Segun Oluwaniyi

I hate to steal from Ghostface Killah, but anyone listening to D'Banj that is over 16 and doesn't have female genitals is a vic. It's aside the point, though. As per Ethiopia, I don't know how a country can have such fine girls and play such violent football. I am genuinely elated none of our players had their legs snapped over the two legs. Watching the CIV-Senegal game now, Cisse still looks poor and Fabrice Muamba has no buisness commentating.

Shola has a much easier path to the Nigeria team than his older brother, tbh. There are 80230782 pacy wide forwards in the Nigeria setup. I mean, he'll always have the "England premium" because he plays in the league most valued by people in the country, but the competition is tough. SE have lacked a true target man type striker for a while now (the likes of Emenike and Yakubu are strong but average in the air), and Keshi in all his wisdom has decided to alleviate this with Shola Ameobi and has given another rubbish player a few free flights. May God have mercy on him.

You made the same joke, yesterday. It doesn't even make sense in this context.

Super Eagles to the World Cup!! http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view5/4895299/aghahowa-o.gif

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11678/9028098/transfer-news-shola-ameobi-hoping-to-put-himself-in-shop-window-at-world-cup http://cdn.niketalk.com/3/32/32590f01_AlonzoMourningThinks.gif

The World Cup is quite clearly the pinnacle of the sport for most people. As a player, it can definitely crush you mentally not to make it, especially when it is something that is expected. Even if your team is simply going to make up the numbers and lose three matches, there is something special about being at a major tournament.

It's not finished by any means for France. This result simply means they cannot afford to concede in Paris.

France have been massive underachievers since 2002.

Who could have guessed that these matches in Europe would be tedious and bland? Smug f***ing Europeans. I know you're going to come back with a verbose version of "f*** you too." but I'm still 'ing. You know my hate for American football is strong, but I think the US should do well also. They are athletic and organised. I do think the African sides are being underrated quite a bit here, but how is one African going to win that argument in a room of Scandinavians? I'll leave it. As I said, I am looking forward to see what happens.* *If we qualify.

I'm not sure this matter so much. most of our boys have been playing in Europe since they were sixteen. Most of the big African sides struggle away because they are made to play on hard pitches in unforgiving atmospheres. It's not as though African teams haven't shown well at the World Cup before. It is just that for some reason the whole continent has never really put one WC together where all the sides fully burst on the scene. Ghana, Cameroon, Senegal, Nigeria and even Morocco have all done well individually in World Cups. I don't know why it is never a collective thing. The tired humour is appreciated, though.

Make jokes now if you want to, we shall see results when the day of reckoning falls upon us. I won't poison the air with words of petulance and combativeness until this time. Our teams are in much better shape this time, and funny enough the lack of a WC year ACN will help because this means half of the managers won't be getting sacked two months before preparations start. I am quietly confident, given a decent draw.

Sounds like Adu/Altidore. To an extent. When I think of Altidore he seems like a beast who is trying really hard to be a footballer. Campion is very much a footballer. Good touch, wants the ball at his feet, good movement. That's partly why I've picked him out. Been looking at a lot of college soccer recently and most of them are decent athletes but lack the fundamental skills. This guy has them. I cannot think of two more dissimilar footballers than Adu and Altidore.

They're a very decent team. Think they should depending on group be making at least quarterfinals. I'd expect quarterfinals to be four SA teams and for European teams depending on the group draw. There is always a wildcard QF. If there are no surprises in the African qualifiers this weekend (God-willing) or the second legs of the intercontinental playoffs, I think this World Cup could be very competitive (unfortunately this might mean cagey, also) with quite a few surprises. South America's team are even stronger than last time, there should be at least four legitimately threatening and competent African sides there (barring chaos, which is always possible). I don't think there are many easy victories about. Even Europe, outside the top two or three sides seems to be quite close between the teams.

Never support the colonial overlord, Felipe.

I think it is a bit of a myth that Debuchy needs to be protected at all times in order to function.

Why did FIFA do away with the Asia-Oceaia playoff from last time? Aesthetics?

New Zealand wasn't ready for this I suppose away matches to Vanuatu don't prepare you to face this sort of quality in this sort of environment.

Other than Arsenal and Chelsea, no club south of Birmingham has won the English league since 1962. Other than the big London three, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Tottenham, the other clubs in the "South" are Fulham (a nothing club, as people here love to state) and sides that were promoted within the last three seasons. Up north, even the clubs that don't win trophies are historical with large supporter bases, such as Newcastle, Sunderland, Villa, and Everton. It is not really a fair comparison. Also, Birmingham is definitely in Southern England. Otherwise, Northern England is 75 percent of England. Geographically, yes. Culturally, no. My experience with the United Kingdom is essentially just a lot of London, so I'm not trying to change the culture of the place, just noting the imbalance and how they make comparisons such as these difficult.

Other than Arsenal and Chelsea, no club south of Birmingham has won the English league since 1962. Other than the big London three, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Tottenham, the other clubs in the "South" are Fulham (a nothing club, as people here love to state) and sides that were promoted within the last three seasons. Up north, even the clubs that don't win trophies are historical with large supporter bases, such as Newcastle, Sunderland, Villa, and Everton. It is not really a fair comparison. Also, Birmingham is definitely in Southern England. Otherwise, Northern England is 75 percent of England.

I've seen Yedlin. I don't think he is a right back at any higher level.

This is the ones to watch, your guy must be 32 or something. HAHAHAHAHAHA

Dele Alampasu. I think he has the potential to be a top level keeper. Not only does he have great height and athleticism but very assured as well. He was selling water on the streets of Lagos and playing football on the streets a year ago.

What...what could possibly be the reason for this? I don't understand.

The worrying thing is that Santon has actually declined from one year ago until now. He is one of those that lost confidence and hit very bad form when things turned for the worse last season. He has been alright this season, imo (I think much of the criticism of him has been over the top), but I really want to see him improve and push on at this point of his career. I always thought the deal to buy him was fantastic business, and at the end of 2011-2012, I thought we had an absolute star developing at leftback. He is still very useful and easily the best left back here, but I am disappointed in his progress.

Why include two female goals, that will invariably lose every year, instead of just creating a female Puskas?