The Stubborn Wenger!
By Toyin | 17th February 10
I have never seen anyone as stubborn and myopic as Arsenal’s Wenger in world football. The man just believes that there’s no other way except his and that come rain or shine, he would eventually be proven right. However, the current reality on ground is not the situation. Tonight as they play against FC Porto in the first knockout round of the UEFA champions’ league, the team would be without six regular starters. Gallas, Almunia, Song, Asharvin and Eduardo will not travel to Portugal while the long injured Robin Van Persie has been off the scene since October 2009.
Before the unfortunate injury of the Flying Dutchman, he was on fire for the team. He had scored 11 goals up to that time and his first class thinking and quick feet was a delight to watch for many many Gunners. However, as in recent past, Robin seems to be made of glass and he got injured again. But Le Prof had a perfect solution: Andrey Asharvin! Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Who Will Win | No Comments »
The Way Forward (1)
By Toyin | 5th February 10
As usual, the Super Eagles got another bronze medal at the just concluded CAN in Angola. That was our fourth bronze medal in 10 years. And for a country that is supposed to be a ‘super power’ in African football, that record; when deeply dissected is tantamount to failure. Compared to Egypt, Nigeria would be in a very distant third on the scale of accomplishments within this period.
The funny comments during the reception for the Super EAGLES after the CAN in 2004 that the team came back with ‘Golden Bronze’ because we defeated Cameroon in the quarterfinals was a joke carried too far! No matter what, a bronze can never turn to gold. And there’s a long distance between the first and third place. Crossing that mediocrity level should form the bastion of our future aspirations not only in African football but also in global competitions. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Biz Football, Nigerian Football, Success Pills | 1 Comment »
ACN Like No Other!
By Toyin | 13th January 10
Angola 2010 took off to a most astonishing start as Mali came back from four goals down to take a point from the hosts. It would go down as one of the most memorable opening matches of any football tournament in the world. Reminiscent of the Golden Eaglets feat against their German opponents in the FIFA under 17 competition in Nigeria two months ago, this encounter had more significance as Africa’s best were on display. The excitement in the stadium was palpable, as the first lady of Angola was not left out of the euphoria as her national shot into a commanding lead.
I would have wished to find out how she felt at the end when the players crumbled to the determination of the Malians who must have been properly tongue lashed by their Nigerian coach. Such is the magic of football; the unpredictability, spontaneity makes it what it is: the best sport in the world!
Despite this impressive opening, the Angolan government, LOC and CAF must have been thoroughly shocked and embarrassed by the attack on Togo’s national team. It must have been a nightmare to hear that Togo’s officials and players were shot between the borders of Congo and Angola and within the oil rich Cabina region of the former war torn Jonas Savimbi enclave. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Biz Football, Nigerian Football, Success Pills, The Gaffer, Who Will Win | No Comments »
Uncouth Mouth!
By Toyin | 28th December 09
The list of the Super Eagles players for the CAN 2010 in Angola was released last week to the nation by the coach and the NFF. The 32 man list drew a lot of comments from fans across the country and as to be expected, various questions were raised as to the fitness and the suitability of some of the players knowing how close the game is to commencement. In particular, the fitness of such players as Uche Kalu, Yusuff Ayila, Joseph Yobo, Yakubu etc were highlighted as these are the guys that will form the fulcrum of the team come January.
Personally, I have no ax to grind with Ahmodu for his choice of players and neither would it matter if I do; in Nigeria, people in ‘big positions’ hardly listened to others advice. My grouse with the man is his level of arrogance and self adulation! At the Press Conference organized by the NFF in Lagos concerning the forthcoming African Nations Cup in Angola, Ahmodu came out like a man who will never learn anything from history. He was very abusive and totally lacking in decorum. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Biz Football, Nigerian Football, Success Pills, The Gaffer | 1 Comment »
Not Over Yet
By Toyin | 12th December 09
Two weeks ago, Chelsea was cruising and with the comprehensive defeat of Arsenal at the Emirates, not a few pundits declared that they are the Champions Elect of the Premiership. However, football is a very unpredictable game and the Blues have dropped 5 points in their next two games after that exploit. They were beaten by the new Billionaires of the league, Manchester City and had to battle it out with Everton for a point today at Stamford Bridge.
Similarly, Manchester United who trashed West Ham by four goals to nil last weekend amazingly lost to an unyielding Aston Villa at Old Trafford this evening. Much as they tried to get something out of that game, a combination of inspired goalkeeping from Brad Friedel and excellent rear guard display kept the Red Devils at bay. The animated expressions of SAF towards the end of the match shows that indeed, uneasy lies the head that wears the crown. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Hot Stars, Cold Sands, Premiership, The Champion, Who Will Win | 1 Comment »
Stubbornness: Wenger’s Albatross!
By Toyin | 4th December 09
In all my years of watching football, I have never seen a manger so respected, adored and infinitely excusable as Arsene Wenger. He enjoys unparalleled confidence from his board and majority of fans as well. It’s a standard and acceptable quote at the Emirates that ‘Arsene Knows’. Such is the influence of the man that actually brought Arsenal into both European and global front burner.
While one may not be really happy with current happenings at the Emirates, the truth of the matter is that the man actually deserves the respect and cooperation he’s been getting so far. However, the reality of trophy less adventures of the past four years going five should sound the alarm bells in the minds of any serious fan of the Club. The last silverware won by the club was in May 2005 when they defeated Manchester United in a lackluster performance through penalty kicks. Since then, Arsenal deteriorated from being league contenders to Champions League football strugglers. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Biz Football, Crazy Fans, Premiership, Success Pills, The Gaffer | 3 Comments »
Chestnut Out of Fire!
By Toyin | 28th November 09
I have to apologize to you, my readers for going AWOL on this blog for the past two weeks. I guess I had too much to do and the euphoria of our eventual qualification surely got the better of me. But not to worry, now that we‘ve qualified, I will be doing a lot towards making sure the Super Eagles are actually super come SA2010!
Saturday, November 14, 2009 was a momentous day in the history of football in Nigeria. It was the day that our country qualified for the first World Cup to be held in Africa. Unfortunately for me, I could not watch the match live as I was away to Ibadan for a Reunion program in my alma mater. As the program was on, my mind kept darting between the message being preached and the event taking place in Kenya! Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Biz Football, Crazy Fans, Nigerian Football, Success Pills, The Gaffer, Who Will Win | 1 Comment »
Double Header Decider!
By Toyin | 12th November 09
We have come to the cross roads where one wrong turn leads to a dead end, an end without qualification for the 2010 world cup in South Africa! This Saturday, November 14, 2009 is going to be either a great day or a sad day for a lot of Nigerians as the string of hope remaining would have been strengthened or snapped at the end of that day. Nigeria, a potentially great nation in any imaginable human endeavour is again at the mercy of other countries to qualify for the first world cup to be held in Africa. We hope that Mozambique would do us a favour by beating Tunisia and that Kenya would not be too fit for our over pampered stars to deal with.
And so we would be fighting two wars simultaneously on Saturday. Even America is finding that very difficult to do literarily! We are like the proverbial farmer that counts its chickens before the eggs are hatched. We think we are the best in Africa and yet are not ready to meet the demands of success. We are proficient in building castles in the air and do not know how to move into it. Why did it ever have to come to this? Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Biz Football, Hot Stars, Cold Sands, Nigerian Football, Success Pills, Who Will Win | 5 Comments »
So Far, So Good!
By Toyin | 5th November 09
The second round of the ongoing FIFA under 17 championship in Nigeria lived up to the patter set from the first group matches. Goals, lots of it, were scored yesterday even as two giants fell along the way. Germany (European champions) and Argentina were knocked out by Switzerland and Columbia respectively. Within those two matches, 12 goals got slammed into the net!
And the goal from Sergio Araujo of Argentina would have had even the great Diego Maradona clapping! After putting to sleep about four players from the midfield, he dropped his shoulders and unleashed an unstoppable shot from 25 yards to beat Bonilla. As superb as that goal was, it was not enough to stop the Columbians who accorded their fellow South Americans no respect to move into the quarterfinals. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Biz Football, Crazy Fans, Nigerian Football | 2 Comments »
Our Turn to Shine!
By Toyin | 25th October 09
The FIFA under 17 competition kicked off in Lagos and Abuja simultaneously yesterday with four matches played on the opening day. Unprecedented! The opening ceremony was a mixture of brilliance and the humourous; cultural dance steps were displayed to the scanty crowd at the national stadium in Abuja. You can’t blame the fans; our football has been on a steady decline for the better part of year now.
In Lagos, both Brazil and Switzerland took maximum points with the South Americans surviving by a thread against the Japanese. Abuja witnessed the first match by 4 O’ clock in the evening after the opening ceremony and Argentina took the leadership of the group from the early kick off. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Biz Football, Crazy Fans, Nigerian Football, Success Pills, Who Will Win | 1 Comment »
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