Ekong to Watford

[TonyTheTigerKiller]

I agree with Prof.
Our CDs will lose their place once (and if) quality defenders emerge to compete.
The problem is, where are they? Who are they?

Truth be told, the SEs have never really been blessed with world class (or even exceptional) centre backs like we have with strikers, wingers, full backs, midfielders and 'keepers.

Let's take a look back down the ages (in alphabetical order):
- Chukwu
- Keshi
- Nwanu
- Odiye
- Okafor
- Okechukwu
- Okpara
- Omeruo
- Taribo
- Yobo

Apart from the highlighted two, the rest have been average.
Just my opinion.

Stop talking like a drunken fool. Chukwu was average You gotta be kidding


Cheers.

[TonyTheTigerKiller]

I agree with Prof.
Our CDs will lose their place once (and if) quality defenders emerge to compete.
The problem is, where are they? Who are they?

Truth be told, the SEs have never really been blessed with world class (or even exceptional) centre backs like we have with strikers, wingers, full backs, midfielders and 'keepers.

Let's take a look back down the ages (in alphabetical order):
- Chukwu
- Keshi
- Nwanu
- Odiye
- Okafor
- Okechukwu
- Okpara
- Omeruo
- Taribo
- Yobo

Apart from the highlighted two, the rest have been average.
Just my opinion.

Damunk,

I assume that you listed Keshi and Taribo either because those were the ones you saw play. Correct me if my assumption is way off. In any case, I saw several other centrebacks before those two. First, in my view Chukwu was better than either Keshi or West. The fact that he did not playin Europe was simply a matter of the fact that in his era players did not look to play in Europe. He was judged the top player of the ANC in 1980 and that was when his career was actually on the decline. Prior to that time, he was even far dominant. BTW, in my view, he was better than either Keshi or West and I saw those two as well. Godwin Odiye was also a superior centre back, better than any of our centre backs today!

Then, there was also Uche Ikechukwu. Before Chukwu there was Godwin Achebe. All these guys were far superior players than any of the guys being paraded today as centre backs for Nigeria.

It is commonplace for fans to think that football in previous eras is inferior to the football of their era, especially when they didn’t see much of the previous eras. Keshi, in my opinion, wasn’t as good as Achebe, Chukwu or Dominic Ezeani. Of course, you would have had to see them play to know that it is the absolute truth. To be honest, I’ll even take Victor Oduah before any of the current crop of defenders


Cheers.

[Dammy]

Ekong given shirt no 93 by Udinese for the new season. His previous no 5 has been reassigned to a new player.

[Dammy]

Bonifazi’s transfer to Udinese has been confirmed. Ekong needs to move, but hopefully not to Watford!

They should put him up for sale!

[Paveman]

Dammy,

Clubs now know he is available. Let’s hope something materialises.

[Damunk]

I agree with Prof.
Our CDs will lose their place once (and if) quality defenders emerge to compete.
The problem is, where are they? Who are they?

Truth be told, the SEs have never really been blessed with world class (or even exceptional) centre backs like we have with strikers, wingers, full backs, midfielders and 'keepers.

Let's take a look back down the ages (in alphabetical order):
- Chukwu
- Keshi
- Nwanu
- Odiye
- Okafor
- Okechukwu
- Okpara
- Omeruo
- Taribo
- Yobo

Apart from the highlighted two, the rest have been average.
Just my opinion.

Damunk,

I assume that you listed Keshi and Taribo either because those were the ones you saw play. Correct me if my assumption is way off. In any case, I saw several other centrebacks before those two. First, in my view Chukwu was better than either Keshi or West. The fact that he did not playin Europe was simply a matter of the fact that in his era players did not look to play in Europe. He was judged the top player of the ANC in 1980 and that was when his career was actually on the decline. Prior to that time, he was even far dominant. BTW, in my view, he was better than either Keshi or West and I saw those two as well. Godwin Odiye was also a superior centre back, better than any of our centre backs today!

Then, there was also Uche Ikechukwu. Before Chukwu there was Godwin Achebe. All these guys were far superior players than any of the guys being paraded today as centre backs for Nigeria.

Prof, I saw all of those I listed play.
I always try and factor in the N-factor in my assessments, 'N' for nostalgia. So even though I was in total awe of CCC (you only need to read my tribute to him when ER won the NPFL a few years ago), my rating will always take into account where they played and who they played against. It is no different today where we weight our assessments of youtube 'superstars' by the league they are performing in.

Of course, they are mere 'victims' of the era they played in and as the saying goes, they could only beat what was in front of them. But it is not debatable that a more rounded and accurate assessment of their abilities would have been achievable had they too been tested on the world stage. It applies not just to them but to all players worldwide that played in different eras.
Was Pele the best ever? Was it Maradona? Or is it Messi?
It is all subjective.

Having said that, I rate Odegbami as an exceptional player but will rate Finidi even higher. We will argue opinions like that over beer and peppersoup till kingdom come.

I never saw the likes of Achebe or Ezeani (not mentioned) play and there are no video archives.
I've never heard of 'Uche Ikechukwu' the CD, only the striker.
Could it be you are referring to Uche Okechukwu, who I have listed?

Okechukwu, not Ikechukwu. Thanks for noting the error.

My comparison is based on their performance against the best in Africa during their time. As you rightly pointout, it will be wrong to compare them with the world as many of the old guys did not get to play against the best in the world.

Comparing them to their African colleagues should be a good yardstick given tat our guys then and now have always come up against African peers.

Based on that yardstick, our current defenders pale in comparison to those that I had listed.

As you can see from my past and present comments, I've never really made a case for our current centre backs. Certainly not Omeruo or Balogun.
Awaziem yes as a "work in progress" and Ekong as an improvement over what he used to be.
But overall, to compete at the very top, we need better.

[Dammy]

Dammy,

Clubs now know he is available. Let’s hope something materialises.

Watford are making a move to sign CD, Dominic Iorfa jnr from Sheffield Wednesday, and if they succeed, I doubt if Ekong will be moving there.

[jdizzy]

Ekong given shirt no 93 by Udinese for the new season. His previous no 5 has been reassigned to a new player.

Kai, see ruthless disrespect

[vancity eagle]

Ekong given shirt no 93 by Udinese for the new season. His previous no 5 has been reassigned to a new player.

Kai, see ruthless disrespect

what makes it even more disrespectful is that the player who took his number is ON LOAN.

[aruako1]

I agree with Prof.
Our CDs will lose their place once (and if) quality defenders emerge to compete.
The problem is, where are they? Who are they?

Truth be told, the SEs have never really been blessed with world class (or even exceptional) centre backs like we have with strikers, wingers, full backs, midfielders and 'keepers.

Let's take a look back down the ages (in alphabetical order):
- Chukwu
- Keshi
- Nwanu
- Odiye
- Okafor
- Okechukwu
- Okpara
- Omeruo
- Taribo
- Yobo

Apart from the highlighted two, the rest have been average.
Just my opinion.

Nwanu, Chukwu, Okechukwu and Okpara were not average

[Dammy]

Ekong given shirt no 93 by Udinese for the new season. His previous no 5 has been reassigned to a new player.

Kai, see ruthless disrespect

what makes it even more disrespectful is that the player who took his number is ON LOAN.

Can you imagine? They've even named him in the squad to play against Verona in Serie A tomorrow.

[Eaglezbeak]

Udinese lost to newly promoted Hellas Verona this weekend with out the inclusion of Ekong, his agent needs to step up or he should replace him with a more active one!

[Paveman]

Udinese lost to newly promoted Hellas Verona this weekend with the inclusion of Ekong, his agent needs to step up or he should replace him with a more active one!

Ekong did not play. He was on the bench.

[Eaglezbeak]

Udinese lost to newly promoted Hellas Verona this weekend with out the inclusion of Ekong, his agent needs to step up or he should replace him with a more active one!

Ekong did not play. He was on the bench.

[Eaglezbeak]

Udinese lost to newly promoted Hellas Verona this weekend with the inclusion of Ekong, his agent needs to step up or he should replace him with a more active one!

Ekong did not play. He was on the bench.

*I meant to say without that’s why I mentioned his agent.

[Paveman]

No problem EagleZbeak.

In the meantime Troost-Ekong has said farewell to his teammates and is on his way to Watford to carry out a medical. He will probably sign tomorrow. Pity!

[Bigpokey24]

No problem EagleZbeak.

In the meantime Troost-Ekong has said farewell to his teammates and is on his way to Watford to carry out a medical. He will probably sign tomorrow. Pity!

Pity? You are funny.

[Dammy]

No problem EagleZbeak.

In the meantime Troost-Ekong has said farewell to his teammates and is on his way to Watford to carry out a medical. He will probably sign tomorrow. Pity!

Paveman, what sort of transfer is it? Loan or permanent? There's no mention of a transfer fee. The movement of players between Udinese and Watford is unusual in football.
Sema is back at Watford after playing last season at Udinese. Pussetto too left Udinese to join Watford and the likes of Prodl and Zeegelar moved in the opposite direction. Perreyra has also left Watford to join Udinese.

[Paveman]

No problem EagleZbeak.

In the meantime Troost-Ekong has said farewell to his teammates and is on his way to Watford to carry out a medical. He will probably sign tomorrow. Pity!

Pity? You are funny.

I don’t think this is a forward move. He is reputedly going to earn the same money but playing in a lower division.

[Paveman]

No problem EagleZbeak.

In the meantime Troost-Ekong has said farewell to his teammates and is on his way to Watford to carry out a medical. He will probably sign tomorrow. Pity!

Paveman, what sort of transfer is it? Loan or permanent? There's no mention of a transfer fee. The movement of players between Udinese and Watford is unusual in football.
Sema is back at Watford after playing last season at Udinese. Pussetto too left Udinese to join Watford and the likes of Prodl and Zeegelar moved in the opposite direction. Perreyra has also left Watford to join Udinese.

Dammy, I don’t know anything about this move unfortunately.
The movement is not really unusual. Watford, Udinese and Granada are all owned by the Pozzo family. It is a very good way of getting around fFP and facilitates movement of players who are out of favour, homesick, need a new challenge etc. In this case it also allows for less info to surface as probably not even the Pozzo family know as yet, and they are getting both sets of accountants to study the best transfer method to balance books and pay the least tax!

[Eaglezbeak]

No problem EagleZbeak.

In the meantime Troost-Ekong has said farewell to his teammates and is on his way to Watford to carry out a medical. He will probably sign tomorrow. Pity!

Pity? You are funny.

We’ll have to agree it is a pity.

[mystic]

I agree with Prof.
Our CDs will lose their place once (and if) quality defenders emerge to compete.
The problem is, where are they? Who are they?

Truth be told, the SEs have never really been blessed with world class (or even exceptional) centre backs like we have with strikers, wingers, full backs, midfielders and 'keepers.

Let's take a look back down the ages (in alphabetical order):
- Chukwu
- Keshi
- Nwanu
- Odiye
- Okafor
- Okechukwu
- Okpara
- Omeruo
- Taribo
- Yobo

Apart from the highlighted two, the rest have been average.
Just my opinion.

Stop talking like a drunken fool. Chukwu was average You gotta be kidding


Cheers.

Dis wan pass drunkenness!

[Purity]

CONFIRMED ON HIS TWITTER.

Watford Football Club
@WatfordFC
· 19m
Welcome to Watford, @WTroostEkong