Kelechi Nwakali…

[gochino]

Who does this guy play for now? He's just OK, not SE starting material. I hope he improves to the potential folks here expect him to get to

I agree.

Na another "Cult of Ibrahim Rabiu"...

Dude just has cult followers...

Let’s not forget that some of “us” dismissed Mikel as a “sideways passer”, lol. Make no mistake, Nwakali’s got game and he belongs in the SuperEagles


Cheers.

This is true. But I believe the difference was that Mikel was delivering on all fronts and obviously strictly sticking to instructions
Nwakali on the other hands has been patchy in output and not convincing any of his several managers to trust him in his role.
Hopefully, this appears to be changing and once his confidence is sufficiently reinforced, he will become the top player we have all been waiting for.
Let us pray….

So how many of our current midfielders are better than him on current form? Two of our main Midfielders play in division 2 and one of our current midfielders that starts every game for the super eagles hardly makes the bench for his division 2 club! To be clear, we don’t have any midfielder that's a top player at the moment, so why reject one that is currently playing well and in good form? I don't understand.

Did someone just compare Mikel and Nwakali or even mention two of them in the same sentence?

the midfield of SE includes: Ndidi, Onyeka, Iwobi, Onyedika......Nwakali is not on the same level as any of them.

Aribo on the other hand might not be in the best of forms but i still believe he is better than him.

the likes of Fisayo, Alhassan have better claim than him...thats my opinion though

You are missing the point, Nwakali is a completely different type of midfielder from those guys you mentioned he brings something totally different to the table.

[Sunset]

Assist #3 for him so far this season

[Gotti]

[wiseone]

Every single time an SE squad is announced, there is massive clamour for him to be called up as if he is the second coming of Okocha or KDB. His career track record is not overwhelming. He:

-has scored a grand total of 13 goals in his entire career as a professional footballer (8 years) despite being an AM

-failed to make it to a top division team in England, Holland , Portugal , and now Spain

-has scored 0 goals in 26 games this season

-has only 13 assists in his entire 8 year career in which he has played nearly 200 matches

-has 3 times as many career yellow cards than goals

What is the clamour for a non-scoring and non-assisting attacking midfielder who has spent his entire career playing 2nd division football, who gets booked 3x more than he scores or assists, and who scores or assists only once every 14 matches?

[Lolly]

Every single time an SE squad is announced, there is massive clamour for him to be called up as if he is the second coming of Okocha or KDB. His career track record is not overwhelming. He:

-has scored a grand total of 13 goals in his entire career as a professional footballer (8 years) despite being an AM

-failed to make it to a top division team in England, Holland , Portugal , and now Spain

-has scored 0 goals in 26 games this season

-has only 13 assists in his entire 8 year career in which he has played nearly 200 matches

-has 3 times as many career yellow cards than goals

What is the clamour for a non-scoring and non-assisting attacking midfielder who has spent his entire career playing 2nd division football, who gets booked 3x more than he scores or assists?

Might be a good idea to compare his numbers in the current season with that of Aribo, Onyeka and Alhassan.

[jette1]

Every single time an SE squad is announced, there is massive clamour for him to be called up as if he is the second coming of Okocha or KDB. His career track record is not overwhelming. He:

-has scored a grand total of 13 goals in his entire career as a professional footballer (8 years) despite being an AM

-failed to make it to a top division team in England, Holland , Portugal , and now Spain

-has scored 0 goals in 26 games this season

-has only 13 assists in his entire 8 year career in which he has played nearly 200 matches

-has 3 times as many career yellow cards than goals

What is the clamour for a non-scoring and non-assisting attacking midfielder who has spent his entire career playing 2nd division football, who gets booked 3x more than he scores or assists?

Might be a good idea to compare his numbers in the current season with that of Aribo, Onyeka and Alhassan.

Finidi has that vision and I will be shocked if he does nothing different but call him to camp soon

[Enugu II]

Ol' boy, I have never ever read about a player who has done very little in his career get the kind of HYPE Nwakali gets on this Forum. I wonder what most would have written about him if he showed just a tad more --- win more balls, put himself about more and do something else besides string along passes.

[Lolly]

Ol' boy, I have never ever read about a player who has done very little in his career get the kind of HYPE Nwakali gets on this Forum. I wonder what most would have written about him if he showed just a tad more --- win more balls, put himself about more and do something else besides string along passes.

Maybe it’s because we are light in the Central Midfield position and there is nobody else out there who is doing the business.

I think he is worth another look. Our other CMs with the exception of Iwobi are just grafters with little creativity.

[Cellular]

Ol' boy, I have never ever read about a player who has done very little in his career get the kind of HYPE Nwakali gets on this Forum. I wonder what most would have written about him if he showed just a tad more --- win more balls, put himself about more and do something else besides string along passes.

The only one closer to him is the CE legend, Ibrahim Rabiu, who managed to make Ayo's 11 for 8 years running.

Nwakali needs better representation and needs to sit with his team and define a path for him to maybe achieve whatever potential folks think he has.

I really don't know if football is a priority for the dude.

[Lolly]

Ol' boy, I have never ever read about a player who has done very little in his career get the kind of HYPE Nwakali gets on this Forum. I wonder what most would have written about him if he showed just a tad more --- win more balls, put himself about more and do something else besides string along passes.

The only one closer to him is the CE legend, Ibrahim Rabiu, who managed to make Ayo's 11 for 8 years running.

Nwakali needs better representation and needs to sit with his team and define a path for him to maybe achieve whatever potential folks think he has.

I really don't know if football is a priority for the dude.

Why?

[jette1]

Ol' boy, I have never ever read about a player who has done very little in his career get the kind of HYPE Nwakali gets on this Forum. I wonder what most would have written about him if he showed just a tad more --- win more balls, put himself about more and do something else besides string along passes.

Done very little ? What has others done. Perhaps it’s because the role has remain vacant ever since. Mikel and jj were the last known humans to play that role and that more than 20 yrs ago. Nwakali is the only picture that comes close to what we used to see in our midfield

[Cito]

When you put it like that and the clamor still continues, makes one wonder too.

Every single time an SE squad is announced, there is massive clamour for him to be called up as if he is the second coming of Okocha or KDB. His career track record is not overwhelming. He:

-has scored a grand total of 13 goals in his entire career as a professional footballer (8 years) despite being an AM

-failed to make it to a top division team in England, Holland , Portugal , and now Spain

-has scored 0 goals in 26 games this season

-has only 13 assists in his entire 8 year career in which he has played nearly 200 matches

-has 3 times as many career yellow cards than goals

What is the clamour for a non-scoring and non-assisting attacking midfielder who has spent his entire career playing 2nd division football, who gets booked 3x more than he scores or assists, and who scores or assists only once every 14 matches?

[Enugu II]

Ol' boy, I have never ever read about a player who has done very little in his career get the kind of HYPE Nwakali gets on this Forum. I wonder what most would have written about him if he showed just a tad more --- win more balls, put himself about more and do something else besides string along passes.

The only one closer to him is the CE legend, Ibrahim Rabiu, who managed to make Ayo's 11 for 8 years running.

Nwakali needs better representation and needs to sit with his team and define a path for him to maybe achieve whatever potential folks think he has.

I really don't know if football is a priority for the dude.

Why?

Lolly

We should have learned a lesson with Nwabali's situation. There are several attacking mid, some playing in lesser known countries in Europe and others in Migeria. It is not like they do not exist. Call those up and see who can make the grade. Let us stop limiting ourselves to only those playing at top or better known leagues in Europe. Nwakali is not even in the top leagues and still not measuring up. Give others a chance.

[packerland]

Ol' boy, I have never ever read about a player who has done very little in his career get the kind of HYPE Nwakali gets on this Forum. I wonder what most would have written about him if he showed just a tad more --- win more balls, put himself about more and do something else besides string along passes.

The only one closer to him is the CE legend, Ibrahim Rabiu, who managed to make Ayo's 11 for 8 years running.

Nwakali needs better representation and needs to sit with his team and define a path for him to maybe achieve whatever potential folks think he has.

I really don't know if football is a priority for the dude.

Why?

They said he loves social media more than the game itself (no be me talk am). But seriosly, I know he strolls a lot on the pitch but a guy like Ozil did the same. Something about him must be putting teams off. Even my Arsenal that are notorious for hanging onto deadwoods far too long got rid of him for next to nothing in 3 yrs of no first team action.

[Lolly]

Ol' boy, I have never ever read about a player who has done very little in his career get the kind of HYPE Nwakali gets on this Forum. I wonder what most would have written about him if he showed just a tad more --- win more balls, put himself about more and do something else besides string along passes.

The only one closer to him is the CE legend, Ibrahim Rabiu, who managed to make Ayo's 11 for 8 years running.

Nwakali needs better representation and needs to sit with his team and define a path for him to maybe achieve whatever potential folks think he has.

I really don't know if football is a priority for the dude.

Why?

Lolly

We should have learned a lesson with Nwabali's situation. There are several attacking mid, some playing in lesser known countries in Europe and others in Migeria. It is not like they do not exist. Call those up and see who can make the grade. Let us stop limiting ourselves to only those playing at top or better known leagues in Europe. Nwakali is not even in the top leagues and still not measuring up. Give others a chance.

Can you name a few? From my little knowledge of Nigerian footballers, nobody has been mentioned all these years. Divine Nwachukwu was invited to the SE last year and has been discarded, or maybe not. The Ibrahim guy in Turkey has not had a look in. I even like Ikenna Cooper of Eyimba but he doesn’t even get mentioned.

You must agree that we are seriously lacking quality CMs hence why Nwakali’s name keeps coming up. The guy has something though I agree that he has not proven himself everywhere he has been. Even I have been critical of his energy in other discussions. But he might be a good backup to our other midfielders and might do better in the GWG than his numerous clubs. I would like to see him for 90 minutes in a friendly game.

[gochino]

We don't have any deep lying playmaker, I can't think of one! Plus he is good with dead balls.We took Aribo to Afcon, I am still struggling to see what exactly he brought to the table. I would prefer Nwakali any day!

[Sunset]

Thinking he is an AM is where you made the first mistake, anybody that has actually watched him will know he is a CM and trying to judge a midfielder by their goal contributions is silly. Those are for attackers

Every single time an SE squad is announced, there is massive clamour for him to be called up as if he is the second coming of Okocha or KDB. His career track record is not overwhelming. He:

-has scored a grand total of 13 goals in his entire career as a professional footballer (8 years) despite being an AM

-failed to make it to a top division team in England, Holland , Portugal , and now Spain

-has scored 0 goals in 26 games this season

-has only 13 assists in his entire 8 year career in which he has played nearly 200 matches

-has 3 times as many career yellow cards than goals

What is the clamour for a non-scoring and non-assisting attacking midfielder who has spent his entire career playing 2nd division football, who gets booked 3x more than he scores or assists, and who scores or assists only once every 14 matches?

[Enugu II]

Thinking he is an AM is where you made the first mistake, anybody that has actually watched him will know he is a CM and trying to judge a midfielder by their goal contributions is silly. Those are for attackers

Every single time an SE squad is announced, there is massive clamour for him to be called up as if he is the second coming of Okocha or KDB. His career track record is not overwhelming. He:

-has scored a grand total of 13 goals in his entire career as a professional footballer (8 years) despite being an AM

-failed to make it to a top division team in England, Holland , Portugal , and now Spain

-has scored 0 goals in 26 games this season

-has only 13 assists in his entire 8 year career in which he has played nearly 200 matches

-has 3 times as many career yellow cards than goals

What is the clamour for a non-scoring and non-assisting attacking midfielder who has spent his entire career playing 2nd division football, who gets booked 3x more than he scores or assists, and who scores or assists only once every 14 matches?

Sunset

He gas to win balls though. He seems adept at redistribution and not much else. More worrying, is it is clear that he is able to put himself about with effort but in several matches he appears as if he has gone asleep. Man, he really has to do far more for me.

[gochino]

Thinking he is an AM is where you made the first mistake, anybody that has actually watched him will know he is a CM and trying to judge a midfielder by their goal contributions is silly. Those are for attackers

Every single time an SE squad is announced, there is massive clamour for him to be called up as if he is the second coming of Okocha or KDB. His career track record is not overwhelming. He:

-has scored a grand total of 13 goals in his entire career as a professional footballer (8 years) despite being an AM

-failed to make it to a top division team in England, Holland , Portugal , and now Spain

-has scored 0 goals in 26 games this season

-has only 13 assists in his entire 8 year career in which he has played nearly 200 matches

-has 3 times as many career yellow cards than goals

What is the clamour for a non-scoring and non-assisting attacking midfielder who has spent his entire career playing 2nd division football, who gets booked 3x more than he scores or assists, and who scores or assists only once every 14 matches?

Sunset

He gas to win balls though. He seems adept at redistribution and not much else. More worrying, is it is clear that he is able to put himself about with effort but in several matches he appears as if he has gone asleep. Man, he really has to do far more for me.

Am just wondering, did you notice this in the 2021 Afcon he played in? Or was there any particular game at his club you are referring to? At Afcon, out of all our midfielders he created the highest number of clear chances despite not playing every game. We need possession in our midfield, and we need someone that can provide accurate long balls to Osimhen and co. Like I said I would pick him over Aribo any day!

[txj]

The legend of Bagger Vance continues...

Kelechi Nwakali, a legend before his time

[Coach]

Almost as legendary as Cherno Samba.

[wiseone]

Excellent. Ok, you win: he is not an AM. What use does the SE have for yet another holding midfielder that does not score or assist? The SE already has a surplus of options in that area (Ndidi, Onyeka, Onyedika, Yusuf)

Thinking he is an AM is where you made the first mistake, anybody that has actually watched him will know he is a CM and trying to judge a midfielder by their goal contributions is silly. Those are for attackers

[Ayo Akinfe]

Anchormen
[1] Wilfred Ndidi
[2] Frank Onyeka
[3] Raphael Onyeadika

Box-to-box midfielders
[1] Alhassan Yusuf
[2] Kelechi Nwakali
[3] Joe Aribo

Playmakers
[1] Alex Iwobi
[2] Michael Olise
[3] Tom Dele-Bashiru

We need two of each for a major competition like the World Cup.