THISDAY RATES CHUKWUS TEAM.....UM MAKE THAT ASO ROCKS TEAM
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furiously frank
- Eaglet
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Tunisia 2004: 'Chukwu Erred On Side of Caution'
This Day (Lagos)
January 16, 2004
Posted to the web January 16, 2004
Tunde Sulaiman
Lagos
As dropped players leave Faro
Predictably the team selected by Christian Chukwu to prosecute Nigeria's Nations Cup campaign has draw reactions from a wide spectrum of the society ranging from satisfaction to out right condemnation.
Veteran sports presenter and former sports editor of The Guardian, Michel Obi in his assessment of the squad said Chukwu 'erred on the side of caution' in selecting his Nations Cup team.
According to the highly respected analyst, the coach decided to stick with players plying their profession in Europe in the belief that their experience and exposure should compensate for their failure to report to camp for training but warned that it could also back fire.
"Yes, they may be our best players but it is not good for team morale that some players are given preferential treatment. What happens if they don't show up until the very last moment? It means that there will be no time for the coach to blend them or try out his team tactics. This is definitely a minus."
Obi specifically mentioned the fact that Agali has not played for the Eagles for the past two years, which will definitely not make it easy for him to gel instantly with the rest of the team.
He also expressed his fears that the left side of the team is not up to scratch.
"There seems to be an over reliance on the right side of the team at the expense of the left. On the right you have Utaka, Osaze, Ikedia and even Agali, however, on the left is Lawal, Aiyegbeni and Ekweme. And although Udeze can overlap it doesn't appear to be as strong as the other side."
Another area Obi is uncomfortable is the absence of any member of the forward line of African champions Enyimba in the Eagles attack.
"This is a surprise to me because I would have felt that at least one of them (Enyimba stickers) would be in the squad because what we are playing is an African competition and having done so well should be suited for the Nations Cup challenge.
"Besides, very often African football is more physical than technical which these boys would have been used to by now. Apart from this they will also be hungry to prove that they are not just club competition players but can also do well on the bigger stage which is the African Nations Cup."
The defence is another area in which Obi is not totally satisfied with. "Were Enakarhire and Orjinta not on display for the Eagles when we played Brazil?" he wondered.
He concluded by saying: "Chukwu just tried to go for the best of the best."
But Complete Sports editor, Dare Esan believes that Ikpe Ekong, the Shenyang of China midfielder, should never have been invited to camp in the first instance talk much less of making the final 22.
"He is not good. He has spent more than 15 years in Europe and what did he achieve? Nothing! If he was good he would have secured a good club but he never even made it into average teams before heading off to China. He has no business being called to camp let alone being part of the Nations Cup team," he said.
He was, however, satisfied with the overall team list and feels bearing any major slip up Nigeria has the team to reach the final.
Meanwhile, players not on the flight to Tunisia have begun to leave the team's Faro camp in Portugal. NFA spokesman Sam Kaalu, who disclosed this yesterday, also said that the soccer house had cleared all the players outstanding allowances.
According to Kaalu the dropped players harboured no grudges and wished those that made the final list the best of luck.
He said Premiership stars had all promised to join the team in Portugal on Sunday and added that Nigeria was not the only nation having problems with their England-based professionals.
"Senegal is also having problems getting El hadji Diouf from Liverpool, so it's a major problem for many of the teams not only the Eagles," he said.
I wonder what Mitchell was smoking when he made this statement. It is as if other countries are coming to the tournament with their African club championship players.... This is a load full of crap....
Imagine lining up Enyimba attackers against Cameroun or Senegal whilst we leave out Aiyegbeni, Agali, Otaka, Kanu, Agahowa et al. I do not see how any Enyimba forward can displace any of these players....camp or no camp
"That Justice is a blind goddess
Is a thing to which we blacks are wise.
Her bandage hides two festering sores
That once perhaps were eyes."
Langston Hughes, 1923
Is a thing to which we blacks are wise.
Her bandage hides two festering sores
That once perhaps were eyes."
Langston Hughes, 1923
FF: What you're discounting is the intangible called heart aka determination. Aghahowa was with Insurance/Esperance when he rescued us against Senegal. Besides, Nigeria will be facing one of the Enyimba strikers (Ogunbiyi) in our final match.I wonder what Mitchell was smoking when he made this statement. It is as if other countries are coming to the tournament with their African club championship players.... This is a load full of crap....
Imagine lining up Enyimba attackers against Cameroun or Senegal whilst we leave out Aiyegbeni, Agali, Otaka, Kanu, Agahowa et al. I do not see how any Enyimba forward can displace any of these players....camp or no camp
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furiously frank
- Eaglet
- Posts: 13087
- Joined: Mon Dec 22, 2003 7:18 pm
Okuns: I agree hearts play a role in sports, but it can only carry you so far, before talents and experience ride roughshod....just wait until Yemster's New England Patriots hearts only team get thrashed this weekend by superior talents from Indie land... 
"That Justice is a blind goddess
Is a thing to which we blacks are wise.
Her bandage hides two festering sores
That once perhaps were eyes."
Langston Hughes, 1923
Is a thing to which we blacks are wise.
Her bandage hides two festering sores
That once perhaps were eyes."
Langston Hughes, 1923
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