U17 ROUND OF 16: NIGERIA 1 VS NETHERLANDS 3

[ohenhen1]

Hopefuly they will continue to work with the players and not just ignore their development.

[mcal]

...what I saw yesterday was a strong offense but poor defense.
We pressed and had the ball on their half more, they go to our end and immediately cause havoc.

[okidoki]

I am surprised and sad we are exiting at this point in the competition. I still thought we had enough to get to the Semi's. Garba's run has come to an end. Its time for him to part ways with the youth teams. Its time for new blood and a new attitude.

I am proud we finally produced a team playing with their age peers. I am happy to note that we were competitive all the way. This is a positive thing for us. I am still very excited for youth football in Nigeria.

Please don’t bring playing with your peers thing here. This team like the last two all made the MRI. If one was simply judging on how one looks, this team actually looks older than the other two. If you doubt me post the three squads.

[niyi]

I don't trust Manu. He was good in 2013 but since then he benched Iheanacho, Simon, Succes, Musa Yahaya et al in 2015 for Bulbwa, Saviour Godwin and Awoniyi.

Watching this team, our weaknesses were obvious and our strengths imperceptible. In defense, we conceded at least 2 goals in all games and showed very little defensive discipline in midfield. Opponents effortlessly turned our attacks into counterattacks and overran our midfield with ease.
In attack... we had no attack... we stuck with Olawale who was selfish and incompetent through 10 games (4 games in this tournament and 6 in the African U17 championships).

Rumours from some credible people (and some not-so-credible people too) is that our camp was swarming with agents and this was a pure pay-to-play affair. The poster boy for the shoddy team selection was Bichi himself.

[niyi]

...what I saw yesterday was a strong offense but poor defense.
We pressed and had the ball on their half more, they go to our end and immediately cause havoc.

A strong offense should shoot on goal and on target

[joao]

WELL DONE LADS...
You gave it your BEST shot.

Shame we didn't get to see Abba Bichi though
Pretty sure the coaches were saving him for the tough final rounds.

The inclusion of the lad is surely one window into why 'the team' looked wobbly.
Many factors, with regards corruption and indiscipline, led to the collapse of team focus.
Still waiting for one of our sports reporters to ask coach Manu Garba how the kid made
the team.

[TonyTheTigerKiller]

Time to grab the tiger by the tail... The composition of this u17 squad is significantly different from the very successful squads of the past. Compare this squad to the 2013 and 2015 squads and you’ll find a significant increase in players of Northern origin. One is tempted to wonder if the North has suddenly caught up with the South, talent wise, in just a few short years. Since 2017, players from the Southeast zone have been failing the MRI test indiscriminately, only to be replaced by players of obviously lesser pedigree from the other zones who, by the way, don’t look any younger than than the disqualified players. Is there a conspiracy to clandestinely enforce a quota system in player selection? Whatever your viewpoint, the inescapable fact is that this Manu Garba’s team was tactically deficient. Perhaps, it is time to move on without him


Cheers.

[Bigpokey24]

so we lost? I didn't even know the game was on sef

[danfo driver]

WELL DONE LADS...
You gave it your BEST shot.

Shame we didn't get to see Abba Bichi though
Pretty sure the coaches were saving him for the tough final rounds.

The inclusion of the lad is surely one window into why 'the team' looked wobbly.
Many factors, with regards corruption and indiscipline, led to the collapse of team focus.
Still waiting for one of our sports reporters to ask coach Manu Garba how the kid made
the team.

yea, lets blame a 16 year old child who didnt play for why the team "looked wobbly."

Typical Nigerians. Hurt that your own daddies didnt get government appointment, so you had to grow up in abject poverty! abegiiiiii!!! Abba, continue to enjoy their money and fly abroad at will! I expect to see you in U-21and U23 camp to!

[danfo driver]

so we lost? I didn't even know the game was on sef

Me too... I just clicked to see a round of old men weeping and wailing, while blaming a child for their misery.

[gapped]

Time to grab the tiger by the tail... The composition of this u17 squad is significantly different from the very successful squads of the past. Compare this squad to the 2013 and 2015 squads and you’ll find a significant increase in players of Northern origin. One is tempted to wonder if the North has suddenly caught up with the South, talent wise, in just a few short years. Since 2017, players from the Southeast zone have been failing the MRI test indiscriminately, only to be replaced by players of obviously lesser pedigree from the other zones who, by the way, don’t look any younger than than the disqualified players. Is there a conspiracy to clandestinely enforce a quota system in player selection? Whatever your viewpoint, the inescapable fact is that this Manu Garba’s team was tactically deficient. Perhaps, it is time to move on without him

Bingo. Exactly what I've been saying. There are other permutations that informed this team's selection and it seems that the only thing that has been sacred in Nigeria Politics is now broken and Soccer and Eagles in all age grade selection is now subject to the bigger ailing problem of Nigeria which is Corruption, Tribalism, Favoritism, and Norther quota system. This is the beginning of the downfall of what used to hold Nigerians from all tribe together, when Nigeria wins in soccer. As is, Nigeria outings will continue to become abysmal as long as this northern initiative is n place.

[JACKAL]

Time to grab the tiger by the tail... The composition of this u17 squad is significantly different from the very successful squads of the past. Compare this squad to the 2013 and 2015 squads and you’ll find a significant increase in players of Northern origin. One is tempted to wonder if the North has suddenly caught up with the South, talent wise, in just a few short years. Since 2017, players from the Southeast zone have been failing the MRI test indiscriminately, only to be replaced by players of obviously lesser pedigree from the other zones who, by the way, don’t look any younger than than the disqualified players. Is there a conspiracy to clandestinely enforce a quota system in player selection? Whatever your viewpoint, the inescapable fact is that this Manu Garba’s team was tactically deficient. Perhaps, it is time to move on without him


Cheers.

Garba was Fired by the NFF this morning.

But what you are suggesting/implying/speculating on is unfair. It was the same man that selected the 2013 team that had a high number of SE players.

[JACKAL]

NFF SACKS MANU GARBA

https://soccernet.ng/2019/11/nff-wield- ... garba.html

[mystic]

NFF SACKS MANU GARBA

https://soccernet.ng/2019/11/nff-wield- ... garba.html

This is like medicine after death. What's the point of firing Manu when his brief has already come to an end.

[green4life]

Anyone who watched this team play any of the first round games with an open mind won't be surprised with the early exit. This team was high and gra gra and low on quality. That was my conclusion after watching a few minutes of the Ecuador game. I was hoping they'd go a little further but ultimately, I didn't expect this lot to medal in Brazil. Back to the drawing board. Next time, focus on finding special talents and less of hustler or gra gra workers on the pitch. At this level, lack of difference makers was always going to be telling.

[mystic]

Time to grab the tiger by the tail... The composition of this u17 squad is significantly different from the very successful squads of the past. Compare this squad to the 2013 and 2015 squads and you’ll find a significant increase in players of Northern origin. One is tempted to wonder if the North has suddenly caught up with the South, talent wise, in just a few short years. Since 2017, players from the Southeast zone have been failing the MRI test indiscriminately, only to be replaced by players of obviously lesser pedigree from the other zones who, by the way, don’t look any younger than than the disqualified players. Is there a conspiracy to clandestinely enforce a quota system in player selection? Whatever your viewpoint, the inescapable fact is that this Manu Garba’s team was tactically deficient. Perhaps, it is time to move on without him

Bingo. Exactly what I've been saying. There are other permutations that informed this team's selection and it seems that the only thing that has been sacred in Nigeria Politics is now broken and Soccer and Eagles in all age grade selection is now subject to the bigger ailing problem of Nigeria which is Corruption, Tribalism, Favoritism, and Norther quota system. This is the beginning of the downfall of what used to hold Nigerians from all tribe together, when Nigeria wins in soccer. As is, Nigeria outings will continue to become abysmal as long as this northern initiative is n place.

There's more to it than what is being suggested here. For instance, Ibrahim Said (who is of northern extraction) was initially disqualified by an MRI exam. It was his minders that cried blue murder and got the NFF to look into the matter, before another MRI exam was administered - which he passed. Said was not the only player affected and you can do a Google search to find out more.

When this type of funny business is going on behind the scenes, you cannot expect to have a team which isn't compromised to some degree. And this is just one of several issues that worked against presenting the best team possible.

This is part of why I say that we have to go back to the drawing board.


In any case, I'm happy for the young lads who got a chance to get their football careers started and wish them all the best in the future. Hopefully, their development will not be abandoned, but I doubt that there's a proper plan in place to harness their potential.

[green4life]

Nederland boys are showing us how important the “basics” are. They just know how to do the basic stuff in a very effective way. Meanwhile we huff and puff with flashes of flair. So far a promising but naive display.

Lol. Don't let them hear you proclaiming the obvious.

[Rawlings]

Bone Marrow transplant gone wrong

[joao]

There's more to it than what is being suggested here. For instance, Ibrahim Said (who is of northern extraction) was initially disqualified by an MRI exam. It was his minders that cried blue murder and got the NFF to look into the matter, before another MRI exam was administered - which he passed. Said was not the only player affected and you can do a Google search to find out more.

When this type of funny business is going on behind the scenes, you cannot expect to have a team which isn't compromised to some degree.
And this is just one of several issues that worked against presenting the best team possible.

This is part of why I say that we have to go back to the drawing board.

In any case, I'm happy for the young lads who got a chance to get their football careers started and wish them all the best in the future. Hopefully, their development will not be abandoned, but I doubt that there's a proper plan in place to harness their potential.

Thanks for a your perspective. The highlighted says a lot.

[ANC]

So whats the ethnic breakdown of the team. Is Bichi Igbo or Hausa?

[Damunk]

If ethnicity is the new argument then it is only fair that the 2013 and 2015 squads are looked at.

[ANC]

If ethnicity is the new argument then it is only fair that the 2013 and 2015 squads are looked at.

What difference would that make if forces other than the coach influenced the team selection.

[Damunk]

Time to grab the tiger by the tail... The composition of this u17 squad is significantly different from the very successful squads of the past. Compare this squad to the 2013 and 2015 squads and you’ll find a significant increase in players of Northern origin. One is tempted to wonder if the North has suddenly caught up with the South, talent wise, in just a few short years. Since 2017, players from the Southeast zone have been failing the MRI test indiscriminately, only to be replaced by players of obviously lesser pedigree from the other zones who, by the way, don’t look any younger than than the disqualified players. Is there a conspiracy to clandestinely enforce a quota system in player selection? Whatever your viewpoint, the inescapable fact is that this Manu Garba’s team was tactically deficient. Perhaps, it is time to move on without him

Bingo. Exactly what I've been saying. There are other permutations that informed this team's selection and it seems that the only thing that has been sacred in Nigeria Politics is now broken and Soccer and Eagles in all age grade selection is now subject to the bigger ailing problem of Nigeria which is Corruption, Tribalism, Favoritism, and Norther quota system. This is the beginning of the downfall of what used to hold Nigerians from all tribe together, when Nigeria wins in soccer. As is, Nigeria outings will continue to become abysmal as long as this northern initiative is n place.

Nonsense.
Check your facts before misyarning.
Google is your friend so it is not difficult to do.
Then come back to reveal your findings.