The case for the "cockney eagles"

[Damunk]

Not sure I can find a game involving 7 or more "Foreign raised" Nigerians entertaining. I think one has to spend some time in Nigeria to have that rhythm, flair, and passion for the game that Nigerians have. Many of this kids only have one parent that is Nigerian so not sure how they can have it. They can develop it a bit sha as we have seem with Ekong and a lessor extent Balogun. Even Iwobi does not quite have it but tries to fake it

This is just a myth in your head which has no basis.
Its like saying a Nigerian kid born abroad can't dance or can't run just because s/he wasn't born in Naija.
If anything, these natural attributes are attempted to be coached out of them by clueless coaches. Go to any youth football tournament or simple kickabouts in the UK and see black kids playing with the same kind of skills and flair you'll find anywhere in Africa. Only difference being the don't play under bridges and barefooted.
It is part culture, part nature.

[Tobi17]

Not sure I can find a game involving 7 or more "Foreign raised" Nigerians entertaining. I think one has to spend some time in Nigeria to have that rhythm, flair, and passion for the game that Nigerians have. Many of this kids only have one parent that is Nigerian so not sure how they can have it. They can develop it a bit sha as we have seem with Ekong and a lessor extent Balogun. Even Iwobi does not quite have it but tries to fake it

This is just a myth in your head which has no basis.
Its like saying a Nigerian kid born abroad can't dance or can't run just because s/he wasn't born in Naija.
If anything, these natural attributes are attempted to be coached out of them by clueless coaches. Go to any youth football tournament or simple kickabouts in the UK and see black kids playing with the same kind of skills and flair you'll find anywhere in Africa. Only difference being the don't play under bridges and barefooted.
It is part culture, part nature.

[oscar52]

Not sure I can find a game involving 7 or more "Foreign raised" Nigerians entertaining. I think one has to spend some time in Nigeria to have that rhythm, flair, and passion for the game that Nigerians have. Many of this kids only have one parent that is Nigerian so not sure how they can have it. They can develop it a bit sha as we have seem with Ekong and a lessor extent Balogun. Even Iwobi does not quite have it but tries to fake it

This is just a myth in your head which has no basis.
Its like saying a Nigerian kid born abroad can't dance or can't run just because s/he wasn't born in Naija.
If anything, these natural attributes are attempted to be coached out of them by clueless coaches. Go to any youth football tournament or simple kickabouts in the UK and see black kids playing with the same kind of skills and flair you'll find anywhere in Africa. Only difference being the don't play under bridges and barefooted.
It is part culture, part nature.

I disagree. You seem to be comparing apples and oranges. Using your dance analogy, I am not saying a Nigerian kid raised abroad can't dance, I am saying they dance "differently." Now they can be coached to dance the close to same but it will take time and effort and will be slightly counterfeit .

[airwolex]

Not sure I can find a game involving 7 or more "Foreign raised" Nigerians entertaining. I think one has to spend some time in Nigeria to have that rhythm, flair, and passion for the game that Nigerians have. Many of this kids only have one parent that is Nigerian so not sure how they can have it. They can develop it a bit sha as we have seem with Ekong and a lessor extent Balogun. Even Iwobi does not quite have it but tries to fake it

This is just a myth in your head which has no basis.
Its like saying a Nigerian kid born abroad can't dance or can't run just because s/he wasn't born in Naija.
If anything, these natural attributes are attempted to be coached out of them by clueless coaches. Go to any youth football tournament or simple kickabouts in the UK and see black kids playing with the same kind of skills and flair you'll find anywhere in Africa. Only difference being the don't play under bridges and barefooted.
It is part culture, part nature.

[Damunk]

Not sure I can find a game involving 7 or more "Foreign raised" Nigerians entertaining. I think one has to spend some time in Nigeria to have that rhythm, flair, and passion for the game that Nigerians have. Many of this kids only have one parent that is Nigerian so not sure how they can have it. They can develop it a bit sha as we have seem with Ekong and a lessor extent Balogun. Even Iwobi does not quite have it but tries to fake it

This is just a myth in your head which has no basis.
Its like saying a Nigerian kid born abroad can't dance or can't run just because s/he wasn't born in Naija.
If anything, these natural attributes are attempted to be coached out of them by clueless coaches. Go to any youth football tournament or simple kickabouts in the UK and see black kids playing with the same kind of skills and flair you'll find anywhere in Africa. Only difference being the don't play under bridges and barefooted.
It is part culture, part nature.

I disagree. You seem to be comparing apples and oranges. Using your dance analogy, I am not saying a Nigerian kid raised abroad can't dance, I am saying they dance "differently." Now they can be coached to dance the close to same but it will take time and effort and will be slightly counterfeit .

Oscar52, kids within Nigeria also dance "differently" and so that is not really the problem.

You do know that the Ajax Youth Football Academy had (and probably still have) 'Dance' as part of their curriculum, right? I'm sure there are many others that have followed their lead.
This is simply a recognition of the key role rhythm plays in football - body movement and balance especially. Let's not pretend that we don't know that black kids in general have an enhanced sense of rhythm which is hard to explain, but is probably part nature and part nurture.

Back to football, these are natural attributes which, depending on coaching, can be modified for better or for worse. But when it is down to 'freestyling' football ie natural self-expression on the ball, there is no difference between black kids at home or abroad. As they get older, some clueless coaches might try and coach these things out of them but modern coaches totally get it.

Anyway, I am only contesting your point that young Nigerian-based footballers have a greater sense of "rhythm, flair and passion" for the game which oyibo-based Nigerians do not have.

[Lolly]

Not sure I can find a game involving 7 or more "Foreign raised" Nigerians entertaining. I think one has to spend some time in Nigeria to have that rhythm, flair, and passion for the game that Nigerians have. Many of this kids only have one parent that is Nigerian so not sure how they can have it. They can develop it a bit sha as we have seem with Ekong and a lessor extent Balogun. Even Iwobi does not quite have it but tries to fake it

I cant believe what I am reading here.

What rhythm, flair and passion does Yakubu, Iheanacho, Emenike have that Iwobi, Victor Moses, Aina, Ebuehi, Lukman or Aribo don't have?

[airwolex]

Not sure I can find a game involving 7 or more "Foreign raised" Nigerians entertaining. I think one has to spend some time in Nigeria to have that rhythm, flair, and passion for the game that Nigerians have. Many of this kids only have one parent that is Nigerian so not sure how they can have it. They can develop it a bit sha as we have seem with Ekong and a lessor extent Balogun. Even Iwobi does not quite have it but tries to fake it

I cant believe what I am reading here.

What rhythm, flair and passion does Yakubu, Iheanacho, Emenike have that Iwobi, Victor Moses, Aina, Ebuehi, Lukman or Aribo don't have?

He will never answer this question. You needn't have bothered.

Honestly, reading through this thread shows why Amaju Pinnick is right to go his own path. If he follows the advice of the guys on this thread Nigeria will never qualify for the WC in a million years. There has been no good reason why foreign-born Naija players should not play for the SE as far as I'm concerned.

I do agree though that we need to do something to up the standard of the local game. Our HB players seem to be seriously lagging behind and have been doing so for years imho.

[felarey]

Nigerians and our warped sense that messes up everything that is beautiful. Why do we look at everything from the tinted eyes of we and them, they and us, foreign and local, hausa or igbo, North or South, cockney vs ngbatingbati, omo nna vs omo hausa... Why can we just enjoy the talents on display. Damn!

Kpom! We just need to make our local league better.