not to provoke children to wrath. Imagine Amokachi castigating foreign born SE players when he himself tried so hard but unsuccessfully to force his foreign born children to get into our under-age national teams. These ex internationals should find other things to do and let our football function on its stride.
You @ Jimmyball even starting to bring comparison between Ikpeba and Victor Osimene is way out of order brodaman.
Ikpeba just told the simple truth… A game of that magnitude, Osimhen should have known the occasion was not one for such shines… Ikpeba never insulted him, there was nothing out of tone regarding what Ikpeba said… Infact, he even praised the player for his energy, only that Osimhen needs to play better and more mature football.
@Glory, on Osi9 matter, I do agree with most of your submissions. However, I still believe that he over-reacted. Would he have reacted the se way to European pundits. You and I are aware of the type of critisms he’s received from Italian ex-players, coaches and fans in the past. Why didn’t he respond the same way to them ?
I do agree with you on Finidi. Highly impressed with his attitude and commitment to the league. He deserves a chance.
On a different note, I do believe that the SE team needs new leaders. I doubt if the team will do better with Musa or Ekong leading the team.
Leadership is one of the things lacking in SE. The team needs a leader that can boost their morale. The next coach needs to consider Balogun & Ndidi as captain and assistant. Balogun being the most experience and consistent. Ndidi being the most impactful.
Please check-out the lifestyle of these two players Ndidi and Balogun. These two guys are top-notch when it comes to professionalism. I’m more impressed in Ndidi, considering the fact that he was raised here. His attitude is classy.
@ Larry,I have not denied he over reacted but I always try to understand someone pains or struggles before making conclusions.There are definitely causative agents for Osimene’s over reaction and matured minds will consider those first before castigating him.
Even before Ikpeba said it, I have already said it clearly here that Osimhen is partly to blame for our loss to Ghana. Those goals he missed, if he was calmer in the head, he would have controlled the ball first before attempting to score. But he showed he is not as experienced as expected and messed up potential goals.
In my opinion, we need to start looking for better alternatives to Osimhen. He is a one direction-player. That is, he can’t dribble even he has only one defender on his path to goal. I can still remember the days of Ike Uche, Osaze etc they take on defenders. All Osimhen knows is to get the ball and shoot, whether he is in a good position or not
That’s disrespect to Vic ikpeba,his achievement towards the round leather game cannot be overemphasized,even before you were born.
Victor Osimhen your football career has just started,my advice for you is to keep a low profile,be humble and take little advise from those that are considered as legends of the game to guide you through.
They say pride forth before destruction..
I said it already as am repeating here, that idiot don’t know how to talk!!
He is the main reason the abuja fans destroyed their stadium because of the lies he fed them
PLEASE GO BACK AND WATCH THE 2 BICYCLE KICKS OSHIMEN DID, AND COME BACK HERE AND TELL US IF THEY WERE NECESSARY. ABEG OSHIMEN IKPEBA DIDNT MEAN ANY HARM. SO CHILL WITH YOUR ARROGANT BEHAVIOR. YOUR HEAD DON THEY SWELL TOO MUCH
We lost to Ghana due to sentiments, tribalism and nepotism, same Ikepa kept quiet when they invited Ighalo and Sadiq over olayinka and Awoniyi. Awoniyi and Osi or Okayinka combo would’ve destroyed that Yeye Ghana defense. I warned u guys even pleaded with Eguaveon to start Awoniyi and Osi together. But these fools are blinded by sentiments, nepotism, tribalism.
Yeye Ghana defense indeed.next time we allow u guys to field 15players and we will still emerge victorious.u think football is played with mouths right?u guys should spare us your lame and spurious excuses.
I am hugely disappointed with Osimhen’s outburst. Criticism is part of growth and Victor Ikpeba is a legend that has played the game at the highest level and graced the fields with the greatest footballers in history. I am disgusted with his reaction, is it that we do not respect our elders anymore in this country? It shows his upbringing and he should feel ashamed for his response. Ikpeba was part of the great USA 94 squad at the world cup, he was part of the Olympic team that won the Olympic gold beating teams that had Ortega, Bebeto, Ronaldo de lima, Roberto Carlos. How dare Osimhen speak of a Legend this way!
What has Osimhen achieved yet? Absolutely nothing!!! Abusing someone who was adjudged to be the best in Africa at a point in time. Was benching the legendary Jurgen Klinsman at Monaco at some time. In my opinion he is well placed to criticise him. If a former African Footballer of the year is critcising you, if I were him , I will take a pen and take down notes. The former falcons capt also took a dig at Ikpeba calling him “Werey”. Those 2 are a clear example of everything wrong with as a nation, we have lost our core values, our soul and our culture.
I see pride in him and it usually goes before a fall, those close to him should advise him. Pride is no one’s friend, it will eventually pull you down and if you were nasty before your fall, people will remember this after this. Also, certain brands will not go after for fear that he could hurt their image.
In as much as I agree with many parts of your submission, please don’t judge based on your own understanding. Oshoala never called Ikpeba ‘Werey’. Why would she?
Obviously that remark was meant for Osimhen if you read and understood that comment well.
Oshoala and Osimhen roll that way. It’s a childish banter. I don’t know why anyone would think her comment was for Ikpeba when they are not playmates.
If you have to criticize anyone, let that person be Osimhen. Oshoala has nothing to do with that
Am currently enjoying a replay of the match on GTV Sports plus.But seriously it baffles me so much to see some of my dear embittered Nigerian brothers making claims that Gh merely progressed to the football mundial by virtues of the away goal rule and a goal keeping error, and I simply wanna ask if they would Make the Sam assertion if their acclaimed archaic and absurd rule had gone in their favor?and more so,have u guys ever seen a goal that’s been score in a football match without someone’s error?there won’t be goals scored without errors.better luck next time for u guys were just unfortunate to be drawn with Gh.
Na Asisat Oshoala start this wahala. She is the instigator-in-chief, hehehehe!
What she likely meant as a joke has now become a big gbege between 2 gentlemen.
That’s the danger of social media!
What would have been a private joke between these 2 friends has now become a public hullabaloo.
Ikpeba’s advice to Osimhen was good and practical. However, could it have been given privately?
Perhaps Osimhen would have been more inclined to accept the advice if it was given in private. The young man is still dealing with the disappointment of not qualifying for the world cup. The public humiliation that came with Ikpeba’s comments was likely too much for him to stomach.
For his part, Osimhen too should know that his social media accounts are widely followed, and should be more careful what he posts. His disrespect to an African football legend like Ikpeba is highly unbecoming, and does not make him look good at all.
Ghana have proven over and over again that they understand how to cage Nigeria in big games. They have a proven template for playing against Nigeria, and it has been working well for them. Funny enough, Nigeria keep repeating the same mistakes through the decades, and Ghana keep profiting.
To buck this trend, Nigeria needs to do something different against our jollof rivals.
When we play Ghana, we usually have more possession, and keep attacking in gung-ho fashion, committing more and more men forward as the game progresses, either in search of a go-ahead goal, or an equalizer. However, when we do this, we play into Ghana’s hands!
Ghana teams usually have good midfield and defense. Against Nigeria, they put pressure on the ball when they do not have it, thus denying our skillful players time on the ball. They sit back and soak up our pressure, and launch counter attacks when the opportunity arises. They use their physicality to tackle and intimidate our players. They do all they can to mentally unsettle our players.
They also make use of dead ball situations (freekicks and cornerkicks) to try to grab goals. Once they go ahead, they shut down the game, making it difficult for NIgeria to play and construct anything, and they keep it that way till the ref blows the final whistle.
For Nigeria to be more competitive against Ghana and teams that play like them, we need to:
1) Play smart. Identify their weaknesses, and take advantage!
2) Press the ball hard when we don’t have possession.
3) Do not commit too many men forward at any time.
4) Avoid high crosses into the box. Ghana center backs are usually tall and strong, and will likely deal with high crosses comfortably.
Opt for low crosses between the center backs and the goalie, after getting behind the fullbacks. This will create pandemonium in the Ghana box, resulting in possible own goals, or goal scoring chances for our boys.
5) Shoot from distance often! Goals may come from deflections, or the ball may fly right into the net. Have your players charge at the Ghana goalie in anticipation of possible fumbles they can capitalize on. Do not try to dribble your way into the Ghana box, or exchange passes into their box. It usually will not work. You stand a much better chance when you take a good shot at goal from distance.
6) Pass more, dribble less. It is proven that quick passes do much more damage than dribbling.
7) Stay focused and determined.
8) Take your goal scoring chances when they come. Unselfish play is vital. Give your team mate the ball if he is better positioned!
If we keep doing things the same way, Ghana will likely keep beating us. But if we make these changes, the tide will likely change.
@Pompei… Yes Ghana knows how to play Nigeria just like Cameroon. But truth be told tribal sentiments in selection and favoritism messed us up. You see that Olayinka? Moses Simon (who is my tribal man) does not have Olayinka produvtivity on the left flank. We could have played a 4-3-3 liking Olayinka on the left, Victor at the centre and Awoniyi on the right, and destroyed Ghana. We could also have played a 3-5-2 with Osimhen and Awoniyi as the twin attack. No modern football team play a back combo of 4men anymore… 3 defenders at the back is what all teams play these days and stack either 5 in midfield or 4 in midfield. Teams play 3-4-3, 3-5-2 and occasionally 4-3-3 depending on what they want. Our Nigeria local coaches don’t know how to play a back defence line of 3men. Midfield is where football is played these days… When they kept stringing Ighalo, Musa and continue to let Moses Simon a guy who has no end product be our joker… from nations cup where Tunisia shot us down and continue same against Ghana, we were always going to fail. We have too many average footballers currently in Super Eagles… Iheanacho is average, Chukwueze is average, Victor Osimhen is a baby striker with no skill in the mold of Aghahowa, Ike Uche and Siasia… We should stop depending on Osimhen as if he is untouchable. I don’t think he is a better goalscorer than Awoniyi or Onuachu. His game is just gragra without being smooth and clinical… Finally the Super Eagles team since Afcon 2019 lack character and fighting spirit, infact from World Cup in 2018.
In addition to tribal sentiments and favoritism, tactical ineptitude is perhaps the biggest reason we lost to Ghana.
A tactically savvy coach would have obtained much better results with these squad of players.
We need a coach who is tactically sound.
Absolutely!!!
Ur players have no skills!! When are u idiots going to ever ever wake up!!
Mediocrity should be ur middle name tho!!
Between Nigeria and Ghanaian players, the latter is more talented than u that’s why whenever we meet, we beat u!!
And we lll continue to beat everyday till u become humble enough to accept that the Ghanaian players are super talented
Is it this Ghana team that has skills?
With your VAR aided, away goals rule qualification?
The worst of Africa’s 5 representatives this year.
No trophy in 40 years?
Be there deceiving yourselves. Looool!
If not for our goalie’s mistake, where would your goal have come from? Where?
With your useless attack? No imagination, no enterprise?
Your strategy was to park the bus all day. Everybody behind the ball. Come out and play ball, no way. You stay back like a frightened tortoise, refusing to leave it’s shell. If you can play football, play it! Stop the negative tactics, and let’s see what you got!
Osimhen had the ball in your net, but VAR came to your rescue.
The whole world knows you were extremely fortunate to qualify.
Nigeria paid for our mistake of using a poor coaching crew.
We were let down by our football leaders.
On a good day, with a better coach, we should have beaten the arrogance out of you.
We hope to meet this Ghana again soon. It will be a real pleasure! Let’s even play in Kumasi!
Hahahahaha. Then, we shall see how far!
@deo thanks for your comments. @kels thanks for yours too but you missed it for me when you mentioned luck and the present regime. I don’t really believe in that. Though luck counts sometimes but you need to work hard and it has nothing to do with the government in power.
1. On oshimen. I think we need to watch him. It’s becoming clear that there is this indiscipline thing hiding inside him. Remember that he was attended a party during COVID-19 which got him COVID. You don’t talk back at a senior colleague that way. That was deeply foolish of him. Ikpeba did a constructive criticism. The same thing some of us have observed over the years about his game. He should publicly apologize. Shame on him that he coukd not manufacture a single goal against a below average Ghana defence. Shame in him.
2. On oshimen game. I asked on this forum if he had ever scored a spectacular goal for us before. To my best knowledge, NO. This is not because he is not good. His work rate is good but he is still not an effective striker or an efficient striker. He uses more of strength than brain.
3. His Coach has complained about that. It’s clear he is not listening. If he was listening he won’t talk back at the beautiful criticism from ikpeba. For goodness sake, he talked back at former African player of the year. He should go and watch ikpeba’s goal in Europe in those days and some of his goals for SE. Players who use their head more than their energy.
4. Did you observe the injuries he manufactures for himself. The back injury and the face injury. He needs help. He needs to learn or else he will not achieve his potential in Europe.
5. Oshimen should learn from dessers. This is the criminal offence eguavon committed – not given dessers any chance at all. I believe dessers will be a better version for eagles than oshimen. Well I believe. We need to give him more chances to get used to African football. I hope he is still tonolay for us anyway. Oshimen is becoming heady. I hope he would be benched in our next match so that he can learn lessons.
6. On the bicycle kick. It was 83 Rd minutes. We needed a goal. Yes a spectacular bicycle click that leads to goal will be welcomed. But a more intelligent may not go for such at that moment. A kanu will not do that. You are in the box. Your eyes in the ball. Get is down and use your brain in the box. A rushing defender cam hack you down. That can be a good penalty. Many years ago, I saw kanu brought a ball down from the air, and put it stylishly in the direction of an on rushing defender. It was a penalty. I have forgotten the particular match. I think that’s what ikoeba was trying to teach this big headed player who has not won anything at all. But he is not listening.
I hope he apologizes to this former African player of the year, then he has just shown he has bleak future in the game. It was the great yekinini that prevented ikpeba from having more game time in suoer eagles then.
I pray our players grow and mature. I pray a good coach like westehof and keshi who can get the best out of them can be employed. Sometimes, it’s not only about tactics but how a coach can get the best out of their players. We don’t want a coach who tells the players they can get beyond semi final because they are not playing in top 5 leagues. A coach who continues to tell the players they are still young. I wonder how many Cameronian and Ghananian players or Egyptian players are playing in top 5 leagues.
I rest my case here.
I don’t know if you guys have heard what is called “Adrenaline”, why do you think a defender would wrapped his hand around a striker in the box when he knows any slight touch will be a penalty. You would think he should know the referee will blow for a penalty. Well, that’s Adrenaline. In the heat of the game, the only rush you get as a striker is to push the ball into the net. Some strikers would even bundle the ball in with their hand unconsciously, 5-10mins to go, WC ticket on the line, a cross is coming in, and he thinks he’s in the right position to do a bicycle kick, and that is what his body will tell him to do, and that is the only thing he will do. So for someone to think he’s trying to show up is absurd. Ikpeba as a former striker should understand this.
OSIHME is like DAVIDO
Both are TALENTED but CHILDISH(from the way they handle their SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS)
It doesn’t stop me from LOVING them thou…
This is very stupid, can he talk to Italian Legend like that. His former Coach that he respects can’t stand Ikpeba. Pride goes before a fall.