OFFICIAL SQUAD AGAINST GHANA RELEASED

[sabb]

Sabb.


It is time we call a spade a SPADE. You are really writing about central midfielders and not midfielders in general. Let that be clear. There is a decided difference.

Are there midfielders on that list. Yes. A TON OF THEM are listed. Many are widefielders and for areason because Egu chooses to use the wide areas. Moses Simon is a wide midfielder. Chukwueze is and there are others.

Let that be clear.

Now if you choose to write on CENTRAL midfielders then perhaps you have a debate. But there is none to be had if you are writing about midfielders in general. There are a ton of them listed.

Moses Simon is a forward in the modern game. It'd be passé to consider him a midfielder.

The squad has 4 midfielders. The likes of Musa, Amoo, Chukwueze, Simon are wide forwards.

5 with Shehu…

Four.

Shehu is a back up to Aina.

Four specialist midfielders.

I’m not sure I get your point, Shehu is a central midfielder for his club and utility player for SE, so is an extra midfielder when required. I agree we are thin in CMs and should try others, but I’m not sure it’s this kind of game where we should be giving trials…that’s probably the coaches mindset as well. But trust and believe if we need a midfielder and Aina is also out, it would be Awaziem stepping in for Aina and Shehu stepping into midfield. His versatility is probably why he gets selected so often.

Shehu has played once at central midfield for his club this season, and about 20 times at RB.

If Ejaria was fit and in form I'd like to see him in the squad. Certainly one of the midfielders I mentioned earlier could have made the squad.

Utility player yet was never called up for the ACN and rarely plays in midfielder for the SE, even when Ndidi was out, a CB was preferred so don't know why he would deputise all of a sudden. I can't remember the last time the SE midfield has controlled a game and am not talking of counter attack, when your CB is the outlet for passes to your FW then the midfield has huge problems. Ndidi is the only midfielder that gets praise most time and he is a DM, the SE need to start using its midfielders and let the FW fight for the 2 positions available.

we have 3 strikers - Victor, Sadiq and Ighalo
FW - Musa, Simon, Chuks, Dennis, Lookman, Nacho (hybrid)

What do we need 3 strikers for then 6 FW
We should be able to sacrifice at least 2 from the above for midfielders

[maceo4]

Sabb.


It is time we call a spade a SPADE. You are really writing about central midfielders and not midfielders in general. Let that be clear. There is a decided difference.

Are there midfielders on that list. Yes. A TON OF THEM are listed. Many are widefielders and for areason because Egu chooses to use the wide areas. Moses Simon is a wide midfielder. Chukwueze is and there are others.

Let that be clear.

Now if you choose to write on CENTRAL midfielders then perhaps you have a debate. But there is none to be had if you are writing about midfielders in general. There are a ton of them listed.

Moses Simon is a forward in the modern game. It'd be passé to consider him a midfielder.

The squad has 4 midfielders. The likes of Musa, Amoo, Chukwueze, Simon are wide forwards.

5 with Shehu…

Four.

Shehu is a back up to Aina.

Four specialist midfielders.

I’m not sure I get your point, Shehu is a central midfielder for his club and utility player for SE, so is an extra midfielder when required. I agree we are thin in CMs and should try others, but I’m not sure it’s this kind of game where we should be giving trials…that’s probably the coaches mindset as well. But trust and believe if we need a midfielder and Aina is also out, it would be Awaziem stepping in for Aina and Shehu stepping into midfield. His versatility is probably why he gets selected so often.

Shehu has played once at central midfield for his club this season, and about 20 times at RB.

If Ejaria was fit and in form I'd like to see him in the squad. Certainly one of the midfielders I mentioned earlier could have made the squad.

Utility player yet was never called up for the ACN and rarely plays in midfielder for the SE, even when Ndidi was out, a CB was preferred so don't know why he would deputise all of a sudden. I can't remember the last time the SE midfield has controlled a game and am not talking of counter attack, when your CB is the outlet for passes to your FW then the midfield has huge problems. Ndidi is the only midfielder that gets praise most time and he is a DM, the SE need to start using its midfielders and let the FW fight for the 2 positions available.

we have 3 strikers - Victor, Sadiq and Ighalo
FW - Musa, Simon, Chuks, Dennis, Lookman, Nacho (hybrid)

What do we need 3 strikers for then 6 FW
We should be able to sacrifice at least 2 from the above for midfielders

Bruh, what are you going on about? He was called for the AFCON and had to be replaced because he was injured. He’s come in and played both as a CM and RB for the SE. He is a midfield “option” keyword option. I’m not even sure why this FACT is an argument, you guys can make your point without being disingenuous. You don’t like him, fine, you don’t think he’s a good option there, fine…but doesn’t change the fact that he’s a CM option nonetheless…he can also deputize at RB just like Awaziem (whose also probably played most of his games for SE at RB) but we don’t call him a RB only, he’s an option at CB and RB.

[Lolly]

Colin Udoh said on his Twitter space today that there are 2/3 names on the list that the coaches had nothing to do with. They came from above.

Sad and pathetic but not surprising

And there are one or two names on the list that the coaches are fully responsible for. They all do it.

[Tobi17]

Colin Udoh said on his Twitter space today that there are 2/3 names on the list that the coaches had nothing to do with. They came from above.

Sad and pathetic but not surprising

And there are one or two names on the list that the coaches are fully responsible for. They all do it.

This guy lol... Smh

[Lolly]

Anyone know why Ndah is not in the squad?
I thought Egu was very keen on him and he had a fairly good AFCON.

Your last sentence is puzzling lol, he played like 15 or so minutes all tournament…Balogun is back along with Bassey’s inclusion, I don’t see the need for Ndah…

And you believe Bassey deserves a spot ahead of Ndah? How so?

[Cellular]

Now this the reason why ppl will call for a foreign coach with backbone….

Shehu, Musa(thought he retired), Ighalo, Onazi has no business with the SE….

Not with the likes of Ejuke, Awoniyi, Onuachu, Ebuehi Awaziem around….

Until this rubbish stops….the SE is going nowhere

To be honest. It starts with a strong and honest leader or head….Pinnick is a self centered egomaniac….

Won’t be surprised if we don’t qualify….

They were even bragging about imposing Musa on our last FC so I doubt that’s the answer. Issue is the NFF period.

Some people get an extra hard stiffy when it comes to LCs.

[vancity eagle]

Also, someone sensible needs to call Akpoguma and talk to him. Yes he said he won’t honor call ups post Rohr but that’s sentiments….someone needs to sit him down and convince him of the project…

Wow.
Did he actually say this?

same Rohr that dissed him for the likes of Shehu.

I am wondering why Akpoguma would be so defensive of Rohr. YOu would think he might get a serious look in with a new coach.

Anyways are these claims even verified ?

[1naija]

Lots of professional complainers on this board. Is this not practically the same squad most people have been listing here the past few months? 90% of the list that were flooded here had Lookman and Dennis on it. Now they are on the team and the same people are still complaining.

Most of us listed Osimhen, Nacho, Ighalo, and Sadiq as out top 4 forwards. They are included in the squad, yet you are still complaining.

None of the people on the standby list is significantly better than the players the main sqaud at their positions. Yet you complain.

Tufiakwa!!

[vancity eagle]

Now this the reason why ppl will call for a foreign coach with backbone….

Shehu, Musa(thought he retired), Ighalo, Onazi has no business with the SE….

Not with the likes of Ejuke, Awoniyi, Onuachu, Ebuehi Awaziem around….

Until this rubbish stops….the SE is going nowhere

To be honest. It starts with a strong and honest leader or head….Pinnick is a self centered egomaniac….

Won’t be surprised if we don’t qualify….

They were even bragging about imposing Musa on our last FC so I doubt that’s the answer. Issue is the NFF period.

KPOM

I kept reminding people that Pinnick bragged about this

the issue was not Rohr, and it is not Egu

frankly it is about which coach will bend over the most to the NFF.

I remember owngoal bringing up Onazi months ago and we all just blew it off as "fake news"

Well turns out there was fire to that smoke.

I dont understand this NFF

On the one hand they are taking a pro-active approach to bringing in foreign born players (Lookman, Ejaria, Aina, Iwobi, Akpoguma, Okoye)

For this I commend them

on the other hand they seem dead set on making sure certain old and junk players remain permanent members of the squad (Musa, Shehu, Ighalo, Onazi)

I find it hard to believe that its the same people behind both decisions, because they seem very contradictory.

[Tobi17]

Also, someone sensible needs to call Akpoguma and talk to him. Yes he said he won’t honor call ups post Rohr but that’s sentiments….someone needs to sit him down and convince him of the project…

Wow.
Did he actually say this?

same Rohr that dissed him for the likes of Shehu.

I am wondering why Akpoguma would be so defensive of Rohr. YOu would think he might get a serious look in with a new coach.

Anyways are these claims even verified ?

Like they say, there's no smoke without fire... I remember a report not too long ago about certain players who felt disenfranchised by Rohrs sacking and wanted out, maybe Akpoguma is one of them?

[Tobi17]

Now this the reason why ppl will call for a foreign coach with backbone….

Shehu, Musa(thought he retired), Ighalo, Onazi has no business with the SE….

Not with the likes of Ejuke, Awoniyi, Onuachu, Ebuehi Awaziem around….

Until this rubbish stops….the SE is going nowhere

To be honest. It starts with a strong and honest leader or head….Pinnick is a self centered egomaniac….

Won’t be surprised if we don’t qualify….

They were even bragging about imposing Musa on our last FC so I doubt that’s the answer. Issue is the NFF period.

KPOM

I kept reminding people that Pinnick bragged about this

the issue was not Rohr, and it is not Egu

frankly it is about which coach will bend over the most to the NFF.

I remember owngoal bringing up Onazi months ago and we all just blew it off as "fake news"

Well turns out there was fire to that smoke.

I dont understand this NFF

On the one hand they are taking a pro-active approach to bringing in foreign born players (Lookman, Ejaria, Aina, Iwobi, Akpoguma, Okoye)

For this I commend them

on the other hand they seem dead set on making sure certain old and junk players remain permanent members of the squad (Musa, Shehu, Ighalo, Onazi)

I find it hard to believe that its the same people behind both decisions, because they seem very contradictory.

The call up of Onazi is simply criminal and should be roundly called out by every Nigerian football loving fan, don't get me wrong I like Onazi and I'll always be grateful for his tenacious services to the NT, but for goodness sake this guy has been finished like since 2014 and is just playing recreational football to pass time at some Saudi Arabian div 2 club!!! ... it's utterly odd, random and inexplicable why anyone would suggest Onazi to the coaches, like even if we had to go down the route of calling up done and dusted players, wouldn't it have made more sense to call up a player like Victor Moses who still has some quality in his tank? so many questions MUST be answered by the higher-ups in the NFF if we fail to secure the WC ticket, no angel* will come and politicize a sport that we love so much.

[maceo4]

Anyone know why Ndah is not in the squad?
I thought Egu was very keen on him and he had a fairly good AFCON.

Your last sentence is puzzling lol, he played like 15 or so minutes all tournament…Balogun is back along with Bassey’s inclusion, I don’t see the need for Ndah…

And you believe Bassey deserves a spot ahead of Ndah? How so?

The coach apparently does. I just found it funny that 15 mins in a dead rubber game all tournament could be termed as having a fairly good tournament that’s all.

[vancity eagle]

Sabb.


It is time we call a spade a SPADE. You are really writing about central midfielders and not midfielders in general. Let that be clear. There is a decided difference.

Are there midfielders on that list. Yes. A TON OF THEM are listed. Many are widefielders and for areason because Egu chooses to use the wide areas. Moses Simon is a wide midfielder. Chukwueze is and there are others.

Let that be clear.

Now if you choose to write on CENTRAL midfielders then perhaps you have a debate. But there is none to be had if you are writing about midfielders in general. There are a ton of them listed.

Moses Simon is a forward in the modern game. It'd be passé to consider him a midfielder.

The squad has 4 midfielders. The likes of Musa, Amoo, Chukwueze, Simon are wide forwards.

5 with Shehu…

Four.

Shehu is a back up to Aina.

Four specialist midfielders.

I’m not sure I get your point, Shehu is a central midfielder for his club and utility player for SE, so is an extra midfielder when required. I agree we are thin in CMs and should try others, but I’m not sure it’s this kind of game where we should be giving trials…that’s probably the coaches mindset as well. But trust and believe if we need a midfielder and Aina is also out, it would be Awaziem stepping in for Aina and Shehu stepping into midfield. His versatility is probably why he gets selected so often.

Shehu has played once at central midfield for his club this season, and about 20 times at RB.

If Ejaria was fit and in form I'd like to see him in the squad. Certainly one of the midfielders I mentioned earlier could have made the squad.

Utility player yet was never called up for the ACN and rarely plays in midfielder for the SE, even when Ndidi was out, a CB was preferred so don't know why he would deputise all of a sudden. I can't remember the last time the SE midfield has controlled a game and am not talking of counter attack, when your CB is the outlet for passes to your FW then the midfield has huge problems. Ndidi is the only midfielder that gets praise most time and he is a DM, the SE need to start using its midfielders and let the FW fight for the 2 positions available.

we have 3 strikers - Victor, Sadiq and Ighalo
FW - Musa, Simon, Chuks, Dennis, Lookman, Nacho (hybrid)

What do we need 3 strikers for then 6 FW
We should be able to sacrifice at least 2 from the above for midfielders

please my friend why are you bothering to make sense.

I have been going on about lack of midfield for years, it all falls on deaf ears.

Now people are trying to pretend wide forwards are midfielders, and we wonder why we cannot control a game from the middle and create chances.

The clowns running things will destroy our football. And I am seeing it happen from a mile away.

[The YeyeMan]

He is a midfield “option” keyword option.

Cool. Let's include Ola Aina and Semi Ajayi as midfield "options" as well then. So we have seven midfield "options".

[maceo4]

He is a midfield “option” keyword option.

Cool. Let's include Ola Aina and Semi Ajayi as midfield "options" as well then. So we have seven midfield "options".

When has Ola Aina ever played midfield for the SE? You do realize Shehu has been a midfielder since youth days and his SE debut, it was at the 2016 Olympics that he was tried at RB because we lacked proper options and then started playing mainly there even for SE. But even since then he’s played more than a few games for SE in midfield. And yes Semi Ajayi is a midfield option for the SE.

[The YeyeMan]

He is a midfield “option” keyword option.

Cool. Let's include Ola Aina and Semi Ajayi as midfield "options" as well then. So we have seven midfield "options".

When has Ola Aina ever played midfield for the SE? You do realize Shehu has been a midfielder since youth days and his SE debut, it was at the 2016 Olympics that he was tried at RB because we lacked proper options and then started playing mainly there even for SE. But even since then he’s played more than a few games for SE in midfield. And yes Semi Ajayi is a midfield option for the SE.

Above you told us that Shehu plays midfield for his club (actually just once this season) so I'm including Aina in the mix as he's also played in midfield at club level.

So we have four midfielders and three "options".

[Damunk]

Anyone know why Ndah is not in the squad?
I thought Egu was very keen on him and he had a fairly good AFCON.

Your last sentence is puzzling lol, he played like 15 or so minutes all tournament…Balogun is back along with Bassey’s inclusion, I don’t see the need for Ndah…

And you believe Bassey deserves a spot ahead of Ndah? How so?

The coach apparently does. I just found it funny that 15 mins in a dead rubber game all tournament could be termed as having a fairly good tournament that’s all.

I didn’t realise it was just 15 mins.
The little I saw (which must have been the same 15 mins), he was quite impressive.
The shrining must have fooled me into believing he had much more playing time.
He had a whole thread started and dedicated to him that ran into a few pages.

[olu]

Btw, I notice Bright Osayi Samuel has been playing RB for Fenebahce lately even though he is traditionally a winger. Will have to watch him sometime. He may be an alternative at RB.

[Dammy]

Now this the reason why ppl will call for a foreign coach with backbone….

Shehu, Musa(thought he retired), Ighalo, Onazi has no business with the SE….

Not with the likes of Ejuke, Awoniyi, Onuachu, Ebuehi Awaziem around….

Until this rubbish stops….the SE is going nowhere

To be honest. It starts with a strong and honest leader or head….Pinnick is a self centered egomaniac….

Won’t be surprised if we don’t qualify….

They were even bragging about imposing Musa on our last FC so I doubt that’s the answer. Issue is the NFF period.

KPOM

I kept reminding people that Pinnick bragged about this

the issue was not Rohr, and it is not Egu

frankly it is about which coach will bend over the most to the NFF.

I remember owngoal bringing up Onazi months ago and we all just blew it off as "fake news"

Well turns out there was fire to that smoke.

I dont understand this NFF

On the one hand they are taking a pro-active approach to bringing in foreign born players (Lookman, Ejaria, Aina, Iwobi, Akpoguma, Okoye)

For this I commend them

on the other hand they seem dead set on making sure certain old and junk players remain permanent members of the squad (Musa, Shehu, Ighalo, Onazi)

I find it hard to believe that its the same people behind both decisions, because they seem very contradictory.

The call up of Onazi is simply criminal and should be roundly called out by every Nigerian football loving fan, don't get me wrong I like Onazi and I'll always be grateful for his tenacious services to the NT, but for goodness sake this guy has been finished like since 2014 and is just playing recreational football to pass time at some Saudi Arabian div 2 club!!! ... it's utterly odd, random and inexplicable why anyone would suggest Onazi to the coaches, like even if we had to go down the route of calling up done and dusted players, wouldn't it have made more sense to call up a player like Victor Moses who still has some quality in his tank? so many questions MUST be answered by the higher-ups in the NFF if we fail to secure the WC ticket, no angel* will come and politicize a sport that we love so much.

Greed will never allow us to learn. This was how Onigbinde carried a finished Mutiu Adepoju to the 2002 WC. I was at Loftus Road stadium for the final warm up game against Jamaica and it was obvious to everyone that Mutiu was over the hill. He was taken to the WC according to Onigbinde based on experience. An experience that didn't come off the bench throughout the tournament.

[maceo4]

He is a midfield “option” keyword option.

Cool. Let's include Ola Aina and Semi Ajayi as midfield "options" as well then. So we have seven midfield "options".

When has Ola Aina ever played midfield for the SE? You do realize Shehu has been a midfielder since youth days and his SE debut, it was at the 2016 Olympics that he was tried at RB because we lacked proper options and then started playing mainly there even for SE. But even since then he’s played more than a few games for SE in midfield. And yes Semi Ajayi is a midfield option for the SE.

Above you told us that Shehu plays midfield for his club (actually just once this season) so I'm including Aina in the mix as he's also played in midfield at club level.

So we have four midfielders and three "options".

Clearly you have no clue who Shehu is, he’s a midfielder that can play RB, so what if he’s played most of his games this season at RB for his club, is this his first season in the game? How about all the other seasons where he’s been mainly a midfielder, how is that similar to Aina who is strictly a full back or wing back for both club and country. Bro you are not making any sense…you are just arguing for arguing sake, Shehu has played CM multiple times for SE, debuted there in 2014 and played many games there and so is an option at the position, Aina has never played there for SE so what kind of stupidity is it in bringing Aina into this discourse?

[maceo4]

Anyone know why Ndah is not in the squad?
I thought Egu was very keen on him and he had a fairly good AFCON.

Your last sentence is puzzling lol, he played like 15 or so minutes all tournament…Balogun is back along with Bassey’s inclusion, I don’t see the need for Ndah…

And you believe Bassey deserves a spot ahead of Ndah? How so?

The coach apparently does. I just found it funny that 15 mins in a dead rubber game all tournament could be termed as having a fairly good tournament that’s all.

I didn’t realise it was just 15 mins.
The little I saw (which must have been the same 15 mins), he was quite impressive.
The shrining must have fooled me into believing he had much more playing time.
He had a whole thread started and dedicated to him that ran into a few pages.

Lol I was amused by that thread as well.

[The YeyeMan]

He is a midfield “option” keyword option.

Cool. Let's include Ola Aina and Semi Ajayi as midfield "options" as well then. So we have seven midfield "options".

When has Ola Aina ever played midfield for the SE? You do realize Shehu has been a midfielder since youth days and his SE debut, it was at the 2016 Olympics that he was tried at RB because we lacked proper options and then started playing mainly there even for SE. But even since then he’s played more than a few games for SE in midfield. And yes Semi Ajayi is a midfield option for the SE.

Above you told us that Shehu plays midfield for his club (actually just once this season) so I'm including Aina in the mix as he's also played in midfield at club level.

So we have four midfielders and three "options".

Clearly you have no clue who Shehu is, he’s a midfielder that can play RB, so what if he’s played most of his games this season at RB for his club, is this his first season in the game? How about all the other seasons where he’s been mainly a midfielder, how is that similar to Aina who is strictly a full back or wing back for both club and country. Bro you are not making any sense…you are just arguing for arguing sake, Shehu has played CM multiple times for SE, debuted there in 2014 and played many games there and so is an option at the position, Aina has never played there for SE so what kind of stupidity is it in bringing Aina into this discourse?

All this noise over a DEFENDER who's in the squad as back up to another DEFENDER and who's been deployed overwhelmingly in DEFENCE at right back for at least the past four seasons. If you think this is a genuine midfield option you're quite dim.

[maceo4]

He is a midfield “option” keyword option.

Cool. Let's include Ola Aina and Semi Ajayi as midfield "options" as well then. So we have seven midfield "options".

When has Ola Aina ever played midfield for the SE? You do realize Shehu has been a midfielder since youth days and his SE debut, it was at the 2016 Olympics that he was tried at RB because we lacked proper options and then started playing mainly there even for SE. But even since then he’s played more than a few games for SE in midfield. And yes Semi Ajayi is a midfield option for the SE.

Above you told us that Shehu plays midfield for his club (actually just once this season) so I'm including Aina in the mix as he's also played in midfield at club level.

So we have four midfielders and three "options".

Clearly you have no clue who Shehu is, he’s a midfielder that can play RB, so what if he’s played most of his games this season at RB for his club, is this his first season in the game? How about all the other seasons where he’s been mainly a midfielder, how is that similar to Aina who is strictly a full back or wing back for both club and country. Bro you are not making any sense…you are just arguing for arguing sake, Shehu has played CM multiple times for SE, debuted there in 2014 and played many games there and so is an option at the position, Aina has never played there for SE so what kind of stupidity is it in bringing Aina into this discourse?

All this noise over a DEFENDER who's in the squad as back up to another DEFENDER and who's been deployed overwhelmingly in DEFENCE at right back for at least the past four seasons. If you think this is a genuine midfield option you're quite dim.

Like I said you can think he’s not a good enough option but doesn’t change the fact that he’s an option and you are quite dim for trying to equate it to Aina lol…

And the funniest thing of this all is his last game for SE against Cape Verde he came into midfield to help to close out the game as we switched to 4 at the back with Awaziem at RB and Shehu at RCM