The squad to regain Nigeria's Olympic Gold

Dammy · Post by **Dammy** » Fri Mar 05, 2004 11:01 am

I was musing over the pool of young talent available to Nigeria and the thought occured to me that if nigeria were to qualify for Athens 2004 football tournament, we do stand a good chance of regaining the gold medal. After much delibration, I chose the following 18 man squad as being capable of winning gold in Athens.

Goalkeepers
1. Vincent Enyeama
2. Austin Ejide

Defenders
3. Joseph Yobo (overaged) Capt
4. Joseph Enakhahire
5. Ifeanyi Udeze
6. Bob Usim
7. Michael Nnaji or Aniekan Enyeama

Midfielders
8. Uche Kalu
9. Chris Obodo
10.Adebowale Ogungbure or Justice Christopher
11.Alfred Omoefe
12.Seyi Olofinjana (overaged)
13.Gabriel Melkam (overaged)

Attackers
14.Osaze Odemwingie
15.John Uttaka
16.Obafemi Martins or Barth Ogbeche
17.Ayodele Makinwa or Aliyu Datti or Kingsley
18.Femi Opabummi

I have chosen overaged players whose ages are quite close to the eligible age for reasons of closer intergration with the rest of the squad. Also the squad can continue to develop together as most of them have played together before. These players represent the future of Nigerian football. I have left out youth team players like Benjamin, Eliakwu and Wahab until they start playing for the first team of their clubs.
Opinions from forumers welcomed!!

lowzeewee · Post by **lowzeewee** » Fri Mar 05, 2004 11:14 am

Put Kanu in again...this time as a STRIKER,not a MIDFIELDER...

wiseone · Post by **wiseone** » Fri Mar 05, 2004 1:31 pm

Dammy - I agree with you that IF we qualify we actually have a VERY good pool of players to choose from.

However I think there are some glaring U23 aged players that you have missed: Julius Aghahowa, Yakubu Aiyegbeni (if they still want to play!), d#$% Etuhu, Onyekachi Okonkwo, Emmanuel Okoduwa (who has been a regular scorer for the U23 team and was outstanding in the AAG), Lucky Idador, Ugochukwu Obiakor.....and Ifeanyi Udeze is not under 23.

MI5 · Post by **MI5** » Fri Mar 05, 2004 1:42 pm

This is the problem we face all the time and the reason why we will never win anything anytime soon. Names, names and names will not bring us anything if this guys don't play together and know one another. It's the reason why our U-23 is fighting to qualify because this guys only come together few days to a game.

This are good players and the names alone will give anyone goose bumps but just like in that past if we don't make it a habit of playing together we will not go far in any competition we play in.

odi · Post by **odi** » Fri Mar 05, 2004 1:51 pm

John Utaka, Ifeanyi Udeze, Justice Christopher: Are these guys still U23?!!

MI5 · Post by **MI5** » Fri Mar 05, 2004 1:52 pm

Dammy,

Nice list of players but on the goalkeeping part i will take Austin Ejide, Sunday Rotimi, Dele Aiyenugba and Bassey Akpan as alternate keeper to Athens 2004. because this guys need some serious top level competitions under their belts right now. Enyeama has had his during the ANC 2004. It's time to expose other keepers to top flight international futbol because come WC'06 qualifiers we will need at least three to four keepers to get us to Germany and Egypt in 2006. I hope NFA or caretaker coach CCC will not depend sorely on Enyeama to keep every game home and away when the qualifying reaches a grueling stretch.

This is the time to start grooming our young keepers. Enyeama still remains the number 1 but he needs two-three keepers to back him up in case he gets injured(God forbid) or can't play due to a knock or something.

Dammy wrote:I was musing over the pool of young talent available to Nigeria and the thought occured to me that if nigeria were to qualify for Athens 2004 football tournament, we do stand a good chance of regaining the gold medal. After much delibration, I chose the following 18 man squad as being capable of winning gold in Athens.

Goalkeepers
1. Vincent Enyeama
2. Austin Ejide

Defenders
3. Joseph Yobo (overaged) Capt
4. Joseph Enakhahire
5. Ifeanyi Udeze
6. Bob Usim
7. Michael Nnaji or Aniekan Enyeama

Midfielders
8. Uche Kalu
9. Chris Obodo
10.Adebowale Ogungbure or Justice Christopher
11.Alfred Omoefe
12.Seyi Olofinjana (overaged)
13.Gabriel Melkam (overaged)

Attackers
14.Osaze Odemwingie
15.John Uttaka
16.Obafemi Martins or Barth Ogbeche
17.Ayodele Makinwa or Aliyu Datti or Kingsley
18.Femi Opabummi

I have chosen overaged players whose ages are quite close to the eligible age for reasons of closer intergration with the rest of the squad. Also the squad can continue to develop together as most of them have played together before. These players represent the future of Nigerian football. I have left out youth team players like Benjamin, Eliakwu and Wahab until they start playing for the first team of their clubs.
Opinions from forumers welcomed!!

Robbynice · Post by **Robbynice** » Fri Mar 05, 2004 1:54 pm

odi wrote:John Utaka, Ifeanyi Udeze, Justice Christopher: Are these guys still U23?!!

I know Utaka is but I am not sure of the other two especially Justice.

Molue Conductor · Post by **Molue Conductor** » Fri Mar 05, 2004 4:42 pm

Robbynice wrote:
odi wrote:John Utaka, Ifeanyi Udeze, Justice Christopher: Are these guys still U23?!!
I know Utaka is but I am not sure of the other two especially Justice.

strong word robby, strong word

Post by **YUJAM** » Fri Mar 05, 2004 4:54 pm

Dammy:
Good list. This team can win the tourney outright!

MI5 · Post by **MI5** » Fri Mar 05, 2004 5:00 pm

Yujam,

I don't think so... Names will not win us anything this days.. Look at the list again and have this team played together except for a few?

YUJAM wrote:Dammy:
Good list. This team can win the tourney outright!

anikulapo · Post by **anikulapo** » Fri Mar 05, 2004 5:39 pm

DID YOU FORGET ORJINTA AS A 22 YEAR OLD

Cross · Post by **Cross** » Fri Mar 05, 2004 7:20 pm

MI5, I totally agree with you. Without a team we would always crumble when the heat comes in games. We can always come up with rosters that can win most tournaments but all that would remain on paper until we start placing emphasis on team work rather than individuals.

The Observer · Post by **The Observer** » Fri Mar 05, 2004 9:18 pm

Ifeanyi Udeze is over age. His DOB is sometime in 1980.

Obong · Post by **Obong** » Fri Mar 05, 2004 9:37 pm

Undoubtedly,we have an immensely talented pool of under-23 players,but like M15 has noted,we need to start playing them together to achieve the desired results.I recall that the likes of Victor Ikpeba, Babangida and others played against Egypt in the 1996 qualifiers,so we better start using them now to enable them gel as a team.

Post by **YUJAM** » Fri Mar 05, 2004 9:52 pm

Mi5:
I agree with your point that the team must train together to attain a certain level of understanding and cohesiveness b4 it can win the tourney.

obong itatex wrote:Undoubtedly,we have an immensely talented pool of under-23 players,but like M15 has noted,we need to start playing them together to achieve the desired results.I recall that the likes of Victor Ikpeba, Babangida and others played against Egypt in the 1996 qualifiers,so we better start using them now to enable them gel as a team.

oyek · Post by **oyek** » Fri Mar 05, 2004 9:53 pm

MI5 wrote:This is the problem we face all the time and the reason why we will never win anything anytime soon. Names, names and names will not bring us anything if this guys don't play together and know one another. It's the reason why our U-23 is fighting to qualify because this guys only come together few days to a game.

This are good players and the names alone will give anyone goose bumps but just like in that past if we don't make it a habit of playing together we will not go far in any competition we play in.

SPOT ON MEN.

Talk IT · Post by **Talk IT** » Fri Mar 05, 2004 10:30 pm

anikulapo wrote:DID YOU FORGET ORJINTA AS A 22 YEAR OLD

MI5 · Post by **MI5** » Fri Mar 05, 2004 11:11 pm

Yes guys it's the way i see it. I like the list Dammy put out as this guys can be world beaters especially after they come back from the Olympics hoping we making it and throw this players at teams like Algeria, Zimbabwe and Gabon in the WCQ's they won't know what hit them.

It's one of the reasons i've stated here so many times we do not have a programme in place to groom and continue to develop and add consistency to any of our national teams. We use to have this long time ago but everything has now fallen apart. We are now relying on clubs and player's magic to do something this days so sad....

The only thing NFA is preparing for is how to get their girlfriends, mistresses and concubines to Athens 2004 later this year...

Guv007 · Post by **Guv007** » Fri Mar 05, 2004 11:59 pm

l am available as well since l am only 19.

mouko · Post by **mouko** » Sat Mar 06, 2004 2:09 am

YUJAM wrote:Dammy:
Good list. This team can win the tourney outright!

This team has to qualify first may I remind you, sir?

mouko · Post by **mouko** » Sat Mar 06, 2004 2:13 am

Dammy wrote:I was musing over the pool of young talent available to Nigeria and the thought occured to me that if nigeria were to qualify for Athens 2004 football tournament,[/size] we do stand a good chance of regaining the gold medal. After much delibration, I chose the following 18 man squad as being capable of winning gold in Athens.

Goalkeepers
1. Vincent Enyeama
2. Austin Ejide

Defenders
3. Joseph Yobo (overaged) Capt
4. Joseph Enakhahire
5. Ifeanyi Udeze
6. Bob Usim
7. Michael Nnaji or Aniekan Enyeama

Midfielders
8. Uche Kalu
9. Chris Obodo
10.Adebowale Ogungbure or Justice Christopher
11.Alfred Omoefe
12.Seyi Olofinjana (overaged)
13.Gabriel Melkam (overaged)

Attackers
14.Osaze Odemwingie
15.John Uttaka
16.Obafemi Martins or Barth Ogbeche
17.Ayodele Makinwa or Aliyu Datti or Kingsley
18.Femi Opabummi

I have chosen overaged players whose ages are quite close to the eligible age for reasons of closer intergration with the rest of the squad. Also the squad can continue to develop together as most of them have played together before. These players represent the future of Nigerian football. I have left out youth team players like Benjamin, Eliakwu and Wahab until they start playing for the first team of their clubs.
Opinions from forumers welcomed!!

Mister can you wait until the qualify first?. If I were you I would say let's use this list to secure qualification before talking of winning the tourney with this or that list.

Enugu II · Post by **Enugu II** » Sat Mar 06, 2004 2:41 am

Frankly, all this is nothing but pipe dreams. As M15 rightly pointed out, names don't do anything. They have to play together. In addition, I do not even believe that the list constitutes a team so talented that it will turn the world on its head. This team, on talent alone, is good and let us simply leave it at that. It isn't great by any means. That team does not even have an explosive attacking midfield talent. The rightside of the defense does not have a dominant player and the goialkeepers are no more than average. Where exactly is the greatness?

The Observer · Post by **The Observer** » Sat Mar 06, 2004 3:18 pm

I would go for an all under 23 man team of 25 players to be camped for the competition.

Goalkeepers
1. Vincent Enyeama
2. Austin Ejide
3. Greg Etafia

Defenders
4. Joseph Enakhahire
5. Harrison Omokoh
6. Bob Usim
7. Michael Nnaji
8. Aniekan Enyeama
9. Chidi Ordia
10.Yakubu Adamu
11.Romanus Orjinta

Midfielders
12. Uche Kalu
13. Chris Obodo
14. Adebowale Ogungbure
15. Alfred Omoefe
16. Osaze Odemwingie
17. Femi Opabummi
18. Kingsley Ekeh
19. Christopher Justice

Attackers
20. Ekene Ezinwa
21. John Uttaka
22. Obafemi Martins
23. Ayodele Makinwa
24. Aliyu Datti
25. Barth Ogbeche

Decision about over aged players will only be taken if there are weak areas in the team.

Cybereagles

The squad to regain Nigeria's Olympic Gold

The squad to regain Nigeria's Olympic Gold

Re: The squad to regain Nigeria's Olympic Gold

Re: The squad to regain Nigeria's Olympic Gold