SUPER EAGLES CAMP UPDATE

[iworo]

Nigeria's Okoye: 'They found it impossible to believe I had talent'

By Pieter Stroink van Eizenga
Football Writer, The Netherlands



Maduka Okqoye is hoping that October's back-to-back 2022 World Cup qualifiers against Central African Republic will help him to cement his role as Nigeria's first-choice goalkeeper and win over his doubters.

The Sparta Rotterdam stopper, 22, has started five of the Super Eagles' seven games this year, to take his total to 10 caps since his debut in 2019.

Germany-born Okoye has been on Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr's radar since playing in Germany with Fortuna Düsseldorf's under-19 team, and he is aware that some fans and media initially questioned his credentials.

"In the beginning, they (the critics) doubted me a lot," he told BBC Sport Africa. "When I played in the German lower leagues, they found it impossible to believe I had talent.

"Now there are fewer doubters; the higher you play at club level, the more they will respect you."

After some fine displays in the Dutch Eredivisie, Okoye believes he is gradually winning people over even if he knows he still has much to do.

"I've experienced for myself that playing for a club and then for your country is a whole other thing. I don't see myself as the Nigeria's number one yet, I have to work on a lot of things before I will be the undisputed number one."

Unforgettable debut

His 2019 debut was in a friendly against Brazil and saw him come on a substitute, while still playing for Fortuna Düsseldorf's second team, to face Gabriel Jesus, Richarlison and others.

"It felt almost unreal. We played a match in Singapore against Brazil, which was part of their friendly tour," he said.

"Francis Uzoho got injured so I had to do a quick warm-up together with the other reserve keeper, Ikechukwu Ezenwa. It was either him or me.


Maduka Okoye made his debut for Nigeria in a friendly against Brazil in 2019

"I had to go for it, but I was nervous at first, and there were a lot of things going through my mind. However, as soon as I set foot on the field, it was like any other match."

He passed it with flying colours, conceding no goals as the game ended 1-1, the score when he came on with just under half an hour to play.

Okoye had come to Rohr's attention through Fortuna's then managing director of sport Lutz Pfannenstiel, who is not only a former professional goalkeeper but also has extensive links with Africa.

His success with Fortuna II secured a move to Dutch top-flight side Sparta Rotterdam in 2020 and at the end of his first full season, he was voted the fans' Player of the Season.

Now he is hoping he can earn similar support from the Nigeria fans, believing the upcoming 2022 World Cup qualifiers and January's Africa Cup of Nations finals will give him that chance.

"We have to do our job and qualify," he added. "I take everything step-by-step and continue my hard work for Nigeria and enjoy every single minute on the pitch with the support of our fans.

"These tournaments are going to be a huge platform for players like me. My ultimate goal is to hopefully play in the Premier League.

"The most important thing for me now is that I can play my games as a number one and develop myself as a keeper, and that is something I can do in the Eredivisie at Sparta Rotterdam."

On Thursday, Nigeria - who lead Group C with six points from two games - host Central African Republic in Lagos before facing the same side again on Sunday.


https://www.bbc.com/sport/africa/58760471

Okoye has been dropped for tomorrow's match against CAR due to late arrival in camp. He arrived late for the previous match against Liberia and it seems Rohr has had enough.
Francis Uzoho is expected to start.

For the past two days, I've noticed (with disdain) some brown envelope journalism (BEJ) articles aimed to portray Okoye in a negative light. Who are these people behind this desperate move? For example, you just said that, he arrived late for the previous match against Liberia; and that's a big lie bro. The Super Eagles camp opened in Lagos on August 29 for the Liberia clash. He arrived the next day August 30, 2021 with majority of the players .

[Bigpokey24]

see how decent the pitch looks, come match day the pathetic broadcast cameras go show us old school HDs

[iworo]

Meet Super Eagles new invite, Calvin Bassey

[iworo]

Super Eagles Manager, Gernot Rohr and team invitee Taiwo Awoniyi speak to Timeline News concerning the upcoming Match Day 3 African Qualifiers for the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup to be played in Lagos on Thursday October 7, 2022.

[iworo]

[Dammy]

Nigeria's Okoye: 'They found it impossible to believe I had talent'

By Pieter Stroink van Eizenga
Football Writer, The Netherlands



Maduka Okqoye is hoping that October's back-to-back 2022 World Cup qualifiers against Central African Republic will help him to cement his role as Nigeria's first-choice goalkeeper and win over his doubters.

The Sparta Rotterdam stopper, 22, has started five of the Super Eagles' seven games this year, to take his total to 10 caps since his debut in 2019.

Germany-born Okoye has been on Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr's radar since playing in Germany with Fortuna Düsseldorf's under-19 team, and he is aware that some fans and media initially questioned his credentials.

"In the beginning, they (the critics) doubted me a lot," he told BBC Sport Africa. "When I played in the German lower leagues, they found it impossible to believe I had talent.

"Now there are fewer doubters; the higher you play at club level, the more they will respect you."

After some fine displays in the Dutch Eredivisie, Okoye believes he is gradually winning people over even if he knows he still has much to do.

"I've experienced for myself that playing for a club and then for your country is a whole other thing. I don't see myself as the Nigeria's number one yet, I have to work on a lot of things before I will be the undisputed number one."

Unforgettable debut

His 2019 debut was in a friendly against Brazil and saw him come on a substitute, while still playing for Fortuna Düsseldorf's second team, to face Gabriel Jesus, Richarlison and others.

"It felt almost unreal. We played a match in Singapore against Brazil, which was part of their friendly tour," he said.

"Francis Uzoho got injured so I had to do a quick warm-up together with the other reserve keeper, Ikechukwu Ezenwa. It was either him or me.


Maduka Okoye made his debut for Nigeria in a friendly against Brazil in 2019

"I had to go for it, but I was nervous at first, and there were a lot of things going through my mind. However, as soon as I set foot on the field, it was like any other match."

He passed it with flying colours, conceding no goals as the game ended 1-1, the score when he came on with just under half an hour to play.

Okoye had come to Rohr's attention through Fortuna's then managing director of sport Lutz Pfannenstiel, who is not only a former professional goalkeeper but also has extensive links with Africa.

His success with Fortuna II secured a move to Dutch top-flight side Sparta Rotterdam in 2020 and at the end of his first full season, he was voted the fans' Player of the Season.

Now he is hoping he can earn similar support from the Nigeria fans, believing the upcoming 2022 World Cup qualifiers and January's Africa Cup of Nations finals will give him that chance.

"We have to do our job and qualify," he added. "I take everything step-by-step and continue my hard work for Nigeria and enjoy every single minute on the pitch with the support of our fans.

"These tournaments are going to be a huge platform for players like me. My ultimate goal is to hopefully play in the Premier League.

"The most important thing for me now is that I can play my games as a number one and develop myself as a keeper, and that is something I can do in the Eredivisie at Sparta Rotterdam."

On Thursday, Nigeria - who lead Group C with six points from two games - host Central African Republic in Lagos before facing the same side again on Sunday.


https://www.bbc.com/sport/africa/58760471

Okoye has been dropped for tomorrow's match against CAR due to late arrival in camp. He arrived late for the previous match against Liberia and it seems Rohr has had enough.
Francis Uzoho is expected to start.

For the past two days, I've noticed (with disdain) some brown envelope journalism (BEJ) articles aimed to portray Okoye in a negative light. Who are these people behind this desperate move? For example, you just said that, he arrived late for the previous match against Liberia; and that's a big lie bro. The Super Eagles camp opened in Lagos on August 29 for the Liberia clash. He arrived the next day August 30, 2021 with majority of the players .

Go and check again! Uzoho and Akpeyi were in camp before him and Uzoho was in the A team in preparation for the match until Okoye showed up and he was moved into the A team. Anyway, we will know tomorrow and you may not agree with me but calling me a liar is taking things too far! This is just a forum where we pass on information gleaned from different sources. Don't be too desperate to prove a point!!

[iworo]

Nigeria's Okoye: 'They found it impossible to believe I had talent'

By Pieter Stroink van Eizenga
Football Writer, The Netherlands



Maduka Okqoye is hoping that October's back-to-back 2022 World Cup qualifiers against Central African Republic will help him to cement his role as Nigeria's first-choice goalkeeper and win over his doubters.

The Sparta Rotterdam stopper, 22, has started five of the Super Eagles' seven games this year, to take his total to 10 caps since his debut in 2019.

Germany-born Okoye has been on Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr's radar since playing in Germany with Fortuna Düsseldorf's under-19 team, and he is aware that some fans and media initially questioned his credentials.

"In the beginning, they (the critics) doubted me a lot," he told BBC Sport Africa. "When I played in the German lower leagues, they found it impossible to believe I had talent.

"Now there are fewer doubters; the higher you play at club level, the more they will respect you."

After some fine displays in the Dutch Eredivisie, Okoye believes he is gradually winning people over even if he knows he still has much to do.

"I've experienced for myself that playing for a club and then for your country is a whole other thing. I don't see myself as the Nigeria's number one yet, I have to work on a lot of things before I will be the undisputed number one."

Unforgettable debut

His 2019 debut was in a friendly against Brazil and saw him come on a substitute, while still playing for Fortuna Düsseldorf's second team, to face Gabriel Jesus, Richarlison and others.

"It felt almost unreal. We played a match in Singapore against Brazil, which was part of their friendly tour," he said.

"Francis Uzoho got injured so I had to do a quick warm-up together with the other reserve keeper, Ikechukwu Ezenwa. It was either him or me.


Maduka Okoye made his debut for Nigeria in a friendly against Brazil in 2019

"I had to go for it, but I was nervous at first, and there were a lot of things going through my mind. However, as soon as I set foot on the field, it was like any other match."

He passed it with flying colours, conceding no goals as the game ended 1-1, the score when he came on with just under half an hour to play.

Okoye had come to Rohr's attention through Fortuna's then managing director of sport Lutz Pfannenstiel, who is not only a former professional goalkeeper but also has extensive links with Africa.

His success with Fortuna II secured a move to Dutch top-flight side Sparta Rotterdam in 2020 and at the end of his first full season, he was voted the fans' Player of the Season.

Now he is hoping he can earn similar support from the Nigeria fans, believing the upcoming 2022 World Cup qualifiers and January's Africa Cup of Nations finals will give him that chance.

"We have to do our job and qualify," he added. "I take everything step-by-step and continue my hard work for Nigeria and enjoy every single minute on the pitch with the support of our fans.

"These tournaments are going to be a huge platform for players like me. My ultimate goal is to hopefully play in the Premier League.

"The most important thing for me now is that I can play my games as a number one and develop myself as a keeper, and that is something I can do in the Eredivisie at Sparta Rotterdam."

On Thursday, Nigeria - who lead Group C with six points from two games - host Central African Republic in Lagos before facing the same side again on Sunday.


https://www.bbc.com/sport/africa/58760471

Okoye has been dropped for tomorrow's match against CAR due to late arrival in camp. He arrived late for the previous match against Liberia and it seems Rohr has had enough.
Francis Uzoho is expected to start.

For the past two days, I've noticed (with disdain) some brown envelope journalism (BEJ) articles aimed to portray Okoye in a negative light. Who are these people behind this desperate move? For example, you just said that, he arrived late for the previous match against Liberia; and that's a big lie bro. The Super Eagles camp opened in Lagos on August 29 for the Liberia clash. He arrived the next day August 30, 2021 with majority of the players .

Go and check again! Uzoho and Akpeyi were in camp before him and Uzoho was in the A team in preparation for the match until Okoye showed up and he was moved into the A team. Anyway, we will know tomorrow and you may not agree with me but calling me a liar is taking things too far! This is just a forum where we pass on information gleaned from different sources. Don't be too desperate to prove a point!!

Dammy, I’m sorry if I offended you, but that wasn't my intention. I probably should have used the word "not factual" instead of "lie"...Again, I apologized. Yes, Uzoho and Akpeyi were in camp before him (and several other players) on Monday morning August 30, 2021, but he came in with other players in the evening that same day. So, my point or question is, how does that amount to "he arrived late for the previous match against Liberia"?

[fabio]

For the past two days, I've noticed (with disdain) some brown envelope journalism (BEJ) articles aimed to portray Okoye in a negative light. Who are these people behind this desperate move? For example, you just said that, he arrived late for the previous match against Liberia; and that's a big lie bro. The Super Eagles camp opened in Lagos on August 29 for the Liberia clash. He arrived the next day August 30, 2021 with majority of the players .

Not holding brief for Dammy! Dammy is the no 1 supporter of Okoye on CE!

[tedder89]

Can't recall if he was late last time but if he was then I don't blame Rohr....

Aribo was late last time too but was in on Monday for this game.......given the fact that we will only have 2 training sessions at most before tomorrow, every hour counts

Late Sunday night away game vs PSV Eindhoven.
Missed his KLM flight on Monday morning to Lagos.
Arrived camp on Tuesday evening.

But what is his excuse for arriving late? Did he have a late game for his club? Some excuses are warranted.

[Enugu II]

Late Sunday night away game vs PSV Eindhoven.
Missed his KLM flight on Monday morning to Lagos.
Arrived camp on Tuesday evening.

But what is his excuse for arriving late? Did he have a late game for his club? Some excuses are warranted.

Otitokoro

Thanks for the info.

Missing his flight is on him. I can understand if the Manager decides to bench him.

[iworo]

'It's not professional' - Rohr launches scathing attack on Super Eagles GK Okoye



Nigeria manager Gernot Rohr was highly critical of Maduka Okoye during the pre-match press conference on Wednesday, a day before the Super Eagles face off with Central African Republic in a 2022 World Cup qualifier.

Allnigeriasoccer.com suggested yesterday that the Sparta Rotterdam glovesman was at risk of losing his spot in the Super Eagles starting XI due to his late arrival in camp and Rohr has confirmed as much .

The Franco-German manager questioned the professionalism of Okoye and his commitment to the national team cause after missing his flight to Lagos.

It is reflected in the statistics that the German-born goalie had been one of the untouchable players in the Super Eagles, starting all but one of the last ten games played by the Super Eagles A team, but could find himself on the bench for the first time since November 17, 2019 on Thursday.

Speaking at the briefing monitored by allnigeriasoccer.com, Rohr said : "The late arrival of Maduka, he arrived in the night only. He missed his flight, I am not happy about it, it's not professional.

"I am not sure that he will start the game, we have two other goalkeepers.

"Everybody believes that it will be an easy victory, it's not an easy match and when players are arriving late like this it is not helping us when we say we have to be serious.

"He did one training session this morning in the gym, then he will do another training session this afternoon.

"I spoke with him, he knows that it is not good, they were trying to have a good flight for him to come early he missed it.

"They have to learn to be really serious when they come to the national team."

Okoye, the youngest of the three goalkeepers named in the 23-man list, made his senior debut for the Super Eagles in an international friendly against Brazil in October 2019.

https://www.allnigeriasoccer.com/read_n ... ?nid=41293

[Cmoke]

Ezoho is starting

[maceo4]

Ezoho is starting

Who? Lol

[Mr Shows]

No sweat it is all good. Now Uzoho has to try and lock down the shirt and have Okoye fight to get it back. This is the kind of competition we need right across team. Taiwo Awoniyi is likely to give Osimhen a run for his money too, as Rohr is unlikely to play them both at the same time. Players just need to grab their opportunities with both hands..

[iworo]

[iworo]

[maceo4]

Nice one, we‘ll miss all this once Pinnick gets his way and the team is majority foreign born.

[Otitokoro]

YAAAAAWWWNNNNN!!!!!

Nice one, we‘ll miss all this once Pinnick gets his way and the team is majority foreign born.

[maceo4]

YAAAAAWWWNNNNN!!!!!

Nice one, we‘ll miss all this once Pinnick gets his way and the team is majority foreign born.

Go find bed…haba

[theDunamis]

Nice one, we‘ll miss all this once Pinnick gets his way and the team is majority foreign born.

May no one discriminate against you and yours the way you are discriminating against others for something they had no control over.

[Damunk]

Nice one, we‘ll miss all this once Pinnick gets his way and the team is majority foreign born.

May no one discriminate against you and yours the way you are discriminating against others for something they had no control over.

Amen o!

[fabio]

Nice one, we‘ll miss all this once Pinnick gets his way and the team is majority foreign born.

May no one discriminate against you and yours the way you are discriminating against others for something they had no control over.

Amen o!

You understand the premise of his statement and it was what we discussed on the last CE zoom call.... Why are 'foreign born' (a term I don't like) given preference and opportunities in the SE.

[Tobi17]

Nice one, we‘ll miss all this once Pinnick gets his way and the team is majority foreign born.

Maceo4 you be correct guy but I expect better from you... I can't believe you engage yourself in this foreign born vs local nonsense (though I understand the premise you're coming from) but it's just very stale and unnecessary at this point... What makes you more Nigerian than those so called "foreign born" kids? make una stop all this childish inanities already, you're too enlightened for all of that.