ARE OUR EAGLES SUPER ONCE AGAIN?
The Nigerian football team AKA The Super Eagles of Nigeria as they are fondly addressed round the world of sports have been a shadow of itself for quite a while. Well, nothing better can be said of a team that won the 2013 AFCON (African Cup of Nations) and went on to Fail to qualify for the next AFCON competition in 2015, oh yea...They failed to even get a chance to defend their title. It dint stop there, they also failed to qualify for the next AFCON competition coming up in 2017.
Okay, thats just for on-field records, off the field the super eagles have been hitting the news for the wrong reasons. Issues such as frequent change of coaches, embezzlement of funds allocated to the football federation, a coach who spent just 30 days in office before resigning (why he resigned, we don’t know), and the worst news of all – I think, it’s when we were to go for Olympics and needed funds to make the appearance at the 2016 Olympics at brazil but our beloved president said there is no money to support the team to go for the competition. Rumours of a single player funding the national team, paying other players and taking care of their logistics came up. A Japanese Forbes-rich business man felt pity for the eagles’ situations and awarded them with 390,000 us dollars (156,000,000 Naira) at least that gave our footballers hope that even if they aren’t recognized by our own people that people round the world recognized them for their efforts.
More Bad news kept springing up about our dear team, not to mention the sudden demise of 2 icons in Nigerian football- Stephen okechukwu Keshi and Amodu Shuaib who were also former coaches of the team.
Nigerian football fans distanced themselves from the TV screens whenever our national team was on duty, am guessing they got tired of mishaps, bad news, poor results and the rest of them.
Enough said about our bad times, it can go on for as many pages as possible. The saying that youths are the leaders of tomorrow however has come into play today in Nigerian football. Over the past 3 years the development of young Nigerian footballers round the world has been good and could it be that we have started reaping the results?
The English premier league boasts the development of a number of them. Manchester city with kelechiiheanacho, Arsenal with Iwobi (nephew to jay jayokocha), Chelsea with Obi John Mikel, Victor Moses and Kenneth Omeruo, Leicester city with Ahmed Musa, Watford with OdionIghalo and Isaac Success. Other leagues round the world boasts development and utilization of Nigerian talent in football as most of our stars ply their trade in other foreign leagues (Italy, Spain, Germany etc)
The most outstanding figures on the list are Iwobi and Iheanacho (who are also in contention for European golden boy award). Watching them play in the green strip for the eagles has reignited Nigerian football fans round the country. Also the new foreign coach who seems to have got his tactics right in his recent displays gives us hope for the better. Talk more of the new attitude of the all the players led by their captain Obi John Mikel, their attitude towards the game have been patriotic and brilliant with a new fighting spirit to compete at all fronts.
As we take on the huge task of qualifying for the World cup (Russia 2018), huge because we are in no easy group (Algeria, Cameroon and Zambia). It is this new attitude, youth bright displays, good results and increased support from the federal government towards sports football fans need to keep seeing as we continue the quest to re-invent our national team.
So, are our eagles super once again? We cannot answer certainly for now. But one thing is clear; there is hope for the future.
AFTER THE BREAK
The frenzy that comes with football round the world is something else in this our generation. Well, not just any football. The football taking the whole world is the club football.This past week, all teams went on a break, popularly known as international break. This is the time when club stars jet back to their home countries to represent them at international fixtures (qualifiers, friendlies etc.). Any good observer should have noticed the less number of people at sport bars, chill outs and match viewing centres.
For club football freaks, it would have been a long and boring week without having to relax and watch their favourite clubs play football.
Well, it was a nice international break week for some football fans who also love country football as a lot happened in country football over the past week. But you have to agree with me that its club football that generates the most frenzy.
Okay AFTER THE BREAK came the club football, and opposite from the upper weekend, this weekend had a lot of juice in it for football fanatics round the world. Read further to see how it all happened this past weekend.
HOW IT ALL WENT DOWN THIS WEEKEND
How did your favourite team perform this past weekend?
As usual, there were wins and losses, as it’s a game and not everyone can win.
RESULTS IN ENGLAND
Last weekend in the English premier league, we saw a lot happen, lunch time kick off on Saturday saw Chelsea trash Leicester 3-0 , just before we forget, Leicester city are the current English champions and this is their 4th defeat of the season already. Is this the perfect defence to their tittle?
AFC Bournemouth overcame Hull city with 6 goals to 1, arsenal narrowly swept the 3 points against Swansea, league leaders dint have a good result yet again as they were held by Ronald Koeman’s Everton. West ham did a good job away to crystal palace as they won 1-0, Tottenham were held to a 1-1 draw by west Bromwich and stoke trashed Sunderland 2-0
RESULTS IN SPAIN
In an interesting laliga weekend, the spotlights were on the big boys,real Madrid as they travelled real betis home and trashed them in a 6-1 win, Barcelona as they dumped Deportivola Coruna 4-0, Villareal as they overcame celtavigo 5-0 and diegosimeone’s men atletico Madrid, as they trashed Granada 7-1.
RESULTS IN GERMANY
Over here in Germany, the big boys were held to draws each, as borussia Dortmund were held by hertha berlin in a 1-1 draw and Bayern munich were held in a 2-2 draw with either Frankfurt
RESULTS IN ITALY
Mixed emotions in Italy as Napoli lost at home to AS Roma, juventus overcame udinese 2-1 in a tight game, AC Milan kept all 3 points as they won at chievo’s ground.
AFC Bournemouth overcame Hull city with 6 goals to 1, arsenal narrowly swept the 3 points against Swansea, league leaders dint have a good result yet again as they were held by Ronald Koeman’s Everton. West ham did a good job away to crystal palace as they won 1-0, Tottenham were held to a 1-1 draw by west Bromwich and stoke trashed Sunderland 2-0
RESULTS IN SPAIN
In an interesting laliga weekend, the spotlights were on the big boys,real Madrid as they travelled real betis home and trashed them in a 6-1 win, Barcelona as they dumped Deportivola Coruna 4-0, Villareal as they overcame celtavigo 5-0 and diegosimeone’s men atletico Madrid, as they trashed Granada 7-1.
RESULTS IN GERMANY
Over here in Germany, the big boys were held to draws each, as borussia Dortmund were held by hertha berlin in a 1-1 draw and Bayern munich were held in a 2-2 draw with either Frankfurt
RESULTS IN ITALY
Mixed emotions in Italy as Napoli lost at home to AS Roma, juventus overcame udinese 2-1 in a tight game, AC Milan kept all 3 points as they won at chievo’s ground.
HURRAY THE WEEKEND CONTINUES!
Thanks to the introduction of Monday Night Football, MNF, the feelings of the weekend are extended into the new week.
This week’s edition of MNF sees a fierce game go down as Liverpool take on Manchester united.
Thanks to the introduction of Monday Night Football, MNF, the feelings of the weekend are extended into the new week.
This week’s edition of MNF sees a fierce game go down as Liverpool take on Manchester united.
RED RIVALRY IN MNF
Just as I said, we are going to witness a very big clash of the football season as Liverpool take on Manchester united at Anfield later tis evening at 8pm (local time).
In as much as it’s a battle of players and goals, we must recon that it’s a battle of TACTICS, as we witness JurgenKlopp go head to head with Jose Mourinho.
The 2 coaches are regarded as among the best in the game, both with the winning mentality, tactical prowess, passions for the game and touchline antics. It would surely be an interesting sight to see how both managers would fare at the dug-outs.
Meanwhile, after the whole Monday work-mode thing, crappy traffic, and stressful day, we can all relax to the good MNF that awaits us. Enjoy!
Just as I said, we are going to witness a very big clash of the football season as Liverpool take on Manchester united at Anfield later tis evening at 8pm (local time).
In as much as it’s a battle of players and goals, we must recon that it’s a battle of TACTICS, as we witness JurgenKlopp go head to head with Jose Mourinho.
The 2 coaches are regarded as among the best in the game, both with the winning mentality, tactical prowess, passions for the game and touchline antics. It would surely be an interesting sight to see how both managers would fare at the dug-outs.
Meanwhile, after the whole Monday work-mode thing, crappy traffic, and stressful day, we can all relax to the good MNF that awaits us. Enjoy!
AS IT STANDS
Many football fans round the world are on the edge, while some are very happy with the way their teams have responded to the new season.
On this as it stands column we would show you all the teams as they stand especially after an eventful football weekend.
Good luck checking where your team is currently placed.Lol
ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Many football fans round the world are on the edge, while some are very happy with the way their teams have responded to the new season.
On this as it stands column we would show you all the teams as they stand especially after an eventful football weekend.
Good luck checking where your team is currently placed.Lol
ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE
SPANISH LA LIGA
GERMAN BUNDESLIGA
ITALIAN SERIE A
Kudos to all you football fans whose teams are where you want them to be, to others doing not so well, there is room for improvement, changes and surprises as this is still a very long football season. And remember, THIS IS FOOTBALL,ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN!
ITALIAN SERIE A
Kudos to all you football fans whose teams are where you want them to be, to others doing not so well, there is room for improvement, changes and surprises as this is still a very long football season. And remember, THIS IS FOOTBALL,ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN!
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