HIS MOTHER SPEAKS IN THE SUN. READ ON.

omotori · Post by **omotori** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 12:24 am

these issues are matters of principle even though there may be any numer of reasons or excuses why Martins declined. so what.

But the bottom line is that a Nigerian player refused to appear for the eagus on grounds that he is not ready yet. Does he have the right to say when he is ready or not. If the answer is Yes, I am sorry for Nigerian football. One thing I can say is the fans will find this kind of behavior from a player disgusting. And for a country whose national pride is soccer, this is a terrible thing. I can only imagine all the innuendo this will cause. if this precedent happens a few more times, the fans will start to feel powerless & betrayed.

as for all the manuevering that may be going on at Inter behind closed doors, it does not really matter.

if we make excuses for Martins based on unverifiable reasons, we are essentially doing what they do at the NFA. We complain endlessly about decisions from the NFA, they make excuses & we complain even more.

and when this issue rears its ugly head again we will predictably divide ourselves as usual with all kinds of excuses because no principle was ever established.

if we cannot deal with an issue based on priciple, thats why Nigeria cannot progress.

Martins should be suspended from the eagus

mastermind · Post by **mastermind** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 12:55 am

omotori wrote:these issues are matters of principle even though there may be any numer of reasons or excuses why Martins declined. so what.

But the bottom line is that a Nigerian player refused to appear for the eagus on grounds that he is not ready yet. Does he have the right to say when he is ready or not. If the answer is Yes, I am sorry for Nigerian football. One thing I can say is the fans will find this kind of behavior from a player disgusting. And for a country whose national pride is soccer, this is a terrible thing. I can only imagine all the innuendo this will cause. if this precedent happens a few more times, the fans will start to feel powerless & betrayed.

as for all the manuevering that may be going on at Inter behind closed doors, it does not really matter.

if we make excuses for Martins based on unverifiable reasons, we are essentially doing what they do at the NFA. We complain endlessly about decisions from the NFA, they make excuses & we complain even more.

and when this issue rears its ugly head again we will predictably divide ourselves as usual with all kinds of excuses because no principle was ever established.

if we cannot deal with an issue based on priciple, thats why Nigeria cannot progress.

Martins should be suspended from the eagus

i still think u should be ashamed of urself for playerhating on a hardworking kid like martins. What result do we gat in wc 2002 when the coach start to invite everybody and their mama into camp?

a real coach should invite experinced and proven player not some rookie that is still struggling to make the team. The funy thing is, if naija suspend him like u said, his career is not gonna be affected cos he already putting in work in inter and he will get to showcase his talent in EURO every year.

balo · Post by **balo** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 1:39 am

Omotori, let it rest. Suspending Martins can't achieve anything of interest. I don't see anything wrong in trying to secure your future before answering the call to help your country. Especially when your country is not doing anything positive to secure the livelihood of a 19 year old who should be in school getting some education in the first place. Obafemi has acted reasonably and should be emulated by up and coming ballers.

Learn your trade well before deeping yourself in the blue sea. Like his mother said, you will only be here speaking more english and not able to do anything when the boy's career hits a rock midway.

Let Obafemi grow and play for us when the time is right.

Bell · Post by **Bell** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 2:34 am

I HAVE SYMPATHY FOR MARTINS, BUT...

...I'm leaning to OMOTORI.

In hindsight, if all the "do you know ifs?" that are being invented for Martins are true, it would have served him best if he had a private chat with Ogunjobi or C3 to explain his dilemma. I'm sure they'd have understood.
Bell

Bell · Post by **Bell** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 2:39 am

EVERYBODY SEEMS TO HAVE MISSED THE MOST INTERESTING STATEMENT FROM ALHAJA MARTINS

"But I feel Nigeria has money more than [Italy]".

To think that Nigerians are dying to get visas to go there. They only need to hear the eyewitness account of this esteemed lady.
Bell

Naija fan · Post by **Naija fan** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 2:40 am

Bell wrote:I HAVE SYMPATHY FOR MARTINS, BUT...

...I'm leaning to OMOTORI.

In hindsight, if all the "do you know ifs?" that are being invented for Martins are true, it would have served him best if he had a private chat with Ogunjobi or C3 to explain his dilemma. I'm sure they'd have understood.
Bell

How do you know he did not do just that? Maybe that is why the NFA is not appying any sanctions against him.

omotori · Post by **omotori** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 2:41 am

i still think u should be ashamed of urself for playerhating on a hardworking kid like martins. What result do we gat in wc 2002 when the coach start to invite everybody and their mama into camp?

a real coach should invite experinced and proven player not some rookie that is still struggling to make the team. The funy thing is, if naija suspend him like u said, his career is not gonna be affected cos he already putting in work in inter and he will get to showcase his talent in EURO every year.

You just do'nt understand the meaning of the word principle.

This is what is killing Nigeria.

And then later you will come & complain that there is mafia in the eagus & players are not showing up or are indisciplined.

Now I can see why the players do not take the eagus seriously. Why should they if they can see certain players get away with things other players are not allowed to get away with.

MARTINS HAS BEEN INVITED BY THE EAGUS SEVERAL TIMES AND HE HAS NEVER SHOWED UP. YOU ALL OUGHT TO BE SERIOUSLY ASHAMED FOR MAKING EXCUSES FOR A PLAYER WHO HAS NOT SHOWN ANY INTREST IN THE COUNTRY.

YOU SHOULD BE VERY ASHAMED.

It wil be a disgrace on Nigeria if the NFA keeps going back to beg him to play.

How about the other players who find a way to appear ? How about Opabunmi & Osaze ? Are the not Martins age-mates.

CAN ANYONE SAY MARTINS WILL ULTIMATELY CONTRIBUTE MORE TO THE EAGUS THAN OPABUNMI OR OSAZE.

We just do not know. But in the meantime, Martins must be pampered because he is a promising striker.

I will say it again, Martins age is irrelevant to the principle & people like Mastermind hiding behind a spare username to make excuses for Martins are the exact reason why there will continue to be indiscipline in eagus organization.

Mastermind if you cannot use your real usename to state your mind just shut up.

omotori · Post by **omotori** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 2:50 am

Shaq,
I am as upset as anyone about Martins decision. But that is a different matter from the precedent we are seeing take shape here.

I am upset enoough with Martins to yab him every now & then but some people then turn around & insult me & accuse me of player-hating.

What is the meaning of this.Because he is 19. I have never made any personal insult against Martins except to point out that he is making mistakes & also point ou t his arrogance.

So why are people making bootleg excuses & trying to use insult to distract from the real issues here ?

Every one of the posters as well as the ones using spare user-names come out will insult. Why ?

Naija fan · Post by **Naija fan** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 2:54 am

Omotori, you said:

"How about the other players who find a way to appear ? How about Opabunmi & Osaze ? Are the not Martins age-mates. "

These guys are not playing for Inter or any big European club. Going to the ANC is exposure for them and their clubs understand this. If they play well and get bought by a big club, their clubs will benefit. In the case of Martins, he is already in a big club and has played in the CL. Martins has all the exposure he needs at Inter. All he want's to do right now is secure a regular shirt at Inter and then he can do what we all want him to do. Is that so difficult to understand?

shaq · Post by **shaq** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 3:03 am

Omotori,

You are not the only one unhappy about Martins not lacing his boot for naija at this ANC, but please let it GO.
There will be other times. He is still young, and I'm sure when he is ready, he will put in his best for naija.

omotori · Post by **omotori** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 3:08 am

good point Naija Fan,

I agree with you that Martins has more to lose. Note that I am willing to accept that there are circumstances that would justifiably explain why Martins failed to show.

But the NFA cannot treat a player one way and another differently because he plays for a bigger club.

Thats just about the principle we complain is lacking at the NFA.

On Osaze & Opabunmi, they may not have as much at stake as Martins but they may be feeding their families in Nigeria too.

But back to my main point, anytime a player for the eagus refuses to show for no other reason than he is not ready, the NFA MUST NOT GO BACK AND BEG HIM AGAIN. it does not matter how good he is.

The best thing for NFA to do now is place a moderate sanction on Martins & if Martins has a good excuse he can come back later & they can lift the sanction.

But if NFA goes back to beg Martins to play after the guy has been turning us down so many times, it is just too disgusting. Other players will feel betrayed.

Even if the sanction turns out to be meaningless, NFA must sanction Martins.

In fact, I want a sanction on Martins that can be rendered meaningless. so he can play for Nigeria later.

But not to just turn a blind eye.

Naija fan · Post by **Naija fan** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 3:25 am

In that case NFA can sanction Martins for one month during the ANC. Will that make you happy?

omotori · Post by **omotori** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 3:36 am

Naija fan wrote:In that case NFA can sanction Martins for one month during the ANC. Will that make you happy?

Anyways, I just wanted to make my point.

And if any player whether 17 or 37 in age ever refuses to show up for a frienfly, qualifier or tournament again becaue they want to protect their club career, "hence they are not ready now", nobody should say a word against them.

In fact this precedent has opened the door for players to weasel out of events like qualifiers & friendlies which are very important for developing team-spirit, cohesiveness & preparation. They were doing it before. It has just become easier.

they can just say they are not ready now or their club can pressure them to say so.

As for the level of patroitism players feel, it has been rendered less meaningful when they see NFA chasing after a player who has turned the country down time after time.

and as the fans see the patriotism of the players diluted, they will act accordingly too.

bret- hart · Post by **bret- hart** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 4:32 am

Please omotori, ignore them. they are just as guilty as martins and u are absoulutly right. they keep talking about how he should secure his place in inter not knowing that the ANC was a golden opportunity not only to cement his place in inter but also increase his profile. like i said, ignore them.

Its a Goal · Post by **Its a Goal** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 5:42 am

[color=brown]Naija fan[/color] wrote:Omotori, you said:

"How about the other players who find a way to appear ? How about Opabunmi & Osaze ? Are the not Martins age-mates. "

These guys are not playing for Inter or any big European club. Going to the ANC is exposure for them and their clubs understand this. If they play well and get bought by a big club, their clubs will benefit. In the case of Martins, he is already in a big club and has played in the CL. Martins has all the exposure he needs at Inter. All he want's to do right now is secure a regular shirt at Inter and then he can do what we all want him to do. Is that so difficult to understand?

Do you understand the ANC is not about players show casing their talents, but players competing to bring honor to their country.

Ghost · Post by **Ghost** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 6:02 am

If he was really 19, nobody there will be less pressure on him to play now.

Naija fan · Post by **Naija fan** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 6:58 am

IAG said:

"Do you understand the ANC is not about players show casing their talents, but players competing to bring honor to their country."

It is about both. Martins will honor his country when he is in a position to.

khalela · Post by **khalela** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 9:36 am

Please claiming that he is young is not a serious argument. I remember that Cassano of Roma is also a young chappie but has already played for the Italian National team. And Ronaldo and Ronaldinho and Raul and Owen and Rooney and a host of others were teenagers when thet started wearing National colors.So saying that he is young is a moot point.They were more than happy to play.
And principle is principle,when you have breached it you have commited an offense. It is now to now if there are acceptable reasons to breach it. But we all know that when a principle is breached, then standards are lowered. Therefore a new precedent is set. European clubs will look for any excuse to keep their African players from representing their countries but release their own players to play even meaningless frendlies. If Inter can not release one player and yet Lens had to release 3-4 players what does it say about there estimation of the country.Who is even Vieri not to play when his country calls? It simply means that our National assigments are meaningless to them.Old man Baggio will be happy tomorrow if they call him up.
I wish him all the best in Inter.But he has told us that his country is not worth the sacrifice.And has opened doors for other players to choose club over country.

Dodo · Post by **Dodo** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 9:39 am

i am happy for her

nemi2002 · Post by **nemi2002** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 10:47 am

Mbape wrote:If I was one of those crucifying Martins on this forum, I'd feel a little ashamed right about now. Seriously.

I wish you could have put the picture, Olu. I think sometimes people need to see the faces of the people they are hurting.

Can we send the pictures of 120million nigerians less obafemi's family, so he can see the faces of people he is hurting.

The man has an integrity problem.

La Reussi · Post by **La Reussi** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 11:18 am

If Obafemi is the fifth Child and 19yrs old, how come the 1st son is playing for Partizan Belgrade's youth team?

La Reussi

khalela · Post by **khalela** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 11:49 am

La Reussi wrote:If Obafemi is the fifth Child and 19yrs old, how come the 1st son is playing for Partizan Belgrade's youth team?

La Reussi

Bros,
Your eye sharp oh

!!Don't mind the boy, na me born am. And his brother is 19 and a half years

.

Malandro · Post by **Malandro** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 2:31 pm

La Reussi wrote:If Obafemi is the fifth Child and 19yrs old, how come the 1st son is playing for Partizan Belgrade's youth team?

La Reussi

I was thinking the same thing but if you re-read the article she mentions something about a half-brother. This probably implies that Oba's popsie had more than 1 wife so the kid at PB could be the first born from another wife.