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Pinnick:Watford Now Nigerian Players’ Nest

Pinnick:Watford Now Nigerian Players’ Nest

President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Mr Amaju Pinnick says Premier League returnee, Watford is becoming the new home for the Super Eagles.

Pinnick was at the Hornets training ground on Saturday and watched the first training session of Nigeria midfield ace, Oghenekaro Etebo who recently joined English Premiership side Watford FC from Turkey’s Galatasaray.

Hard-tackling Etebo has been a key figure in the Super Eagles’ set-up since impressing at the 2016 Olympics in Brazil, where the U23 boys won Team Nigeria’s only medal at the games – a bronze. He featured prominently in the qualifying campaign for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, played at the FIFA World Cup in Russia and also featured in the qualifying race and finals of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. He was also influential in the squad that won the ticket to the 2021 AFCON.

“Watford FC is gradually becoming a Super Eagles’ camp,” said a beaming Pinnick as he met with Club’s Technical Director, Cristiano Giaretta.

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“I told Mr Giaretta that we have six players at Watford FC now and three of them are regular Super Eagles teamers and therefore, we need to forge a stronger relationship with the club. Watford is returning to the Premiership in the coming season, so it is a good feeling all around.”

Apart from Etebo, there are also at Watford FC Super Eagles’ deputy skipper William Ekong, forward Emmanuel Dennis, former junior internationals Isaac Success and Tom Dele-Bashiru, and little-known Dapo Mebude.

Between 2014 and 2017, former Super Eagles’ star Jude Odion Ighalo (top scorer at the 2019 AFCON) pulled up some trees at Watford FC, scoring a total of 36 goals in 90 matches in all for the Hornets.

“It is important to build these relationships. I am scheduled to meet with the Club President and CEO of Watford FC in the coming weeks, and I also plan to meet with the CEOs of Leicester and Everton FC. We are looking ahead to the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers and the 2021 AFCON taking place early next year and relationships, understanding and mutual respect are key elements in the mix of release and return of players.”


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COMMENTS

WORDPRESS: 32
  • Larry 3 years ago

    Misplaced priority..
    How many training sessions of any NPFL teams have you attended? How many meetings have you arranged with NPFl club management ?
    Is it true you are owing SE team coaches and player’s bonuses ?
    Your tenure as NFF president ranks among the worst

    • Ayphillydegreat 3 years ago

      Misplaced priority is going to see our potential SuperEagles first 11 players in their training?? It’s better you rot behind your keyboard because your mentality is counter clockwise. He has already exposed the plentyfools talents you claim you have in the NPFL for the world to see. Now let him prioritize on the actual players we need for important WorldCup qualifiers coming up. Every sensible SuperEagles fans know that our best are in Europe. Every Nigerian anywhere know that our best brains are not in Nigeria but outside the shores of the country doing well. Some of them even try to create jobs for hopeless agents like you who only come here to post rubbish. Nonsense!

      • Oakfield 3 years ago

        Hhahahahahaa@ aphilly my man. U just hit that guy belw the belt…. Lamao. See now, him don chop 17dislikes already….take am easy, abeg Lol… No mind them. Miserable hypocrites. Shebi we don see their talented home based yansh as e dy black… Lol.

    • Pinnik 3 years ago

      Don’t worry we will get there. It is a top to bottom approach. It may tarry but it will surely come.As I speak to you. Some home eagles are in talk with Mexican team and mls team.even next concacaf we already ve invitation for referee from organisers.and next fifa vp will be from west Africa .

  • Ako Amadi 3 years ago

    Hope Pinnick does NOT describe Watford as a mushroom club next week.

  • Emmanuel 3 years ago

    @Ayphillydegreat, many Nigerian including that young man you responded to are suffering from mental health issues.There is nothing that comes good to them if it is coming from a Nigerian.

    They complain that the Coach and the NFF president did not give the local players enough chance and when a huge chance was created to play Mexico they again complained that Rohr and Pinnick are wasting tax payers money on needless friendlies for the home based.

    There is absolutely nothing they find useful and good in Nigeria.What else can you call such a person who tagged a journey to visit and encourage a set of players who have the potential to take the SE to the greatest height and a club which boast of the largest concentration of SE players currently in Europe as wasted, if not madness.

    Come, I have dexided to watch from the side lines as I now know that several comments here are not worth responding to.Anyways,say what u want Pinnick will do his work and Rohr will continue to blossom.

    • GLORY 3 years ago

      God bless to you @ Emmanuel n broda man Aphillydegreat. To be honest some comments just smacks off pure hate/envy. Absolutely disgusting.

    • you’re spot on. I always ask if God can please Nigerians. Because they will never support their own. The way they abuse and insult their own. It beats my imagination all the time. I cannot understand it

  • Larry 3 years ago

    From your comment,it’s clear to know your type. As long as it is within my right to express my humble opinion on any topic,your response to my comment is meaningless.
    Pinnick is running around spending people’s taxes on trips, while players and coaches are being owed salaries and bonuses.
    The league in the country is in need of proper management and basic facilities and the nff president is happy running around premiership teams for pictures.
    Are we having problems with players release in the SE from their clubsides ? Release of players to national teams is protected under FIFA rules.
    Ensuring payment of salaries and facilitating improvement of the NPFL should be some of his major priorities.

    • Ayphillydegreat 3 years ago

      From your comments it’s clear that you’re bereft of ideas and don’t have any iota of relevance. Therefore, all the gibberish you’re typing are meaningless. Why is it now that you’re crying for our league to be properly managed?? All the time you and your die hard regressives have been clamoring for home based players to be given a quota in the mainstream SuperEagles you don’t know that the league was not properly managed then??? You’ve been brandishing names of Shimaga Nwabili and what not as if you’re the one that will get the agency fee for their transfer. We know your type already continue fooling yourself. Our best players are scattered all over Europe take it or leave it and the coach who knows what he wants to achieve have already said it long time ago.

    • kenneth 3 years ago

      Help us ask that question. Of what purpose is visit? when last did he jamboree around the league to check on the local players in the country. The appropriate words were used” misplaced priorities. The NFF is broke, but you going about to do exactly what, some would say motivation, have you motivated the ones under your nose. Please its time to move to the side, all the promises you made has failed. Thought with your bit of expertise you could transform the NFF, but we were proved wrong. Obviously you know nothing about management.

      • Ayphillydegreat 3 years ago

        Who let this Baboon out from the shop??

        • kenneth 3 years ago

          Have been having a blast, for somedays in here. This assistant parrot could be faking himself, what a shame. Oga better go focus on the lies they claim you trying to furnish here. It is obvious that all those thumbs down are the multiple alias you have created. And you want to make mockery of people not knowing you living a false life

  • Larry 3 years ago

    I see why you will remain delusional with basic facts..
    The last match against Mexico should never be used to judge the level of the HB but should be condemned as a National disgrace and in a sane country all culprits will be invited for questioning.
    Besides, you are ranting about a match betwwen hastily assembled HB against a team that is ranked #11 in the world. But you saw nothing wrong with the loss to Cameroon (32 years record broken)
    Of course Nwabali, Shimaga and Olusesi played really well against Mexico and should be considered for next SE matches.
    Again, the fans deserve to know if truly the players and coaches are being owed salaries and bonuses and if it is true, the nff should rather focus more on getting the funds to execute upcoming matches and not doing meet and greet with players in EPL clubsides.

    • Ayphillydegreat 3 years ago

      That’s why your brain will remain counterclockwise. It is now a National disgrace to expose the plentifools talents you and your delusional puppets have been crying to be given a quota in the National team so that you can market them. If the NFF is owing the players and the coaches they will figure that out before the AFCON if they’re serious about winning it. That’s part of the reason he went to visit them. You can continue to be delusional.

      • Chima E Samuels 3 years ago

        Fool dirty mechanic trying to act smart always when we know how stupid you are. Shame on you idiot!

        • JimmyBall 3 years ago

          @Chima please you need to end the personal attacks… @Ayphillydegreat… I don’t know you to be one to loose your guards this way. Please let us try to remove toxicity from the forum. I and @Dr.Drey have managed to know how to shade each other using “Patented” lines we donated on this forum like my Rohr lines and Drey’s top 5 league lines… Without losing our heads. We still go at each other but it is with comaderie now… I won’t lie I look forward to his submissions and I know he likes to see mine too… It should be that way folks… Let’s do our best to stop attacking ourselves in degrading ways please… One love.

          • pompei 3 years ago

            Well said, Jimbo.

          • Chima E Samuels 3 years ago

            The above guy is an idiot anytime anyone makes a view sometimes he makes a false assumption that I’m the one. Same goes with drey that is why i pick on them at any point in time. These guys are manipulative in a many ways at these sports fan thing that I know will not add a dime to their pockets. Until they act accordingly I don’t see myself taking their shit.

          • Ayphillydegreat 3 years ago

            Jimmy don’t worry leave him for me. A thousand of him is never enough. The useless Chima is an idiot who only come here to vent his betting frustrations. I will continue to cause the hell out his miserable life. Him self know his own is finished on this forum henceforth. Miserable donkey of the highest order. If you talk trash I will be here to set the records straight bloody nincompoop.

          • Kenneth 3 years ago

            My brother let them go at it. Am enjoying every minute of this accusations. A beggar talking about feeding you and i on this platform. Does that make any sense.

      • Philadelphia 3 years ago

        Look at this SOB ranting here when someone has exposed your lifeless self. Have said it you have no balls. All that nonsense you talking about feeding people is all pack of lies. Have you fed your mother or siblings before coming here to talk about feeding other people. You are just a broke asshole, please present your degrees from the IVY leagues that you received. You this born throw MF. Better continue with the insurance fraud you were doing. Can’t wait till your ass is sent to maximum penitentiary.

  • Larry 3 years ago

    It is a National disgrace because the outcome could have been avoided if the match was executed with a mixture of HB and fringe or upcoming national team players..
    It is only a mentally deranged or a delusional person like you that would expect a better outcome from a hastily assembled HB team or Team C of a team that could not defeat the 114th and 55th ranked team in the world on two occasions for each.
    Despite the defeat, those three players put up a great performance.
    Imagine, the same nff president that is raising the bar for ambitious HB players is proud attending a training session of Watford to watch the first training session of his “Warri boy” as reported in another online news.
    This trip is an absolute misplaced priority. Again, his current efforts should be focused on securing the funds for the team and improving the standard of our leagues and not spending people’s taxes on jamboree trip.

    • Ayphillydegreat 3 years ago

      You’re still saying the same gibberish. Your brain is completely stuck on. Those 3 players will not bench anyone in the main SuperEagles. We are not lacking in the right back position. We are not lacking in the goalkeeping position. If Ezenwa is fit he will be ahead of Nwabili. And we are not lacking in the DM department. All this names you’re brandishing will soon be gone to obliviion.

  • Kenny 3 years ago

    Rubbish this man is useless. So you are not proud of Nigerian league. This man is getting stupid everyday.

  • Kenny 3 years ago

    So this shameless man really went to lodge the money he stole from Nigeria vs Mexico Friendly in his UK Bank Account. Shame on this man.

  • Larry 3 years ago

    Oh I see.. you lack basic comprehension.
    Where in my lines did you pick bench anyone from.. My submission on those three players (Nwabali, Shimaga and Olusesi) is tied to HB players to be considered for Eagles if the coach dims fit.
    The subject matter is on misplaced priority of making jamboree trips when there are many other important things to take care of.

    You see you lack the basic ingredients of professionalism. All you do is to insult
    or try to bully people and I’m not having any of that.
    I challenge you to provide reasonable comment on why this trip is important at this period. You switched from nff to HB to three players..
    Keep dancing soapy.
    Peace.

    • Ayphillydegreat 3 years ago

      Your notion of a misplaced priority is totally laughable in the context of intellectual explanations. If you’re talking about the 3 players getting more opportunity in the CHAN team fine, but that they should be drafted into the main SuperEagles is quite laughable when they couldn’t muster just one shot at goal in 90 minutes. They will only be there as training materials. Our WorldCup qualifiers starts in less than 2 months so what is the misplaced priorities in going to see your potential main team players after you’ve already done the same to the Home based team by exposing them in a high profile friendly here in the US?? Let me educate you more. The NFF only have to make sure the administrative aspect of the league is covered to an extent. In Nigeria most football clubs in the NPFL are owned by state governments or private non profit groups such as the MFM team in Lagos. It is suppose to be the priority of the Sports ministry with aid of funds from the government to provide quality infrastructures for the teams to be able to blossom. Pinnick is not the one that will build state of the art stadiums for you to play on. He’s not the one that will tell them how to run their teams other than to ensure proper regulations are followed. That’s why almost every facet of ministry and government have a state department in the United States and other sane society.If you want to chanel your frustrations on anyone it should be the Sports ministry. The NFF are not responsible for building standard stadiums and training facilities for the NPFL teams.

      • Chima E Samuels 3 years ago

        Fool I don’t remember the last time I did a naira transaction. That is where I pass you dollar aside what do you know. Outdated he goat…. What do forex or stock managers do? I trade in major currencies and cryptos. Idiot did you hear fiat is gonna be outdated soon? So that you don’t forget those shitty notes you’re hiding under your bed you swine!

        • Ayphillydegreat 3 years ago

          Bloody nincompoop brainless chimpanzee go and tell those lies to your kangaroo generation. if you deal on forex and cryptocurrency why are you still here waisting your time on a football forum??? Miserable confused asshole whose brain has been replaced with that of a donkey hiding behind a keyboard trying to defraud people of their money lying here that he deals on hard currency. You think we don’t know your type?? That’s why the miserable baboon is always quick to say let’s share information so that he can use it to defraud people. How can you escape from the shithole you call home?? If you’re lucky enough to come across my Blue passport alone it is enough to feed your entire shithole village.

      • Ayphillydegreat 3 years ago

        Bloody nincompoop brainless chimpanzee go and tell those lies to your kangaroo generation. if you deal on forex and cryptocurrency why are you still here waisting your time on a football forum??? Miserable confused asshole whose brain has been replaced with that of a donkey hiding behind a keyboard trying to defraud people of their money lying here that he deals on hard currency. You think we don’t know your type?? That’s why the miserable baboon is always quick to say let’s share information so that he can use it to defraud people. How can you escape from the shithole you call home?? If you’re lucky enough to come across my Blue passport alone it is enough to feed your entire shithole village.

  • JimmyBall 3 years ago

    I am happy for one thing… With more Super Eagle affiliated players now in the EPL… It will afford us a good chance to assess our players weekly. I like the way Amaju Pinnick was elated about Etebo such that it spurred him to go watch Watford training session to also have some kind of chat with the other players and club management… However, Pinnick seems to have a lot of “admiration” for his Warri boy… in the person of Etebo. The guy has quality… that is never in doubt, but of late maybe for playing often in deep-lying midfield position his game slowed a bit regarding catchy performances… Since Watford now wants him in a more attack-centric midfield role… let’s hope the old enterprising Etebo resurfaces again… it got to a point where I was really beginning to lose it with Etebo… I was also beginning to feel Pinnick was actually the one holding down a spot continuously for Etebo in Super Eagles… as in his pairing with Ndidi, it began to occur to me that he tires Ndidi in that role because his tackles were not as clean if he made any at all… his transition and forward plays, as well as helping to stabilize our midfield was becoming really suspect to me and he did not command a regular shirt at Galatasaray… at that point my mind was made up that we needed to find another more rounded player to pair Ndidi, it was Abdullah Shehu who was ever present in the team but never really was deployed in that position that remained the only reference then… In a nutshell, in my opinion, we will need two other/additional convincing players in our pivot with Ndidi… the guy Alhassan Yussuf who just moved to Royal Antwerp and Adewole Oladoye who is now being very much raked about at Gent, already a first teamer comes to mind… While the incoming season will afford us good reportage on those two newbies for proper assessment, let us also hope the Olulesi guy, from the NPFL team who did well to impress Rafael Marquez will also soon find a decent club abroad to refine and improve his game… I am almost comfortable with our playing personnel in all departments now except the role of a convincing pivot pair for Ndidi and an all-action attacking midfielder/play maker… We will be hoping for better days… the world cup qualification fever will soon be upon us and we must keep Cape Verde always in our heads… those guys are fearless and majority play in Portugal with a lot of them having had their football education in Portugal… e go surely better for Super Eagles and Nigeria! One love…

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