MARTINS: Learn from those who have been there done that

[charlie]

Let us remember all football does not end with this edition of the ANC and the guy has said he wants to play for Nigeria. It is just a question of timing. The now or never crowd should get some perspective.
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Very wise words I must admit, but you are making a deadly assumption which I am afraid, flattens your argument.

The assumption is that you believe that Obafemi will always maintain or improve on his present form for his club.

While that is a reasonable assumption in most cases, it ultimately fails with the test of time.

Not even Obafemi can predict how long his form, or physical health will hold out, and if he fails to prove himself at the international level before it does, he could fade away as quickly as he shines.

Besides, 19 years old is definitely not too young to answer a National Call on the senior level in todays football, especially if you wish to participate in the 2006 World Cup.

Personally, I suspect (I REPEAT...SUSPECT!!) that he has no interest playing for Nigeria. If he did, then he wouldnt dream of letting this opportunity to capture the hearts and minds of Football loving Nigerians, slip away...I would love to find out if his (I am still too young argument) will stick if Italy offered him a jersey.

My advice to Obafemi is very simple. Opportunity usually knocks only once.

Carpe Diem (Seize the day)!
An old Roman saying...

[Ebyboy]

Let us remember all football does not end with this edition of the ANC and the guy has said he wants to play for Nigeria. It is just a question of timing. The now or never crowd should get some perspective.
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Very wise words I must admit, but you are making a deadly assumption which I am afraid, flattens your argument.

The assumption is that you believe that Obafemi will always maintain or improve on his present form for his club.

While that is a reasonable assumption in most cases, it ultimately fails with the test of time.

Not even Obafemi can predict how long his form, or physical health will hold out, and if he fails to prove himself at the international level before it does, he could fade away as quickly as he shines.

Besides, 19 years old is definitely not too young to answer a National Call on the senior level in todays football, especially if you wish to participate in the 2006 World Cup.

Personally, I suspect (I REPEAT...SUSPECT!!) that he has no interest playing for Nigeria. If he did, then he wouldnt dream of letting this opportunity to capture the hearts and minds of Football loving Nigerians, slip away...I would love to find out if his (I am still too young argument) will stick if Italy offered him a jersey.

My advice to Obafemi is very simple. Opportunity usually knocks only once.

Carpe Diem (Seize the day)!
An old Roman saying...

Your response is nothing but insightful but it rests on a personal assumption of his motives. HE HAS SAID he wants to play for nigeria and until he say or does something different we cannot vouchsafe his motives. The rest of your arguement is solid. In fact too solid because it negates part of your original arguement about this being the opportunity. The passage of time could affect him adversely even if he plays for Nigeria in this ANC. There is even a small chance that his participation would hasten the list of mishaps you enumerated. If playing for Nigeria is the right thing to do and I agree that it is, it is still a calculated risk. That is why I am urging our guys to be understanding.

[charlie]

Ebyboy,

Every moment in life is an Opportunity! I do not know if another such opportunity will present itself to Obafemi Martins in the future; if he turns this moment down. I however believe that this is an issue that bothers him much.

I am worried he is planning to far ahead, instead of seizing the opportunities present in each moment.

The key to my argument lies in the supposition that he is not just playing safe, but is trying to avoid tying his future to Nigeria.

All this Martins talk reminds me of the noise around John Fashanu in the 80's, and his desire (or not) to play for Nigeria. We all know where he finished up (On da England Bench )

Anyway, I do not expect Martins to say, "I will never play for Nigeria" , until of course he is dangled a bigger fish in front of his nose, then we will see what he is really made off..

Either way, Only time will tell one way or another....

In the meantime, I pray we develop two or three other mega talented strikers for Nigeria, so that any one player (Except JJ of course) would never feel indispensable.

East or West, JJ is Best

[Ebyboy]

Charlie,
I guess the arguement turns on how you define opportunity. If as you noted every moment in life is an opportunity then it is only logical that there would be OTHER opportunities. The quality of the same is arguable but the logical point still stands.

It is unwise for a person to seize "the opportunities present in each moment". You should only chose the opportunities that gives you the best advantage in what you do. Which brings me to another point, whose opportunity is this particular one anyway? Nigeria's or Obafemi's?

[Cellular]

I no understand una at all atall... Bobo no wan play...

Earlier last year, pipul for site tok say na bcos Chukwu wan make Eagus a wan tribe team...

Bobo tok again im no dey ready to play...

Again, una tok say na bcos im no wan play under Chukwu...

Instead of una opening ya mouths dey tok "Nnama Droppins" thereby contributing to make di bobo look bad, make una jus no tok at all...

Obafemi Martins is not being asked to play for Chukwu...he is being asked to play for Naija and if im advisors and di so-called pipul way day speak for am no sabi dat, den I sorry for di bobo...

Martins if you no wan play, no come use Chukwu as a crotch... you no wan play... fine... God help you say we no discover anoda Aghahowa... afutall, you alone know di actuall reason why you no wan play...

But no blame the coach or the NFA as di reason....

[tsoolo]

well, if I were in his shoes and I look at Nigeria inviting 1 million players to camp when everybody has already announced first 22, then I would also weigh my options. I'm not sure its a good idea to jeopardise my club career for a country that still treats football like a free-for-all street ball road-show.

I think that it is a good thing to call many to camp and then chose from there......

[Larry Ashagbe]

Martins would be missed at ANC and I HOPE he changes his mind.

Martins will put the fear into the defenders and he is a plaer that can change matches in one second.

If Martins plays at ANC and makes a big impact, then he could be sending a big message to Zac to start him ahead of Recobba et all.

[Enugu II]

Martins would be missed at ANC and I HOPE he changes his mind.

Martins will put the fear into the defenders and he is a plaer that can change matches in one second.

If Martins plays at ANC and makes a big impact, then he could be sending a big message to Zac to start him ahead of Recobba et all.

Larry:

I disagree with the position that Martins will be missed at the ANC. The fact is that the guy has a huge potential to be big but it REMAINS potential. He could also be a flop.

How can he be missed when one is unsure what Martins can bring to the team. Though I acknowledge him as a big star at the CLUB LEVEL but frankly he is not a sure thing in Nigeria's colors until he proves otherwise. I felt the same way about Obodo until he proved otherwise at the LG tournament. I felt the same about Ijeh until he imploded in Lagos. The fact is no one knows whether Martins will be the next SE superstar or the next SE flop. The jury is out on that and thus I do not see how he can be missed (i.e if missing him translates to missing "significant positive contribution").

I must add that Martins may well miss a lot by being absent. He could quite possibily use the tournament to state his case for a regular starting shirt at Inter. It is clear that if he does get to Tunis that he will get to play but his performance there remains unknown.

[Its a Goal]

Martins would be missed at ANC and I HOPE he changes his mind.

Martins will put the fear into the defenders and he is a plaer that can change matches in one second.

If Martins plays at ANC and makes a big impact, then he could be sending a big message to Zac to start him ahead of Recobba et all.

You are 100% right, but is Martins prepared to see it from that point of view? I guess the only reason why he is not going to is cos he wants to be part of the Italian national team.