The untouchables..the 33 the best ever

[Undertaker]

Keshi's best played at 4 and 5 spot not at 6.. West was exellent at 6 ...Oloye tell me Keshi's qualities that CCC don't have in abundance I have videos to back it up..

Keshi won the Nations cup as a player and coach, CCC couldn't do that!

[Kako]

Oloye...check the honourably mentioned list..AWESU and OJEBODE made the list...Is Keshi better than Chukwu or Achebe ...Chukwu had many qualities more than Keshi...specialist in free kicks, penalties, pinpoint tailord passes to Odegbami..overlapping center back...the banana kick was manufactured by Chairman

That's not true.

[Kako]

Keshi's best played at 4 and 5 spot not at 6.. West was exellent at 6 ...Oloye tell me Keshi's qualities that CCC don't have in abundance I have videos to back it up..

Keshi won the Nations cup as a player and coach, CCC couldn't do that!

CCC won as a player also....and we are not comparing coaching duties here

[oloye]

Oloye...check the honourably mentioned list..AWESU and OJEBODE made the list...Is Keshi better than Chukwu or Achebe ...Chukwu had many qualities more than Keshi...specialist in free kicks, penalties, pinpoint tailord passes to Odegbami..overlapping center back...the banana kick was manufactured by Chairman

That's not true.

You see how far assumption can go

[Ezesportsworld]

Undertaker, Chukwu also won as a player and coach

[FATHER TIKO]

Sorry non of you guys saw Chairman play...

That is taking an assumption too far We may not be grandads yet, but some of us were privileged to see siamon suku play. He was awesome, but let truth be told emotions aside Keshi was better. I repeat i am a diehard CCC fan, i cried the day Keshi took over the baton after CCC was humiliated in that loss to Algeria, took me several years to accept Keshi. But Keshi truth be told remains the best centerhalf we ever had...the best ever!

Oga Oloye, no wa for you o...
You dey use Algeria example? That Chukwu was a pale shadow of 'Chairman'...Its like referencing the Keshi of AFCON/WCup 1994...

But what's wrong with playing Chukwu & Keshi as a CD pair...?

It should have been those two period. And my argument is that, to drop Keshi on any Naija line up is a sacrilege.

I opened a similar All-Time Nigeria XI thread on this forum.

My argument was that any player who has ever figured in the Nigeria GOAT debate merited a starting shirt in the All-Time Nigeria XI.

Chukwu, Odegbami, Muda, Yekini, JJ Okocha, Kanu, Keshi; all have figured in the GOAT debate.

[paj]

Keshi's best played at 4 and 5 spot not at 6.. West was exellent at 6 ...Oloye tell me Keshi's qualities that CCC don't have in abundance I have videos to back it up..

Keshi won the Nations cup as a player and coach, CCC couldn't do that!

Are U seriously serious?? U lucky the bones of my Thanksgiving turkey is enroute Pa Jimoh's house or I for hammer U wiff what used to be the thigh bone

[Ezesportsworld]

Paj answer the question now

[Undertaker]

Undertaker, Chukwu also won as a player and coach

CCC won it as a coach? When?

[Ezesportsworld]

Yes..as a coach of the best squad ever...1994 team with Westerhoff...

[Adisboy]

Let us leave nostalgia alone. Enyeama is the BEST EVER Nigerian keeper both based on acheivements and personal performance. Won the CAF CL that the ones mentioned never did, the nigerian professional league, fa cup, Isreali League, AFCON, nominate in the top 5 goalkeepers in ligue 1 last season. MOM in 2 of our group phase matches at the 2010 World Cup, Goalkeeper of the tournament AFCON 2013. Tell me which other goalkeeper in Naija's football history has come anywhere close.

[Dammy]

Let us leave nostalgia alone. Enyeama is the BEST EVER Nigerian keeper both based on acheivements and personal performance. Won the CAF CL that the ones mentioned never did, the nigerian professional league, fa cup, Isreali League, AFCON, nominate in the top 5 goalkeepers in ligue 1 last season. MOM in 2 of our group phase matches at the 2010 World Cup, Goalkeeper of the tournament AFCON 2013. Tell me which other goalkeeper in Naija's football history has come anywhere close.

I have had to review my assessment and I believe you are right. Enyeama is Nigeria's best ever keeper.

[TonyTheTigerKiller]

How did I arrive at the number 33?..Chairman Chukwu once told me ' the best team ever will have three players who can play each position at anytime' We are talking about the giants of Nigerian football the 33 the best ever. Nigerian football started in the 1930's and mushroomed into the UK tourist team of 1949 the red devils, Green eagles and the Super Eagles. I saw many players and witnessed so many spectacular moments in Nigerian football and can unequivocally tell you that I saw God play and he was wearing the number 10 jersey for Nigeria. Each player listed here must have won any medal for Nigeria, were the best atleast three years consecutively.
GOALKEEPERS
Emma Okala, Peter Rufai, Emma Enyeama..honourably mentioned..Peter Fregene, Inua Rigogo, IKe Shorunmo
RT Full Backs: Sylvanus Okpala, Yisa Shofoluwe, Tony Igwe.
LF Full backs: Ben Iroha, Celestine Babayaro, Okey Isima.
RT Half backs: Muda Lawal, Sunday OLiseh, Mikel Obi
Center backs: Christian Chkwu, Godwin Achebe, Steven Keshi.
Left half backs: Taribo West, Godwin Odiye, Okey Uche.
Rt Side Midfield: Segun Odegbami, George Finidi, Victor Moses.
Attacking Mid: Aloy Atuegbu, Kanu Nwankwo, Dan Amokachi.
CF : Rashidi Yekini, Thompson Usiyen, Elkanam Onyeali
Roving Mid: JJ Okocha, Henry Nwosu, Haruna Ilerika.
Lf side Mid: Adokie Amasiemaka, Emma Amunike, Chibuzor Ehilegbu.

Honourably mentioned defence: fabian Duru, Dominic Ezeani, Chidi Nwanu, Bright Omokaro, Sam Ojebode, Sunday Eboigbe, Segun OLumudeji, Victor Oduah, Chidi Ordia, Dan Anyiam..
Midfield: Sam Garba Okoye, Paul Hamilton, Albert Onyeanuna, Baby Anieke, Kunle Awesu, Baba #$% Mohammed, Sam Okwaraji, Etim Esin, Mutiu Adepoju.
Strikers:Thunder Balogun, Obafemi Martins, Yakubu Ayegbeni, Sunday Oyarekuah, Kenneth Olayombo, Yakubu Mambo, Titus Okere and Cyril Asoluka, Ekpe Junior, Etim Ewa Henshaw, Pat Ekeji, Humphrey Edobor and Tarila Okoronwata

Best XI Okala, Okpala, Iroha, Chukwu, West, Mikel, Odegbami, Kanu, Yekini, Okocha and Emmanuel Amunike...thats all folks

Ezesportsworld, it is always nice to have an opinion and mine is that no Nigerian defender alive or dead is good enough to wipe Godwin Achebe's boots, least of all, Taribo West

Furthermore, I counter your Best XI with the following:

Okala, Okpala, Achebe, Chukwu, Isima, Odegbami, Mikel, Okocha, Amasiemeka, Nwosu, Yekini


Cheers.

[TonyTheTigerKiller]

Sorry non of you guys saw Chairman play...

I think they are saying Keshi in lieu of West.

Rufai in place of Okala. Rufai played for Nigeria from 1981 to 1998 and won a Nations Cup as the regulat goalkeeper and kept in 2 world cups. While Okala was a non playing squad member when Nigeria won the Nations Cup. Also Keshi was an upgrade on Chukwu, he could do everything Chukwu did and more. Also he lasted longer in the national team than Chairman.

The fact that Best was in goal instead of Okala during the 1980 nations cup was due to abominable partisan politics but we paid dearly for it a few short months later when we were humiliated on our own turf due to share incompetence in goal


Cheers.

[Kako]

Still on Chairman, I saw Keshi beaten severally but Chukwu was the last man standing anytime in Green Eagles defence...

I am a big fan of Christian Chukwu,but Godwin Odiye was always the last man in Green Eagles defence.
Hence the nickname "last man Odiye"

[Undertaker]

Yes..as a coach of the best squad ever...1994 team with Westerhoff...

He wasn't the coach! Westerhoff was the Coach! CCC was just an assistant.

[paj]

Yes..as a coach of the best squad ever...1994 team with Westerhoff...

He wasn't the coach! Westerhoff was the Coach! CCC was just an assistant.

..assistant what?#onewordplease

[Enugu II]

I love these debates but we are often blinded by the following:

1) The belief that the great player we saw from the eyes of a youngster is simply never to be second place. Often that young view of that superstar makes the superstar into a demigod. Fear this point of view, my brothers.

2) The view by the veterans that only those players that they viewed as youngsters can make the G.O.A.T team. New place for current players.

Indeed, IMHO, it is difficult to overcome the two limitations noted above as they form considerable barriers that blind us.

Here are my questions:

1. If Keshi is indeed the best ever defender for Nigeria, how come he spent considerable time playing in the DM for the national team? At the height of the NT in 1994, he was captain but past his sale date. While I think Keshi was a hell of a defender but he was not a master in the air defensively and I really think Chukwu at his prime was not just better but Chukwu won the 1980 CAN as the MVP of that tournament while Keshi at the winning of the 1994 Can was not even a given starter on that team. Now don't tell me about Anderlecht because guys like Chukwu, Odegbami, Muda could have made teams in Europe if European scouts had scouted for players in Nigeria and if those players had been motivated to play in Europe in those days. Achebe was a heck of a player, BTW. Yea, he won only the All Africa Games as a captain in the same still Keshi won the CAN in 1994 i.e. past his sale date. However, this was a guy who was fighting a war for three years and yet came out of the war to take the center back position and captain over players who had represented Nigeria at the 1968 Olympics. That is no easy feat!

2. As for Okala, my view had always been that he was the best, Well, fear the imitations I mentioned earlier. I did a statistical comparison of goalies afterwards. See my blog and I am now convinced more than ever that Vincent Enyeama is the best goalkeeper ever to come out of Nigeria ahead of Okala and the rest. Forget that Okala myth. Enyeama is the real deal see http://eaglecity.blogspot.com/2014/12/s ... rufai.html

3. I wonder why Mikel Obi is not in the starting XI. I guess because he is playing now and thus the legend of Muda Lawal overshadows him. I saw Muda throughout his career and he was a heck of a player especially with his pin point passing. However, not even Muda's legendary passing ability puts him at the same level of passing accuracy, ball protection, and vision as Mikel Obi. IMHO, Mikel is unparalleled as a Nigerian player in what he does. His only downside is his pace but his skill is unequalled by any midfielder in the same position in the past.

4. Henry Nwosu as a starter? Bros, I really would question that. Yes, Nwosu may have been one of Nigeria's best as a youth footballer but at the NT level we have had others who were better IMHO. If we consider Kanu as an attacking mid, he was better. Okocha was better. Ilerika may have been better except he played fewer games I believe.

5. Why is there still a debate on Usiyen v Yekini. Yea, Usiyen was more technical. He was scoring at a higher clip per game. But how many games did he play, again? For me, there should be no debate. This should be Yekini without question. Yoking scored 37 goals in just over 60 games. No Nigerian has even scored 25 goals -- Oba Martins, Yak, Aghahowa. NONE!!! The closest to Yeking's 37 is Segun Odegbami with 24 goals!!

6. Why exactly is Amaesiemaka ahead of others? Is there a real justification for that? Was he better than Amuneke? Is he better than Victor Moses? I can go on and on.

Just my tuppence.

[Dammy]

My XI

1. Enyeama
2. Okpalla
3. Shofoluwe
4. Mikel
5. Keshi
6. Chukwu
7. Finidi
8. Okocha
9. Yekini
10. Kanu
11. Amunike

[oloye]

My XI

1. Enyeama
2. Okpalla
3. Shofoluwe
4. Mikel
5. Keshi
6. Chukwu
7. Finidi
8. Okocha
9. Yekini
10. Kanu
11. Amunike

Quick question ,what did Kanu win with eagles or how many goals did he score for eagles to make him deserve a shirt over odegbami...let me see his arsenal exploits or may be u23.

The name Kanu is big,but of we are looking at anu data, no way should names like odegbami be missing.

[Dammy]

My XI

1. Enyeama
2. Okpalla
3. Shofoluwe
4. Mikel
5. Keshi
6. Chukwu
7. Finidi
8. Okocha
9. Yekini
10. Kanu
11. Amunike

Quick question ,what did Kanu win with eagles or how many goals did he score for eagles to make him deserve a shirt over odegbami...let me see his arsenal exploits or may be u23.

The name Kanu is big,but of we are looking at anu data, no way should names like odegbami be missing.

Kanu played at a higher level than Odegbami. It is really unfair to compare those who played in Europe to those who did not. No one knows what the likes of Chukwu, Odegbami or Muda Lawal would have achieved if they played at the highest level i.e. Europe.

[Enugu II]

My XI

1. Enyeama
2. Okpalla
3. Shofoluwe
4. Mikel
5. Keshi
6. Chukwu
7. Finidi
8. Okocha
9. Yekini
10. Kanu
11. Amunike

Quick question ,what did Kanu win with eagles or how many goals did he score for eagles to make him deserve a shirt over odegbami...let me see his arsenal exploits or may be u23.

The name Kanu is big,but of we are looking at anu data, no way should names like odegbami be missing.

Kanu played at a higher level than Odegbami. It is really unfair to compare those who played in Europe to those who did not. No one knows what the likes of Chukwu, Odegbami or Muda Lawal would have achieved if they played at the highest level i.e. Europe.

Which higher level? I thought this was about Nigeria's greatest player. If it is, what someone did ior did not do in Europe is largely insignificant. What is significant, however, is what a player did wearing a Nigerian shirt either at club or NT level. No more. Now, if you are making a team of greatest Nigerians to play in Europe then that is another case altogether.

If we take Dammy's current logic then the likes of Owubokiri, Ideye, Akpala are better than Odegbami and the likes of Enakharire, Egwuekwe, Oboabona, Omeruo are better than Christian Chukwu! Why? because they played in Europe! Does that not seem questionable? The level here should be SE or Nigerian club shirt and nothing more, bros. IMO, an All Time team of Nigeria cannot exist without Segun Odegbami. Think about this:

This guy has 24 goals for Nigeria! That is the top scorer for Nigeria without Yekini. Martins, Yak, and others have not even scored 22 goals for Nigeria after playing perhaps more games than Segun. Moreover, Segun did his scoring without even playing as the top striker. The guy was a wide player. While, one can make a case for Kanu but it cannot be at the expense of Odegbami.

[TonyTheTigerKiller]

A topic like this one was bound to generate a million and one different opinions but I totally stand by my best XI. I would never dream of picking an all time Nigeria first eleven that didn't include Henry Nwosu. He was simply the best athlete that's ever played at that position for Nigeria


Cheers.