Nigerian football should have more Northerners

[Bigpokey24]

What are you trying to say? That some people are not contributing to the Super Eagles at all at all?

Everyone should contribute to the success of the National team. The Northerners have proven their worth when given the opporrunity. Likewise the SE and SS. What are the others contributing really. If we removw thw German born (Balogun) and English born (Aina) players, what are the others contributing to the team? Everybody has to contribute . Unnecessary noise is not a contribution.

Balogun and Aina have not contributed more than the locally born players. Aina in particular is a bit part player in SE so why are you mentioning him? The likes of Osimhen, Iwobi, Ndidi, have contributed more than those 2 you mentioned and historically, the home grown lads have delivered more in SE than your Aina and Balogun.

what have you contributed to the SE ?

[Eaglezbeak]

If Nigeria is to succeed only the best players should be picked or it just becomes a boys club and we can forget about be serious contenders in any competition.
Even if the best 11 are from the same village I personally couldn’t careless because results are what matter!

[TonyTheTigerKiller]

Historically, “Northern” players have been mostly southerners who grew up in the North. I don’t think any Northerners who demonstrate the acumen for football have been denied the chance to prove themselves. Some of you are making it sound as if Northerners are just plain being ignored


Cheers.

[vancity eagle]

If Nigeria is to succeed only the best players should be picked or it just becomes a boys club and we can forget about be serious contenders in any competition.
Even if the best 11 are from the same village I personally couldn’t careless because results are what matter!

KPOM.

[hestonap]

Good mention and good observation. Our Super Eagles players are mostly selected based on their club profiles and club forms..
Our Northern bredas though skillful, dont have the mentality to succeed in EU, may be places like England, despite their obvious talent. See Ahmed Musa case as a case point, very good player, but was easily cut loose in England by Leicester City perhaps due to religious beliefs or cultural inadaptation.
If we have to select more Northerner in SE, we have to bin the club criteria and ranking criteria... Other notable mention of Northerners who havent done as expected with their promise, Musa Mohammed, Captain of U17-2013 class, and Manga Mohammed, Zakiri Mohammed etc..list goes on.

Hmm,

Not so sure about this northern no mentality to succeed in Europe comment. Sounds rather too sterotypical.

Daniel Amokachi may want to have a word with you. While at it, one could argue Yekini was as much of a northerner as he was from western Nigeria after all he was born in the North and started his footballing career in Kaduna. Last I checked Celestine Babayaro was born in the North. How about Garba Lawal. All had relatively decent European and Super Eagles careers.

The statistics show that more players of southern Nigerian extraction ply their trade in Europe. Statistically they are more likely to have relatively successful careers and arguably a larger proportion would do the contrary. Historically, more players of southern extraction especially midwest/east of the Niger have laced up for the GWG.

Like you, I do not care a hoot where an Eagles or potential Eagles player is born, be here or abroad. As long as they have he skin set, attitude and are willing to give their all for the GWG, I am all good.

Ultimately, it behoves the footballing authorities to invest be it in the North or South. All around completion is good for all.

[Orion]

Over the last 20 years or so, just as many youth players have come from the North, but they never seem to progress beyond that stage as someone else has pointed out.

I don't think poor scouting at youth level is currently a problem. Maybe it was an issue a couple of decades ago but not currently. Also, in recent times, the teams winning the NPFL are mostly from the south, apart from Kano Pillars that dominated for short period.

[1naija]

Why are we all avoiding the elephant in the room.

[YUJAM]

Alot of Notherners have passed thru the youth ranks but they flop after the u20 level.Ibrahim muhammed, Haruna Lukman, Yahaya from ihenacho set, Rabiu Ibrahim etc It's odd how they flop at senior level yet their cousins from Senegal, Mali, Ghana etc seem to excel.

Cousins? What is the connection?

They are our cousins just like you are..

[Field Marshall Ogolo]

I'm back with another controversial topic! To keep it short and simple, I think Nigeria has done a terrible job in exploring the talent pool among the North, the representation of Northerners in all our national teams have been poor, and it can't just be due to lack of enthusiasm on the part of Northerners in the round leather game.

For better context, has anyone noticed that all the more skillful players that play for Ghana are from the Northern region in Ghana, precisely Hausas?

Kudus
Kamaldeen Sulemana
Salisu
Baba Rahman
Sulley Muntari
Abdul Samed
etc

All these players I listed come from predominantly the Hausa speaking parts of the North, and they are among the best players Ghana had fielded...maybe it's time we try scout more in the North for football talents? it's no surprise that most of our best Southern players all came from football academies in the North.

I notice that most of the outstanding players of SE are of Igbo origin. If the Northerners were that good, they would have been picked already. After all, we know where most of the officials of NFF are from.

[bret- hart]

Alot of Notherners have passed thru the youth ranks but they flop after the u20 level.Ibrahim muhammed, Haruna Lukman, Yahaya from ihenacho set, Rabiu Ibrahim etc It's odd how they flop at senior level yet their cousins from Senegal, Mali, Ghana etc seem to excel.

There could be a number of reasons for that, but lots of our best and most skillful players at youth levels have been Northerners, even your Daniel Daga is one...we definitely need more representation of Northerners in the SE, they bring a different dynamic of skill and work rate that we can benefit from...all these boring foreign born players we keep hinging our hopes on won't improve our football...we need to get back to playing the "Nigerian way'.

Well it should be based on merit not quota system but i do agree that alot of them are technically sound. Its very disappointing seeing them fade into oblivion after the u20s. The best of them for me was Suleman Muhammed from the 2001 U17 set. I legit thought he was JJ heir after that tournament I think he was better than Rabiu Ibrahim from the 2007 set sef. Another one that just dissapered was Yahaya from Ihenacho's set. That guy should be running our SEs midfield by now. Chai.

Anyways i have high hopes for Daniel Daga, Ibrahim Muhammed, Ahmed Abdullahi from the WAFU cup as well as Ibrahim Said who is balling in Denmark. I hope Salisu Calls him up for the u23s

[Damunk]

Everyone should contribute to the success of the National team. The Northerners have proven their worth when given the opporrunity. Likewise the SE and SS. What are the others contributing really. If we removw thw German born (Balogun) and English born (Aina) players, what are the others contributing to the team? Everybody has to contribute . Unnecessary noise is not a contribution.

Balogun and Aina have not contributed more than the locally born players. Aina in particular is a bit part player in SE so why are you mentioning him? The likes of Osimhen, Iwobi, Ndidi, have contributed more than those 2 you mentioned and historically, the home grown lads have delivered more in SE than your Aina and Balogun.

I don’t think you got the obvious sarcasm in 1Naira’s post.
You are actually on the same page

[Damunk]

BTW do you guys know that Nasarawa Amazons is made up of 80% southerners?

Lamidi,
You should know by now that no way in the foreseeable future are there going to be a significant numbers of female ballers from the north, wherever the teams are based.
No need beating that drum because you know it ain’t happening for cultural and religious reasons.
Let’s stick to men’s football for now.

[Damunk]

I'm back with another controversial topic! To keep it short and simple, I think Nigeria has done a terrible job in exploring the talent pool among the North, the representation of Northerners in all our national teams have been poor, and it can't just be due to lack of enthusiasm on the part of Northerners in the round leather game.

For better context, has anyone noticed that all the more skillful players that play for Ghana are from the Northern region in Ghana, precisely Hausas?

Kudus
Kamaldeen Sulemana
Salisu
Baba Rahman
Sulley Muntari
Abdul Samed
etc

All these players I listed come from predominantly the Hausa speaking parts of the North, and they are among the best players Ghana had fielded...maybe it's time we try scout more in the North for football talents? it's no surprise that most of our best Southern players all came from football academies in the North.

I notice that most of the outstanding players of SE are of Igbo origin. If the Northerners were that good, they would have been picked already. After all, we know where most of the officials of NFF are from.

What do you know about Nigerian ethnicities?
You probably think Aribo is Igbo.

[anointed]

Good mention and good observation. Our Super Eagles players are mostly selected based on their club profiles and club forms..
Our Northern bredas though skillful, dont have the mentality to succeed in EU, may be places like England, despite their obvious talent. See Ahmed Musa case as a case point, very good player, but was easily cut loose in England by Leicester City perhaps due to religious beliefs or cultural inadaptation.
If we have to select more Northerner in SE, we have to bin the club criteria and ranking criteria... Other notable mention of Northerners who havent done as expected with their promise, Musa Mohammed, Captain of U17-2013 class, and Manga Mohammed, Zakiri Mohammed etc..list goes on.

Are you sure Musa is from the North? Maybe Kogi or Edo?

[Damunk]

Good mention and good observation. Our Super Eagles players are mostly selected based on their club profiles and club forms..
Our Northern bredas though skillful, dont have the mentality to succeed in EU, may be places like England, despite their obvious talent. See Ahmed Musa case as a case point, very good player, but was easily cut loose in England by Leicester City perhaps due to religious beliefs or cultural inadaptation.
If we have to select more Northerner in SE, we have to bin the club criteria and ranking criteria... Other notable mention of Northerners who havent done as expected with their promise, Musa Mohammed, Captain of U17-2013 class, and Manga Mohammed, Zakiri Mohammed etc..list goes on.

Are you sure Musa is from the North? Maybe Kogi or Edo?

His father is, but his mum is from Edo state.

[lacidi]

I'm back with another controversial topic! To keep it short and simple, I think Nigeria has done a terrible job in exploring the talent pool among the North, the representation of Northerners in all our national teams have been poor, and it can't just be due to lack of enthusiasm on the part of Northerners in the round leather game.

For better context, has anyone noticed that all the more skillful players that play for Ghana are from the Northern region in Ghana, precisely Hausas?

Kudus
Kamaldeen Sulemana
Salisu
Baba Rahman
Sulley Muntari
Abdul Samed
etc

All these players I listed come from predominantly the Hausa speaking parts of the North, and they are among the best players Ghana had fielded...maybe it's time we try scout more in the North for football talents? it's no surprise that most of our best Southern players all came from football academies in the North.

I notice that most of the outstanding players of SE are of Igbo origin. If the Northerners were that good, they would have been picked already. After all, we know where most of the officials of NFF are from.

What do you know about Nigerian ethnicities?
You probably think Aribo is Igbo.

Well he is right. Most of outstanding SE players in the last 5 years are from the South East.

[airwolex]

Everyone should contribute to the success of the National team. The Northerners have proven their worth when given the opporrunity. Likewise the SE and SS. What are the others contributing really. If we removw thw German born (Balogun) and English born (Aina) players, what are the others contributing to the team? Everybody has to contribute . Unnecessary noise is not a contribution.

Balogun and Aina have not contributed more than the locally born players. Aina in particular is a bit part player in SE so why are you mentioning him? The likes of Osimhen, Iwobi, Ndidi, have contributed more than those 2 you mentioned and historically, the home grown lads have delivered more in SE than your Aina and Balogun.

I don’t think you got the obvious sarcasm in 1Naira’s post.
You are actually on the same page

[airwolex]

Alot of Notherners have passed thru the youth ranks but they flop after the u20 level.Ibrahim muhammed, Haruna Lukman, Yahaya from ihenacho set, Rabiu Ibrahim etc It's odd how they flop at senior level yet their cousins from Senegal, Mali, Ghana etc seem to excel.

Cousins? What is the connection?

They are our cousins just like you are..

You see it? Funny thing is Haruna Lukman is a Yoruba boy with an Igbo mom.

[Flex Swift]

Forget the location a player originates from. The criteria should be based on the skills for each position for example the Striker must be able to: hold the ball up, score, good in the air, good on the ground, able to beat the off side trap, find space in the box; the Winger must be able to cross the ball, must be fast, able to pass & move, can get up and down the pitch, able to provide the assist when in an impossible position to score.

None of our current Wingers have any of these skills therefore they are not wingers but forwards playing out of position. Therefore does the squad need so many? The focus should be on finding proper wingers no matter where they come from.

[airwolex]

Forget the location a player originates from. The criteria should be based on the skills for each position for example the Striker must be able to: hold the ball up, score, good in the air, good on the ground, able to beat the off side trap, find space in the box; the Winger must be able to cross the ball, must be fast, able to pass & move, can get up and down the pitch, able to provide the assist when in an impossible position to score.

None of our current Wingers have any of these skills therefore they are not wingers but forwards playing out of position. Therefore does the squad need so many? The focus should be on finding proper wingers no matter where they come from.

Well said. 90% of the other posts here is balderdash lmao

[bret- hart]

Alot of Notherners have passed thru the youth ranks but they flop after the u20 level.Ibrahim muhammed, Haruna Lukman, Yahaya from ihenacho set, Rabiu Ibrahim etc It's odd how they flop at senior level yet their cousins from Senegal, Mali, Ghana etc seem to excel.

Cousins? What is the connection?

They are our cousins just like you are..

You see it? Funny thing is Haruna Lukman is a Yoruba boy with an Igbo mom.

See what? Hausa fulanis are related to Wolofs, Mandinkas and Touregs. Look it up. Nigerians will spend 20 years in school but still don't know anything.

[bret- hart]

Forget the location a player originates from. The criteria should be based on the skills for each position for example the Striker must be able to: hold the ball up, score, good in the air, good on the ground, able to beat the off side trap, find space in the box; the Winger must be able to cross the ball, must be fast, able to pass & move, can get up and down the pitch, able to provide the assist when in an impossible position to score.

None of our current Wingers have any of these skills therefore they are not wingers but forwards playing out of position. Therefore does the squad need so many? The focus should be on finding proper wingers no matter where they come from.

Number 1 priority is getting a midfield. We don't have a midfield.

[Bigpokey24]

but there are many clubs from the North. I also do think no matter where you are from, top clubs all over the world would find you. This makes no sense. Musa was know via his exploits for Kano Pillar. Amokachi from Ranchers Bees etc , etc