AFCON player of the Tournament

[airwolex]

And some people said he was finished.

You can’t buy experience when it comes to central defenders. Thank God the coaches didn’t listen to the uninformed noisemakers.

That's what I said and people here went for me. Central defenders are about experience and chemistry with your partners. Ekong, Ajayi, Bassey have a very good partnership and it shows.

[Cellular]

So Oliseh once told Ekong he was “too soft for African football”?

https://owngoalnigeria.com/2024/02/11/e ... the-final/

It's reasons like this I don't want any local coach near SE.

He is far from the only touted local coaches who share these kind of views.

All the others that told Ekong that he wasn't good enough must have been African?

Ekong is a lesson on perseverance. He did not take no for an answer including the No from his father.

Celebrate Ekong for having the self-belief. For taking the various nos' said to him as motivation.

[Cellular]

So Oliseh once told Ekong he was “too soft for African football”?

https://owngoalnigeria.com/2024/02/11/e ... the-final/

It's reasons like this I don't want any local coach near SE.

He is far from the only touted local coaches who share these kind of views.

I see all the badmouthers have gone kinda quiet on their “ajebota” and “not hungry enough” campaign.
Seems they’ve gone to regroup to find a new angle of attack.

E no go work.

You keep going on and on about this nonsense.

Like players remain static?

The greatest basketball player was cut from his high school varsity basketball team. It spurred him to work harder and eventually become an NBA legend. Ekong is playing in Greece. Teams in EPL, Bundesliga, La Liga, Serie A, Erivedisie, Super Lig, all overlooked him. That he persevered does not mean that those people were wrong when they made their assessment.

He got better. In your world, people don't improve. Once you make an assessment of a player he should remain there and not improve or regress.

[Damunk]

And some people said he was finished.

You can’t buy experience when it comes to central defenders. Thank God the coaches didn’t listen to the uninformed noisemakers.

I put my hands up.
Though I didn’t say he was “finished”, but I did say he was “past it” and needed a replacement sooner rather than later.
He did us all proud and to be honest, it seems like he elevated his game for this tournament.

you also ridiculed Ajayi all over this forum, so stop pretending . ( you wanted Ajayi and Ekong out) Some of us kept on telling you calm down, the bobo has pace , never backs away from a tackle etc. For me i believe England produces top top defenders(Terry, Rio, Adams, Sol, James, Cole etc. and i think it's the mentality they have about getting stuck in , we saw it from the likes of Ola, Bassey, Ajayi and even the best defender(Captain Nigeria) in Africa got his footballing education from England.

Shut up you damn liar.
You can make a point without fabricating lies.
What’s your gain?
And you go around this place acting all sanctimonious quoting bible up and down.

I NEVER ridicule anybody - apart from people like you.

If you don’t understand the language, stick to pidgin.
Stating someone is not good enough is not “ridicule” you doofus.

Ajayi did well but there are better options that are about to emerge.

[Damunk]

So Oliseh once told Ekong he was “too soft for African football”?

https://owngoalnigeria.com/2024/02/11/e ... the-final/

It's reasons like this I don't want any local coach near SE.

He is far from the only touted local coaches who share these kind of views.

I see all the badmouthers have gone kinda quiet on their “ajebota” and “not hungry enough” campaign.
Seems they’ve gone to regroup to find a new angle of attack.

E no go work.

You keep going on and on about this nonsense.

Like players remain static?

The greatest basketball player was cut from his high school varsity basketball team. It spurred him to work harder and eventually become an NBA legend. Ekong is playing in Greece. Teams in EPL, Bundesliga, La Liga, Serie A, Erivedisie, Super Lig, all overlooked him. That he persevered does not mean that those people were wrong when they made their assessment.

He got better. In your world, people don't improve. Once you make an assessment of a player he should remain there and not improve or regress.

They were never “soft” and “ajebota” or “mentally weak” in the first place. No worse than the Naija-borns.
They’ve now suddenly metamorphosed into hard men in how many weeks?

All that was just your prejudice that you are now backtracking from.
We get it.

Don’t worry, the real softies like Akpom, Tella and Adarabioyo are soon coming to prove you right.

[Bigpokey24]

Damunl stop making up stuff, there are so many posts from you wanting Ajayo off the SE, now you come around making stuff up... shame no dey catch you?

And some people said he was finished.

You can’t buy experience when it comes to central defenders. Thank God the coaches didn’t listen to the uninformed noisemakers.

I put my hands up.
Though I didn’t say he was “finished”, but I did say he was “past it” and needed a replacement sooner rather than later.
He did us all proud and to be honest, it seems like he elevated his game for this tournament.

you also ridiculed Ajayi all over this forum, so stop pretending . ( you wanted Ajayi and Ekong out) Some of us kept on telling you calm down, the bobo has pace , never backs away from a tackle etc. For me i believe England produces top top defenders(Terry, Rio, Adams, Sol, James, Cole etc. and i think it's the mentality they have about getting stuck in , we saw it from the likes of Ola, Bassey, Ajayi and even the best defender(Captain Nigeria) in Africa got his footballing education from England.

Shut up you damn liar.
You can make a point without fabricating lies.
What’s your gain?
And you go around this place acting all sanctimonious quoting bible up and down.

I NEVER ridicule anybody - apart from people like you.

If you don’t understand the language, stick to pidgin.
Stating someone is not good enough is not “ridicule” you doofus.

Ajayi did well but there are better options that are about to emerge.

[Damunk]

And is that in dispute?

I’ve told you already, English is your problem.
It’s that your lack of formal education again.

“Ridicule”. Check the meaning.

Damunl stop making up stuff, there are so many posts from you wanting Ajayo off the SE, now you come around making stuff up... shame no dey catch you?

And some people said he was finished.

You can’t buy experience when it comes to central defenders. Thank God the coaches didn’t listen to the uninformed noisemakers.

I put my hands up.
Though I didn’t say he was “finished”, but I did say he was “past it” and needed a replacement sooner rather than later.
He did us all proud and to be honest, it seems like he elevated his game for this tournament.

you also ridiculed Ajayi all over this forum, so stop pretending . ( you wanted Ajayi and Ekong out) Some of us kept on telling you calm down, the bobo has pace , never backs away from a tackle etc. For me i believe England produces top top defenders(Terry, Rio, Adams, Sol, James, Cole etc. and i think it's the mentality they have about getting stuck in , we saw it from the likes of Ola, Bassey, Ajayi and even the best defender(Captain Nigeria) in Africa got his footballing education from England.

Shut up you damn liar.
You can make a point without fabricating lies.
What’s your gain?
And you go around this place acting all sanctimonious quoting bible up and down.

I NEVER ridicule anybody - apart from people like you.

If you don’t understand the language, stick to pidgin.
Stating someone is not good enough is not “ridicule” you doofus.

Ajayi did well but there are better options that are about to emerge.

[Cellular]

So Oliseh once told Ekong he was “too soft for African football”?

https://owngoalnigeria.com/2024/02/11/e ... the-final/

It's reasons like this I don't want any local coach near SE.

He is far from the only touted local coaches who share these kind of views.

I see all the badmouthers have gone kinda quiet on their “ajebota” and “not hungry enough” campaign.
Seems they’ve gone to regroup to find a new angle of attack.

E no go work.

You keep going on and on about this nonsense.

Like players remain static?

The greatest basketball player was cut from his high school varsity basketball team. It spurred him to work harder and eventually become an NBA legend. Ekong is playing in Greece. Teams in EPL, Bundesliga, La Liga, Serie A, Erivedisie, Super Lig, all overlooked him. That he persevered does not mean that those people were wrong when they made their assessment.

He got better. In your world, people don't improve. Once you make an assessment of a player he should remain there and not improve or regress.

They were never “soft” and “ajebota” or “mentally weak” in the first place. No worse than the Naija-borns.
They’ve now suddenly metamorphosed into hard men in how many weeks?

All that was just your prejudice that you are now backtracking from.
We get it.

Don’t worry, the real softies like Akpom, Tella and Adarabioyo are soon coming to prove you right.

Backtracking from what?
Have you read Ekong own account of his football journey?


You live in a PC world where you want the world to be as you wish it to be. Folks who know will tell you for free that African Footie is more rough/brawn than what attains in the West. The two places I believe are close when it comes to physicality are Mexico and Argentina.

To tell a player that they need to be more physical and show more steel does not mean that they are soft.
But to thrive in African Football, you must be ready for the physical/rough play.

[Bigpokey24]

Did you ridicule Ajayi? Yes or No. i await your answer before i point out your post writing him off

And is that in dispute?

I’ve told you already, English is your problem.
It’s that your lack of formal education again.

“Ridicule”. Check the meaning.

Damunl stop making up stuff, there are so many posts from you wanting Ajayo off the SE, now you come around making stuff up... shame no dey catch you?

And some people said he was finished.

You can’t buy experience when it comes to central defenders. Thank God the coaches didn’t listen to the uninformed noisemakers.

I put my hands up.
Though I didn’t say he was “finished”, but I did say he was “past it” and needed a replacement sooner rather than later.
He did us all proud and to be honest, it seems like he elevated his game for this tournament.

you also ridiculed Ajayi all over this forum, so stop pretending . ( you wanted Ajayi and Ekong out) Some of us kept on telling you calm down, the bobo has pace , never backs away from a tackle etc. For me i believe England produces top top defenders(Terry, Rio, Adams, Sol, James, Cole etc. and i think it's the mentality they have about getting stuck in , we saw it from the likes of Ola, Bassey, Ajayi and even the best defender(Captain Nigeria) in Africa got his footballing education from England.

Shut up you damn liar.
You can make a point without fabricating lies.
What’s your gain?
And you go around this place acting all sanctimonious quoting bible up and down.

I NEVER ridicule anybody - apart from people like you.

If you don’t understand the language, stick to pidgin.
Stating someone is not good enough is not “ridicule” you doofus.

Ajayi did well but there are better options that are about to emerge.

[Odas]

The young man MORE than deserved the title. He was very good in this tournament

[Odas]

All hail King Ekong, the only player that played like he wanted it, he knew this would be his last chance and tried to drag the team to the cup, but one man cannot do it all by himself….

He certainly played very well and almost got us the trophy. Special thanks to him

[Odas]

So Oliseh once told Ekong he was “too soft for African football”?

https://owngoalnigeria.com/2024/02/11/e ... the-final/

It's reasons like this I don't want any local coach near SE.

He is far from the only touted local coaches who share these kind of views.

I see all the badmouthers have gone kinda quiet on their “ajebota” and “not hungry enough” campaign.
Seems they’ve gone to regroup to find a new angle of attack.

E no go work.

Their attacks on Ekong has expired, they are now zeroing in on Iwobi

[waka-man]

Such a wonderful story this. I wonder what odds you would have gotten for it at the start of the tournament.

And so well deserved too.

He’s had a decent club career. But his national career is now becoming something special - Olympic bronze, AFCON silver and bronze and this award that so few can win, much less defenders.

Very happy for the man.

[aruako1]

So Oliseh once told Ekong he was “too soft for African football”?

https://owngoalnigeria.com/2024/02/11/e ... the-final/

It's reasons like this I don't want any local coach near SE.

He is far from the only touted local coaches who share these kind of views.

I see all the badmouthers have gone kinda quiet on their “ajebota” and “not hungry enough” campaign.
Seems they’ve gone to regroup to find a new angle of attack.

E no go work.

It is still the case that if you grew up in another environment where the SE is not the centre of the international ambition, you might not be hungry enough or understand what it means. It is also true that you might struggle with the physical demands of African football (robustness of the game and the heat). Of course some players from that environment will adapt immediately. Some will take time and others will never adapt