Why I dropped Omagbemi –Mabo

VINDAVE · Post by **VINDAVE** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 8:54 am

Why I dropped Omagbemi –Mabo

Oluwole Josiah, Abuja - Punch sports today

Coach of the Super Falcons, Mr. Ismaila Mabo, has adduced reasons for dropping skipper of the team, Florence Omagbemi, ahead of the Athens 2004 women soccer qualifiers.

The coach who has been a strong critic of the Okpodu-led Falcons told our correspondent on phone on Wednesday that he had got replacements for the player.

Omagbemi plays in the defensive midfield position and was a good motivator while she led her team-mates to the last Women’s World Cup in the United States.

Mabo said he would want to try out two younger players who also were very good in Omagbemi’s position.

“I thought it was better to try them and see how they can fit into the position,” explained the All Africa Games gold medallist.

Mabo who refused to name the new players, however, said he would include Omagbemi in subsequent call-ups if it became necessary.

Mabo had criticised the Falcons for their dismal performance at the last Female World Cup, insisting that his last World Cup with the team was far more impressive than what Okpodu achieved.

He will be leading his team to camp in Ibadan on January 4 in preparation against Ghana in a home-and-away encounter.

MI5 · Post by **MI5** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 9:07 am

Make this guy go siddon for one place. Typical Naija coaches with the way they coach, they are nothing but a bunch of useless punks who shouldn't be near the national team. what shame and it's only in Naija where mediocrity is allowed to reign...

In the last womens WC in 1999 it took a 7-1 beating for him to finally make changes and watch tapes of the next opponent when he was to stubborn to make changes....

Can he explain why Ann Chiejiene is still part of the team? I hate LC's....

GUEST · Post by **GUEST** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 12:17 pm

MI5---Your contribution to the welfare of the Super-Falcons at the last WC is unquestionable but give Mabo a chance.

MI5 · Post by **MI5** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 12:35 pm

Guest,

I am angry because even if Mabo wants to start grooming new players to play Skippo's position her experience especially is needed because no matter how good this players are back home one thing they will be lacking is international experience.

Apart from the players and veterans that played in this WC'03 a lot of the new players no matter how good they were in Naija and Africa couldn't cope with the level of competition, and immense pressure they faced when the game started and it showed in the way they played. Some of this new players were not prepared mentally enough to cope stage fright they encountered when the games started. Until coaches like Mabo work on the mental aspect and get them ready mentally some of this new players he thinks he is trying out in different positions will panic again when the time comes...

GUEST · Post by **GUEST** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 1:59 pm

MI5-I totally agreed with you bro. 2 weeks ago I got the 5 matches played by the Super-Falcons at the just concluded AAG TOURNAMENT. After watching these matches, I asked myself why did Mr. Okpodu left out our MOST EXPERIENCED PLAYERS--YINKA KUDAISI--RITA NWADIKE whom played extremely well in that tournament. I have no idea. If you read the Nov-KickOff magazines--Madam Omagbemi SAID I quote--Bad Team Selection and Okpodu inability to listen to no one also contributed to the team downfall-unquote.
So many things went wrong as you know in U.S. but right now Mabo should be given a chance to build his own Team.
MI5---On a less serious note-Those Mabo chics that played in AAG Tournament got skills.

MI5 · Post by **MI5** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 2:25 pm

Guest,

Thanks for putting it right and i couldn't have agreed with you more. Yes Yinka Kudaisi and Rita Nwadike are both veteran players with loads of experience and WC's under their belt. The reason why he dropped them i have no clue. Yes Omagbemi is right and Sam Okpodu was a stubborn man and taught he knew it all but in the end what happened the results showed in the end. A lot of things went wrong and despite we CE's on the ground going out of our to get the best technical info to the team based on the scouting reports and all we compiled on all teams it didn't matter because Sam had his own agenda.

The team selection was bad from the get go especially in the first match where he put Effiowan Ekpo to control the middle when the player is to short to even contest or head balls out of the area... The yeye man had the audacity during the press conference to say the usual naija norm "Musa Abdullahi's style" his players didn't follow his instructions nonsense...

Instead of making sure the defence, defensive midfield and central midfield were tight he was worried more about the attack.. kaiii

I just hope Mabo knows what he is doing and no matter how good this girls were in the AAG, if they are not prepared mentally to play and battle it out for 90mins this players will be afraid when the time comes...

Another thing we need is height to many of the new players were to short...

ikwerreman · Post by **ikwerreman** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 5:04 pm

M15,
You are getting it all wrong.
IF MAbo says he wants to try out other players in skippos position he does not mean green horns.\
Remember skippo played in central defence at the last wwc.
Eberechi Opara is also making a return to the team after being dropped since the 2000 AWC.
Ther is also MArtha Abara who was dropped from the 2003 WWC bound team at the last minute.
She has been a fringe Falcon player for three years now.
Chima Nwosu manned the central defence at the AAG and gave a good account of herself in five games played.
There is also Greece based Gloria Usieta who could be tried out in that position.
M15,
I am writing an analyese of the 45 man team and will post it tomorrow.
MAybe you can read it and make your comments.

GUEST · Post by **GUEST** » Mon Dec 29, 2003 5:54 pm

ikwerreman--What is up with these players?
1. INDIDI KANU
2. MARTHA ABARA--NOT IN THE CURRENT LIST.
3. STELLA GODWIN
4. OTASOWIE AND MARTHA TERHAMBA.
All are missing in the Current List.

Looking at the AAG LINEUP:

----------------------------OGECHI ONYINAYA----------------------------------------

-----FELICIA EZE--CHIMA NWOSU---YINKA KUDAISI-----CELESTINA ONYEKA--

---BLESSING IGBOJIONU--AKUDO SABI--AJUMEH ANNEH--RITA NWADIKE---

--------------------------SEMILOLA AKINLOYE------EKWERIKE JULIANA-----------

Who among these Falcon B Team do you think will really break into the First Team Proper? I WAS VERY IMPRESSED with the BACK-4, THE 2 MIDFIELDERS AND SEMILOLA AKINLOYE. Akinloye got mad skills in my Opinion.

What do you think broda?

---

ikwerreman · Post by **ikwerreman** » Tue Dec 30, 2003 2:30 pm

[quote="GUEST"]ikwerreman--What is up with these players?
1. INDIDI KANU
2. MARTHA ABARA--NOT IN THE CURRENT LIST.
3. STELLA GODWIN
4. OTASOWIE AND MARTHA TERHAMBA.
All are missing in the Current List.

Ndidi Kanu left to Denmark after playing in the Dana Cup with her club, FCT Queens of Abuja middle of this year.
She returned to Nigeria about three months later and has refused to tell me what went wrong with her Danish deal.
She has remained in Jos with her mother since September.

She was in the AAG team before she left for Denmark sometime in July 2003.
MArtha Abara is the current list. To me she is one hell of a central defender. She always gives 120%.
IT will be interesting to watch and see if she can wrest a shirt from Chima NWosu who excelled at the AAG.
Stella Godwin was top scorer in the Nigerian league in 2003 with 12 goals.
LEft for Denmark with Ndidi KAnu after the Dana Cup and also returned.
Spoke with her lots of times during the Super Six and even after.
She wouldnt say why they came back from Denmark but she says they are back for Good.
She even wants to join Rivers Angels next season.
She was also in the AAG Team but of course she left to Denmark when that offer came.
Dont know why she was not listed.
But if you ask me, she really has to be very exceptional to displace Akide, Olaitan, Egbe and the others who are staking a claim to the strikers shirts.
If you ask me, she will be invited to the Under nineteen team soon. Remember she is just eighteen.
Otasowe and Terhamba both were in the AAG team but were dropped at the last minute due to injuries.
While OTasowe is healed, Terhamba still walks with a limp.
Otasowe will have to prove herself, but i do not see a place for her in the Falcons midfield.

Looking at the AAG LINEUP:

----------------------------OGECHI ONYINAYA----------------------------------------

-----FELICIA EZE--CHIMA NWOSU---YINKA KUDAISI-----CELESTINA ONYEKA--

---BLESSING IGBOJIONU--AKUDO SABI--AJUMEH ANNEH--RITA NWADIKE---

--------------------------SEMILOLA AKINLOYE------EKWERIKE JULIANA---

From your AAG line up, the only person i think mnight break into the Falcons first team is Felicia Eze in right full back, Yinka Kuidaisi and maybe Chima NWosu.
Rita NWadike could also get a look in if she plays with the kind of determination she had at the AAG,
But lets see how it goes from the 5th of January

MI5 · Post by **MI5** » Tue Dec 30, 2003 2:36 pm

IK,

It doesn't matter how many player Mabo tries or uses and i don't doubt all this players abilities but if they don't prepare them mentally for the real task ahead when the Olympics starts assuming we qualify, it will just be another round of beating again...

ikwerreman wrote:M15,
You are getting it all wrong.
IF MAbo says he wants to try out other players in skippos position he does not mean green horns.\
Remember skippo played in central defence at the last wwc.
Eberechi Opara is also making a return to the team after being dropped since the 2000 AWC.
Ther is also MArtha Abara who was dropped from the 2003 WWC bound team at the last minute.
She has been a fringe Falcon player for three years now.
Chima Nwosu manned the central defence at the AAG and gave a good account of herself in five games played.
There is also Greece based Gloria Usieta who could be tried out in that position.
M15,
I am writing an analyese of the 45 man team and will post it tomorrow.
MAybe you can read it and make your comments.