Cybereagles

(1) I sincerely hope Francis Uzoho watched the England vs Sweden match today
(2) In particular I hope he saw those two second half saves he made getting down early
(3) As we all know, this is probably the weakest part of Uzoho’s game
(4) I have always believed that no coach can make a player better than he can want to make himself better
(5) Hiding behind a coach and club is a lazy option. Players have to take it upon themselves to improve
(6) I watched Ryan Giggs during one match say that Neville Southall used to practise punching balls out for throw-ins in training
(7) Great goalkeepers like Khan, Banks, Batts, Seaman, Buffon, Schmiechel, Zoff, Zengar, Mier, etc were not all just talent. These guys always stayed behind after training to work on their weaknesses for hours
(8) Uzoho has to now take it upon himself to work in his weaknesses. He needs to spend hours training on getting down early, penalties, distribution and kicking
(9) For all Uzoho’s brilliance in Russia, some of the goals he conceded were saveable. Had he been able to get down like Pickford, maybe we would have got to the knockout stage
(10) In every other sphere of life, Nigerians work at their craft day to improve themselves. Footballers should not be any different. I just hope the young man is not getting carried away and now enjoying himself. He needs to watch all the top goalkeepers closely and learn from them

...all goalkeepers of the world watched and saw it.

Jordan Pickford may not be the most talented goalkeeper out there but you can see he works on the training ground a lot. This is something our players do not do enough of.

What this young generation of players need to do us push themselves to the limit. For instance, will Ebuehi set himself the target of being the best rightback in the world?

Ayo Akinfe wrote:(1) I sincerely hope Francis Uzoho watched the England vs Sweden match today
(2) In particular I hope he saw those two second half saves he made getting down early
(3) As we all know, this is probably the weakest part of Uzoho’s game
(4) I have always believed that no coach can make a player better than he can want to make himself better
(5) Hiding behind a coach and club is a lazy option. Players have to take it upon themselves to improve
(6) I watched Ryan Giggs during one match say that Neville Southall used to practise punching balls out for throw-ins in training
(7) Great goalkeepers like Khan, Banks, Batts, Seaman, Buffon, Schmiechel, Zoff, Zengar, Mier, etc were not all just talent. These guys always stayed behind after training to work on their weaknesses for hours
(8) Uzoho has to now take it upon himself to work in his weaknesses. He needs to spend hours training on getting down early, penalties, distribution and kicking
(9) For all Uzoho’s brilliance in Russia, some of the goals he conceded were saveable. Had he been able to get down like Pickford, maybe we would have got to the knockout stage
(10) In every other sphere of life, Nigerians work at their craft day to improve themselves. Footballers should not be any different. I just hope the young man is not getting carried away and now enjoying himself. He needs to watch all the top goalkeepers closely and learn from them

Uzoho had a good, not great World Cup. By no means did he clearly take the goalkeeper jersey. Your observations are right, and he needs to get down to work. I really hope that somehow he will get a better club. Watching games at the level he's playing, I fail to see how he will improve.

Daft thread from a spammer. Pickford's father wasn't kidnapped 2ce

Obong wrote:

Ayo Akinfe wrote:(1) I sincerely hope Francis Uzoho watched the England vs Sweden match today
(2) In particular I hope he saw those two second half saves he made getting down early
(3) As we all know, this is probably the weakest part of Uzoho’s game
(4) I have always believed that no coach can make a player better than he can want to make himself better
(5) Hiding behind a coach and club is a lazy option. Players have to take it upon themselves to improve
(6) I watched Ryan Giggs during one match say that Neville Southall used to practise punching balls out for throw-ins in training
(7) Great goalkeepers like Khan, Banks, Batts, Seaman, Buffon, Schmiechel, Zoff, Zengar, Mier, etc were not all just talent. These guys always stayed behind after training to work on their weaknesses for hours
(8) Uzoho has to now take it upon himself to work in his weaknesses. He needs to spend hours training on getting down early, penalties, distribution and kicking
(9) For all Uzoho’s brilliance in Russia, some of the goals he conceded were saveable. Had he been able to get down like Pickford, maybe we would have got to the knockout stage
(10) In every other sphere of life, Nigerians work at their craft day to improve themselves. Footballers should not be any different. I just hope the young man is not getting carried away and now enjoying himself. He needs to watch all the top goalkeepers closely and learn from them

Uzoho had a good, not great World Cup. By no means did he clearly take the goalkeeper jersey. Your observations are right, and he needs to get down to work. I really hope that somehow he will get a better club. Watching games at the level he's playing, I fail to see how he will improve.

A newly promoted La Liga club are looking to sign him. If he is seeing action in Spain every week, he has a platform from which to take off.

Read more here: http://www.ayoakinfe.com/?q=node/1129

He said I should tell you that he has learnt from those saves. As we speak, he is submitting his homework to Oga Rohr.

instead of acting like Alampasu - eating eba and gaining weight. He should be practicing.

Watched the saves to learn what? Nothing to do with science behind the training. God help Nigeria.

Uzoho is not good enough to start! Ezinwa was robbed!

Coach wrote:Watched the saves to learn what? Nothing to do with science behind the training. God help Nigeria.

At the end of the day, players must want to better themselves. Do you know some players actually hire personal trainers to improve themselves?

Ayo Akinfe wrote:

Obong wrote:

Ayo Akinfe wrote:(1) I sincerely hope Francis Uzoho watched the England vs Sweden match today
(2) In particular I hope he saw those two second half saves he made getting down early
(3) As we all know, this is probably the weakest part of Uzoho’s game
(4) I have always believed that no coach can make a player better than he can want to make himself better
(5) Hiding behind a coach and club is a lazy option. Players have to take it upon themselves to improve
(6) I watched Ryan Giggs during one match say that Neville Southall used to practise punching balls out for throw-ins in training
(7) Great goalkeepers like Khan, Banks, Batts, Seaman, Buffon, Schmiechel, Zoff, Zengar, Mier, etc were not all just talent. These guys always stayed behind after training to work on their weaknesses for hours
(8) Uzoho has to now take it upon himself to work in his weaknesses. He needs to spend hours training on getting down early, penalties, distribution and kicking
(9) For all Uzoho’s brilliance in Russia, some of the goals he conceded were saveable. Had he been able to get down like Pickford, maybe we would have got to the knockout stage
(10) In every other sphere of life, Nigerians work at their craft day to improve themselves. Footballers should not be any different. I just hope the young man is not getting carried away and now enjoying himself. He needs to watch all the top goalkeepers closely and learn from them

Uzoho had a good, not great World Cup. By no means did he clearly take the goalkeeper jersey. Your observations are right, and he needs to get down to work. I really hope that somehow he will get a better club. Watching games at the level he's playing, I fail to see how he will improve.

A newly promoted La Liga club are looking to sign him. If he is seeing action in Spain every week, he has a platform from which to take off.

Read more here: http://www.ayoakinfe.com/?q=node/1129

...and I read more at "Ayo Akinfe Online Bookshop". Do you carry "Eze goes to School" and "Things Fall Apart"?

Ayo Akinfe wrote:Jordan Pickford may not be the most talented goalkeeper out there but you can see he works on the training ground a lot. This is something our players do not do enough of.

What this young generation of players need to do us push themselves to the limit. For instance, will Ebuehi set himself the target of being the best rightback in the world?

Are you the best at what you do? Why not lead the way in pushing yourself?

wanaj0 wrote:

Ayo Akinfe wrote:Jordan Pickford may not be the most talented goalkeeper out there but you can see he works on the training ground a lot. This is something our players do not do enough of.

What this young generation of players need to do us push themselves to the limit. For instance, will Ebuehi set himself the target of being the best rightback in the world?

Are you the best at what you do? Why not lead the way in pushing yourself?

Ayo Akinfe wrote:(1) I sincerely hope Francis Uzoho watched the England vs Sweden match today
(2) In particular I hope he saw those two second half saves he made getting down early
(3) As we all know, this is probably the weakest part of Uzoho’s game
(4) I have always believed that no coach can make a player better than he can want to make himself better
(5) Hiding behind a coach and club is a lazy option. Players have to take it upon themselves to improve
(6) I watched Ryan Giggs during one match say that Neville Southall used to practise punching balls out for throw-ins in training
(7) Great goalkeepers like Khan, Banks, Batts, Seaman, Buffon, Schmiechel, Zoff, Zengar, Mier, etc were not all just talent. These guys always stayed behind after training to work on their weaknesses for hours
(8) Uzoho has to now take it upon himself to work in his weaknesses. He needs to spend hours training on getting down early, penalties, distribution and kicking
(9) For all Uzoho’s brilliance in Russia, some of the goals he conceded were saveable. Had he been able to get down like Pickford, maybe we would have got to the knockout stage
(10) In every other sphere of life, Nigerians work at their craft day to improve themselves. Footballers should not be any different. I just hope the young man is not getting carried away and now enjoying himself. He needs to watch all the top goalkeepers closely and learn from them

...And what do you hope the English team can learn from the SE?
I'm sure you will say, 'nothing'.

Uzoho did everything that was expected from him and more in the World Cup.

Did not cost us, and even kept us in games.

Our first round exit is all on Rohr.

I could blame Ekong for 2 of the 4 goals we conceded, but even that is on Rohr.

truetalk wrote:Uzoho did everything that was expected from him and more in the World Cup.

Did not cost us, and even kept us in games.

Our first round exit is all on Rohr.

I could blame Ekong for 2 of the 4 goals we conceded, but even that is on Rohr.

Uzoho has the opportunity to develop himself into a world class goalkeeper. If he does, Nigeria will reap immense benefits. Had say Courtois been manning goal for Nigeria, we would at least have got to the second round.

Look at some of the saves we have seen from Sabisevic, Courtois, Lloris and Pickford and ask yourself what would have happened had Uzoho been able to pull them off. He is kind of where Vince Enyeama was in 2012 but now needs to build on that.

Honestly Francis lacks that innate instincts some exceptional goal keepers have like Russian goalkeeper, Enyema ,former Man U/ Holland goalkeeper. Even Alampusa showed flashes of that during U17 tournament. If Frances will ever develop that, truly I don't know because it is inherent in some people. However he has all other rudiments of being good goalkeeper if he is really assiduous, apply himself, ignore ephemeral gratification but cultivate the principles of delayed gratification.

bully12 wrote:Honestly Francis lacks that innate instincts some exceptional goal keepers have like Russian goalkeeper, Enyema ,former Man U/ Holland goalkeeper. Even Alampusa showed flashes of that during U17 tournament. If Frances will ever develop that, truly I don't know because it is inherent in some people. However he has all other rudiments of being good goalkeeper if he is really assiduous, apply himself, ignore ephemeral gratification but cultivate the principles of delayed gratification.

In the past, crosses used to be our nemesis. Now, for once, we have a goalkeeper who handles them brilliantly. We just need Uzoho to work on other areas of his game. Have you noticed for instance that his kicks seldom go beyond the halfway line?

Personally, were I him, I would hire someone like Edwin Van De Saar, Peter Schmiechel, Oliver Khan or Fabian Barthez as my personal trainer between now and the start of the season. This is how the young Gianluigi Buffon started out and look at what he went on to achieve.

Like Uzoho, Iker Casillas debuted for the Spanish national team in the U–17 level. Following his full international debut at the senior level on 3 June 2000 against Sweden (at 19 years and 14 days), Casillas went on to be one of the greats of the game.

In 2008 he was the captain of the Spanish team that won their first European Championship in 44 years, the Spanish team that went on to win Spain's first World Cup in 2010 (a tournament in which he won the Golden Glove also known as the Yashin Award) and the 2012 European Championship.

Ayo, you overlook the obvious in all of your arguments. Is Uzoho a sure bet for his club team? Will Nigeria be collecting performance data, carrying out the necessary analyses to identify areas for improvement? Will they be in constant discourse with his goalkeeping coaches and provide access to highly sophisticated sports science to better his play at club level, with expected returns on the international scene?

If the answer is No to the above, then rest assured, Uzoho cannot become a Neuer or De Gea, because he will not be given the necessary soils and fertilisers to become what they became as a result of such privilege.

Coach wrote:Ayo, you overlook the obvious in all of you arguments. Is Uzoho a sure bet for his club team? Will Nigeria be collecting performance data, carrying out the necessary analyses to identify areas for improvement? Will they be in constant discourse with his goalkeeping coaches and provide access to highly sophisticated sports science to better his play at club level, with expected returns on the international scene?

If the answer is No to the above, then rest assured, Uzoho cannot become a Neuer or De Gea, because he will not be given the necessary soils and fertilisers to become what they became as a result of such privilege.

Uzoho knows that the NFF does not have the capacity to do this, so he has to do it himself. I am tired of our players hiding behind the backs of the federation.

When Nigerians want to do anything they do. No government agency supports our plethora of churches and mosques or even backed Nollywood but hey, they all excelled. Our music industry is a classic example of self-help, so please let us get away from this mentality that we need the NFF to groom our players.

All our musicians from Sunny Ade to Davido, to P-Squared were self-taught. What stops our footballers from doing likewise?

Uzodo is an average keeper, and needs completion. Am not sold on him, his reaction to shots within a short distance is too slow.