NO NIGERIAN REFEREES LISTED FOR AFCON

[Enugu II]

Abeg keep quiet if you have nothing sensible to add. Oliseh that dropped Mikel for a home based player that has since gone into oblivion just to prove a stupid point to people like you!

But, Dammy, read your mentioning of those three and then your claim. That is what Gotti responds to. Oliseh worked closely with homebased players. I also add, that Musa was first called up to SE while he was homebased and after he became foreign- based , a few years ago, he went back and played for Pillars. Don't you think he has an idea what he is talking about compared to CE guys who only watch European league? Both are far more credible than any of you CE guys who only watch European football and have little or no inkling about home based football and footballers.

BTW, that focus on European football limits the knowledge that some CE have of football and the abilities of labor around it. Think for a moment. No one here believes there is talent in Nigeria. Yet, 17 year olds from that Nigeria suddenly play for the Nigerian u17 squad and appear on TV and the same guys start to promote the player for SE but yet they forget there are talents like that, may be better, already in the NPFL! Ridiculous. Dat one that Television blindfold.

The comment below was copied from completesports.com in response to Oliseh’s call for home based players to be included in the SE

Dcardinal 1 day ago

Coming from a guy who made super eagles look like an NPFL side, does more talking on social media than execute good tactics..I can bet if you ask him to mention one player in NPFL good for Afcon, he can’t. That was the same sentiment Victor Ikpeba shared last week on Monday night football show on super sports, when the host inquired he mention one player from NPFL and whom he will replace in the current squad, he started stuttering. Most of these ex internationals lacks proper football insight. To stay relevant, they just jump aimlessly to a cause they can’t defend.

Dammy,

Why do you think he should be able to do this? I am mystified why you think he should or anyone else should expect him to do this.

You know the Nigerian players playing in Europe because of this reason --- Media coverage! You do not know NPFL guys and neither should you expect Ikpeba to know. Why? -- lack of media coverage.

However, a serious scout or national coaching team is expected to do better than you, Ikperba, or anyone on CE. That coaching staff is paid to SCOUT. That staff has the resources to provide the answers that you seek. It is their job.

What Ikpeba and others, including myself, are calling for is for the scouts to do their job i.e scout the NPFL and Nigeria. This is simply based on statistical expectation that there is a likelihood that some players exist in Nigeria. Why this expectation? each year, Nigeria tops the list of African countries sending talents to Europe who within weeks get into the first team squads of European clubs. The logic, therefore, is that if European scouts can find these gems, then Nigerian NT scouts can do so if they are willing to search. That is the simple logic. You, Ikpeba, and I are not scouts! Thus, it is frankly ridiculous to expect Ikpeba to locate a qualifying player from the NPFL.

If players are consistently getting sold to European teams then scouting is clearly happening. But players going to Scandinavia and other 4th tier leagues and starting actually shows they are not NT caliber…yet. When last did a Nigerian player go from our league to a top 5 league in Europe? Based on the poor quality of our league I don’t know how you are expecting scouts to unearth a player from nowhere that is suddenly Senior NT caliber…it sounds ridiculous honestly and quite disingenuous. You can say scout for the youth teams but Senior NT? Like come on…

Mace

Scouting by whom is the question. Sure scouting by and for Euro clubs us happening, but that isn't the issue here. Di they scout for SE? Tge issue here is scouting for SE and inviting players to the SE.

We have discussed why these players have to go to the Scandinavia first. Those are only leagues willing to sign players that are not exceptionally better than what they currently have. You also see players developed in top Euro leagues being farmed out regularly. It is same deal. In my view, if we are calling up players from the Scandinavia abd similar leagues as we do now does that not equate to also looking at NPFL players?

For a minute, forget Scandinavian league. With the players that we have been calling up, why are they not easily overcoming local African players as we saw recently in the WCQs?

My point is you don’t scout for the Senior National Team. Invitation to the Senior National team is as a result of proving yourself in a competent league showing you are head and shoulders above all other options out there in your position.

Can you please name the current players in our 25 man list that are playing in these Scandinavian leagues? There’s none, hence our NT footie is past that level at almost every position except maybe GK and we know our local league does NOT consistently produce competent keepers. Even with that the coach has selected one from our local league, what else do we want? Again I say someone asking for us to scout the local league for the SE is either being disingenuous or has alterior motives…I mean even say CHAN team first, but senior NT…come on, there are so many players in better leagues that weren’t even selected before we even talk about the lowly Scandinavian ones…

Mace,

Nigerian managers by choice, limit themselves to selecting players elsewhere and to the 'Top 5 leagues' (if we had an adequate number there) but certainly not the rest of Africa, including the likes of Morocco that is ranked ahead of us, select players from Morocco and Saudi Arabia for instance. For all the talk about being above selecting players from the local arena, for instance, Nigeria has not shown the capability of consistently dominating the teams that do. You know the recent results obtained by Nigeria. What does that really tell us? It simply points to the fact, among others, that the league does not make the player especially for African players who basically are seeking for a pay day and not necessarily ranking the leagues as CE members do.

If we are to assume that you are indeed correct, why do these same top leagues select players annually from those places that you do not rank? What it shows is that there is no definitive science that selects all the best players into the so called top leagues.

What we do know is simple -- the probability of finding the best player is higher in those leagues but it does not deny the fact that very good players also exist outside of it. Therefore, it is the job of scouts to locate the best players wherever they may be and not simply to rely on a short cut that they must all reside in the so-called Top 5 leagues.

That type of thinking is what I reject. The socio-economic situation in Nigeria leads Nigerian players to wherever they will get paid and they do not necessarily seek to be at the "Top 5" leagues. They want to get paid, in most cases. Thus, we must spread the scouting dragnet including searching for talents at home.

[maceo4]

But, Dammy, read your mentioning of those three and then your claim. That is what Gotti responds to. Oliseh worked closely with homebased players. I also add, that Musa was first called up to SE while he was homebased and after he became foreign- based , a few years ago, he went back and played for Pillars. Don't you think he has an idea what he is talking about compared to CE guys who only watch European league? Both are far more credible than any of you CE guys who only watch European football and have little or no inkling about home based football and footballers.

BTW, that focus on European football limits the knowledge that some CE have of football and the abilities of labor around it. Think for a moment. No one here believes there is talent in Nigeria. Yet, 17 year olds from that Nigeria suddenly play for the Nigerian u17 squad and appear on TV and the same guys start to promote the player for SE but yet they forget there are talents like that, may be better, already in the NPFL! Ridiculous. Dat one that Television blindfold.

The comment below was copied from completesports.com in response to Oliseh’s call for home based players to be included in the SE

Dcardinal 1 day ago

Coming from a guy who made super eagles look like an NPFL side, does more talking on social media than execute good tactics..I can bet if you ask him to mention one player in NPFL good for Afcon, he can’t. That was the same sentiment Victor Ikpeba shared last week on Monday night football show on super sports, when the host inquired he mention one player from NPFL and whom he will replace in the current squad, he started stuttering. Most of these ex internationals lacks proper football insight. To stay relevant, they just jump aimlessly to a cause they can’t defend.

Dammy,

Why do you think he should be able to do this? I am mystified why you think he should or anyone else should expect him to do this.

You know the Nigerian players playing in Europe because of this reason --- Media coverage! You do not know NPFL guys and neither should you expect Ikpeba to know. Why? -- lack of media coverage.

However, a serious scout or national coaching team is expected to do better than you, Ikperba, or anyone on CE. That coaching staff is paid to SCOUT. That staff has the resources to provide the answers that you seek. It is their job.

What Ikpeba and others, including myself, are calling for is for the scouts to do their job i.e scout the NPFL and Nigeria. This is simply based on statistical expectation that there is a likelihood that some players exist in Nigeria. Why this expectation? each year, Nigeria tops the list of African countries sending talents to Europe who within weeks get into the first team squads of European clubs. The logic, therefore, is that if European scouts can find these gems, then Nigerian NT scouts can do so if they are willing to search. That is the simple logic. You, Ikpeba, and I are not scouts! Thus, it is frankly ridiculous to expect Ikpeba to locate a qualifying player from the NPFL.

If players are consistently getting sold to European teams then scouting is clearly happening. But players going to Scandinavia and other 4th tier leagues and starting actually shows they are not NT caliber…yet. When last did a Nigerian player go from our league to a top 5 league in Europe? Based on the poor quality of our league I don’t know how you are expecting scouts to unearth a player from nowhere that is suddenly Senior NT caliber…it sounds ridiculous honestly and quite disingenuous. You can say scout for the youth teams but Senior NT? Like come on…

Mace

Scouting by whom is the question. Sure scouting by and for Euro clubs us happening, but that isn't the issue here. Di they scout for SE? Tge issue here is scouting for SE and inviting players to the SE.

We have discussed why these players have to go to the Scandinavia first. Those are only leagues willing to sign players that are not exceptionally better than what they currently have. You also see players developed in top Euro leagues being farmed out regularly. It is same deal. In my view, if we are calling up players from the Scandinavia abd similar leagues as we do now does that not equate to also looking at NPFL players?

For a minute, forget Scandinavian league. With the players that we have been calling up, why are they not easily overcoming local African players as we saw recently in the WCQs?

My point is you don’t scout for the Senior National Team. Invitation to the Senior National team is as a result of proving yourself in a competent league showing you are head and shoulders above all other options out there in your position.

Can you please name the current players in our 25 man list that are playing in these Scandinavian leagues? There’s none, hence our NT footie is past that level at almost every position except maybe GK and we know our local league does NOT consistently produce competent keepers. Even with that the coach has selected one from our local league, what else do we want? Again I say someone asking for us to scout the local league for the SE is either being disingenuous or has alterior motives…I mean even say CHAN team first, but senior NT…come on, there are so many players in better leagues that weren’t even selected before we even talk about the lowly Scandinavian ones…

Mace,

Nigerian managers by choice, limit themselves to selecting players elsewhere and to the 'Top 5 leagues' (if we had an adequate number there) but certainly not the rest of Africa, including the likes of Morocco that is ranked ahead of us, select players from Morocco and Saudi Arabia for instance. For all the talk about being above selecting players from the local arena, for instance, Nigeria has not shown the capability of consistently dominating the teams that do. You know the recent results obtained by Nigeria. What does that really tell us? It simply points to the fact, among others, that the league does not make the player especially for African players who basically are seeking for a pay day and not necessarily ranking the leagues as CE members do.

If we are to assume that you are indeed correct, why do these same top leagues select players annually from those places that you do not rank? What it shows is that there is no definitive science that selects all the best players into the so called top leagues.

What we do know is simple -- the probability of finding the best player is higher in those leagues but it does not deny the fact that very good players also exist outside of it. Therefore, it is the job of scouts to locate the best players wherever they may be and not simply to rely on a short cut that they must all reside in the so-called Top 5 leagues.

That type of thinking is what I reject. The socio-economic situation in Nigeria leads Nigerian players to wherever they will get paid and they do not necessarily seek to be at the "Top 5" leagues. They want to get paid, in most cases. Thus, we must spread the scouting dragnet including searching for talents at home.

The best leagues in the world are also the ones that pay the most (sans the Saudi experiment). It’s why all our players are looking to land in Ingurland. Our CHAN teams are horrible, our local clubs are horrible on the continent. The NT is not where you ‘discover’ talent, it’s a reward for the top talents that are already showing it consistently at the highest level. We have enough talent in the top leagues where we don’t have to shoot ourselves in the foot by inviting players from a substandard, underperforming local league.

The same Ikpeba would be crying blue murder if a local player was selected over him during his hay day, he would be alleging money had exchanged hands. So let’s stop this charade. We have so many talented players in top leagues to try out, before even getting to the Scandinavian ones, talk less of the ones back home. I’m sorry but what you are saying will just never make sense to me. We have more than enough ingredients to be good, we just need a good coach to put it all together, the answer is not forcing substandard local players on the coach. The CHAN coach and other age grade coaches can scour the country for suitable players. But you don’t do that for a senior NT.

[Damunk]

The best leagues in the world are also the ones that pay the most (sans the Saudi experiment). It’s why all our players are looking to land in Ingurland. Our CHAN teams are horrible, our local clubs are horrible on the continent. The NT is not where you ‘discover’ talent, it’s a reward for the top talents that are already showing it consistently at the highest level. We have enough talent in the top leagues where we don’t have to shoot ourselves in the foot by inviting players from a substandard, underperforming local league.

Absolutely.
A senior national team coach doesn’t have all the time in the world for trial and error.
There is enough experimentation going on trying to blend in players already excelling in superior, highly competitive leagues within very short international breaks for any serious coach to now introduce a clutch of unproven greenhorns into the mix, discovered in some obscure team in Kutuwenji.

That is what national youth team coaches and scouts are there for. That’s what NPFL club coaches and scouts are there for - finding ‘raw’ talent. If a player cannot distinguish himself in Nigeria’s highest league the NPFL, then he is not ready. Even if he does excel, he also has to be potentially better than what we already have, someone playing in a top league around the world. And those falsely claiming we are inviting players from obscure Scandinavian or other European leagues are being dishonest. That is not happening. Even headliners like Gift Orban and Nathan Tella can’t even make the squad!

Many of us are already complaining about players such as Ekong, Musa, Omeruo and Ajayi and that is because we do not believe they are good enough any longer and that there are better players ready and waiting.But they are there because of ‘experience’ and the fact that they are ‘devils’ the coach at least knows well.
The benchmark is higher, expectations are greater and the standard of competition across Africa has skyrocketed. So let’s stop using Keshi and Westerhoff models as an example. Those days don pass.

The same Ikpeba would be crying blue murder if a local player was selected over him during his hay day, he would be alleging money had exchanged hands. So let’s stop this charade. We have so many talented players in top leagues to try out, before even getting to the Scandinavian ones, talk less of the ones back home. I’m sorry but what you are saying will just never make sense to me. We have more than enough ingredients to be good, we just need a good coach to put it all together, the answer is not forcing substandard local players on the coach. The CHAN coach and other age grade coaches can scour the country for suitable players. But you don’t do that for a senior NT

You’ve said it. Nothing more to add.

[Lolly]

[YemiBrazil]

NFF is dead, NRA is dead. Been dead for a while.

[Benedict Iroha]

This woman gather sha.

[YemiBrazil]

They are not good enough. Period!

Based on what evidence do you say this, and have you observed referees in other leagues ?

ANC

Comparative analysis of refereeing has been provided by me on eaglesetcetera site. The analysis, BTW, is not a subjective one but based on a statistical comparison. Refereeing in Nigeria's top leafue was so off the mean that it was laughable. This was not just comparing leagues in Europe but as I recall it compared a league in Africa and also included another non- European league. The statistical result also compared Nigerian league results and decisions to Nigerian league years ago. It was clear that other issues beyond onfiekd action was influencing results by referees in Nigeria. This was very clear based on statistical comparison.

It looked at probability of home wins, looked at probability of pk awards in last quarter if games and whether a home or away team often benefitted from such awards. All of these were part of that analysis, as I now recall it. Some NRA officials were miffed and I received irate calls but it is what it is.

Ok at least you have some facts to back up the statement.
It is still unfair to not have a single official from a major footballing nation in the tournament.
Even amongst the house of thieves, you can still find an honest man.
That Nigeria is corrupt does not justify the exclusion. I wonder how well many of the enlisted would
perform if they were to practice in Nigeria.

It’ll be unfair to lower the standards just to accommodate Nigerian referees. Have you watched a NPFL that’s not televised on TV? Try to watch a game and you’ll see why. Even the linesman is corrupt. When it’s comes to integrity, Nigeria has a huge problem.

But AFCON is televised, so by your logic we shouldn't have any problem with Nigerian refs

I don't think Nigerian refs are worse than EPL referees that are so useless even while televised across the world. Don't prove anything to me, with assumptions, until we have seen a Nigerian referee in charge.

[EMIR KONGI JAFFI JOFFA]

They are not good enough. Period!

Based on what evidence do you say this, and have you observed referees in other leagues ?

ANC

Comparative analysis of refereeing has been provided by me on eaglesetcetera site. The analysis, BTW, is not a subjective one but based on a statistical comparison. Refereeing in Nigeria's top leafue was so off the mean that it was laughable. This was not just comparing leagues in Europe but as I recall it compared a league in Africa and also included another non- European league. The statistical result also compared Nigerian league results and decisions to Nigerian league years ago. It was clear that other issues beyond onfiekd action was influencing results by referees in Nigeria. This was very clear based on statistical comparison.

It looked at probability of home wins, looked at probability of pk awards in last quarter if games and whether a home or away team often benefitted from such awards. All of these were part of that analysis, as I now recall it. Some NRA officials were miffed and I received irate calls but it is what it is.

Ok at least you have some facts to back up the statement.
It is still unfair to not have a single official from a major footballing nation in the tournament.
Even amongst the house of thieves, you can still find an honest man.
That Nigeria is corrupt does not justify the exclusion. I wonder how well many of the enlisted would
perform if they were to practice in Nigeria.

It’ll be unfair to lower the standards just to accommodate Nigerian referees. Have you watched a NPFL that’s not televised on TV? Try to watch a game and you’ll see why. Even the linesman is corrupt. When it’s comes to integrity, Nigeria has a huge problem.

But AFCON is televised, so by your logic we shouldn't have any problem with Nigerian refs

I don't think Nigerian refs are worse than EPL referees that are so useless even while televised across the world. Don't prove anything to me, with assumptions, until we have seen a Nigerian referee in charge.

Seriously?

[wiseone]

[Chief Ogbunigwe]

[Cellular]

Musa, Ighalo and Oliseh recently called for home based players in the SE.
When they were in the team, they didn’t call for the home based but now they want to destabilise the team with their agenda.
They should rather focus on fixing the NPFL at all levels instead of applying makeup to cover up the problems of the league

Abegi what are you blathering on about?
Oliseh capped several home-based players as SE coach, which is literally putting his job where his mouth is! SMH

Meanwhile, not exactly sure what CAF not listing Nigerian referees for next year’s AFCON has to do with the capabilities of INDIVIDUAL home-based players. Destabilize ko, dissentry ni!

Abeg keep quiet if you have nothing sensible to add. Oliseh that dropped Mikel for a home based player that has since gone into oblivion just to prove a stupid point to people like you!

But, Dammy, read your mentioning of those three and then your claim. That is what Gotti responds to. Oliseh worked closely with homebased players. I also add, that Musa was first called up to SE while he was homebased and after he became foreign- based , a few years ago, he went back and played for Pillars. Don't you think he has an idea what he is talking about compared to CE guys who only watch European league? Both are far more credible than any of you CE guys who only watch European football and have little or no inkling about home based football and footballers.

BTW, that focus on European football limits the knowledge that some CE have of football and the abilities of labor around it. Think for a moment. No one here believes there is talent in Nigeria. Yet, 17 year olds from that Nigeria suddenly play for the Nigerian u17 squad and appear on TV and the same guys start to promote the player for SE but yet they forget there are talents like that, may be better, already in the NPFL! Ridiculous. Dat one that Television blindfold.

Kpom!

[Sunset]

[Damunk]

But AFCON is televised, so by your logic we shouldn't have any problem with Nigerian refs

I don't think Nigerian refs are worse than EPL referees that are so useless even while televised across the world. Don't prove anything to me, with assumptions, until we have seen a Nigerian referee in charge.

You can see them week in, week out in the NPFL.
Those involved don't seem to be very impressed.

[ANC]

when one speaks loud, does that indicate more veracity?

[Enugu II]

when one speaks loud, does that indicate more veracity?

Well, he will face punishment himself. This type of talk to the media should not be tolerated from a team official. This helps bring the league to disrepute. There are assessors who should file reports on the game to the League Office. But this type of talk here is just ridiculous and bad and no league worth its salt should tolerate this.

[YemiBrazil]

But AFCON is televised, so by your logic we shouldn't have any problem with Nigerian refs

I don't think Nigerian refs are worse than EPL referees that are so useless even while televised across the world. Don't prove anything to me, with assumptions, until we have seen a Nigerian referee in charge.

You can see them week in, week out in the NPFL.
Those involved don't seem to be very impressed.

I see them week in week out in the NPFL and I don't see anything different from what I see week in week out in the EPL. Besides, what gave you the impression that I'm not involved?

[YemiBrazil]

when one speaks loud, does that indicate more veracity?

Well, he will face punishment himself. This type of talk to the media should not be tolerated from a team official. This helps bring the league to disrepute. There are assessors who should file reports on the game to the League Office. But this type of talk here is just ridiculous and bad and no league worth its salt should tolerate this.

I totally agree with this. There are things that this assistant manager might have missed or saw differently especially when those decisions did not favour his team. Even in countries where lots of video technology are deployed during matches, we still see the endless debates after crucial decisions.

Shooting Stars have lost several valuable points in Ibadan with Nigerian referees fully in charge, and with no complaint. Bendel Insurance finished the regular season last year without any defeat, what are the odds of that happening with bad referees in charge at different hostile venues across Nigeria? Bayelsa United sitting at the very bottom of the league just lost to Shooting Stars but what we don't know is the veracity of the assistant manager's claims since the other parties' views have not been explored. Injustice may have truly been done but that is not enough to label every referee that handled all the different fixtures over the weekend as incompetent.

I have seen several matches this season and you know that the referees have done well when they are not even noticed, and that has been the case with several NPFL matches in the past few years. At the same time, it is understandable that bad stuff are more newsworthy and people tend to quickly jump on those but how is that peculiar to Nigerian referees to serve as basis for alienating ALL OF OUR REFEREES from continental championships?

Let's see one or two of them at the continental championships and let's judge their performance after that. The conspiracy around the alienation of Nigerian referees should not be allowed to slide on the assumption that some due diligence have already been done. Fans and those in the media have a responsibility to get to the root of this.

[Sunset]

when one speaks loud, does that indicate more veracity?

Well, he will face punishment himself. This type of talk to the media should not be tolerated from a team official. This helps bring the league to disrepute. There are assessors who should file reports on the game to the League Office. But this type of talk here is just ridiculous and bad and no league worth its salt should tolerate this.

I totally agree with this. There are things that this assistant manager might have missed or saw differently especially when those decisions did not favour his team. Even in countries where lots of video technology are deployed during matches, we still see the endless debates after crucial decisions.

Shooting Stars have lost several valuable points in Ibadan with Nigerian referees fully in charge, and with no complaint. Bendel Insurance finished the regular season last year without any defeat, what are the odds of that happening with bad referees in charge at different hostile venues across Nigeria? Bayelsa United sitting at the very bottom of the league just lost to Shooting Stars but what we don't know is the veracity of the assistant manager's claims since the other parties' views have not been explored. Injustice may have truly been done but that is not enough to label every referee that handled all the different fixtures over the weekend as incompetent.

I have seen several matches this season and you know that the referees have done well when they are not even noticed, and that has been the case with several NPFL matches in the past few years. At the same time, it is understandable that bad stuff are more newsworthy and people tend to quickly jump on those but how is that peculiar to Nigerian referees to serve as basis for alienating ALL OF OUR REFEREES from continental championships?

Let's see one or two of them at the continental championships and let's judge their performance after that. The conspiracy around the alienation of Nigerian referees should not be allowed to slide on the assumption that some due diligence have already been done. Fans and those in the media have a responsibility to get to the root of this.

Here's the full match:
https://propelsports.watch.pixellot.tv/ ... faae44ea0/

[Sunset]

[NationsCup]

Musa, Ighalo and Oliseh recently called for home based players in the SE.
When they were in the team, they didn’t call for the home based but now they want to destabilise the team with their agenda.
They should rather focus on fixing the NPFL at all levels instead of applying makeup to cover up the problems of the league

Abegi what are you blathering on about?
Oliseh capped several home-based players as SE coach, which is literally putting his job where his mouth is! SMH

Meanwhile, not exactly sure what CAF not listing Nigerian referees for next year’s AFCON has to do with the capabilities of INDIVIDUAL home-based players. Destabilize ko, dissentry ni!

Abeg keep quiet if you have nothing sensible to add. Oliseh that dropped Mikel for a home based player that has since gone into oblivion just to prove a stupid point to people like you!

But, Dammy, read your mentioning of those three and then your claim. That is what Gotti responds to. Oliseh worked closely with homebased players. I also add, that Musa was first called up to SE while he was homebased and after he became foreign- based , a few years ago, he went back and played for Pillars. Don't you think he has an idea what he is talking about compared to CE guys who only watch European league? Both are far more credible than any of you CE guys who only watch European football and have little or no inkling about home based football and footballers.

BTW, that focus on European football limits the knowledge that some CE have of football and the abilities of labor around it. Think for a moment. No one here believes there is talent in Nigeria. Yet, 17 year olds from that Nigeria suddenly play for the Nigerian u17 squad and appear on TV and the same guys start to promote the player for SE but yet they forget there are talents like that, may be better, already in the NPFL! Ridiculous. Dat one that Television blindfold.

The comment below was copied from completesports.com in response to Oliseh’s call for home based players to be included in the SE

Dcardinal 1 day ago

Coming from a guy who made super eagles look like an NPFL side, does more talking on social media than execute good tactics..I can bet if you ask him to mention one player in NPFL good for Afcon, he can’t. That was the same sentiment Victor Ikpeba shared last week on Monday night football show on super sports, when the host inquired he mention one player from NPFL and whom he will replace in the current squad, he started stuttering. Most of these ex internationals lacks proper football insight. To stay relevant, they just jump aimlessly to a cause they can’t defend.

Dammy,

Why do you think he should be able to do this? I am mystified why you think he should or anyone else should expect him to do this.

You know the Nigerian players playing in Europe because of this reason --- Media coverage! You do not know NPFL guys and neither should you expect Ikpeba to know. Why? -- lack of media coverage.

However, a serious scout or national coaching team is expected to do better than you, Ikperba, or anyone on CE. That coaching staff is paid to SCOUT. That staff has the resources to provide the answers that you seek. It is their job.

What Ikpeba and others, including myself, are calling for is for the scouts to do their job i.e scout the NPFL and Nigeria. This is simply based on statistical expectation that there is a likelihood that some players exist in Nigeria. Why this expectation? each year, Nigeria tops the list of African countries sending talents to Europe who within weeks get into the first team squads of European clubs. The logic, therefore, is that if European scouts can find these gems, then Nigerian NT scouts can do so if they are willing to search. That is the simple logic. You, Ikpeba, and I are not scouts! Thus, it is frankly ridiculous to expect Ikpeba to locate a qualifying player from the NPFL.

Btw sir and with all due respect, are you a lawyer?

[Damunk]

You can see them week in, week out in the NPFL.
Those involved don't seem to be very impressed.

I see them week in week out in the NPFL and I don't see anything different from what I see week in week out in the EPL. Besides, what gave you the impression that I'm not involved?

Okay…. Great.
So you’d venture to say this below was a one-off?
And that there’s an equal chance this would be waved off in the EPL?
And that even on review after the game, the EPL ref would have nothing to answer for?

If you can answer ‘YES’ to all three questions (actually, just one of them) - with a straight face, then…. I leave you to God.

[YemiBrazil]

You can see them week in, week out in the NPFL.
Those involved don't seem to be very impressed.

I see them week in week out in the NPFL and I don't see anything different from what I see week in week out in the EPL. Besides, what gave you the impression that I'm not involved?

Okay…. Great.
So you’d venture to say this below was a one-off?
And that there’s an equal chance this would be waved off in the EPL?
And that even on review after the game, the EPL ref would have nothing to answer for?

If you can answer ‘YES’ to all three questions (actually, just one of them) - with a straight face, then…. I leave you to God.

YES to all three questions.

[Damunk]

You can see them week in, week out in the NPFL.
Those involved don't seem to be very impressed.

I see them week in week out in the NPFL and I don't see anything different from what I see week in week out in the EPL. Besides, what gave you the impression that I'm not involved?

Okay…. Great.
So you’d venture to say this below was a one-off?
And that there’s an equal chance this would be waved off in the EPL?
And that even on review after the game, the EPL ref would have nothing to answer for?

If you can answer ‘YES’ to all three questions (actually, just one of them) - with a straight face, then…. I leave you to God.

YES to all three questions.

God Dey.