Francis Uzoho has hit back at critics over his latest errors for the Super Eagles.
The Omonia Nicosia goalkeeper came under intense criticisms following his insipid displays in the Super Eagles recent friendlies against Saudi Arabia and Mozambique.
Uzoho diverted a cross into his own net in the 2-2 draw against Saudi Arabia.
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The 24-year-old was also at fault for the second goal conceded by the Super Eagles in the 3-2 victory against the Mambas of Mozambique.
His displays in both games led to outburst from fans and pundits.
In response, Uzoho took to his Snapchat story to respond to his critics.
He posted a picture of himself, and captioned it: “Do it if it’s easy.”
37 Comments
Since it’s no easy for you, then you should quit from being a professional goalkeeper.
Is this guy normal like this? To even think he play in Cyprus as second to third choice, this is see finish to the fans.
Uzoho was good when Ike shoromu was GK trainer, I think NFF should get back Ike Shoromu and then we can take it from there. A Goalie that dealth well with Brazil and co has suddenly become a Maguire I can’t believe it.
Very correct @Chima. People are not even asking who’s the goalkeeper coach. Agu, for me, was a calamity both as a professional player and a coach. I fail to understand why NFF kept recycling him in that position. Get in Ikeme. He can no longer keep, but he can still coach and has EPL experience.
Or an Ikeme/Enyeama combo. Apart from probably fine-tuning Uzoho’s game and reflexes (the guy is so stiff for a goalkeeper. No cat reflexes at all, which Adeleye has, although he’s short). they can also find new diamonds in the rough from anywhere whom they can groom to stardom.
Ohhh Agu is not good enough as a GK trainer and so his club GK trainer right? He has never been a dependable GK my guy, a keeper that you can’t even pin point one area of his games that’s average, we better bring that FE GK at the just concluded WC or even the falcon GK.
What an insult! Thank your God matches are no longer in lagos you would have seen shege. You are a comedian in post not a goalkeeper.
This is an insult you supposed to apologise for your shambolic performances not this claims. You are just a comedian in post not a keeper. Which club are you playing? Are you a regular in a low rated leaque? You should be grateful you are even invited to represent a whole country. Pls honorably decline further invites.
Okoye Finally Hits Back (About Time, If You Ask Me!)
Uzoho is usually a humble and unassuming personality online. But with so much abuse directed at him on social media of late, the beleaguered net minder finally cracked.
There is a saying that goes something like, if you push a usually timid goat too close to the wall, he will eventually retaliate and fight back.
Fans (including me) are quick to retaliate, sometimes ferociously, whenever other fans criticise their veiws on Internet platforms or social media feeds. But we know slam Uzoho for responding to vitriol after keeping quiet for so long – doesn’t this smack of double standards?
Uzoho burst into the scene in 2018 after fans indirectly forced Gernot Rohr’s hand to replace a competent Daniel Akpeyi because we found it hard to overcome an unfortunate miscommunication caused error against Argentina in a friendly – a friendly we won handsomely anyway with Akpeyi making some fine saves.
We qualfied for that 2018 world cup with games to spare with the same Akpeyi playing 60% of games. Ezenwa played the remaining 40% which – in living memory – ended up being Nigeria’s most rip-roaring, whiplash inducing all-conquering world cup qualifier series against heavyweight oppositions.
Yet, the 2 goalkeepers never gannered criticical and fan acclaim. No no no! Akpeyi and Ezenwa are pariahs, 2 of the worst, comical and awful goalkeepers ever to be fortunate enough to wear Super Eagles colours (in the eyes of many fans). Gernot Rohr listen and hurriedly promoted Uzoho to number one, jettisoning the other 2 highly experienced capable but admittedly at times comical goalkeepers.
Guess what, the 2 goalkeepers – Uzoho and Okoye – that succeed Akpeyi and Ezenwa are now both already pariahs even at their young age with no end of criticisms hurled at them!
In the words of Francis Uzoho: “Do it yourself if it’s easy!” A statement that I think hits the bull’s eye and one that is simply apt.
Coach Peseiro had said earlier: “Nigerian goalkeepers never play freely or calmly because of the fans. I don’t know why they attack the goalkeepers every time.”
I don’t either, Mr Peseiro. Why not attack the useless NFF instead?
In truth, Uzoho peaked in 2019 and has experienced very minimal but undeniable decline ever since. Okoye on his part, was a rookie who was still cutting his goalkeeping teeth the same year with glaring shortcomings.
Between 2019 and now, Nigeria has attended 2 world cups, 3 Wafu Zone B Cups and 1 Afcon in U-20 football. In U17, we have been to 1 world cup, 2 Wafu Zone Bs, and 1 Afcon. We have played 2 Chan qualifiers and 2 under 23 qualifiers. A whole 15 mini tournaments!
Yet, yet we have not been able to identify fresh goalkeepers with skills better suited to a loose and porous 4-4-2 formation? Shame on everybody concerned in scouting goalkeeping talents for Nigeria.
This guy is shameless, u that suppose to beg for forgiveness u are here talking about oyibo signing u. Which oyibo, which league, u are not even the first choice in that very lowly rated European league. Bro u no Dey try now. Abeg cover your face in shame. With Vincent the score line would have be 0:2 against Saudi Arabia and 3:0 against Mozambique. Abeg go watch the highlights of the matchs again and see how u Dey make people laugh, your own comedy pass basketmonth’s own.
Mumu, so ur job is the toughest in the world, next time decline all ur invitation, ur presence in the team is a time bomb. Pls stay away, ve some decency stay away.
Learn humility bro, remember you are a bench warmer in an obscure league, it’s insulting you are our number one.
Uzoho must quit Super Eagles substitude him with Aniagbosso or Tobias Lawal Lasik Lins goalkeeper; I think If Peseiro leaves Uzoho in Super Eagles squad, he will make a disaster or calamity on SE in next Africa World Cup qualifier 2026 fixture versus Lesotho and Zimbabwe fixtures and the AFCON. final in Cote De ‘ Ivore.
PESIERO DROP THIS GUY HE HAVE NO RESPECT FOR THE TEAM AND FANS INSTEAD OF BEING HUMBLE AND ACCEPTING CRITICISM BY REMAINING SILENCE HE IS RUBBING IT IN OUR FACE. YEYE UZOHO
PESEIRO DROP THIS GUY!!!!!!!!!!!
Uzoho, this your comment just gives you away as someone that doesn’t care about your performance and it affects fans . Could easily be the reason why your form has dropped drastically.
With all due respect, please kindly excuse yourself from further invites until you are in right frame of mind. You are always going to be welcomed once you hit those dizzy heights again.
I finally figured it out. I’ve been trying to figure out what Uzoho’s play reminds me of. It’s the “wacky inflatable tube man”. Flailing all around. Google it if you aren’t familiar
HAHAHA, Lord Amo, you cracked me up with this!
We need Noah Atunbolu by all means possible….He is best goalkeeper in Africa.
Nigeria is the worst country globally for managing human resources. No wonder the foreign-born keepers are not coming . They’ve heard about NFF’s history of corruption
Is Uzoh our GK, this is so full of cowardice and appeared basket-like on the goal post. The GK is suppose to be selling fufu and not goal-keeping as a career.
Do you know this guy caused us last world-cup ticket.
it is a big shame on our coach that this guy is still representing this country on national assignment.
Some guys are comedians like the wide mouthed UZOHO. If ALLOY AGU is poor, is the Goalkeeper Trainer at OMONIA NICOSIA also bad??
Truth is UZOHO is not good enough!
RASHEED of VERNAMO is 31 and keeping regularly for a Swedish FIRST Division Club. Efforts should be made to get him in the mix
People also alluded to ADELEYE being short as if World Cup winners; FABIAN BARTHEZ’, IKER CASILA and CLAUDIO TAFFAREL are Giants
Same mistake BORA MILITUNOVIC made by benching a regular playing WILLY OPARA in 1998 for a semi retired PETER RUFAI at France 98
You always run your mouth like a broken malfeasance tap insulting all comers like an obviously badly trained product of a broken home!
When did International Goalkeeper Trainers or Football Managers become MOST IMPORTANT in the development of footballers? Is it the 3days to 1 week training sessions with them? Big mouth said SHORUNMU trained ENYEAMA when every child knows that the latter replaced the former between the sticks against ENGLAND at KOREA JAPAN 2002!
I expected you to engage me on the merits or otherwise of my position on the fact that National Team GK Trainers and heights of GKs do not play any MEANINGFUL role in their performance instead you displayed your limited intellectual capacity to debate rationally without recourse to throwing childish tantrums! Grow up man.
Lack of knowledge should be your cup of tea, who’s running mouth here? There’s no need to even go the lane with you, there are better people to have conversations with. Don’t forget your manners at the gate next time!
Another big lie…UZOHO was playing for DEPORTIVO LA CORUNA as First Choice (after replacing injured )in the Spanish La Liga when he was capped by GR.
No be your fault, I’m sure if it was a different environment. Ndidi for Don help me give you 50 for that yeye mouth. Someone warming the bench in a below top 1000 clubs and same guy killed the team’s WC hope. The same guy has conceded the highest number goals per match in the past 2 decades when compared to other goalies.
It wont be wrong to assume that this otondo Uzohobasket has the backing of top nff chiefs. This bragging, ego, and disrespect is way beyond ordinary
Blame the poverty upbringing of most of these illiterate footballers, the way at which they are worshipped by those who should be giving them home values has made them disrespectful and acting all power with arrogance. My favorite Osimhen is also there using DSS to pick her sister for money that he is bigger than. Something that we were thinking they’ll have sorted by now. Instead e is using DSS to show level against his family. SMH SE players, we still have sweet respectful guys like Iwobi, Bassey, Iheanacho to enjoy.
Attention….Attention…..Attention
I have come again with my scouting, and I have decided not to do this anymore, but the love I have for this our country, Nigeria, is huge.
This is why I am here today to present you these 8 world-class goalkeepers.
I have with me at least 8 of the best goalies we have now that CSN, Oga Paseiro, and the NFF have failed to recognize.
Please don’t blame Uzoho or Maduka Okoye but the NFF and the new gaffer, Oga Paseiro. The reactions of our players say it all on the pitch when it comes to the goalkeeper issue.
This is why I took time out of my busy schedule to bring you these names, and I hope we are going to see three of the names at the upcoming Afcon in January.
The coach is not up to the task. I am not expecting much from the gaffer and the current NFF.
Now, here is Jonathan Rasheed. He’s a goalkeeper, and he said his available to represent Nigeria. I hope CSN is with me?
“Jonathan Ayola Ursin Rasheed (born 21 November 1991) is a Swedish professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Swedish club Värnamo”.
Nonetheless, here is the list of the goalies, and I am begging CSN to do their research on this.
No1. Adeleye
No2. Nwabali
No3. Osagwe
No4. Arthur Okoronko
No5. Ojo Olorunleke
No6. Bankole Kayode
No7. Amas Obasogie
No8. Jonathan Rasheed
This is why I laughed so hard whenever people say we don’t have reliable goalies.
The coaching crew and the NFF are just playing politics game with us, and more so, they don’t care about us but themselves and their pockets.
I have to do my part, and I hope my message will get to Oga Paseiro and the NFF. Ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!
In fact, corruption is killing our only surviving unifying factor (football) in Nigeria through NFF.
How on Earth could a rational Coach failed to heed to fans clamours regarding goalkeeping unit nemesis. Football fans are incessantly recommending goalkeepers at your disposal without giving them recognition.
Fans are not happy with the current calamtious situation of goalkeeping of SE. The problem is not far fetch,SE lack qualify goalkeeper’s trainer who knows his onion.It is a shame that NFF could not invite V. Enyeama as trainer and also give scout mandate to woo Freiburg fc goalkeeper in Germany. Tobias Lawal and others as mentioned by Omo9ja.
With this kind of nonchalant attitudes from Jose Peseiro and NFF next year AFCON victory is as good as being dose off.
l call on the Minister of sport, the NFF chairman, the Super Eagle goalkeeper trainer to please follow what Omo9ja has put forward after his exhausted search for a formidable list as he numerated above. Even the U20 goalkeeper can be utilized to replace this Uzoho. With Uzoho, Nigeria is doom. What does it tell us about the match with Mali 3, Saudi Arabie 1 when Nigeria could not beat the same S/A only to draw their march.?
CALAMITY.
The original owner of that name was David James, former England goalie.
CSN forumites have decided to strip him of this title, and bestow Uzoho with it.
LMAO!
Is Uzoho now the HARBINGER OF CALAMITY?
Bringing calamity left, right and center? Raising the BP of millions of Naija fans with his “INFLATABLE TUBE MAN” goalkeeping antics, as hilariously described by Lord Amo?
And his seeming lack of humility as evidenced by this ill advised response has only served to add petrol to the already raging fire that is the anger of fans.
Make unu no too vex. Let us not be like Colombia fans. No need for threats, insults, or God forbid, violence.
As for Uzoho, you too accept criticism, and work hard to improve!
Perhaps it is time to try new goalies. The coaches should roll up their sleeves and get us the safest gloves possible. If we want to have a chance of winning the upcoming Afcon and qualifying for the world cup, good goalkeepers are non-negotiable!
Uzoho has no business in the SE. Past glory
Which glory? Did he ever have one ? At this rate he shd just dishonor any further invitation bcos the fans might make his life miserable and that if the coach, peseiro shd just start scouting for a new GK.
Nigerian “Football Fans” criticise national team players, but cannot pay gate fees to watch football at stadiums in the country How can our football grow when the NFF is broke and corrupt?
In my submission mistakenly attached under Ndubest’s write up above, I identified no less than 15 mini under age tournaments between 2019 and the present day where opportunities were missed to unearth capable goalkeepers for Nigeria.
Think about it, for those tournaments, no less than 3 goalkeepers would have been shortlisted for each. Let’s do the maths, shall we?
15*3=45. Yes at least 45 goalkeepers would have been tracked, scoped, monitored and selected for various age grade to tournaments since 2019. Yet we are left to manage Uzoho and Okoye who, like the rest of us, can only give what they are endowed with.
Where is England born Under-20 Daniel Jinadu? Oh yes, In England warming the bench in division 5 for Maidenhead fc.
Where is Under-20 Italy born Jonathan Zaccala? No be that one wey dey finding his feet in Croatia division 2.
What is the story behind the continued blatant snubbing of Swiss born Sebastian Osigwe? Your guess is as good as mine.
Why just give up on Dele Alampasu just because he plays in French division 4? The 2013 Under-17 World Cup hero remains bitter about his Super Eagles snub.
Does the name Olawale Oremade still rings a bell? Who be dat wan? deo u don come again o!
What about 22 year old England born Tottenham Hotspurs one time Super Eagles Joshua Oluwayemi? Oh that one, he plays with Chelmsford fc in the English 6th division.
If we don’t have goalkeepers playing in credible clubs, why not select the ones we have based on ‘potentials’ and allow them use the national team as springboard to greatness. After all we are willing to use the same national team to promote mediocre home based players. Also, Uzoho and Okoye paid up members of their clubs’ bench warmers association.
So what do we have to lose in looking at the direction of Alampasu, Oluwayemi or Jinadu? After all Okoye was playing in division 10 in Germany when Gernot Rohr shoved him down our throats.
With this goalkeeping issues I just feel we need to do something different, something unconventional. If that means sticking with Uzoho and Okoye and providing them avant-garde tactical support, love, measured criticism and ongoing development, so be it. If not, waiting to select a Nigerian goalkeeper playing week in and week out for Real Madrid or Manchester City will be tantamount to expecting Abuja to become the financial capital of the world.
Alampasu needed the national team appearances to blossom but then the now calamity Uzoho and Okoye where inform. Alampasu should be scouted and only invited if he is capable of doing a decent job. Adeleye has a better club but due to his heights he plays strange and concedes a lot of goals. Alampasu was that goalkeeper that won trophies and best goalkeeper awards at certain levels in nations football yet we never gave him too much chance and time like we are doing with these disrespectful clowns of today.
Very very soon, Uzoho will not be in Super Eagles team again.
watch out!
Uzoho needs to be replaced with a solid and quality goalkeeper.
Instead, I will suggest we take a look at the 442 formation of the coaching staff and how it affects every department of the game. Is this system exposing the keeper to much attacks from the flanks or we don’t have the experience to cover the flanks or defend properly when on the defensive…? Imagine a system where the coach concentrate on playing more attackers and attack minded system, little will be left for defence… there has to be a a way to balance this in such a way that the keeper is and the defence are not left exposed… there has to be sweepers, interceptors and libéro general to command and control the defence and the midfield in order to absorb attacking pressures on the defence and the keepers…the system, in my opinion is lacking in interpretation and quality management and inadequate manpower…