Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr has heaped plaudits on Anayo Iwuala following his impressive performance in last Saturday’s 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying tie against Benin Republic, reports Completesports.com.
The Enyimba winger made his debut for the three-time African champions in the 1-0 win against the Squirrels at the Stade Charles de Gaulle, Porto-Novo.
He replaced Galatasaray’s Henry Onyekuru nine minutes from time.
Read Also: Iwuala Thrilled To Make Super Eagles Debut
“He (Iwuala) had a good impact in the game,” Rohr told www.aclsports.com
“I’m not afraid to give a chance to young players and even to local players. I saw him already playing in Port Harcourt against Rivers (United) in a Confederation Cup game.
“I saw in the training that he has a lot of qualities and we wanted in the end some diversities in the side and Henry (Onyekuru) was a little bit tired and we are happy that such a young player can show something and he did well.”
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32 Comments
Carry go coachie
Thought some morons said we don’t have good players in the league. Yeye dey smell
Some morons indeed…. abi na from Jupiter Iwuala commot? Lol
Some people won’t be Happy with this news..I saw this lad in aba last year I was wow.his goal against kano pillars last year is worthy of TV commercial.. Npfl haters how market?? Una never see anything, wait until they play am full-time
I’m happy with this.
God bless Nigeria.
Look at all my posts regarding this young man, it agreed with what the coach expressed. Europe and possibly English or French Clubs are waiting for him. He already being called foreign based player by now.
In my assessment in a scale of 10 I would score Iwuala 3.
He gave away a couple of balls and shot wide when he should have crossed to the box where a couple of super eagles strikers are waiting to pounce.
I scored him 3 because of his endeavours.His willingness to impress,not getting overwhelmed with the responsibilities given.He made a couple of passes as well.
I don’t think he has done enough to get lauded that much.We should be patient and see him again hopefully for longer in today’s game.
I want Iwuala to take his chance today and I hope he does.
Thanks boss, I was wondering whether we all saw the same match. The way ppl are praising Iwuala as if he did anything meaningful. He didn’t impress me, but then again it’s his first game with the team. So let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5cJhsPI6Hs
Hehehehehe…..if this is what the supposedly BEST player (MVP) in the Nigerian league can offer the SE, then I laugh in kwale. I wonder what the average ones (by the NPFL standards) are doing playing football then. Its no different from his drab youtube highlights….all endeavor, no end product.
I saw Ejike Uzoneyi’s SE debut vs Rwanda in 2012….way more spectacular than this, yet he fizzled out like smoke almost as quickly as he emerged. I saw Emem Eduok’s debut vs Ghana in 2014 or thereabout, way more daring and capped with a beautiful goal to boot…what have we seen of Emen since then.
Consistency is what makes a man…..any jack and harry that kicks a ball can step unto the pitch and run with the ball. If this was what the likes of Kalu and Simon did on their debuts or have been doing ever since they would have been kicked out long ago. The likes of Ejuke, Onyekuru are still there…LMAO. Not to talk of the foreign borns like lookman and Seyi Ojo if they eventually succeed with their switches.
Congrats to Iwuala on his debut. I hope we will all live to see him earn 10 caps for the SE……LMAO. But there’s more to being a SE player than just running around with the ball.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDAf93_Cqxo
Chidera’s Debut; Same type of player, same time period of debut, against a tougher opponent…..yet showed class.
We all know where our best players are…..LMAO
Uzoenyi will all his “raw diamond” hype moved to Rennes in France and played 2 minutes of football in 6 months and was shipped back home….moved to Sundowns in South Africa and barely played 10 games in 3 years. Spent 5 years in SA with 3 clubs and didnt play 20 games in total….LMAO. The other ones who have emerged afterwards down to junior Lokosa wia dem dey now…LMAO. Consistency again is what makes a man. The only reason this current Iwuala can be in the SE is by quota system, not because he’s the best of the best we have. I hope we will all live to see him earn 10 caps for the SE……LMAO.
Once again we know where our Best players are…..LMAO. We can deceive ourselves all we can
Thanks @Dr Dry, when they started praising this guy, I thought he did some wonders, but watching the highlight, I was disappointed in the earlier comments. Good one on one take on, zero final result. But nawah for some people Sha. Let’s be real to ourselves we have far too many wingers playing in better leagues around the world including those that are waiting for FIFA clearance, Is going to be difficult for a player from Nigeria league to make the team, even if he perform well come next match, how long can he keep up with those performance before some other person come and take his position in the team, the position which I don’t think he can get because of the people ahead of him and others that are coming in. And moreover Nigeria can discover player anyday, anytime
I want to respectfully disagree with your seemingly blanket assessment of our local league by referencing the struggles of Emem Eduok and Ejike Ezuonyi. For every of those two including Junior Lokosa you equally mentioned, there is an Ahmed Musa who not only has had a distinguished career for SE but remains Nigeria’s top scorer in WC history!
In life anything can happen. Greatness can be achieved from an obscure and failed institution or society.
A Burna Boy winning Grammy etc
Not getting ahead of myself concerning Iwuala but still remembered how Finidi George from relative obscurity retired Emma Okocha and Oladimeji Lawal on that right flank and also how Emmanuel Amunike equally retired Friday Elaho. These two players actually benched those playing in Europe whilst in the local/African league and from there launched successful careers.
Ahmed Musa didn’t exactly go straight from Kano Pillars to the Super Eagles. He went to Vittese Arnheim, played with the U21 team, made his debut with the Eagles, then moved to CSKA Moscow shortly after.
The Nigerian Local League is not a good finishing school for international players of Super Eagles quality. The players typically go abroad (to a good league if they’re lucky), before they can hold their own in the team.
One of the best defenders from the local league in recent years was Valentine Ozornwafor. He played 2 seasons in Enyimba before moving to Galatasaray; he’s currently on loan in the Spanish second division. He’s still a young player undergoing his footballing education, and you’ll surely see him in the Eagles when he nails down a place in the Gala first team; and he’ll surely last longer in the side, and make more of an impact than if he had gone straight from Enyimba to the Super Eagles.
I respect this post. Very constructive argument which makes sense but for some others they’re counting down to see how this guy will fail and become an old story….that is just sad
Please let’s not talk down the young man… Let’s support him and wait to see what he does against Lesotho. The thing in life is that some people must start from the NPFL otherwise we should just forget league football in Nigeria. No one expects Iwuala to be an Okocha overnight but like most of us, even the gaffer was generous with very kind words towards the young man. The thing I am most happy about is that I do not think he is more than 25years in real life and atleast in that respect it is all positive. I pray he is started tomorrow so we can access him better… One love.
Bro people are evil in this world they never want to see others grow just cause they had claimed there was no talent in the league. What about words of encouragement or advice about how to improve in subsequent matches but the moment some fools see other people express similar opinions then they creep out of their holes and admonish a young man who you should hope gets better. Our league is not doing well but we can’t completely say we don’t have some rough diamonds in the league. I hope we will discover more talents in the nearest future or a better and more organized league which seems like a far reality for now. I pray for this young man to go far and shame his critics in the years to come. The gaffer praised him others can keep their nonsense to themselves…
@Footballfanatic… correct word bro!
Well said Football Fanatic and Jimmy Balls. Anybody who throws sand from the side at your comments is a bloody coward who deserves to be shot by a firing squad. Just because CSN provides a free platform for people to air their views some worthless useless Rohr ass-lockers think it is a license for them to suppress others. It will never be better for such a person. Bullies particularly brainless bullies will rot in hell for all eternity.
Riquelme of Argentina was so good in South America but never performed fantastic in Europe. Nobody can say Iwuala or Ejike Uzoenyi were bad players because of a terrible European experience. Put Ronaldo in Abia Warriors and see how he will perform.
@dr drey you need a serious pastor to deliver you.you are a disgrace in this forum.
Riquelme was a legend in spain; he took Villarreal to d champions league semis loosing to Arsenal in ’06. Who said he didn’t make it in Europe?
Hahahahahaha….the truth is beginning to bite them hard….LMAO.
Nobody is talking anybody down, but at the same time there’s no need to call a player a superstar when he is not. An honest assessment is far better than a killer hype.
The national team is not a place to ‘grow’ players…rather the national team grows by selecting its BEST players. We all know where our best players are…..LMAO.
I once again hope we will all live to see him earn 10 caps for the SE….LMAO. If you like call me the devil himself….LMAO
Immediately SE qualified with 2 games to spare, these self-acclaimed SE fan went into hiding.
Hahahahaha.
Now Rohr has given them another life line to spew their thrash, see how they’re crawling out one by one.
LOL.
Where were u pple on saturday oooooo. LOL
We don’t talk anybody down, we say the truth the way it is without favouratism, ethnicity, tribalism, racism.
We don’t mince words. We say it raw without diluting it.
The current NPFL players are still miles away from what we use to have in the 80s & 90s.
They need to step up their game else our best legs are still in europe.
My prayer to this young man is that he doesn’t toe the line of his predecessors else this could be his last invitation to SE.
He should try & miss the next flight that normally carries their likes to obscure leagues in europe.
He should be consistent bcos the likes of KALU, DENNIS, SIMON, CAPTAIN MUSA are still alive & in contention for that wing.
This’s my candid advise to him & the rest of NPFL invited players.
::SHALOM::
You do your analysis, someone do not agree with you, you will start using words like fool, idiot how are we sure you are not that brainless person. Your analysis is your analysis is not for everybody. The moment you started thinking that you can not be wrong that’s the moment you start acting brainless, that means one part of your brain is not functioning cos if is functioning it will tell you, you might be wrong
Hmmmmn…I don’t think its right to hip all these praises on the guy just for that cameo appearance. Moreover, he really didn’t play with the team during that lil time on the pitch. Also, don’t forget that the team he’s coming into is full of all sort of individuals with huge soccer dexterities. However, for NPFL player, he gave a good account of himself, and he deserves to be in the team. He should expectedly have more game time today, and we can really see he’s made up of.
Hahahahahaha…..Are you done….LMAO…???? The truth really kills people ey….LMAO
Iwuala really “did well” stepping onto the pitch in SE colours in the 80th minute and using his freshness to outrun tired opponents (whom Onyekuru and Zaidu had already ran ragged all thru the game) yet with zero end product…..LMAO….hunter kill dog wey moto don jam….LMAO. Kudos to him. If you really like him better start telling him to go to where he will be taught football commensurate with the standards of international football. Your hypes wont lead anywhere…LMAO.
Keep on hyping your quota system player, our BEST wingers are coming back to take their places….LMAO. Incase you have forgotten their names let me list them for you…..LMAO:
– Sam Kalu
– Moses Simon
– Henry Onyekuru
– Chidera Ejuke
Plus the likes of Paul Omo Mukairu, Ademola Lookman, Sheyi Ojo et al still being monitored and waiting on the wings.
Thank God youtube doesn’t lie nor does it deceive ….LMAO. Go and watch all these guys’ highlights and compare with your MVP…..LMAO. Infact You dont even need to go far….just scroll up there and watch debut vs DEBUT…..LMAO
May we we all live to see him earn up to 10 caps for the SE
Hungry people…!
Oh my….I even missed the likes of Dennis Bonaventure, David Okereke…..and who else…??? Pls remind me…LMAO
Good response @Dr.Drey,that’s the way to deal with these guys… It’s premature to hype Iwuala, he put himself about against Benin, hopefully he starts today and we get to see more… Fingers crossed tho!
At least Dr Drey your arguments are always grounded in logic and common sense unlike some bastards who should choke in the rat poison of their own making.
The jury is still out on Iwuala. The little time he spent on the pitch, he looked promising and showed some flashes of brilliance. Although generally, he seemed to be playing to the gallery. But I must commend him for taking the game to the right back of the Benin national team. Before Iwuala’s introduction, Onyekuru had laboured and tried severally to dribble or even run past that defender, but failed on each of the occasions. Zanusi at left back was even more successful with that right back than Onyekuru.
For a debut, Iwuala tried. He showed no sign of stage fright. Today will afford us another chance to look at him a second time.
N/B I’m happy to hear that Iwobi is back
BREAKING: Iwobi cleared for Lesotho clash after second Covid test negative. (c)SCORENigeria.
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The way and manner the Benin rep authorities went about their scam left too many questions than answer…..LMAO. Good punishment they now have to go play on that millet farm in freetown to have a chance at qualifying for the AFCON. If devil wan punish them further make S/L knak dem…..LMAO
There was a certain CR7 we all knew in MAN UTD back then. Always playing to the gallery. Known for step-over, dribbles et all.
When he move to LALIGA, MORINHO told him “hey man if u want to win world best again & be relevant u must drop every unnecessary dribbles & be more of a team player & score lots of goals”.
CR7 keyed into this & the rest is history.
It was in the days of PELE, MARADONA, RONALDINO, ZIDANE, OKOCHA et all that playing to the gallery was seen as the best & even with that, these guys keep producing results(assist & goals).
Today’s football isn’t based on playing to the gallery.
Coaches like PEP, KLOPP, ZIDANE et all needs result .
Who cares about dribbling one milion players yet no assist, no goal?
We need result ASAP.
Watch how other wingers play soccer in the world.
This isn’t the 80s or early 90s where pple rarely have access to EPL, LALIGA, SERIE A.
Now even in your car u can have access to it.
Can we compare our “world best” ANAYO with GNABERY, SANE, STERLING, MARHEZ, MANE, SALAH, JOAO FELIX, or even our CHUKWUEZE, KALU SIMON et all.
These guys have speed, pace, skills, can dribble etc.
Where does our world best ANAYO belong?
Let’s stop this unnecessary hype and allow the poor boy calm down and play soccer.
This is how NWAKALI was hyped to the heavn and the innocent talented lad is now nowhere to be found.
Control your emotions and stop the hype ASAP. I REST MY CASE…
:::SHALOM:::