Amos Adamu: Eagles Have no Reason to Fail!

I have a lot of respect for Mr. Amos Adamu. But if baffles me when people start talking not because they actually have something useful to say but because they feel like being heard. Fortunately for them, they are well placed and so the media is at their beck and call. Amos Adamu just is gradually taking over the role of talking about anything and everything from Onigbinde.

I hate to say this. Onigbinde dose so much talking take one may be mislead to think success in football comes through much talk. Recently Amos Adamu, a man who is yet to give us a proper account of COJA spending is also following his footsteps. They seem to think that once they become members of either CAF or FIFA, they automatically are appointed custodians of our football even when they had failed woefully in the same task in the past.

Who said the Eagles have no reason to fail? Champions are never made in a day. If the NFA including Amos Adamu was serious about winning the ANC, then we should have started early enough to prepare. At this moment the NFA is still having rifts with the NFL. So much is going down there and you wonder how a house in crisis can suddenly re-organize for success in Ghana.

Just because Large sums of money (that may not even get to the players) have been released dose not mean everything that was wrong with the eagles is now fixed.
Champions start training to be champions immediately after a tournament. In essence the eagles should have assumed training for this championship two years ago. It is not just how much the players will get in monetary terms. The players state of mind is even more important. If a team don't think like champions, they can't be champions and that doesn't happen overnight.

Calabar Christmas Carnival 2007 In Pictures

The
Christmas festival as Usual was a site to behold again most especially, the sight of the former Governor Mr. Donald Duke and his Wife Mrs. Onari Duke set the stage for another interesting action packed Christmas Festival. It was really commendable especially being the inventor of the Calabar Christmas Festival. For how long this will continue, only time will tell. Meanwhile yours truely was there to take pics. I figured i may not be able to represent all the action of the festival in words so opted to bring all the fun to you in pics.



Ramsey Noah Poses for The Master Blaster Band

Ramsey Noah and Rita Dominic(King and Queen of the master Blaster Band)
Directly behind Rita Dominic was Pete Edochie . Behind Ramsey is Sen. Florence Ita Giwa

Passion 4 Band Representing Health Care In Africa

The Calabar Carnival Medical Team In Deliberation


Above is the Winners Of the Carnival show for the past two years.
This year's Winners were Bayside Band (The Ex-governors Band: They were a site to Behold)




This picture depicts the three major Diseases plaguing Africa ( AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria)

Uduak Nta Of YOHEDAP

This the Egyptian Tradition on Display

Some of the festival Clowns



Enoidem Ekoriko Of Female Rights Empowerment Organization (FERO) Having Fun with some of the clowns




This Brings back memories of Colonialism

The KIng And Queen of PAssion 4 Band

Depicting the Joy and Hope Independence Brought to Us

Making Money From Betting Online

When i started Naija football fans Forum, i never thought of a possibility of creating an online betting environment till I found out what some websites which i can not even describe as niche sites are doing. These Sites just create an environment for people to not just enjoy football or any game for that matter but turn it into a money spinner.

I was introduced to this system by Akin Alabi a very popular online marketer in Nigeria and a regular user of my forum. I decided to taste the waters and and i went into a voyage of discoveries.

Online betting has become some sort of industry that owners now rake in billions yearly. I am now thinking of starting one for my forum, maybe just to see how Nigerians respond to it and will be willing to get assistance from anyone who is interested and can help.

Currently i use Fonbet simply because they accept e-gold. Some accept just credit cards and Bank wire. However, you might not want to use your credit card details on a betting site. Others include bet356, 888 etc. Before joining try to find out their modus operandi. Taking time to go through some online casino reviewing sites to get information about them before starting can do you a lot of good. If your interested in just sports betting you are very well going to get the kind of information you desire. Here you will get objective opinion of reviewers and other people's comment. Need any help to start? Drop a comment here on on the forum.

Merry Christmas To All The Forum Members

Merry Christmas To All Fans Of This Beautiful Game

For Nigerians in General we are Sulking though about our failure to have a representative in the first five of CAF African Footballer of the year award. But when we look back in the year we still have a few thing to be happy about.
Winning the U-17 world Cup (Despite losing oach Yemi Tella sooon after), makes our year a worthwhile one.

The coming year will have a lot to say about what becomes of Nigerian football come 2010 world cup in South Africa. I'll leave this one for another days discussion.
For now let's Celebrate Christmas and also hope that the coming year offers us something good especially as we prepare for African Nations Cup in Ghana.

On Nigerian Football fans Forum

I wish to also use this opportunity to promise that this blog is going to be more frequently updated from now on, so a trip here on a daily bases will sure be one worthwhile.
The forum also has been arround for a year now and i also invite you to join our forum where everything and anything is on discussion. The forum with over 3000 members is Nigeria's first and Biggest Online Fan, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Barca, Madrid AC Milan, Inter fan, this is the forum with the highest conglomeration of football fans in Africa.

Meanwhile enjoy Chrsitmas and keeep it simple. Don't drink and drive. If you are travelling , please keep it at 100km/hr. Rather arrive late that be a Late. I have to run now. My girlfriend told me she'll be preparing Friend rice and grilled Chicken. I have been slivating for the past 3 days. Today is the D-day and I really have to run.

Real Madrid Consolidates Lead At Top After BEating Barcelona

Real Madrid continues a beatiful season yesterday by first of all making Barca seem like all the noise made in the transfer window in the summer was just for the sake of it. Babtista and Ruud boy ensured that.

A look at the kind of attack Barca presents sends the chills down an onlookers spine but yesterday we found out that, that is as far as it can get.

Loosing at at Nou Camp to Real for me is the high point of their fumbling as that has also ensured that Madrid now have a more comfortable lead of the La Liga table with 7 points.

Ronaldinho has become a shadow of his old self and no longer imposes himself on games as it used to be in the past.
If Messi dosen't click these days Barcelona dosen't seem to click too.
Dose these mean Barca is surrendering the title so early in the race to Madrid?

David Beckam Moves To Arsenal!

David Beckam’s Current move to Arsenal is viewed by many as another of Arsene Wenger’s tricks in the bag. Though according to Arsene , Beckam has come only to train with the team and get fit for England as he’s said to be desireable of a landmark 100 caps for rEngland . He’s said to currently have 99 caps. Arsene Wenger thinks Beckam can achieve 120 caps for England.

Could it really be true Wenger is trying to pull another fast one on us all?

Arsenal Faces Tough Quater Final With Ac Milan

I heard this news on BBC this evening and I was like waoh! what a game that will be! Last time it was Man U, now it's Arsenal. Heard Arsenal Wenger is traveling to Italy to watch the Milan Derby to watch how the team plays. According to him, he has to discover Milan's Euro Secret.
Man U and Liverpool also have a dificult game. But you'll agree with me Arsenal has got some work to do especially when you cast your mind back to the return Leg with Manchester United last season. Gatuso was a handful. Can Arsenal surprise us again? It might be the key for a possible run to the final like the last time. Last time, it was Juve they needed to beat to gain momentum that drove them to the final.

Carling Cup Fall-out: Benitez's Technique In Question

Again Rafa Benitez proved to us all that he's defficient in technique.Let's see the way it played out.Before Peter Crouch was red carded (A deserved red card), the game was balnaced even though Chelsea had scored a goal.But it was Benitez's place to make a tactical chanllenge in order to cushion the effect but he once again failed to make the right change.
Veronin was the only person close to a striker left for Liverpool. I imagined Benitez needed a real striker to come in for a midfielder to have a presence up front. Again before Crouch was red carded Liverpool choosed to keep the ball on the ground despite having a peter crouch upfront. He could get no real serve as chelsea defence ensured that.
I expected to see Benayoung come in quit alright but not to replace Babel. Liverpool could have done better with both players in the field. But Rafa choosed to subsitute Babel for Benayoung and the effect was even was than before the substitution.Someone has got to call RB to order, seems to me he's getting close to losing his job at Anfield.How long will Benitez's mistakes continue to make liverpool Lose matches?

Is Fabio Capello The Answer?

If you ask me i will say no. A big NO.
From my perspective, Fabio Capello has the knack of running into troubled water with world class footballers as well as players who love the lime light. In his reasoning it breeds indicipline and lack of dedication.
Examples exists in the case of David Beckham, Ronaldo Delima and a couple other players.
He also lacks the ability to manage people which is very critical in football success. His past records will make one jump to the conclusion he's a very technically sound coach which i don't dispute.

But Being a manager isn't only about being just sound with football techniques. In England you have to be able to manage the press. It is different from else where and English players as we all know thrive on press hype.

It will be a colossal task to change an age long tradition. His major problem will be with the press and the big name players in the English team.

In my opinion Jose Mourinho is the one coach who can handle that because he also loves the hype himself.
He knows how to use the press to achieve results. Playing mind games using the press just before a game has helped in the past to demoralise the opponents and gives him free ride.

Capello on the contrary thrives more in a quiet and eccentric working Environment which is not available in England.
To make matters worse key players in the English team has openly called for Mourinho to be signed as their next coach.
In the next few months, we'll see how it plays out. His relationship with Beckam, Terry, Lampard and Gerrard might be the key to his success because these are big names who love the limelight.

Why Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool won't Crash During African Nations Cup

Want to know why Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool will not be affected too much by African Nations Cup? Read this. First, Arsenal will lose 2 player not three as Adebayor won't be playing in ANC. Or are you counting Song? Song is useless even if he's available for all I care.Toure already has a cover in Juorou who is going to be recalled from Bermingham for this purpose.
Eboue will be the only person Arsenal will miss, but that gives Diara a chance to prove himself.
I think Arsenal just survived the most critical period of this title Challenge after the following games against Liverpool, Manchester United, Aston Villa, Newcastle and Midleborough and Chelsea especially doing so in three of these games without 4 first team players. The absense of just two players shouldn't have a more devastating effect. The difference is that Chelsea is always found wanting when Essien is not there to drive the midfield with his power. But If only Mikel would still be there it wouldn't have been too much problem for them. But Lossing two critical Midfielders and two strikers for almost 4 weeks is unimaginable for Chelsea fans.
Eboue, Toure, Kalou, Essien, Mikel and Drogba will be playing for the favourites at the competition and an early exit for them to return is unlikely. It seems like that but from my scrutiny Arsenal seems to already have a back up plan. Same with Chelsea who are currently thinking of bringing in Anelka to cover for Drogba and who knows what other plans they have!
If any team should be worried it is neither Arsenal, Chelsea nor liverpool but Portsmouth

Super Eagles Team List For Ghana 2007

Super Eagles team towards Ghana 2007 is not the usual list of galacticos we are used to in the past. Many have questioned the inclusion and ofcourse omission of some players. However, whatever the game we have only succeeded in cooking up a team i will rate average in every department. Gone are those days when we used to have some extra ordinary players in the Eagles squad.

While i don't mean to sound like a doom sayer, i sincerely will say we stand no good chance of doing well in Ghana. Well for a Nigerian team is nothing shot of the title. Can Berti spring any surprises with this squad? See team list below.

Squad:

Goalkeepers:Austin Ejide (Bastia/FRA), Dele Aiyenugba (Bnei Yehuda/ISR), Vincent Enyeama (Hapoel Tel Aviv/ISR)

Defenders:Rabiu Afolabi (Sochaux/FRA), Danny Shittu (Watford/ENG), Onyekachi Apam (OGC Nice/FRA), Obinna Nwaneri (FC Sion/SWI), Joseph Yobo (Everton/ENG), Ifeanyi Emeghara (Steaua Bucharest/ROM), Kingsley Udoh (Akwa United), Efe Ambrose (Kaduna United), Taye Taiwo (Marseille/FRA)

Midfielders:Seyi Olofinjana (Wolves/ENG), Dickson Etuhu (Sunderland/ENG), Richard Eromoigbe (Levski Sofia/BUL), John Mikel Obi (Chelsea/ENG), Sani Kaita (Sparta Rotterdam/NED), Onyekachi Okonkwo (FC Zurich/SWI), Yusuf Ayila (Dynamo Kyiv/UKR), Lukman Haruna (Crystal Academy), Rabiu Ibrahim (Sporting Lisbon/POR), Oladapo Olufemi (Boavista/POR)

Strikers:Nwankwo Kanu, John Utaka (Portsmouth/ENG), Osaze Odemwingie (Lokomotiv Moscow/RUS), Mannaseh Ishiaku (MSV Duisburg/GER), Ikechukwu Uche (CF Getafe/SPA), Yakubu Aiyegbeni (Everton/ENG), Ayodele Makinwa (SS Lazio/ITA), Obinna Nsofor (Chievo Verona/ITA), Obafemi Martins (Newcastle/ENG)

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Premiership: A Two Horse Race?

The much awaited and hyped weekend has come and gone. Though we so a lot of action, not much has changed at the top of the premier league table. Arsenal still on top and Man U still very close in second spot. Chelsea and Liverpool though slowing down a little, still maintain their spots.

It is now looking like we can afford to count Chelsea oput of the title Challenge this season. Though i have already excluded Liverpool from the start of the season (i'm yet to be proven wrong by Rafa and his antics), Chelsea seem a strong force but have failed to hold fiem against the biggest challengers this season.
Is the title challenge set to be a two horse race?

Michel Platini's Harsh Policies May define Sports In 2007!

This is rather a difficult question to hurriedly give an answer. But if you take out time to ponder longer, you may come along so many defining issues and events that in your view, defined 2007.

I started watching football at the age of 8 years. Well that was rather late but you can not blame me because, when i was younger my parents wouldn't buy a television set. And so while i have developed love for the round leather game earlier it wasn't until i was eight years old before i could have the luxuary of watching football matches. As a matter of fact it wouldn't have been if not that i became increasingly obnoxious at home and will never stay put in the house as long as a football match was going on. The only reason my father yielded to buying a TV set was to get me to stop going to other people's house to watch matches. He felt it was embarassing to him, so he agreed with my mother if there was a TV set at home I would stop going to people's houses- And it worked!

Since then my interest in football has grown into some colossal sort that i may claim to be an unrecognized football comentator. I did not play football because my father wouldn't have it. That one was not negotiable but i'm sure he would have seen things differently if it was to be now. Apart from that i don't like getting injured. For me football is a game of injuries.

This is not a story of my life but to say that i have never been worried about an issue like i am currently about the policies Michel Platini is about to introduce or has introduced which is about to destroy this beautiful game that i have loved with all my life.. Most disagreeable is the quota system bruhaha.

I have more than the one reason opponents of the policy are fronting.
Let me be a little selfish here. Starting from home,
1. I think Eyimba wouldn't have achieved the fit they achieved if the team was made up of only indigenes of Abia State.

2. A quota system will take world football backwards and worse than the pre Joe Havalanche Era when football development was lopsided and African and Asian teams were minnows. I know that the only reason why FIFA tries to make the hosting of the World Cup go round is to give these countries and their neighbours the opportunity to grow football.

4. It will take away genuine competition and what will be left is a boring talentless football all over the world.

I think that Platini is not trying to save football but unkowing killing it because of a myopic attempt to make European teams always have the better of African teams. In my view it is selfish and improper.

Africans currently have talented players who can not be absorbed by the level of football at home. While European players shall have their homes to fall back to, African players shall either have to become bench warmers in their various clubs or retire. In the long term, the effect will lead to a widened gap between Europe and Africa in World Championship. African teams are increasingly becoming strong enough to beat these world football powers showing that football has moved to a different level in the continent. Platini despises this and is bent on reversing the trend.

The Players Union in England recently in a release called 'Meltdown' declares their support to Platini's stance on this matter.

I see this as a declaration that African players who have help to developed European Leagues (despite the Peanuts paid to them as wages) are now being considered parasites who deserve only to be trampled upon. We are supposed to be living in a global world where national boundaries are of little or no importance. Have we been deceived again? I think this though very recent will define sports in 2007.

What in your view has defined sports in 2007? Join the Debate Here!
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Arsenal Survived a Scare!

Arsenal are starting to feel the absence of it's midfielders sidelined by injury. Arsenal's strenght is known to be in the midfield, but in the last two games when Cesc, Flamini and Alex hasn't played together, for the first time i saw Arsenal play without midfield control. It was so bad so that rather than play the usual 4-5-1, due to depletion of midfielders Arsene had to play a 4-4-2 starting an Eduardo something is unlikely to do in such critical matches.
Though Newcastle had enough Motivation to come all out and play the way they did, i still think yesterdays result should not be viewed as a bad one for the gunners. A point away from home against a team who's manager's job is at stake was a hard earned 1 point and i refuse to see it as a bad result. I think it is rather a result that shows that even Arsenal are maturing and now able to soak pressure when it comes and not break at the first weight of pressure. That was something Man U did very well last season. Chelsea did that very well three seasons ago and in the Carling cup final last season. The ability to hold on when the pressure comes is part of the attributes of champions. So i will say, let's hail their efforts! Newcastle also ofcourse had a deserved one point. There isn't any better way the points should have been shared. It would have been unfair for either of the teams to have lost. If they can replicate that spirits other games, they definately should be on their way back up.

Is Martin Jol The Problem With Spurs?

This is the reason why Man U and Arsenal remain a model club fro anybody to emulate. Sacking Jol won't bring the club into winning ways. It takes more than that. We all know that Spurs have got the resources to be in the top four of the premiership. The reason they are not there is entirely the fault of the management. The team except in the last transfer made it a culture to sell out it's best player every year.

Spurs is too much in a hurry to succeed whereas their action in about three seasons now dose not show that they really want to succeed. We can't finish counting how many of their very good upcoming players they have been tempted by the love of money to sell.

New or old ,manager, until there is some stability in the squad, spurs will remain far from being in the top four.
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Nigerian Football Association Still Working Hard To Kill Our Football

The fact that the NFA is confused is a forgone conclusion. My only prayers is that, something happens to bring the Super eagles back into glory days.Then if only our league can get soem attention. We thwarted a beatiful league , cause so much pains to alot of teams all in the name of meeting up with European Calender. But now afetr all that we still fail to start on the stipulated date. Someone must be drunk in the NFA.

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The Real Reason Jose Mourinho Was Sacked!

The game between chelsea and Man U is going to give Abromovich a little bit of what to expect without Mourinho.

Jose must have really been a big pain in Abromovich's neck. Imagine Abromovich throwing 20 million ppound down the drain just to get rid of Mourinho!

I was watching Chelsea TV this morning and I finally came to reality with the real reason why Jose was sacked. Abromovich wants chelsea to start playing attractve football. The type Arsenal and Man U plays that sees a 70,000 and above capacity stadium filled week-in-week-out in order to bring back all the money he has spent on the team in the past three season's amounting to over 250 million pounds. It is understandable that Abromovich is a business man who is in business for profit. The truth is that
even if chelsea wins the champions league, the take home pay can not be up to one tenth the amount Roman has lavished on Chelsea and he knows this. Apart from endorsements, the other very sure way of getting back that money is to get the Stadium filled everytime like Arsenal. Records have it that, chelsea's last two premiership matches were played in almost empty stadium.
Abromovich is said to attribute this to chelsea's style of play which he says is boring. Agreed fans love winning, but they also want to enjoy their money. The truth is this, real Chelsea fans will always go out to watch their team, but only chelsea fans wounldn't fill the seats all the time. The game needs to be attractive enough for non Chelsea fans to come arround and that's how you fill the seats.

For example, chekc out this headline: 'Wenger amazed by Arsenal support, calls for bigger stadium'

Arsenal has just moved into 70,000 seater stadium not yet two season and the manager is already calling for a bigger stadium to accomodate the increasing number of fans.
News also have it that despite the fact Arsenal has not won anything in the past four seasons, the board is about to release an end of year report that is set to make Arsenal the second richest club in the world. Whoof! I think this is what Roman wants. He needs to get back his investment and no one should cause him for that.
Yes, the fans love to win but the club owners love to make money. So it's about having a balance in the two.
On Chelsea TV this morning, a Chelsea fan pointed out that Barcelona was able to win a brace; the Champions league and Spanish League while playing beautiful football. I know that for mourinho, he feels slighted by this as it seems like he's being asked to copy Arsene Wenger.

Home Improvement Firms Make Life Easy

A friend of mine thought of moving to a new home close to a week ago. He's used to having people do everything for him including wash his clothes, clean his home and of course cook for him.

When he got a new job in Abuja some months ago and moved to stay with an uncle pending when he can get his own place, the reality of living alone with no one around to do his dirty jobs began to loom large before him.

He thought he could cope with handling some of the little things like start cleaning his own home when the time comes. But he also had the weakness of loving classy things. Through out our school days even while still living in the hostel, his corner usually has a taste that makes you think you are at home. I mean your father's house. Now no one was going to send maids all the way from Calabar to Abuja to keep him clean and especially fix his new home. He had to do it himself I thought.

Funny enough the rich always have a way around all their problems. Who would have thought that Home Improvement companies could solve such a lazy man's headache? While i was still thinking Adams went online t search for home improvement firms and came across a few.

Everything was handled. According to him, he didn't even have to think but just said what he wanted. they did the thinking. Everything was organized there in the UK and then shiped to Nigeria. How do you describe a firm like Anglina Home Improvement that dose a job including pimp your windows, Kitchen, Garage doors etc.? How easy can life be? Now i see why footballers still live in lush plush homes despite spending all their time on training pitches.

Golden Eaglets Of Nigeria- World Champions

I personally was not online to give you a detailed update of the match. thanks for Toba1909 who made it a point of duty to inform every forum member who was not watching the game for one reason or the order. Besides I commend his courage of being able to do this. Boy o boy, those Boys (eaglets) gave me the shakes! I can't believe what just went down in Seoul today. I never expected such a resistance from this spaniards. Jesus! They do worth every hype poured on them.

At a point i almost gave up. When you failed to score and instead hit the wood works twice, i thought it was going to be a bad day.
I thank the referee especially for fair officiating. That's what we can achieve in a level playing ground.

Asian referees seem to always give us what we deserve. All in all, i say congratulations every Nigeria

Nigeria 2- 0 Lesotho

Yes it's over and Nigeria has won the game. But it was a sshame and total embarrassment for the entire nation. How can we allow such an important game to be taken to that kind of pitch? I am starting to think that the NFA only got whiff of the match just last night. Otherwise, i see no reason why they souldn't be prepared for the game. The nFA should stop toying with ourr football. This whole idea of taking the game round the country dosen't serve the interest of football in Nigeria.
If any state wants to host a game, damn! Such a state should be ready. I hope Lesotho dosen't petition on this match. It noiw seems like it was adeliberate attempt to rob them of the game. We have the lagos stadium and it was abondoned. We moved to Abuja, have we also abandoned that to move to Warri now?

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Japan 0-3 Nigeria

I am sitting down here browsing and watching the Nigeria Vs Japan match. I'm sure the game will be over by the time i finish posting this. I's already 88 minutes and Nigeria is leading by 0-3. The game was a real marvel and waoh! we almost got a fourth goal. Ok free kick given Rabiu was just brought down.

Ok. I was saying that i have a hunch this boys might just come back with the cup. I have not had this kind of conviction in a long time. Oh! It's all over. Nigeria just won the game 0-3. They didn't just win, they played the kind of football i used to see a real Nigerian team play. Immediately they difeated france, i knew all the boys need is focus and they can come back home with the cup.

Japan 0-3 Nigeria

I am sitting down here browsing and watching the Nigeria Vs Japan match. I'm sure the game will be over by the time i finish posting this. I's already 88 minutes and Nigeria is leading by 0-3. The game was a real marvel and waoh! we almost got a fourth goal. Ok free kick given Rabiu was just brought down.

Ok. I was saying that i have a hunch this boys might just come back with the cup. I have not had this kind of conviction in a long time. Oh! It's all over. Nigeria just won the game 0-3. They didn't just win, they played the kind of football i used to see a real Nigerian team play. Immediately they difeated france, i knew all the boys need is focus and they can come back home with the cup. So Up Nigeria.
Up Nigeria!

Man U in Another Transfer Saga

Carlos Tevez recently agreed a deal with Man U but the deal seems to have ran into troubled waters. West Ham is said to be claiming ownership of the player, whereas the players agent says he still have certificates proving the player dosen't belong to west Ham. Tevez is said to have sent a letter to West Ham yesterday for termination of his contract and same is also said to have been rejected.

FIFA and the FA seem also not to know how to get out of this one. With MAn U not knowing to whom to pay the transfer fee to, Tevez's dream of playing at old trafford come next season might not come to pass afterall. The situation is very complicated and looks set to take the path the Mikel Obi saga took sometime ago.

Is it time for Man U to think of a different option upfront? It seems Tevez's case might be heading to the court.

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Cesc Fabregas to Madrid?

Now we do not know what to believe any longer. Today we hear that Fabregas can't do without Arsene. Tomorrow we hear he's asking Arsenal to please listen to the madrid offer. I have also heard Arsene wenger is asking for Robhino as part of the deal.

My comment? I think Wenger will be making a great mistake if he allows such a sensational player like Cesc to leave bearing in mind that he's yet to attain his best and is already making so much waves.

If Fabregas leaves, Arsenal might die the real death. For me I don't think thiery's exit will be as consequencial as a Cesc exit

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Man U wins the Tevez Race

After so much ado and many speculations, Man U has quietly snatched what I will term 'one of the most sensational players in the premiership in the past season'. Carlos Tevez single handedly took west Ham away from relegation despite all the controversies around his transfer to West Ham. Many can sometimes do alot as i can not understand why a struggling team like west Ham could even imagine selling off the best player. The mistake spurs have been making all this years before finally learning their lessons. Come next season, we are likely to have another struggling west Ham. I don't see any sense in this transfer.

In the mean time, let's congratulate Sir Alex on this very important coup .

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A Fans Lamentations as Thiery Leaves

On the forum today a fan replies to a forum post on Thiery Henry's departure and Eduador Da Silva's arrival........................

So many years ago Arsene picked Henry from Juve where he was rottening and built him up into the beauty he became. What people forget is that a footballer blossoms under a particular coaching system, club and most importantly--the fans. Thierry instead of going away with some dignity decided to open his mouth-which is becoming rotten again- too wide by hurting our sensibilities. Yes he played champagne football. yes he scored most goals. Yes he did this and all that. But that is history now. For those who might think i am being too harsh I want to say I don’t share all your historical perspectives. I have also been an arsenal fan for over 30 years. We have seen them come and go. Haven’t we? When Ian Wright was leaving our opponents said it was over for arsenal after a glorious period by Graham. But what happened? Our magician reached into his hat and brought out Thierry like a rabbit. The rest up till last week has now become history.

Let me call the attention of gunners to certain facts. How many matches did Henry play last season? How many of the most important matches were not affected by what one gunner called "nameless, mysterious injuries"? The fact is that he lost the arsenal plot that night in Paris against barca. Thereafter he signed a piece of toilet paper he has now flushed down the toilet!

Now Arsene has performed his magic again. Let them call Da Silva a Croat. To me and for football he is Brazilian. His hero is not Henry. It is-wait for it-Romario! As far as I am concerned our biggest loss is not Henry it was Viera. I also fancied Cole now at Portsmouth. So let Henry now blend into the barca team and coaching plans at almost 30.one gunner says he might also find himself in Los Angeles, Turkey or UAE 2yrs from now! I bet that will be something. We must remember that the English premiership league is like Hollywood. Others are like Bollywood and Nollywood. You can ask Beckam. While he played in England he was a demi-god. Now he is trying to pick up his broken pieces.

Most gunners knew that Thierry was a terrorist to the young gunners on the Field. He had a way of looking at Adebayor, Van Persie and Fabregas when they made mistakes that was menacing. Today I was glad to read a gunner say that those players can now mature naturally without Thierry’s long shadows. Ronaldo did not mature properly at manure until their former captain left!

So goodbye king Henry. Welcome Da Silva, the king is dead and the king lives as far as i am concerned gunners should not pay attention to our black hot-headed brother Drogba and his comments on Arsenal. They should read what "mr cool" lampard said yesterday. The coming season to me hold very awesome possibilities for us even more than the disastrous 2006/2007.that is why i said it will be a matter for the hungriest.

Nigeria Makes first Impact at U-20 World Cup

Yesterday was a good one for our boys representing Nigeria at the world U-20 championship. I never gave them a chance reason why was that following the kind of preparation they had, you can't help both hope only on prayers for them to make an impact.

That however dosen't mean i now give them a chance. I watched the match and i must say in some cases they were really impressive. I hope whatever is driving them on continues. It just might be a miracle for us. Some times people make a head way when you least expect. I pray it happens but i won't stake my money on it.

Can English Players Flourish In Arsenal?

Every Club seems to have its own favoured kind of players and many have said black players can't make it in at Old Trafford.
Similar arguement is now makig the rounds and many have said that it will take a miracle for an English player to make it in Arsenal. This is precipitated by Lampard's recent call out that English clubs should develop English talents.
Arsenal is know to be the premiership club with the least number of English players in it's first team. In reserve may be more but the first team definately have more french speaking players both of African and European decent than in any other team. Currently, apart from Theo walcot and Hoyte, no other English player is found in the gunners team. These two however are not regular. In the last two champions league when Arsenal knocked out Juventus and Real madrid, they are reputed to have done so without a single English player.
The arguement therefore is not misplaced.
In this case i wish to defer. Without going too far to start mentioning English players that have been so successful both at the pre wenger period and even under wenger, should call us all to remeber that until just last two seasons, Ian Wright an English player remained Arsenal's greatest player with 185 goals for the club. Wright was more than a success and so I wonder if this people ever remember there was ever a player called Ian.

Unfortunately we see less of these English players now. But can you blame Arsene? Maybe we'll see more of them. Ofcourse when English players start going for the right price.

Real Madrid sacks Capello

What with real Madrid and acking of coaches. Is the Club so confused that they changes managers like African countries? The issue is not really changing mangers for underperfomance, but always going back to hire under performing coaches.

Mikel Obi's Ban Too Harsh?

Yes. I agree that the treatment is harsh. But too harsh? No!It is too harsh to let 150 million Nigerians down instead. Mikel's father has confirmed that Mikel is a sturbbon boy who dose not listen to even his parents. "I told him to always honour National calls".That is the best a father can do for his son. It is okay for him to beg for Mikel's forgiveness but I will prefer that plea comes from Mikel himself to sure that at least there is some remorse after the ugly incidence.Sunday Oliseh tried it and had his national team carrier truncated and ofcourse he has to live with that regtret for the rest of his life. So it is not as if Mikel is the first to suffer this kind of Punishment.Though we know that the FA has it's faults, blatantly refusing to honour national calls is an insult to Nigerians. It is better for a player to tell us he no longer wants to play for Nigeria than play games with our feelings. I would also want to use this opportunity to send the same message to Celestine Babayaro who has refused to honour National calls for years now despite not coming out to tell us that he no longer wants to play for Nigeria. He'd better come out plain and say so. So that he will also live with his conscience.

Igwe (Thiery Henry) Is Gone!

Arsenal fans all over the world woke up to hear the sad news of their mecurial and talismanic striker signing for Barca. In hundreds many a Arsenal fans are waiting to see how the club respond to this . Already many fans have indicated that if the club countinues what they have termed mediocrity in the transfer market as was the case last season, they were going to decamp to Barca.

This at a time Man U, Chelsea and liverpool are brazing up for the title challenge come next season.

Some even say that as it is, Arsenal might finish much lower that they did last season come the end of ne3xt season.

Like one fan said on the Naija Football Fans Forum today, the club lacks a sense of "self Preservation".

Truely it looks like a team about to self destruct. After the controversial exit of Dein, one expected that Arsenal would work hard to keep what is left of it's family. With Thiery leaving on the grounds of uncertainty of Wenger's future, it is only a matter of time before we wake up to the news that Wenger is gone. That it will become a vircious circle with different players asking out as soon as possible. Atleast we know players like Cesc Fabregas, Denilson etc have said they will play for Arsenal as far as Wenger remains.

I hope it dosn't get to that stage. If Arsenal must retain it's teeming fan base accross the globe, now is the time to take decisive action to convince fans of it's willingness to compete both in the premiership and in Europe.

Criteria for coaching a Nigerian team according to the NFA

According to the Nigerian Football Association, a coach can only be successful if he satisfies the following criteria:

1. If the said coach has a white skin
2. If that coach is not Nigeria
3. If the coach is ready to play the scratch my back I scratch your back game
4. The said coach must be very timid and not as out spoken as a Clemens Westerhoof
5. Must be ready to have his team selected by the NFA and not a coach who would refuse this arrangement like Sampson Siasia.
6. Must be easily be induced with money
7. Must be ready to work without pay for at least 6-8 months
8. Should not be as ambitious as to defend self in the media when the NFA tries to twist facts else be sacked.
9. Should mind his own business by not fighting for players to be given unpaid bonuses
10. Must be confused enough and be ready to coach all of Nigeria’s national teams.
11. Must be ready to work in a disorganized environment where there are no basic facilities
12. Must be ready to be hired and fired at any time without compensation.

What do we do with super Eagles?

At last Nigeria's super Eagles arrive the point we all have been praying it dosen't get to. We have been bashed severally by various national teams and yet we have remained steafast hoping and praying that our dear team improves. But what do we do now? Now that we are very sure the eagles have become definately the weeping boys in African football? Against Ghana many a fan of the super eagles thought it was a fluke. But against Uganda? We have played at home and away and in both games, the Ugandans had a upper hand. What do we do now?

Football Suffers Another, As May 29 Handover Draws Near

Yesterday was one of those days i had more reasons to stand by my believe that football in Nigeria is not about to take a turn for the better. It was an eclectic atmosphere at the Abuja National stadium. A novelty match organised as part of activities to mark the May 29th 2007 handover and as usual politicians, business Business men comprising mainly the who-is-who of coperate Nigeria converged at what was supposed to be an epoc making event. Behold it turned out to be another event organised only to showcase the vastness of our leaders' ineptitude.

One would have expected that in such a high profile event, what ever form of recreation organised should be one that can keep one hoping it never came to an end. Like in many countries where things are done properly, the football match would have matched the event. That was not to be as the organisers went ahead to organise a mock football game in an event on live telecast and on National TV. For the time the event lasted, i kept thinking 'what a game this would have been if this was featuring the super eagles and another world class football nation'. I kept watching a differnt match while something else was actually what was on TV.

This brings us back to the question of why we always fail to seize opportunities as a nation when they present themselves. At least a week before now, most of the super eagles players have rounded up games in their various leagues. So it wasn't the usual excuse of the players being very busy. It aslo can't be due to lack of funds to organise a high profile game that suits the occassion. I am saying this because after all, we shall be presented with large figures and sums of money and told all that was expended on organizing that single event.

Could it not serve a good opportunity for the super eagles to prepare for the forth coming game against Uganda? It is only in Nigeria that such a low profile team can be presented in such a high profile event. I have nothing against developing our youth teams but one should only think of what such an opportunity for a high profile game could possibly contribute to our World Cup/Nations Cup qualifying Bid.

Viewing Center Business: A Goldmine.

Football, apart from being Nigerians’ favourite pastime and greatest unifying factor, it has in recent times brought about a fast growing business which side by side has been blooming with same popularity of the game. You’ll hardly walk a hundred meters in Nigeria’s major cities without coming across a place with the trademark black wall scribbled on it, different match fixtures for the coming weekend.

More and more people are fast realizing how profitable the business could be that we can only expect it to get better especially with the high prices of Direct-to-Home television services in the country making football lovers to opt for these viewing centers. A typical viewing center has between 40-100 viewers and spots can sometimes boast higher patronage especially if you can offer dual view where viewers can watch two matches at the same time. Such places charge a minimum fee of N30, while some places can charge up to N50. I have paid N70 and N100 and I’m sure most of us have too.

It’s a beautiful thing that the country’s economy has so opened up that anyone serious about making honest money doesn’t have to wait too long. All you’ll probably need is a 23`` television, a satellite TV subscription which ranges from N6000 to N10000/month depending on which DTH you are using. You’d need some good benches and maybe one or two ceiling fans. A good space that can contain at least 5 to 7 long benches, a small generator just enough to power your TV, fans, bulbs and the decoder then you are as good as done. Some centers make as much as N10, 000 every week. Imagine that you are charging just N50/person/match and you have 50 viewers which is very modest, you’ll make N2500 as in most days where there is at least two premiership matches and say one seria A and another one La Liga matches, you’ll be talking four matches a day. That goes to about N10, 000. You still have Sundays and in some cases midweek matches come handy when the UEFA Champions league games are on. You can make in one week alone N20, 000 and that runs into N80, 000 per month. Let’s say you spend N9, 000 for TV subscription and N6000 on fuel for the generator and maybe N5000 on rent which in my opinion the last two are inflated. You still have N60, 000 left per month. That’s not bad for an extra income. Is it? You are also sure of recouping your investment in your second month. Note that I have not included International friendlies, world cup and nations cup qualifying matches etc. If you have a little money and thinking of what business to invest it in, this is one business you can start earning good income from the onset.

Champions Chelsea

Chelsea just played a fast one Manchester united this evening by waiting till the last 4 minutes of the 2nd half of the extra time before pulling the carpet off Man U's feet.

An encounter characterised by boredom the entire lenght of the first half saw real action in the second half. Though both teams had good chances to over run the over severally, Man u's played was mared by poor maskmanship which saw them bungling a handful of opportunities. Betwen Wayne and Giggs alone, the game should have taken a different dimension.

This brought back bad memories of the FA cup final between MAn U and Arsenal, where Man did the playing and Arsenal stole the game by a penalty shootout.

Chelsea played their usual style, uninspirational waiting for e break many times. Arjen Roben was particularly inspirational for the Blues but as usual it was always going to be Didier Who will take the most decisive action. The game ended 1-0 in favour of Chelsea which means they end the season with a double. Wether their season is justified with this or not is something for Abromovich to dedcide.

Please you comments. Thanks

Admin
Naija Football Fans Forum

Man U: one in the bag one to go

MAn U made good their promise yesterday when they lifted the title at the expense of thier bitter rival chelsea. Arsenal came 4th, liverpool 3rd place and we have the traditional big four arrangement again. Man U and chelsea still have the FA cup and Liverpool the champions league.That makes Arsenal's season the worst among the big four.

What ever happens at the FA Cup, champions league, truth remains that this season has been one of the most competitive in recent times. With United having to wait for the last days to be sure they have won the title and 3rd and 4th places decided just yesterday after Arsenal played 0-0 against portsmouth.

At the table bottom, the drama was more intriguing with west ham escaping at the expense of Shefield and Watford. Though many thought they deserved to stay after all of Tervez's heroics in the last days to rescue his team from relegation. It was all fun!

In the weeks to come, we look forward to African nations/world cup qualifiers, Euro cup qualifiers, the under 20 world cup and the Female world cup. Good thing is that, there is always enough action the world of football to keep us busy. I hope all these could serve as enough fun in the forum in the weeks to come.
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Drogba Upstages Eto'o

With Accra Ghana totally agog in expectation of the Glo/CAF African Footballer of the year award, Didier Drogba succeeded in upstaging Samuel Eto'o Fils and deny him a record fourth staight tittle.

Wether it was a deserved one or not one can't fail to commend Globalcom on a proper and highly hyped award. It can argueably be said to be the best in recent times. It goes to show that the knew sponsor means business.

If this kind of seriousness is transfered into the local league here in which sponsorship right is held by the same globalcom, with as much poblicity as what the Glo/Caf award has enjoyed in recently then football in Africa would have arrived atlast.

It goes to say that football in Africa can never be said to be developed when the standard in Nigeria is still abysmal. The latest FIFA ranking notwithstanding.

Today in the forum we look into the merit or demerit of the award as awarded to Didier.

Obafemi Martins shows Class

Before his rosy escapade in the English league was a trial period in which even the player almost lost confidence in him self. I remember very well I was one of those who kept faith with the pacey striker on the grounds that he was saddled with a team that had a serious problem with play making. I remember suggesting that he should leave if Newcastle United failed to do something about the midfield which I thought needed to wake up from it’s slumber if the f10m splashed on him was to be justified.

From every indication, it seems that the coach and the fans finally knew where to channel the blames and stopped expecting an over night Allen Shearer. What we saw yesterday was a spectacle and a world-class striker living up to his bidding. By scoring an equalizer against Spurs and assisting the winner away from home Obafemi has finally justified my long term believe that the English league was the best place for him. Obafemi martins is one striker that touches me as one who given the right team and teammates will go places.

His business-like approach to every game stands him out and that is a deviation from the natural Nigerian instincts. Most of our teams are always good enough to win most of the competitions they take part in but usually never do so simply because of a lack of the right attitude to matches. The reason I felt badly for him when Nigeria couldn’t make it to the world cup after so much personal sacrifice. All I can say now is go Obagoal. You are Nigeria’s best striker at the moment and soon you’ll get your reward. Don’t be discouraged. In the forum today, Nigerians debate on Is Obafemi Martins Nigeria’s Best Striker at the Moment

Berti Vogts As Super Eagles Coach

Berti Vogts is the former Germane and Scotish national team coach and when mentioned in the circles of football heroes, he can easily be said to be a big name. This is what Nigerian football fans across the world has been clamouring for. In the past when coaches are about to be changed we werew fond of going for anything in white skin (no racial prejudice meant). This was the height of inferiority complex and an act that pepertually kemt us in state i call mind slavery. We needed this kind of outcry to save ourselves from ourselves. I am satisfied that atlast the NFA has gone for a coach we all believe is worth his onions. Wether he finally gets the job or not shouldn't matter as for me we have won by nmaking the NFA begin to look for real world class coaches not just unknown riffraffs eager to make a name for themselves and hoping to use the Super Eagles as a spring board. Who is this man Vogts?

*Hans Hubert ("Berti") Vogts (born 30 December 1946 in Büttgen) is a former German international football player and manager.
[edit] Playing career
Vogts joined the boys' football team of local sports club VfR Büttgen in 1954 when he was seven, staying with them until his 1965 transfer to Borussia Mönchengladbach. A right-side defender, his tenacity earned him the nickname "Der Terrier". He was one of the key figures during Borussia's golden years in the 1970s, when it won the Bundesliga five times, the German Cup once, and the UEFA Cup twice. Vogts made 419 Bundesliga appearances for Mönchengladbach, scoring 33 times. He also appeared 64 times for the club in European competition, scoring 8 goals. Vogts remained with Mönchengladbach until he retired from playing in 1979.
He was also a member of the German national team that won the 1974 World Cup. Overall he played 9 international boys' games for West Germany, made 3 appearances for the under-23s team, and has 96 senior caps, making him one of Germany's most capped players. He was captain for 20 of the senior games, and scored one international goal.

[edit] Management career
After his playing career ended, he became a coach for Germany's under-20 national team, and continued in that role until 1990. Starting in 1986, he became an assistant manager of the senior national side. In 1990, he was promoted to manager of the national team, leading Germany to a EURO 96 win. He stepped down as manager in 1998 after Germany's shock quarter-final exit at the World Cup finals in France. After some time out of managing, he was appointed manager of Bayer Leverkusen in November 2000. The following May, despite earning Bayer Leverkusen UEFA Champions League qualification, he was fired. He became manager of the Kuwait national team in August 2001.
After six months with Kuwait, Vogts resigned to assume the position of manager of the Scottish national team. During his 2½-year tenure there, the Scots' international record was poor, with home defeats by Norway and Hungary, and a humiliating 2-2 draw with the team of the tiny Faroe Islands. Although some football pundits[attribution needed] credited much of the squad's performance to the low quality of the player pool from which Vogts had to draw, he nonetheless took the brunt of press criticism. An October 2004 draw with Moldova essentially put paid to Scotland's hopes of qualifying for the 2006 World Cup, and Vogts came under renewed pressure to quit. He resigned the following month, with a year and a half remaining on his contract, citing "disgraceful abuse" from the fans and the media. He later vowed never to return to football management following this "abuse" although has not ruled out a return to football on a coaching basis. Worse was to come for Vogts when Walter Smith took charge of Scotland on 2 December 2004 and the team saw an immediate turn around in fortune; many high profile players including David Weir and Barry Ferguson spoke to the press saying that the team under Vogts suffered from "lack of direction" and "poor man management".[citation needed]
He has recently been linked with the Nigerian national team, the Super Eagles. According to recent BBC news reports, Berti Vogts is the leading name among those interviewed for the position of the Super Eagles' boss. If successful, he will not have much problems managing Nigerian footballing talents who ply their trade in Europe. This has been a major problem with indigenous national team coaches in Nigeria.

*Wikipedia