Siasia: The Bolton Challenge

Samson Siasia is one coach from Nigeria whose rise to stardom has come somewhat sudden considering the fact that most of his mates (the famous 1994 team) who have also ventured into coaching are yet to get the limelight as much as he has.

How dedication pays! Siasia in my understanding has achieved all that he's achieved today not due to any special assistance from the NFA but by his own personal conviction to succeed and the reason he went all out despite a lingering dearth of resources, provided for his lads and inspired them to WYC final against Argentina in 2005 and would have won but for the referee's controversial penalties awarded the south Americans.

I knew Siasia was destined for great things when despite how glaring it was that the referee's decisions was what denied his team the trophy, he chooses to blame the lack of professionalism of his lads instead.That was the first real sign this man is a professional. I am however not surprised he has continued to rise up the ladder of the big coaches. He knows how to pick his job. He doesn't just take a job because he needs the pay but appraises the situation to know whether he can impact in the status quo.

Whether he finally gets the nod to take Bolton next season or not, the truth remains that, to even be considered is great honor. I have no doubt in my mind Siasia can deliver at Reebok Stadium.

Do you think Siasia can perform at Bolton? Let's here your comments.

Amodu Shuaibu: Definitely The Wrong Man

I have never for one minute been deceived that Amodu Shuaibu is the best coach for the Super Eagles. As a matter of fact, Amodu does not have what it takes to thinker the super Eagles.
It is natural for people to argue that, after all he's very experience but the question is what did his experience bring to us while he was at the helm of affairs.

Why was he sacked in the first place if he was performing so so well. Are we now saying we are being forced due to circumstances to accept what was not good enough for us in the past?
Amodu was sacked for under performance, what sense does it make bringing a man you have once sacked for failure back into the fold?
Even if Samson Siasia refused, which i think he should in order to concentrate on Dream Team IV, there sure should be someone else good enough. Twice we have gone back to our vomits to hire Amodu and at the end what? We get nothing. All we do is allow him chill out for a while and then bring him back to continue with the same old thing and where he left off.
Coaches are hired based not just on an on-lookers experience but past achievement at the same level he's expected to work.
With Amodu, i don't see us moving a step further than the disgrace of Ghana 2008.

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European Champions League 2008: Last Men Standing

This season has been so beautiful for English football and even if an English team fails to win the Champions league which is unlikely the game certainly has benefited enormously this year. Incidentally three English teams made it to the last four (and that is something i know doesn't happen very often) in the same year England has failed to make it to Euro Cup. Maybe this is now well compensated for.

 

This year, of the four coaches whose team scaled the hurdles to move to the semis, three have savour the feeling of winning it in the past except one. Among Fank Rijkaard, Alex Ferguson, Avram Grant and Rafa Benitez, only Grant is the new comer and whether this will decide who finally goes away with Europe's most prestigious cup championship is yet to be see.

Rijkaard has won it both as a player and a coach. Rafa Benitez has won it once with Liverpool and has been three semi Finals in the last four years.

Alex Ferguson did it in the treble year more than 15 years ago. In current form Rafa Benitez will appear to be above the rest. However, even Avram who is the least experienced could prove to be a difficult nut to crack.

He's got a crack team who have rediscovered their killer instinct just at the right time and in current form across Europe one can not afford not to rate them as among the best three.

Which of this men does this year belong to?

What are Arsenal's Chances Of Winning A Title This Season?

Going by Arsene Wenger's selection for the Saturday's game against Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal seems to think their chances of getting to the Champions League Final and winning it is more realistic than winning the premier league title now. Emmanuel Adebayor was rested for a greater duration of the game which ended 1-1 after Peter Crouch found the back of the net to put Liverpool ahead and a Bretdner strike that could only rescue a point for the once table toppers.

Adebayor really must be in a good shape for the Gunners to get anything out of the Tuesday trip to Anfield else, I see no reason why an out-of-form Robin Van Persie should be paired with an inexperienced Theo Walcot against a crack team like Liverpool. With the 1-1 draw, Arsenal seems to have finally conceded the title to Manchester United.

It is really sad that the season seems to be crashing at these young Gunners at this time after a very impressive first half and will be a pity if they fail to capture at least a title.

But what are their chances of a title this season? Presently apart from Emmanuel Adebayor slowing down, the defense will be the major department of the team that could make or mar Arsenal's hope of a title this season. At the moment only Senderous and Clichy seem to have the right focus to help the team and apart from an occasional William Gallas goal scoring spells, nothing else is really inspiring about the Arsenal last four. Kolo Toure and Gallas have become a shadow of themselves having so much problem holding back opposing strikers especially in aerial balls and understanding each other. Their lack of coordination has seen Arsenal concede some very bad goals resulting in 6 draws, a lose and just one win in the last 8 premier league games. With Bacary Sagna set to be out for another 2 weeks and Djouru still out the manager will have to continue with this four and to me this is where the problem lies.

For Arsenal to move to the next stage of this Champions League and further brighten a title hope, they need to at least score a goal at Anfield without conceding any. My doubt is not in whether they will score but whether they can avoid conceding a goal. They seem to have forgotten how not to concede.

Liverpool Vs Arsenal- Who Goes Through?

The Arsenal Vs Liverpool game played yesterday has sparked a lot of debate on the fans forum today.

Read one post and my reply i will like to share with you:

Haven't been here for quite a while, so didnt join this debate from the begining and therfore wont really join now before everyone says that i am commenting with the benefit of hindsight. Just want to reply Emmanuel and his prediction of 2-0 win for Arsenal against Liverpool - IN A CHAMPIONS LEAGUE MATCH FOR THAT MATTER!!!. I know many people think it doesnt matter whether it is Premier league or champions league, but that is where they show their lack of understanding of the game of football in Europe. There are teams that have Champions league in their DNA and have developed the ability to raise their game when is is a CL match. In England, Liverpool is the ONLY club that can do that! Sir Alex would give anything to be able to guarantee the way Liverpool can almost do, that on CL night, they will do the business. Witness last night, the promptness of the reply they gave Arsenal's goal - 3 minutes to get the equaliser! The problem with Arsenal is that they are finally realising on the back of 5 straight horrible league results, that small boys alone, cannot win much! Arsenal should put some starch into their team, by buying experience where it is needed! Arsenal should also develop loyalty towards people who have served and can still serve the club, and not reduce every thing to money levels- cash in while we can!. I still believe that if Viera had been in the club in 2006, they would have beaten Barcelona, because he would have taken charge, even with all that happened. Every team needs a talisman player or 2 to lift them up when the going gets tough in a match. Liverpool has Gerrard & Carragher, ManU has Ronaldo, Rooney, Scholes, Giggs and before them Keane, Real has Raul, and before him Hierro, Milan has Maldini and Kaka and before them Il Capitano himself, Baresi, but who do Arsenal & Chelsea really have now? Arsenal had Tony Adams and Vierra and it was during their time that Wenger won all that he won! As for Chelsea, we know that their own talisman was Mourinho and before him was Zola. Right now, there's no leader on the field, and dont even mention John Terry!

In any case, its almost becoming clear that the CL final this year would be between English clubs. Man U will not lose to Roma in Old Trafford, and will most likely face Barca in the semi-final. It is theirs to lose over 2 legs. I can assure you that if it were Liverpool facing Barca, you can write them down for final, but with Man U, i dont understand them. Teams like Barca or spanish teams have always proved a problem, so Man U fans will need to quiver with fear small! Arsenal will have an uphill task to get the needed result in Anfield, and on current form and midset, they are unlikely to do it! They expended all their energy getting past Milan, and as i said at the begining of the season on this forum, Arsenal have to prioritise their goals at the begining of each season and decide which trophy is important and strategise how to win it! The target they set this year (all 4 trophies) was doing pass themself!

I think Liverpool and Man U will play CL final and at that stage, all bets are off!

My Reply Below:

Hello @ chocho1, and welcome back. I bet you assume liverpool came to win the match in Emirate yesterday?

I have also realised Liverpool isn't foolish to under rate Arsenal's capabilities despite the fact that it is dwarfed by Liverpool's own records.

I watched the match without surprise. I think i have come to understand the mind set of these gunners. Agreed they lack experience but i don't think they lack a leader. Gallas has in recent times shown he can lead.

Cesc though young has also shown he can be a talisman in the midfield when needed especially in the big games. Yesterday was one of those days. It looks now that Arsenal are the underdogs for the leg at Anfield but guess what, I still refuse to give it to Liverpool. I think this particular qualification can go to anyone.

For me what Arsenal needed yesterday wasn't leadership or experience whatsoever, we saw a team totally in charge of the game (Granted that it was in Emirates), Liverpool was playing like they were the ones at home and was trying to avoid conceding an away goal.
But that's not true, they were out played. What the Gunners need is just belief and ability to be more creative at the final third.

You will agree with me they should have scored at least 3 goals yesterday. This is something that has been absent in their games recently in the premiership. They have not been creating enough chances. But yesterday they seemed to have found the lost Ark and are back to creating chances which is what really matters if you want to score. As far as this remains, i see no reason why they won't score at Anfield.

Liverpool is a very creative and unpredictable team in Europe and can kill of any team in second. However, they will need to be in play for that to happen and not what we saw yesterday. A lot of people think Liverpool did very well yesterday. But i don't like negative football. It's risky.

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Manchester United's Mission To Roma

Manchester united is today taking on  Roma in one of the champions league quarter final matches. Roma has been previously brutalized by united with a 7-0 defeat at Old Trafford in a previous champions League game.

Roma is currently putting up a strong performance this season in the Seria A and appear to be more consistent this season unlike last season.

With some fine performances in the league this season could pose a strong obstacles to united's hope of winning a brace this season. Manchester united on their own have been so inspiring lately despite starting poorly at the beginning of this season that they have closed up on Arsenal previously holding a 6 points lead to now stay at the top with 5 points clear of second place Chelsea while Arsenal's recent poor run of just a win in 6 premiership games has taken them down to third place, a point behind Chelsea. Most bookmakers have already given the game to United especially with Christiano Ronaldo in an incredible form that has seen found the back of the net more than every other player in Europe, united is easily the team to place your money on.

Chelsea may also have a smooth game that may lead to taking advantage of the less skillful and talented Fanerbache side while Arsenal and Liverpool will probably have the most difficult evening with both teams faced with the task of seeing off a too familiar rival. The game in Roma may also turn out not to be as straight forward for united as we all think this might be. Despite the current hostility existing between fans of both teams, there is a chance united could choose to take things too easy and get it wrong. Sir Alex Ferguson has expressed optimism Manchester United will come out victorious and United fans have been urged not to use public transport but private chauffeured transport to avoid anymore deaths.

The game will be very hot as the fans will sure be very hostile today. If united concentrate on their own game rather try to respond to the crowd who will certainly be doing all they can to frustrate them, they could get it right. In all the earlier united can quiet down with their goals the better.

 

Please drop your comments on this post. Thanks.

Dream Team IV Hit SA 3-0: Qualifies For Beijing 2008

Taye Taiwo and Victor Anichebe yesterday both fired Nigeria to victory against the South African Olympic team to claim the only ticket of the group.

The second came following immense pressure from the Team forcing an own goal when a south African defender tried to clear the ball.

Anichebe was making his debute for Nigeria and started well with a good goal that saw Nigeria leading 3-0.

But players' goal ensured Nigeria qualified for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China.

 

The team had been promised $4000 by the sports ministry and $1000 by NFA making $5000 for a victory. They didn't particularly play well as the south Africans ran rings round them until the first goal was scored. The goal came at the 30th minute through a beautiful corner from the right by Kennedy Chinwo which was headed home by Taiye Taiwo. Before Anichebe added a third. The game eventually ended 3-0 in the Dream Team IV's favour.

We believe that as usual Siasia's purposefulness will bring out the best in these boys before the Olympic proper. The NFA should at least do their work this time and support this team now and not wait till it is time to go to Beijing to start promising unrealistic amount of money as match bonuses.

Ministry and NFA Bet Against Dream Team IV @ $5000

The U-23 team are to file out today against South Africa in Abuja to wrestle the only available ticket of the group from Ghana.

The Ghanians are hoping Nigeria will bungle this by not winning. A draw will see the Ghanians top the group and go away with the sole ticket.

Shamefully after refusing to provide funds for Siasia to take his boys on a training tour of the US, the ministry of sports and the NFA are as usual announcing large sums of money if the boys win.

In my opinion, it seems to me the NFA is betting against Nigeria. they know the boys have not had adequate preparation and they are offering $5000 if they win knowing they might not win.

Is this not treasonable? I think it is an act of sabotage to come out with $5000 promise for each of the players if they win after working hard to scuttle their efforts.

This is something we should give a very close scrutiny.

Siasia on The Match Again

Super  Eagles captain Nwankwo Kanu has arrived Nigeria to support the national U-23 side when they file out against the Amaglug-glug of South Africa as they battle for the 2008 Olympic Games ticket at the Abuja National Stadium on Wednesday

This is one Nigerian coach I admire so much not just because he has done us proud in the past but the fact that he's so committed to what he does.

He's got this doggedness which is very rare in the Nigerian coach. He has the ability to manage men which i think is what makes him so special.

A victory tomorrow will set him on another history making mission to the olympic. so lets us come out and drum support for the rare gem. Thanks to Kanu, many will now also see the need to support him.

According to Kanu Nwankwo “We must be at the Olympics, we have all it takes to be there and all of us must support Samson Siasia and his boys to get the Olympic ticket. I will be there myself.”

We need to encourage our own coaches.

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Prescription Glasses Can Be stylish

Now i hate it when i see people put on what i prefer to call Goggles  all in the name of wearing prescription glasses.

Great Discovery: Zenni Optical $8 Glasses is the perfect solution to help give you a good look even when you are putting on the usual prescription glasses.

So guys you can still look sexy and attractive despite the fact you are visually impaired.

They've got them in plastic or acetate as well as in metal stainless steel rims.

It's really worth checking out.

Guide to the best us online poker rooms

Following a new law prohibiting online Gambling in the US, us online poker players have been finding it a bit difficult to locate web sites where their needs can be met.

I have in the past made mention of some. Maybe this is just like a follow up.

Of course there are still some of these online poker rooms accepting us players despite this.

A few blogs also have taken particular interest on this latest development just like we have been following it.

kaushalsheth.com is one of the places where online where you can get some good stuff and probably a list of online poker rooms where US players are allowed.

Arsenal Vs Liverpool (Champions League Quarter Final Preview-2008)

 

Among the English quartet that have made it to the quarter final stages of the champions league, only the game between Arsenal and Liverpool seems really worth talking about.

Though bookmakers support Arsenal to win the match, many analysts have questioned such stance especially with the gunners currently at a slowed pace and almost a shadow of themselves in their last two premiership game after the historic victory at San Siro.

The Quarter final fixtures is as follows:

Champions League quarter-final draw:
1 Arsenal v Liverpool
2 AS Roma v Man Utd
3 Schalke 04 v FC Barcelona
4 Fenerbahce v Chelsea

Champions League semi-final draw:
1 Arsenal/Liverpool v Fenerbahce/Chelsea
2 Schalke/Barcelona v AS Roma/Man Utd

Before this draws, Wenger is said to have expressed is desire not to be paired with an English team and many have since interpreted this to mean fear.

I think if you ask Manchester united, they'll also tell you they'd prefer to play against some other team than play Arsenal. The thing is that playing a local team puts one against a team too familiar of your style and thus can be difficult sometimes.

Liverpool being what they are in Europe, more people think they should carry the day. But this is one Champions League game I will prefer not to say anything. The reason is that, Liverpool seems to always have the know how in Europe. But now they will be playing against Arsenal, a team that has already dominated them this season in the league right there at Anfield. Though with Arsenal's current form, anything can happen. From the beginning of this season, I have said the season will be decided by who is hungriest for a title when the chips are down. So whether Liverpool will carry the day or not, it isn't going to be as easily as they found Inter Milan.

My prediction is that, I don't see Liverpool escaping a defeat in the Emirates Stadium. How well they can turn that around in Anfield may be the decider.

Nigerian Bloggers, Let's Support King Clemment and Ade Oyegbola: Enough Stealing our Patents

Above is a picture of the $100 laptop promoted by the OLPC(One laptop per child)

King Clement Uwemedimo, the CEO of Commandclem Nigeria limited is an inventor who for close to 30 years has been fighting to get what rightly belongs to him. King Clement, now blind is said to have invented an anti-corrosive paint which found great usefulness in the oil industry all over the world and one would expect him to be in Millions today especially after screaming 'Eureka!'

That was not to be a Mobil oil is said to have reneged in the agreement to [pay royalties the engineer whose ingenuity brought about the said anti-corrosive agent.

Despite recognition by the world body as the original owner of the The KONYAN keyboard designed by Ade Oyegbola. A multi Lingual keyboard.
patent, King Clement is yet to receive a dollar as royalties. Instead, the constituents were revealed to foreign competitors who now produce and sell same at will still without paying any form of indemnity to the patent owner.
A few years ago, Commandclem Nigeria limited won a court case that directed the various oil companies all over the world to pay up what is being own the King which is said to now run into Trillions of dollars, an amount that could make him indisputably the richest man in the whole wide world.


OLPC keyboard. Spot the difference.
While the Nigerian people are yet to finish with this nightmare, a certain ADE OYEGBOLA, an inventor from Nigeria who claims the One Laptop Per Child nonprofit stole his designs for a Nigerian keyboard. He recently won a round in a Lagos court. Now this week, Oyegbola is pressing his case in U.S. federal court.

In this suit he is pressing for $20million in damages. There seem to be a grand conspiracy to prevent development from Africa by the west. We expect that, as usual the west who claim first to keep and obey court orders, who tell us every now and then that the Rule of law must always be obeyed, should have rose up in defense of the King, with sanctions on the Oil companies involved to pay up all amount owed King Clement, not that there are afraid to let such an amount in the hands of one individual especially who is neither American nor British.

What is the assurance that if Aye wins his case in the US, his case will also not be pushed under the carpet?

Is is not interesting that there hasn't been a mention of Commandclem by the big media houses of the west despite the enormity of the sums involved?
This is a sign and a call for all Nigerians and concerned Africans to come all out and create a buzz about these two. We don't have the BBC, CNN and others behind us but we have a large blogging community in Africa. We all can create awareness. Let the world know what is going on. There is no crime in an African becoming the richest man in the world.

Calabar: Paradise Of Fear?

Following the alleged killing of a soldier in Calabar, the Nigerian Army officials have besieged the major street of Calabar (Ndidem Usang Iso Rd) and residence and business owners along the road now leave in perpetual fear for the past three days.

This development has become really disturbing especially when football lovers hoping to catch a glimpse of the Champions League match between Liverpool and Inter Milan yesterday were all sent home in what seemed like a partial curfew at gun point.

Stories have it that the entire mayhem resulted when a soldier's girlfriend was patted in the ass by a guy passing by. The soldier is said to have protested and this may have provoked the boys who teamed up to beat him up along with two other soldiers who were with him. The soldiers are however said to have tried to call for back-up  when their assailants took to their heels. However, one of them was said to have ran after the fleeing hoodlums who later realized he was alone and cornered him. This time beat him to death.

Since then, despite the soldiers destroying every visible structure with semblance of a pub, they have continued to intimidate residents and passers-by  so much that 6 o'clock in the evening is no longer save to be seen along Ndidem Usang Iso Road in Calabar.

I am however worried that if this is not stemmed at the bud, another Odi community may soon surface, this time in the hitherto peaceful city of Calabar, Nigeria's preferred tourism destination. Again has the Nigerian Army lost control of it's soldiers? How come a group of soldiers can easily leave the Barracks to cause so much destruction and yet accountable to know one? The hoodlums who perpetrated this heinous act should be sorted out and brought to book but in a civilized manner for it is a shameful thing for this to continue to happen in this country. This Jungle justice must stop!

 

You can get other details on this story from The CalabarGist Blog