Uche Okechukwu: On Quality of the NPFL......

[Enugu II]

Ex-Eagles Captain Okechukwu Thumbs-Up NPFL After Watching Abia Warriors – Heartland Thriller
https://www.completesports.com/okechukw ... heartland/
0 February 10, 2019 3:10 pm

Former Super Eagles captain, Uche Okechukwu has thumped up the fine quality of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) despite the obvious challenges of poor facilities on ground, Completesports.com reports.

Okechukwu was spotted at the Umuahia Township Stadium during the NPFL matchday-7 Oriental Derby fixture between Abia Warriors and Heartland.

The ‘Gentle Giant’ who starred for Flash Flamingoes of Benin and Iwuanyanwu Nationale during his days in the domestic league before a move to Brondby of Denmark, spoke to Completesports.com about improvements in the NPFL.

Okechukwu says he is impressed with the quality of the league especially given what Heartland and Abia Warriors showed on the field of play to the delight of the fans.

“I’ve not really watched many games this season. I’ve watched Enyimba once or twice. This is the first time I’m watching Abia Warriors,” Okechukwu told Completesports.com.

“This is also the first time I’ve watched Heartland this season.

“But if you ask me, I would honestly say I’m very much impressed with what I’ve seen them dish out on the pitch.

“They play quality and attractive football.

“Yes, the pitch may not have been too friendly for the free flow of the ball and game, but honestly there is much more positives in the league, I can say.

“I’m impressed, the teams are doing well in terms of quality of play.”

[EMIR KONGI JAFFI JOFFA]

Legend. He's just being his usual nice forward looking self. Will we ever get another Uche?

[truetalk]

The best Nigerian Central Defender I have seen (1980 till date)

Too bad the move the Man U from Fener never fully materialised. The world would have seen this man's talent.

I think he and Amokachi came into SE around the same time (might have been 89 WAFU or something like that), and he just held that position on lockdown.

The only knock against him may have been longevity (not sure he played after 98). Too bad he had to play on that 98 team that Amokach and Kanu wrecked.

[truetalk]

Legend. He's just being his usual nice forward looking self. Will we ever get another Uche?

The pool of young legit CD prospect is actually pretty deep and that is probably our strongest position in the SE.

Let's skip the young Oloyes in the U-20 team as they should go up against global talent before we start rating them.
I'll also skip Balogun (30) and Omeruo (does not deserve to be in the team based on his performance in SE colors over the last 4 years).


Awaziem (22)
Troost (25) Getting good experience in Serie A & showing a bit more composure.
Adarabioyo (21) - Could come up to the Premiership with West Brom
Tomori (21) - On loan from Chelsea, doing his thing for Derby
Semi Ajayi (25) Not as highly rated as the others, but has been capped. Needs to get out of Rotherham though.

We could very well be sorted for the next decade in the position.

(I feel that way with GKs too, BTW)

[EMIR KONGI JAFFI JOFFA]

Legend. He's just being his usual nice forward looking self. Will we ever get another Uche?

The pool of young legit CD prospect is actually pretty deep and that is probably our strongest position in the SE.

Let's skip the young Oloyes in the U-20 team as they should go up against global talent before we start rating them.
I'll also skip Balogun (30) and Omeruo (does not deserve to be in the team based on his performance in SE colors over the last 4 years).


Awaziem (22)
Troost (25) Getting good experience in Serie A & showing a bit more composure.
Adarabioyo (21) - Could come up to the Premiership with West Brom
Tomori (21) - On loan from Chelsea, doing his thing for Derby
Semi Ajayi (25) Not as highly rated as the others, but has been capped. Needs to get out of Rotherham though.

We could very well be sorted for the next decade in the position.

(I feel that way with GKs too, BTW)

I stoped reading at Omeruo doesn't deserve to be in SE.

Tomori and Adarabioyo are not for to touch Omeruo's boots. Bro, u must be a London cyber. Do u guys have access to watch other leagues besides the Epl and championship? Jeez, Omeruo is one of the hottest CD in Spain this year, you should do some research before u unload championship players on us.

[truetalk]

Legend. He's just being his usual nice forward looking self. Will we ever get another Uche?

The pool of young legit CD prospect is actually pretty deep and that is probably our strongest position in the SE.

Let's skip the young Oloyes in the U-20 team as they should go up against global talent before we start rating them.
I'll also skip Balogun (30) and Omeruo (does not deserve to be in the team based on his performance in SE colors over the last 4 years).


Awaziem (22)
Troost (25) Getting good experience in Serie A & showing a bit more composure.
Adarabioyo (21) - Could come up to the Premiership with West Brom
Tomori (21) - On loan from Chelsea, doing his thing for Derby
Semi Ajayi (25) Not as highly rated as the others, but has been capped. Needs to get out of Rotherham though.

We could very well be sorted for the next decade in the position.

(I feel that way with GKs too, BTW)

I stoped reading at Omeruo doesn't deserve to be in SE.

Tomori and Adarabioyo are not for to touch Omeruo's boots. Bro, u must be a London cyber. Do u guys have access to watch other leagues besides the Epl and championship? Jeez, Omeruo is one of the hottest CD in Spain this year, you should do some research before u unload championship players on us.

Club form is a factor, BUT my major indicator is the performance in the SE shirt. Omeruo has probably become the worst defender in the SE over the last 2 decades ahead of the likes of Babalade and Nwanneri. I know many people on this site are touting his current club form, but I will go with the undeniable fact of his extremely poor SE performances.

He probably cost Keshi his job and Nigeria the non qualification for the 2015 AFCON with his poor performances.
His ball control is not that good, yet he tries to attempt cute little touches in the box that have burned us over and over again.

In recent times.

- He gifted Zambia a goal away during the qualifiers and was axed from the starting lineup.
- Made his way back for the World Cup and promptly caused a penalty (that Ebuehi was blamed for) with another stupid cute touch in the box
- In the next match (since Rohr benched Ebuehi and started Omeruo), Troost gave the ball away cheaply, and Omeruo was trying to cheat and cut out the pass, instead of staying behind Mess, and we go down 0-1 to Argentina.
- In the AFCON qualifiers, against Seychelles away, he misjudged the flight/bounce of a simple ball forward and exposed Uzoho to a 1v1. Thankfully the Seychelles guy blasted over.

He was good in 2013. As was Oboabona. Decent in 2014. Has been rubbish since. At least for the SE.

[mystic]

Legend. He's just being his usual nice forward looking self. Will we ever get another Uche?

The pool of young legit CD prospect is actually pretty deep and that is probably our strongest position in the SE.

Let's skip the young Oloyes in the U-20 team as they should go up against global talent before we start rating them.
I'll also skip Balogun (30) and Omeruo (does not deserve to be in the team based on his performance in SE colors over the last 4 years).


Awaziem (22)
Troost (25) Getting good experience in Serie A & showing a bit more composure.
Adarabioyo (21) - Could come up to the Premiership with West Brom
Tomori (21) - On loan from Chelsea, doing his thing for Derby
Semi Ajayi (25) Not as highly rated as the others, but has been capped. Needs to get out of Rotherham though.

We could very well be sorted for the next decade in the position.

(I feel that way with GKs too, BTW)

I stoped reading at Omeruo doesn't deserve to be in SE.

Tomori and Adarabioyo are not for to touch Omeruo's boots. Bro, u must be a London cyber. Do u guys have access to watch other leagues besides the Epl and championship? Jeez, Omeruo is one of the hottest CD in Spain this year, you should do some research before u unload championship players on us.

Club form is a factor, BUT my major indicator is the performance in the SE shirt. Omeruo has probably become the worst defender in the SE over the last 2 decades ahead of the likes of Babalade and Nwanneri. I know many people on this site are touting his current club form, but I will go with the undeniable fact of his extremely poor SE performances.

He probably cost Keshi his job and Nigeria the non qualification for the 2015 AFCON with his poor performances.
His ball control is not that good, yet he tries to attempt cute little touches in the box that have burned us over and over again.

In recent times.

- He gifted Zambia a goal away during the qualifiers and was axed from the starting lineup.
- Made his way back for the World Cup and promptly caused a penalty (that Ebuehi was blamed for) with another stupid cute touch in the box
- In the next match (since Rohr benched Ebuehi and started Omeruo), Troost gave the ball away cheaply, and Omeruo was trying to cheat and cut out the pass, instead of staying behind Mess, and we go down 0-1 to Argentina.
- In the AFCON qualifiers, against Seychelles away, he misjudged the flight/bounce of a simple ball forward and exposed Uzoho to a 1v1. Thankfully the Seychelles guy blasted over.

He was good in 2013. As was Oboabona. Decent in 2014. Has been rubbish since. At least for the SE.

Club form is absolutely a factor when you consider that Omeruo's form at his clubs has generally mirrored his form in the Super Eagles. Notably when his club career was stagnating, was when he started to play badly for Nigeria. Therefore there's hope that his form in a top tier league will lead to a turnaround in his performances for the national team.

Mind you, this remains to be seen, but my point is that there is a reason for all the excitement about his current form at Leganes. In any case he remains number 3 in the pecking order of our central defenders.

[mystic]

Also on Tomori, Adarabioyo and other potential foreign born Nigerian internationals; I wouldn't count my chickens before they are hatched. Let them commit themselves to Nigeria first before we start feeling sure of ourselves in terms of our depth.

In other words, our depth is still what it is with Omeruo, Awaziem and Ajayi backing up the Oyibo wall. Beyond them there are question marks with Efe Ambrose and Godfrey Oboabona hoping to get back in the mix and the duo of Stephen Eze and Olamilekan Adeleye firmly entrenched as fringe national team players.

This is why I personally am excited by the emergence of our twin "Baby Oloyes" as you eloquently call them on our Flying Eagles. Granted that the evaluation of the two players is ongoing as the test of stiffer opposition awaits (not only at the World Cup, but also with Mali and Senegal looming at the AYC). However, as good as our age grade teams have been in recent years, they haven't been throwing up potential Centreback options.