SE MIDFIELD AND RABIU

[felarey]

What does Lukman bring that cannot be replicated with Mikel, Etuhu, Ayila, Olofinjana, kaita etc.? Benny, you don't have to open a thread just to say Rabiu is not ready. Yeah we'll wait for that white boy to tell us how good our players are while a 16 yr old zambian and others from the zambian league pocket Obasi, Ozaze, Mikel etc. Not to talk of Rabiu's mates playing for Ghana in the semi final against us on Thursday. We've been asking our most creative midfielder in Angola, Mikel to play AM and we've seen how well that it's working, strikers starved of the ball, game slowed down, resorting to shielding, sheilding and more sheilding etc. Rabiu is a natural attacking midfielder, high workrate, scores goals and his strikers don't get starved. He's won trophies for club and country. Anyway I'm glad that even Amodu's assistants and some nigerian football legends agree with me that he should be invited to camp. But we're more than ready to run after english boy Victor Moses who couldn't do a thing at the same tournament Rabiu played in.

The needless bashing of nigerian players especially those that don't deserve it is a complete disgrace, yet we do it on these pages.

BUT what has he done against grown players???? ... all this na long story. Rabiu is NOT good enough to even siddon for bench at Lisbon that they want to send him on loan to div 3 portugeese team. common. What did he do against his peers in Egypt? Wasn't he benched for 2 games? this is shades of 2002 all over again. we never learn!

I present to you Shittu's stats for the season.

This season
Apps As sub Goals Yellow Red
Total (Club) 0 (0) 0 0 0
League 0 (0) 0 0 0
FA Cup 0 (0) 0 0 0
League Cup 0 (0) 0 0 0
European/Others 0 (0) 0 0 0

This season international
Apps As sub Goals Yellow Red
Nigeria 3 (0) 0 0 0


You need a microscope to find Shittu at the Reebok these days despite them being 2nd from the bottom of the league in relegation zone, yet he is our best player so far while Drogba, Eto'o have been sent packing by local league players. This exposes the fallacy of all the Sporting Lisbon nonsense though Rabiu could not have signed professionally till he was 18 and currently holding out on signing one. You guys depend on that white boy all the time. Rabiu has always bagged more minutes than Lukman in every tournament and almost double Lukman's mins at the U17 WC so I don't know why we have to put down Rabiu to raise Lukman. The performances of home based players in the Egypt, Algerian and Zambian squads expose the nonsense of waiting for the proverbial white boy. It's not a level playing field out there, the europeans would always look out for themselves first.
You don't even know who's in the Lisbon team.
The 16 yr old that Osaze and Obasi got lost in his back pocket has never seen a world competition, talkless winning one. Not even an AYC but he made our superstars headless chickens. Yet you talk about experience. Was Rabiu playing against toddlers at Gateway FC Abeokuta? Are the grown men 7ft/8ft tall or something that they are much bigger in size than players Rabiu has played against? Yeye...

[HAWKEYE]

Ok i have read in so many threads on this forum for rabiu ibrahim to be the talisman in that midfield and i totally disagree hes the answer to our problem.

I personally dont have any problem with him but the guy is just not ready for the world cup and lets not fool ourselves. Hes been in lisbon for over 2 seasons and hes never made a first team bench talkless for playing a first team game(stand to be corrected).

hes talented no doubt but if he cant make lisbon bench in over 2 seasons and u think hes going to do magic in south africa is a mirage...some of his team mates are getting first team action and experience but rabiu is still playing reserve games...he will tossed around like a piece of paper playing with the likes of mascherano,xavi

i guess that's the criteria to judge if a player is good enough for nigeria. The 17 yr old that detained Osaze yesterday plays for a local zambian side!

Nakson,the kid get ability,but what would Rabiu do the SE's?Do U honestly believe Rabiu will change our team?I highly doubt it.Now Lukman Haruna is ready!He is just 2 stubborn

But Lukman is only better than Rabiu defensively not as a creative attack minded midfielder. Why do we always let the size (Mak, JMO, Yak) of a player fool us. Rabui of today will do a better job than Mikel Obi has done in four matches inspite of having two natural DMs behind him. We need a player who has pace, can dribble to create for others and who can shoot or place the ball on target far from the keeper. Rabui, Stanley Okoro and or the best two home-based AM have to be given the chance. BTW, we saw Lukman in Egypt u-20 and he did not do better than Rabui. Playing for a bigger club does not always translate to better performance at national team level. JMO, Mali and CIV are testament this.

The bolded names - Rabiu and Okoro - should be invited for the WC prep, whether Amodu is there or not. Lukman is NOT an AM and plays different role as a holding midfielder. Present squad has many players better than him.

[omey2k4]

Felarey,b4 this ANC Shittu was a regular member of the SE's and played well,this your opportunity to divert this discussion makes no sense.Shittu has loads of experience withthe SE's so ur not making any sense.
Rabiu has nothing at the moment to show he can do anything for even teh U-23 team.If he fails ti will forever dent his career.Let him keep growing as a player.Rabiu is not ready sorry.

[benny]

Felarey,b4 this ANC Shittu was a regular member of the SE's and played well,this your opportunity to divert this discussion makes no sense.Shittu has loads of experience withthe SE's so ur not making any sense.
Rabiu has nothing at the moment to show he can do anything for even teh U-23 team.If he fails ti will forever dent his career.Let him keep growing as a player.Rabiu is not ready sorry.

ABEG LEAVE THAT GUY THAT DONT KNOW WHAT THE HELL HES TALKING ABOUT

[felarey]

Felarey,b4 this ANC Shittu was a regular member of the SE's and played well,this your opportunity to divert this discussion makes no sense.Shittu has loads of experience withthe SE's so ur not making any sense.
Rabiu has nothing at the moment to show he can do anything for even teh U-23 team.If he fails ti will forever dent his career.Let him keep growing as a player.Rabiu is not ready sorry.

Well... if we'd been waiting for that white boy to start Shittu or even give him 1 minute in 4 months of football, we won't have our best player right now. Makinwa also has loads of experience with the SE but we haven't invited him. If Rabiu hasn't shown anything then I wonder what he needs to do. He's won an AYC, the U17 and other trophies for Sporting Lisbon playing as a starter in the AM position. He was one of our best players at the U20 in Egypt, if you don't agree, name 3 players that did better than him and pls do so objectively. The truth of the matter is we know the boy can ball... Why not invite him to camp even if he won't start? What about his mates that schooled those grown Angolans starting in the same portuguese league?

[amafolas]

Felarey,b4 this ANC Shittu was a regular member of the SE's and played well,this your opportunity to divert this discussion makes no sense.Shittu has loads of experience withthe SE's so ur not making any sense.
Rabiu has nothing at the moment to show he can do anything for even teh U-23 team.If he fails ti will forever dent his career.Let him keep growing as a player.Rabiu is not ready sorry.

Well... if we'd been waiting for that white boy to start Shittu or even give him 1 minute in 4 months of football, we won't have our best player right now. Makinwa also has loads of experience with the SE but we haven't invited him. If Rabiu hasn't shown anything then I wonder what he needs to do. He's won an AYC, the U17 and other trophies for Sporting Lisbon playing as a starter in the AM position. He was one of our best players at the U20 in Egypt, if you don't agree, name 3 players that did better than him and pls do so objectively. The truth of the matter is we know the boy can ball... Why not invite him to camp even if he won't start?

The young man is not ready and may never be ready.

[felarey]

Felarey,b4 this ANC Shittu was a regular member of the SE's and played well,this your opportunity to divert this discussion makes no sense.Shittu has loads of experience withthe SE's so ur not making any sense.
Rabiu has nothing at the moment to show he can do anything for even teh U-23 team.If he fails ti will forever dent his career.Let him keep growing as a player.Rabiu is not ready sorry.

Well... if we'd been waiting for that white boy to start Shittu or even give him 1 minute in 4 months of football, we won't have our best player right now. Makinwa also has loads of experience with the SE but we haven't invited him. If Rabiu hasn't shown anything then I wonder what he needs to do. He's won an AYC, the U17 and other trophies for Sporting Lisbon playing as a starter in the AM position. He was one of our best players at the U20 in Egypt, if you don't agree, name 3 players that did better than him and pls do so objectively. The truth of the matter is we know the boy can ball... Why not invite him to camp even if he won't start?

The young man is not ready and may never be ready.

I guess you like the sound of your own voice, it must be something personal as regards Rabiu.

[bk-one]

Jomo Sono took an 18 year old Bennie Mcarthy to ANC 98 from Ajax Amsterdam reserve team come end of the tournament he was joint top goal scorer with Hossam Hassan.

[amafolas]

Felarey,b4 this ANC Shittu was a regular member of the SE's and played well,this your opportunity to divert this discussion makes no sense.Shittu has loads of experience withthe SE's so ur not making any sense.
Rabiu has nothing at the moment to show he can do anything for even teh U-23 team.If he fails ti will forever dent his career.Let him keep growing as a player.Rabiu is not ready sorry.

Well... if we'd been waiting for that white boy to start Shittu or even give him 1 minute in 4 months of football, we won't have our best player right now. Makinwa also has loads of experience with the SE but we haven't invited him. If Rabiu hasn't shown anything then I wonder what he needs to do. He's won an AYC, the U17 and other trophies for Sporting Lisbon playing as a starter in the AM position. He was one of our best players at the U20 in Egypt, if you don't agree, name 3 players that did better than him and pls do so objectively. The truth of the matter is we know the boy can ball... Why not invite him to camp even if he won't start?

The young man is not ready and may never be ready.

I guess you like the sound of your own voice, it must be something personal as regards Rabiu.

actually i dont mind playing the guy in a few friendlies. I just staunchly disagree that this young man is the messiah we are waiting for in our midfield. Or that he will have impact our team in any useful manner.

[realtrouble]

Ok i have read in so many threads on this forum for rabiu ibrahim to be the talisman in that midfield and i totally disagree hes the answer to our problem.

I personally dont have any problem with him but the guy is just not ready for the world cup and lets not fool ourselves. Hes been in lisbon for over 2 seasons and hes never made a first team bench talkless for playing a first team game(stand to be corrected).

hes talented no doubt but if he cant make lisbon bench in over 2 seasons and u think hes going to do magic in south africa is a mirage...some of his team mates are getting first team action and experience but rabiu is still playing reserve games...he will tossed around like a piece of paper playing with the likes of mascherano,xavi

i guess that's the criteria to judge if a player is good enough for nigeria. The 17 yr old that detained Osaze yesterday plays for a local zambian side!

This why I have no time for Amodu . He took 5 DMs to ANC, to do what? Rabiu and Lukman should have replace Olufufu and Kanu , we know what these two players can do.


The Zambia DM and Ebola both play for a local Zambian side called Zanaco. Nigeria had three teams in the African Championship yet we didn't select a single home base players, this is coming from a local coach that has coached extensive coaching experience in Nigeria.

Amodu is just too lazy.

[felarey]

Felarey,b4 this ANC Shittu was a regular member of the SE's and played well,this your opportunity to divert this discussion makes no sense.Shittu has loads of experience withthe SE's so ur not making any sense.
Rabiu has nothing at the moment to show he can do anything for even teh U-23 team.If he fails ti will forever dent his career.Let him keep growing as a player.Rabiu is not ready sorry.

Well... if we'd been waiting for that white boy to start Shittu or even give him 1 minute in 4 months of football, we won't have our best player right now. Makinwa also has loads of experience with the SE but we haven't invited him. If Rabiu hasn't shown anything then I wonder what he needs to do. He's won an AYC, the U17 and other trophies for Sporting Lisbon playing as a starter in the AM position. He was one of our best players at the U20 in Egypt, if you don't agree, name 3 players that did better than him and pls do so objectively. The truth of the matter is we know the boy can ball... Why not invite him to camp even if he won't start?

The young man is not ready and may never be ready.

I guess you like the sound of your own voice, it must be something personal as regards Rabiu.

actually i dont mind playing the guy in a few friendlies. I just staunchly disagree that this young man is the messiah we are waiting for in our midfield. Or that he will have impact our team in any useful manner.

I believe those asking for him to be invited are not saying he must start right away. The problem is the reasons you guys are giving for him to be excluded.

[hurricaneeddy]

hel will be ready also when he works his way into another team...you can't rule out the 1st team place effect..however you are quite right about the physical side of his physique

Rabiu ibrahim is what I call a monkey post player!!! not only is he not ready right now but he probably may never be ready. I wish the young man all the best.

Nonsense he will be ready as soon as he works on his physical strength.
He already got the vision and creative class, the only thing missing for professional footie is his lanky body.

[hurricaneeddy]

Felarey,b4 this ANC Shittu was a regular member of the SE's and played well,this your opportunity to divert this discussion makes no sense.Shittu has loads of experience withthe SE's so ur not making any sense.
Rabiu has nothing at the moment to show he can do anything for even teh U-23 team.If he fails ti will forever dent his career.Let him keep growing as a player.Rabiu is not ready sorry.

Well... if we'd been waiting for that white boy to start Shittu or even give him 1 minute in 4 months of football, we won't have our best player right now. Makinwa also has loads of experience with the SE but we haven't invited him. If Rabiu hasn't shown anything then I wonder what he needs to do. He's won an AYC, the U17 and other trophies for Sporting Lisbon playing as a starter in the AM position. He was one of our best players at the U20 in Egypt, if you don't agree, name 3 players that did better than him and pls do so objectively. The truth of the matter is we know the boy can ball... Why not invite him to camp even if he won't start?

The young man is not ready and may never be ready.

I guess you like the sound of your own voice, it must be something personal as regards Rabiu.

actually i dont mind playing the guy in a few friendlies. I just staunchly disagree that this young man is the messiah we are waiting for in our midfield. Or that he will have impact our team in any useful manner.

I believe those asking for him to be invited are not saying he must start right away. The problem is the reasons you guys are giving for him to be excluded.

i think he should be included in the squad anyway..he may not play but the SE can be used to bring him to more limelight

[felarey]

Jomo Sono took an 18 year old Bennie Mcarthy to ANC 98 from Ajax Amsterdam reserve team come end of the tournament he was joint top goal scorer with Hossam Hassan.

We don't even need to look that far in history, Ghana is relying on his mates right now for the semis, a position the likes of Essien and Muntari won't guarantee, you can imagine if they had given so called grown men from wherever the spots instead? Now they have a bustling core of youth for the future. Yet people will keep saying Rabiu is too young, needs to grow muscle etc. It's football not boxing.

[patrick]

Folks, please stop this nonsense Rabiu is not ready yet.FYI, Lukman haruna plays in more attacking role now for Monaco and he put in a decent performance against the likes of PSG, Lyon and Soachux.

[green4life]

Brother felarey abeg wake up. Shittu is an experienced defender with 1 full season of EPL starts under his belt not to talk of other non kiddie experience including 2008 ANC. Ah ah. Then u dey compare lukman to rabiu at youth level. Man mi, did u even watch the u17 games sef? Haruna was the skipper and started every game until his injury whereas rabiu was yanked early against columbia. In Egypt'09, siasia was bringing rabiu from the bench while haruna was starting. For club, haruna is starting is a better more physical league in France while rabiu conveniently uses age to excuse the fact he hasn't played one second with the big boys. Abeg get real.

[hurricaneeddy]

Brother felarey abeg wake up. Shittu is an experienced defender with 1 full season of EPL starts under his belt not to talk of other non kiddie experience including 2008 ANC. Ah ah. Then u dey compare lukman to rabiu at youth level. Man mi, did u even watch the u17 games sef? Haruna was the skipper and started every game until his injury whereas rabiu was yanked early against columbia. In Egypt'09, siasia was bringing rabiu from the bench while haruna was starting. For club, haruna is starting is a better more physical league in France while rabiu conveniently uses age to excuse the fact he hasn't played one second with the big boys. Abeg get real.

the structure of the SE may not even welcome both lads.....

[balo]

Any coach worth his salary/contract would have Rabiu in the current Naija setup. Even if to camp with the big boys.

One wonders what would have happened if Ayew was Nigerian.

[hurricaneeddy]

Brother felarey abeg wake up. Shittu is an experienced defender with 1 full season of EPL starts under his belt not to talk of other non kiddie experience including 2008 ANC. Ah ah. Then u dey compare lukman to rabiu at youth level. Man mi, did u even watch the u17 games sef? Haruna was the skipper and started every game until his injury whereas rabiu was yanked early against columbia. In Egypt'09, siasia was bringing rabiu from the bench while haruna was starting. For club, haruna is starting is a better more physical league in France while rabiu conveniently uses age to excuse the fact he hasn't played one second with the big boys. Abeg get real.

the structure of the SE may not even welcome both lads.....

i think one of them rabiu or haruna should be at the world cup....but think about the SE critically...it will only happen when we get a really really radical coach..

[hurricaneeddy]

not a chance given....you can bet on that...and that's tha problem...even haruna will have a hell of a chance making it to the world cup

Any coach worth his salary/contract would have Rabiu in the current Naija setup.

One wonders what would have happened if Ayew was Nigerian.

[felarey]

Brother felarey abeg wake up. Shittu is an experienced defender with 1 full season of EPL starts under his belt not to talk of other non kiddie experience including 2008 ANC. Ah ah. Then u dey compare lukman to rabiu at youth level. Man mi, did u even watch the u17 games sef? Haruna was the skipper and started every game until his injury whereas rabiu was yanked early against columbia. In Egypt'09, siasia was bringing rabiu from the bench while haruna was starting. For club, haruna is starting is a better more physical league in France while rabiu conveniently uses age to excuse the fact he hasn't played one second with the big boys. Abeg get real.

For the record, I'm not interested in Lukman vs Rabiu arguement as I'm glad they're both nigerians and I won't put one down to lift the other.

Fact is Rabiu played 561 mins at the U17 while Lukman played 264 mins, that should tell you who was really yanked.

http://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive ... stics.html

In Egypt, Rabiu played 215 mins while Lukman played 130mins.

http://www.fifa.com/u20worldcup/teams/t ... stics.html

It's starting to seem there's more to your Rabiu bashing as you're the reknowned keeper of stats. There is no question as to who has been more useful to Nigeria between the two players. As per Shittu, I thought salvation in who should be invited to camp according to you guys depends on playing in a first team. Yet Shittu has a grand total of zero mins other than the ANC. Anyway like I've said, those in the know like Amodu's assistants, and other legends of nigerian footy that have commented on this agree with me.

[realtrouble]

Valachi said

Its only in Naija people use age as a factor as being ready, even our own Henry Nwosu played for Naija at a tender age of 18, why the fuss he is not read, but I tell you, Rabiu, Lookman and even the U-17 Azeez has more midfield bite that the current SE Mid, so we should stay with the same bullcrap just because regressive Amodu wont try them. Now tell me out of all the SE how many of them are actually starters for their club, So Shittu and Etuhu who has played well so far should not me on the team, And Players like Adeleye and Olubayo that plays first action weekly and dumped, the issue is the PE teacher we call coach, period, We have seen how Apam has played better that Almighty Yobo, we have advocated for The partnership of Adeleye/Apam that has caged and tackled Messi and his cohorts twice on the international scene to be given a chance yet still MOMODU choose to play Nwaneri that has no business on the team, lets be real, if a 12 year boy can do the wonderful job in the MF, I will give him the shirt.


.

This is the problem with Amodu selection. Nwosu had only been out of St Finbarr's for over a year and just joined, NNB FC when Otto Gloria a FC, called him into camp for the ANC 1980 to compete with the like of Odegbami, Muda Lawal, Aloysius Atuegbu in Mid-field. Yet a local coach (Amodu) with extensive local experience in Nigeria selected five DM and coverted an aging Kanu to mid fielder and yet refuse to even look at any of the potential local players that performed with distintion in the African Championship

[OTIZI]

Brother felarey abeg wake up. Shittu is an experienced defender with 1 full season of EPL starts under his belt not to talk of other non kiddie experience including 2008 ANC. Ah ah. Then u dey compare lukman to rabiu at youth level. Man mi, did u even watch the u17 games sef? Haruna was the skipper and started every game until his injury whereas rabiu was yanked early against columbia. In Egypt'09, siasia was bringing rabiu from the bench while haruna was starting. For club, haruna is starting is a better more physical league in France while rabiu conveniently uses age to excuse the fact he hasn't played one second with the big boys. Abeg get real.

For the record, I'm not interested in Lukman vs Rabiu arguement as I'm glad they're both nigerians and I won't put one down to lift the other.

Fact is Rabiu played 561 mins at the U17 while Lukman played 264 mins, that should tell you who was really yanked.

http://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive ... stics.html

In Egypt, Rabiu played 215 mins while Lukman played 130mins.

http://www.fifa.com/u20worldcup/teams/t ... stics.html

It's starting to seem there's more to your Rabiu bashing as you're the reknowned keeper of stats. There is no question as to who has been more useful to Nigeria between the two players. As per Shittu, I thought salvation in who should be invited to camp according to you guys depends on playing in a first team. Yet Shittu has a grand total of zero mins other than the ANC. Anyway like I've said, those in the know like Amodu's assistants, and other legends of nigerian footy that have commented on this agree with me.

Rabiu Ibrahim is more likely to displace their favorite player so, they have to put him down indirectly.The same reason they say we don't miss Alijore. They are clamouring for Lukman who would ride the bench or not make the team because there too many players like (Olofufu, Etuhu, Alijore) him in the SE already. Rabiu's other disadvantage is what Kaita and Yusuf are suffering from nepotist fans on this website.