Young Nigerians in the EPL: The Next Generation

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Young Nigerians in the EPL: The Next Generation

Post by wiseone »

https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng ... ague-clubs


The Guardian did a good feature yesterday on 20 of the best talents at Premier League clubs. An eye opener was that four players of Nigerian descent featured in their list...

Bukayo Saka
Image
Freddie Ljungberg, the Arsenal under-23s manager, is excited about Saka, who is comfortably the most talented player in his age bracket at the club. A regular for the under-18s last season – he was almost unplayable in the FA Youth Cup against Liverpool – Ljungberg has given him game time for the under-23s so far this season. Saka is a left winger who can also play at left-back, who trades on his power, directness, ability to beat his man and final ball. The London-born England under-17 international has a physical solidity that belies his years. With Reiss Nelson on loan at Hoffenheim for the season, he senses sustained opportunity at under-23 level.

Saka in action:

Mustapha Olagunju
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The Plumstead-born defender had not been involved with a professional club before joining Huddersfield in the summer from the XYZ Academy in London but coaches at the Yorkshire club have been impressed by the progress that he has already made since his arrival. His athletic qualities are obvious – he is 6ft 2in, strong and fast – but his attitude, understanding of the game and his deftness on the ball are the traits that coaches find especially encouraging. He is eligible to play for both England and Nigeria.

Daniel Jinadu

Image

"After being released by Chelsea last December, the goalkeeper quickly set about looking for a new club. Birmingham, Leicester, Southampton and Tottenham showed interest before Jinadu agreed a two-year scholarship deal with West Ham in January. Jinadu, who is of Nigerian descent, has represented England at youth level and Manuel Pellegrini included him in the first team’s pre-season training camp. It was a big vote of confidence in the youngster’s ability from West Ham’s manager, who will expect him to progress at youth level this season."

Faustino Anjorin
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Anjorin has been with Chelsea since the age of six, a powerful, box-to-box midfielder who scored eight goals in 24 games for the youth team last season including the last in the 4-0 Youth Cup final second-leg rout of Arsenal at the Emirates. Jody Morris, then coaching the under-18s, suggested he was the best finisher in his group, with the England U17 international also debuting in the Uefa Youth League win over Atlético Madrid. He follows a long recent line of youth internationals produced by Chelsea who are technically and physically proficient and, as a player with such distinct attributes, will draw inevitable comparisons with Ruben Loftus-Cheek even if their styles are actually different. Signed a scholarship deal in July.

Anjorin in action:

Image
Last edited by wiseone on Thu Oct 11, 2018 7:40 pm, edited 5 times in total.
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Re: Young Nigerians in the EPL: The Next Generation

Post by EMIR KONGI JAFFI JOFFA »

We have better in Spain and france
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Re: Young Nigerians in the EPL: The Next Generation

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wiseone wrote:https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng ... ague-clubs

The Guardian did a good feature yesterday on 20 of the best talents at Premier League clubs. An eye opener was that three players of Nigerian descent featured in their list...

Bukayo Saka:
Image
Freddie Ljungberg, the Arsenal under-23s manager, is excited about Saka, who is comfortably the most talented player in his age bracket at the club. A regular for the under-18s last season – he was almost unplayable in the FA Youth Cup against Liverpool – Ljungberg has given him game time for the under-23s so far this season. Saka is a left winger who can also play at left-back, who trades on his power, directness, ability to beat his man and final ball. The London-born England under-17 international has a physical solidity that belies his years. With Reiss Nelson on loan at Hoffenheim for the season, he senses sustained opportunity at under-23 level.

Saka in action:

Mustapha Olagunju
Image

The Plumstead-born defender had not been involved with a professional club before joining Huddersfield in the summer from the XYZ Academy in London but coaches at the Yorkshire club have been impressed by the progress that he has already made since his arrival. His athletic qualities are obvious – he is 6ft 2in, strong and fast – but his attitude, understanding of the game and his deftness on the ball are the traits that coaches find especially encouraging. He is eligible to play for both England and Nigeria.

Daniel JinaduImage

"After being released by Chelsea last December, the goalkeeper quickly set about looking for a new club. Birmingham, Leicester, Southampton and Tottenham showed interest before Jinadu agreed a two-year scholarship deal with West Ham in January. Jinadu, who is of Nigerian descent, has represented England at youth level and Manuel Pellegrini included him in the first team’s pre-season training camp. It was a big vote of confidence in the youngster’s ability from West Ham’s manager, who will expect him to progress at youth level this season."
Make that four: Faustino Anjorin, Chelsea. Born 23/Nov/2001.

Are you sure Bukayo Saka is of Naija descent?
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Re: Young Nigerians in the EPL: The Next Generation

Post by Rawlings »

These guys will only choose Naija, if they cannot make it to the English national team
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Re: Young Nigerians in the EPL: The Next Generation

Post by Eaglezbeak »

Rawlings wrote:These guys will only choose Naija, if they cannot make it to the English national team
Yes Rawlings that is correct but maybe it's easier for you to say that than a Nigerian to accept some are hoping and may even believe Nigerias footballing future relies on these boys!
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Re: Young Nigerians in the EPL: The Next Generation

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Yes
Damunk wrote:
Are you sure Bukayo Saka is of Naija descent?
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Re: Young Nigerians in the EPL: The Next Generation

Post by Bell »

SERIOUSLY? THE NEXT GENERATION?

I love these kids to death but has Nigeria outsourced (for free) the development of its national team to other countries? As one astute poster put it, these kids would choose Nigeria only after all hope of playing for their country of birth has been lost. Which immediately places Nigeria perpetually behind that country. Please, stop celebrating this retrogressive step.
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Re: Young Nigerians in the EPL: The Next Generation

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Bell wrote:SERIOUSLY? THE NEXT GENERATION?

I love these kids to death but has Nigeria outsourced (for free) the development of its national team to other countries? As one astute poster put it, these kids would choose Nigeria only after all hope of playing for their country of birth has been lost. Which immediately places Nigeria perpetually behind that country. Please, stop celebrating this retrogressive step.
Bell
Not neccessarily.
It's all relative.
Any country that has an abundance will have a lot of wastage when places are limited.
How many Messi's can Argentina field at the same time if there are 5 of them?

The argument that we have many players operating at the 'international' level in our local league is a sentimental myth.
Developing the league to the standard of even Belgium will take a good few years, maybe even a decade at best.
Are you ready to wait?
Are you one of those that will panic at the first hint of trouble when the SE start losing games left and right when packed with local 'talent'.
"Sack this one, sack that one!" :rotf:

We can't even handle WAFU and CHAN failures.

We need a reality check. We recruit the best we have wherever on the planet they can be found while we work towards bringing our local league up to the standard required to produce Super Eagles-ready players.

I don't know whether anyone realises that the last player from the local Nigerian league to make a real international impact for the full SE was ......Ahmed Musa.
How many years ago was that? :idea:

Please correct me if I am wrong.
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Re: Young Nigerians in the EPL: The Next Generation

Post by fabio »

Damunk wrote:

I don't know whether anyone realises that the last player from the local Nigerian league to make a real international impact for the full SE was ......Ahmed Musa.
How many years ago was that? :idea:

Please correct me if I am wrong.
You are wrong, very wrong.

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Re: Young Nigerians in the EPL: The Next Generation

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fabio wrote:
Damunk wrote:

I don't know whether anyone realises that the last player from the local Nigerian league to make a real international impact for the full SE was ......Ahmed Musa.
How many years ago was that? :idea:

Please correct me if I am wrong.
You are wrong, very wrong.

Sunday Mbu
Godfrey Oboabona
Fabio, Fabiyo, Fabiyaro...
How many times did I call your name? :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:

I deliberately said "make a real international impact" for the SE, not "feature for" or "score for"

I am talking about players that will make the Nigerian Hall of Fame.
Let me give you an idea of the calibre of players that have made the kind of 'real international impact' I refer to:
JJ
Kanu
Yekini
Odegbami
Chukwu
Aiyegbeni
Adokiye
Mikel
Amuneke
Amokachi
Keshi
Enyeama
Finidi

There are many, many more.

Make a list of Nigeria's top 50 GOAT players and neither Mba nor Oboabona will enter.
You gerrit now? :idea:
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Re: Young Nigerians in the EPL: The Next Generation

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Damunk wrote:Fabio, Fabiyo, Fabiyaro...
How many times did I call your name? :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:

I deliberately said "make a real international impact" for the SE, not "feature for" or "score for"

I am talking about players that will make the Nigerian Hall of Fame. Let me give you an idea of the calibre of players that have made the 'international impact' I refer to:
JJ
Kanu
Yekini
Odegbami
Chukwu
Aiyegbeni
Mikel
Amuneke
Amokachi
Keshi
Enyeama
Finidi

There are many more.

Make a list of Nigeria's top 50 GOAT players and neither Mba nor Oboabona will enter.
You gerrit now? :idea:
No vex. Top 50 GOAT players is subjective. Kanu very good, didn't win anything with the SE. I hope you get the drift.

This is not an argument against Players who have Nigerian heritage vs Home based players. It's about giving HB players an equal playing field, Not the myopic blanket ban on HB players by the Pinnick led NFF.

Please read and digest this from Obong:
You guys really need to worry about the apparent strategy of making the Super Eagles a composition of mostly Diaspora-born players. We have seen some quality ones, but, we shouldn't lose sight of the fact that the Nigerian team is better off structured on a foundation of quality players that started in Nigeria and are doing well in Europe. We have a decidedly Nigerian way of playing and a certain culture that can't be taught in European academies. Little wonder our best players at the World Cup were Ahmed Musa, Wilfred Ndidi , Oghene Etebo and Kenneth Omeruo. Musa and Omeruo made the match day team of the day at the World Cup after the Iceland game. Etebo was acknowledged the best player against Croatia. Ndidi was a beast in all three games. They share one trait: they all started in Nigeria. If we invite any foreign born player, he should be of a higher quality than players we already have in similar positions. Opening the doors to rejects of European countries is not the way to succeed.
Please you can give it to Pinnick.
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Re: Young Nigerians in the EPL: The Next Generation

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fabio wrote:
Damunk wrote:Fabio, Fabiyo, Fabiyaro...
How many times did I call your name? :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:

I deliberately said "make a real international impact" for the SE, not "feature for" or "score for"

I am talking about players that will make the Nigerian Hall of Fame. Let me give you an idea of the calibre of players that have made the 'international impact' I refer to:
JJ
Kanu
Yekini
Odegbami
Chukwu
Aiyegbeni
Mikel
Amuneke
Amokachi
Keshi
Enyeama
Finidi

There are many more.

Make a list of Nigeria's top 50 GOAT players and neither Mba nor Oboabona will enter.
You gerrit now? :idea:
No vex. Top 50 GOAT players is subjective. Kanu very good, didn't win anything with the SE. I hope you get the drift.

This is not an argument against Players who have Nigerian heritage vs Home based players. It's about giving HB players an equal playing field, Not the myopic blanket ban on HB players by the Pinnick led NFF.

Please read and digest this from Obong:
You guys really need to worry about the apparent strategy of making the Super Eagles a composition of mostly Diaspora-born players. We have seen some quality ones, but, we shouldn't lose sight of the fact that the Nigerian team is better off structured on a foundation of quality players that started in Nigeria and are doing well in Europe. We have a decidedly Nigerian way of playing and a certain culture that can't be taught in European academies. Little wonder our best players at the World Cup were Ahmed Musa, Wilfred Ndidi , Oghene Etebo and Kenneth Omeruo. Musa and Omeruo made the match day team of the day at the World Cup after the Iceland game. Etebo was acknowledged the best player against Croatia. Ndidi was a beast in all three games. They share one trait: they all started in Nigeria. If we invite any foreign born player, he should be of a higher quality than players we already have in similar positions. Opening the doors to rejects of European countries is not the way to succeed.
Please you can give it to Pinnick.
I have a lot of sympathy for your argument and Obong's and I am not actually disputing the need to give local players an even playing field. But the reality 'on ground' as we say is that our local players are already disadvantaged by many factors which can simply be described as poor 'working conditions' ie the poor local league.

We can't tie our hands behind our backs by ignoring Nigeria-eligible players developing and developed in other leagues just because we are trying to be loyal to our local players.
That is all well and good, but Nigerians simply do not have the patience to go through the very painful gestation period required to get our league up to the standard that will have it routinely producing world-class players.

We have all seen how our world-conquering youth players reach a point of arrested development at around 19, 20 years of age, even when stolen by international clubs. Man City has arguably the best youth training facilities in the world, but Iheanacho and Nwakali couldn't get to the level demanded by their world-class coaches.

You, in all honesty, are an example of the typical Nigerian that has no stomach for pain. Your inflexible approach to results and results alone demonstrates the difficulty Nigeria will have utilizing local talents that are getting their first exposure to world-class opposition and struggling to perform both technically and psychologically at that level. You strongly believe that there is ''nothing to learn'' by players performing on the ultimate world stage (WC) for the very first time, simply because they make the final list of the Nigerian national team.

Whether you really believe that or you are just being bullish (as we do here) I am not sure. But ultimately, if we really want to ignore foreign-born Nigerian potential, then you have to be ready to bear the serious pain for an indeterminate length of time, rather than calling for the sacking of personnel every time results do not go our way.

As for Nigeria's TOP 50 GOATs, I suspect even you won't be putting Mba and Oboabona on that list, whether subjectively or objectively. :D
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Re: Young Nigerians in the EPL: The Next Generation

Post by fabio »

Damunk wrote: You, in all honesty, are an example of the typical Nigerian that has no stomach for pain. Your inflexible approach to results and results alone demonstrates the difficulty Nigeria will have utilizing local talents that are getting their first exposure to world-class opposition and struggling to perform both technically and psychologically at that level. You strongly believe that there is ''nothing to learn'' by players performing on the ultimate world stage (WC) for the very first time, simply because they make the final list of the Nigerian national team.
Please kindly allow me to address the assumption made above with empirical evidence and duly rest my case.

I have not advocated an inflexible approach to results and results alone. Let's go back to History. Nigeria won the Nations Cup in 94 because of extensive work done on scouting HB players by the then coach players like Finidi, Amokachi and Oliseh were 'discovered'.

The 2013 winning team by Keshi. Keshi was lampooned and called names because he developed a team of mostly home based player, playing what was term meaningless friendly matches... The result was Nations cup victory. You are free to do a search on this board, If I was one of those who attacked Keshi Home Based players team. Please be free to share the results with everyone.

I can't speak about the 1980 team, because I was not yet born.

I strongly believe and I will stand by the statement on ''nothing to learn''. You don't go to the WC to learn, you go and compete, because you earned. Yes, there will be lessons learnt both individually (players) and organisation. If your sole aim is to go to the WC with young players "to learn" you have no business in the WC, you had 4 years of preparation. You are competing against elite players in the highest level of international football and you are there to learn, really. This is a once in a life time opportunity.

I am not against spreading the net as wide as possible for players, I just want a level playing field for everyone, not where we are told and it's official policy that no HB players will make the SE. That is wrong.
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Re: Young Nigerians in the EPL: The Next Generation

Post by marko »

Bukayo Saka

thats my friend son! :thumb: :thumb:
So angry Nigeria got kicked out of the world cup once again, i nearly told my wife that i caught my girlfriend with another man today!

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Re: Young Nigerians in the EPL: The Next Generation

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Well done wiseone for the article.
We have been brainwashed by the Premier League that it's the best in the world. Nonsense. It's the best brand
Roy Keane: ITV 02/25/14

He says that we are currently "brainwashed" into believing that the Premier League is the best competition in the world, and that we are now a long way off dominating the Champions League again.
Gary Neville: Mirror: 12/23/14

I think Spain’s by far the best league.
Scholes. UK Guardian 9/6/16
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Re: Young Nigerians in the EPL: The Next Generation

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fabio wrote:
Damunk wrote: You, in all honesty, are an example of the typical Nigerian that has no stomach for pain. Your inflexible approach to results and results alone demonstrates the difficulty Nigeria will have utilizing local talents that are getting their first exposure to world-class opposition and struggling to perform both technically and psychologically at that level. You strongly believe that there is ''nothing to learn'' by players performing on the ultimate world stage (WC) for the very first time, simply because they make the final list of the Nigerian national team.
Please kindly allow me to address the assumption made above with empirical evidence and duly rest my case.

I have not advocated an inflexible approach to results and results alone. Let's go back to History. Nigeria won the Nations Cup in 94 because of extensive work done on scouting HB players by the then coach players like Finidi, Amokachi and Oliseh were 'discovered'.
A few facts:
Finidi George joined Ajax in 1993.
Amokachi joined Brugge in 1990
Sunday Oliseh joined Liege in 1990.
The 1994 cup winning side only had TWO (2) HB players (Fuludu and Semitoje) out of a 23 man squad who barely played minutes at the tourney.

But don't worry, don't let the facts get in the way of your narrative. By all means do carry on. :lol:
We have been brainwashed by the Premier League that it's the best in the world. Nonsense. It's the best brand
Roy Keane: ITV 02/25/14

He says that we are currently "brainwashed" into believing that the Premier League is the best competition in the world, and that we are now a long way off dominating the Champions League again.
Gary Neville: Mirror: 12/23/14

I think Spain’s by far the best league.
Scholes. UK Guardian 9/6/16
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Re: Young Nigerians in the EPL: The Next Generation

Post by TonyTheTigerKiller »

The title of the article is misleading. None of those youngsters play in the EPL. They all play for youth teams and there is no guarantee of any sort that any one of them will end up playing in the EPL. Young Nigerians in England is probably a more suitable title :!:


Cheers.
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Re: Young Nigerians in the EPL: The Next Generation

Post by Damunk »

fabio wrote:
Damunk wrote: You, in all honesty, are an example of the typical Nigerian that has no stomach for pain. Your inflexible approach to results and results alone demonstrates the difficulty Nigeria will have utilizing local talents that are getting their first exposure to world-class opposition and struggling to perform both technically and psychologically at that level. You strongly believe that there is ''nothing to learn'' by players performing on the ultimate world stage (WC) for the very first time, simply because they make the final list of the Nigerian national team.
Please kindly allow me to address the assumption made above with empirical evidence and duly rest my case.
With all pleasure.
I have not advocated an inflexible approach to results and results alone. Let's go back to History. Nigeria won the Nations Cup in 94 because of extensive work done on scouting HB players by the then coach players like Finidi, Amokachi and Oliseh were 'discovered'.
Fabio, that was a long, long time ago. Things were very different then. The game has evolved. The forces at play have changed. Today, the likes of Finidi (such a high-quality player) are out of the country before they even get to play senior club football. He was 22 when he went to Ajax and had already been playing for the SE for two years.

Your example of Oliseh is flawed because he had already been out of the country for about 3 years playing in Belgium before the SE 'discovered' him. He left at 16/17 according to his Wiki records.

Same with Amokachi was out of the country at age 18, the same year he got his first SE call-up in 1990. Which came first is academic, but it wouldn't have been by more than a few months, whichever way.

So my point is that even then, our very best were being creamed off pretty early and were not HBs in '94 as you claim. Its even worse today.
The 2013 winning team by Keshi. Keshi was lampooned and called names because he developed a team of mostly home based player, playing what was term meaningless friendly matches... The result was Nations cup victory. You are free to do a search on this board, If I was one of those who attacked Keshi Home Based players team. Please be free to share the results with everyone.
I know you are an honest man and don't lie. So its a case of your memory failing you. You have convinced yourself that your facts are accurate, but they are not.

Of Keshi's 23-man squad to the 2013 AFCON, only 6 were home-based: Azubuike (WW), Mba, Uzoenyi and Agbim (ER), Oboabona (SS) and Gabriel (K Pillars). The other 17 were foreign-based. So maybe you were attacked for defending Keshi's choice of Agbim, Gabriel and Uzoenyi who were all very questionable inclusions.
I can't speak about the 1980 team, because I was not yet born.
FB-players back then were a novelty. Tunji Banjo, John Chidozie and later Okwaraji were all pioneers (though none of them were in the 1980 squad).
I strongly believe and I will stand by the statement on ''nothing to learn''. You don't go to the WC to learn, you go and compete, because you earned. Yes, there will be lessons learnt both individually (players) and organisation. If your sole aim is to go to the WC with young players "to learn" you have no business in the WC, you had 4 years of preparation. You are competing against elite players in the highest level of international football and you are there to learn, really. This is a once in a life time opportunity.
Learning and competing are not mutually exclusive and the reason why you guys made a huge deal about Rohr's "learning' statement is because you were (like many others) terribly disappointed by the outcome of the 2018 WC campaign and you needed to let out all your frustration.
Even semi-finalist Gareth Southgate (England Mgr) recently stated something similar about achieving beyond reasonable expectations and that his boys were still learning to get better. But you guys wanted (probably still want) Rohr out which is exactly what I was talking about when I mentioned our intolerance to 'pain'.

Like I said, speak to Ekong, Ndidi, Balogun, Iwobi, Etebo, Uzoho, Iheanacho, Ogu or Ebuehi and see whether ''learning" will not be part of their assessment of their 2018 WC experience.
In fact, what does "experience' imply, if not the having benefitted from learning from the very best players in the world?
Its a nonsensical argument to say they're not there to learn.
I am not against spreading the net as wide as possible for players, I just want a level playing field for everyone, not where we are told and it's official policy that no HB players will make the SE. That is wrong.
I am totally with you on this, though I am not sure I read anywhere Pinnick claimed "no HB players would make the SE."
But maybe you can enlighten me on that.
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Re: Young Nigerians in the EPL: The Next Generation

Post by 1naija »

metalalloy wrote:
fabio wrote:
Damunk wrote: You, in all honesty, are an example of the typical Nigerian that has no stomach for pain. Your inflexible approach to results and results alone demonstrates the difficulty Nigeria will have utilizing local talents that are getting their first exposure to world-class opposition and struggling to perform both technically and psychologically at that level. You strongly believe that there is ''nothing to learn'' by players performing on the ultimate world stage (WC) for the very first time, simply because they make the final list of the Nigerian national team.
Please kindly allow me to address the assumption made above with empirical evidence and duly rest my case.

I have not advocated an inflexible approach to results and results alone. Let's go back to History. Nigeria won the Nations Cup in 94 because of extensive work done on scouting HB players by the then coach players like Finidi, Amokachi and Oliseh were 'discovered'.
A few facts:
Finidi George joined Ajax in 1993.
Amokachi joined Brugge in 1990
Sunday Oliseh joined Liege in 1990.
The 1994 cup winning side only had TWO (2) HB players (Fuludu and Semitoje) out of a 23 man squad who barely played minutes at the tourney.

But don't worry, don't let the facts get in the way of your narrative. By all means do carry on. :lol:
\

uncle fagio is not interested in this your story. The all homebased players story sounds better and he is sticking by it. :D
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Re: Young Nigerians in the EPL: The Next Generation

Post by Damunk »

marko wrote:Bukayo Saka

thats my friend son! :thumb: :thumb:
Oya, do your duty for your country.
All this your constant "useless country" and "stupid illiterates" must stop.
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Re: Young Nigerians in the EPL: The Next Generation

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NP. You are welcome.
metalalloy wrote:Well done wiseone for the article.
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Re: Young Nigerians in the EPL: The Next Generation

Post by Eaglezbeak »

Damunk wrote:
fabio wrote:
Damunk wrote:

I don't know whether anyone realises that the last player from the local Nigerian league to make a real international impact for the full SE was ......Ahmed Musa.
How many years ago was that? :idea:

Please correct me if I am wrong.
You are wrong, very wrong.

Sunday Mbu
Godfrey Oboabona
Fabio, Fabiyo, Fabiyaro...
How many times did I call your name? :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:

I deliberately said "make a real international impact" for the SE, not "feature for" or "score for"

I am talking about players that will make the Nigerian Hall of Fame.
Let me give you an idea of the calibre of players that have made the kind of 'real international impact' I refer to:
JJ
Kanu
Yekini
Odegbami
Chukwu
Aiyegbeni
Adokiye
Mikel
Amuneke
Amokachi
Keshi
Enyeama
Finidi

There are many, many more.

Make a list of Nigeria's top 50 GOAT players and neither Mba nor Oboabona will enter.
You gerrit now? :idea:
ouch but yeah I understand,even Martins didn't make your list so a one hit wonder and a?
But the thing is these English based kids have potential because they are youth and are training in good environments (outside Nigeria) and that is why England will definitely have first choice if any of them show promise,Nigeria may get a few scraps but they might not even get as far as Mba,it's hard to tell since non of them have played constantly at senior level.
WHAT SHALL BE SHALL BE SABI
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Re: Young Nigerians in the EPL: The Next Generation

Post by paj »

EMIR KONGI JAFFI JOFFA wrote:We have better in Spain and france
name dem.....and don't jack this up like that time U froze when asked to spell ya name back in form three...
Pa
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