Nigerian Football
Victor Osimhen has told Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag exactly what he wants to hear
Manchester United might have a £100million-plus coin to flip during the summer transfer window as they eye up the next step in their impressive rebuild.
Having allowed Cristiano Ronaldo to leave mid-season, the choice is quite simple for Erik ten Hag and his side moving forward; would they benefit most from having Victor Osimhen or Harry Kane around? In reality with so many factors at play, things will be a little more complex than making it a straight decision.
But as their public chase for Frenkie de Jong proved last summer, there are ways to combat missing out on primary targets. In that case, Ten Hag used the funds put aside for his former Ajax protégé to snap-up Casemiro and Christian Eriksen. Not a bad contingency plan by any means.
When it comes to their impending striker search, question number one for Ten Hag and key figures behind the scenes is do they want a frontman who thrives on running in behind and playing off the shoulder, or one who’s much better suited to dropping deep and, simultaneously, acting as a playmaker.
Osimhen and Kane offer different strengths and Ten Hag will have to tweak his tactical blueprint accordingly if he wins the race for one or the other. Crucially, though, you would expect either to guarantee goals and, in turn, that will take some pressure off the sensational Marcus Rashford.
Although early plans are in place to sign a long-term successor for Ronaldo next summer, outside noise will no doubt play a huge part in United signing their next No.9 in the positional sense. Will those selling clubs play ball and, if so, how much will Scudetto hopefuls Napoli or Tottenham demand for their prized assets?
United can only control so much by confirming their return to the Champions League or by showing just how enticing it would be to be the star attraction for a Ten Hag team. However, even prior knowledge of that was not enough to aid them last summer.
Despite their healthy relationship, Ten Hag did not get that nod from De Jong as he opted to stay put at Camp Nou for (at least) another season. United might be able to learn from that in terms of how long they pursue the top striking targets, but in many ways their market “failure” was out of their hands.
De Jong never truly appeared comfortable on a move and that must be the first requirement thrown towards Osimhen or Kane next summer. Fortunately for Ten Hag, though, the former has already seemingly opened the door when it comes to a potential big-money move, so that puts Osimhen in his crosshairs.
“When you are doing so well, top clubs around the world are watching,” acknowledged Osimhen during a chat with ESPN before leading Napoli to victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League on Tuesday night. His opener in a 2-0 win was his 20th goal of the season.
In turning home once again on the biggest stage, Osimhen was able to outshine one of the alternative options who have been tentatively linked with United – Randal Kolo Muani – who was dismissed before watching yet another masterclass Osimhen audition conclude.
“I’m focused on Napoli, right now, and they have the final say. I just want to help my team to win matches and win trophies. At the end of the season, we will see what’s going to happen, but that is not up to me. It’s for the club to decide.” That middle sentence will have mostly been music to Ten Hag’s ears.
Despite putting his faith in Anthony Martial pre-season, the United manager has seldom been able to deploy his first-choice striker this campaign due to four separate injury setbacks. That makes it all the more incredible to note what the Dutchman has achieved, and might yet achieve, before the close of play.
Change is afoot in that regard and United will target a long-term successor to Ronaldo and Martial when the market reopens. Osimhen did not exactly issue a come-and-get-me plea with his comments, but they have to be seen as a green light for United and other potential suitors to come calling.
-MEN
The miserable run of Akwa United and Ikorodu City came to an end after six games in the Nigerian Premier League this season. Both teams were initially glued at the bottom of the league table.
They now got respite as Akwa United beat Kano Pillar by 2-0 while Ikorodu City even did what could be considered an upset, beating Bendel Insurance 3-0.
Remo Stars bounced back to the top of the log after a 3-0 defeat of Nasarawa United. Shooting Stars are yet to get their rhythm this season, playing a barren draw with Enyimba in Ibadan.
Kwara United who got their first full points of the season last week after a 1-0 defeat of Remo Stars could not consolidate as they were beaten 1-0 by Abia Warriors.
Heartland under Emmanuel Amuneke are gradually recovering as they got a valuable away draw against El-Kanemi Warriors.
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
It is 75 years since Nigeria’s national football team first played an international match. That was on 8 October 1949 when the first set of Nigeria’s assembly on their return voyage stopped over in Freetown and engaged Sierra Leone in an international football match. Nigeria won 2-0, setting a chain of positive results on 8 October.
The country never lost any competitive duel on that date. More significantly, the Super Eagles first qualified for the World Cup on an 8 October date.
That was in 1993 when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Algeria in the quest for USA ‘94 World Cup.
Nigeria became the first English-speaking African country to qualify for the World Cup. Another significance of the October 8 match at the July 5 Stadium, Algiers is that Nigeria were unbeaten for the first time by Algeria at home.
The only deviation from the 8 October Magic was in 2015 when Nigeria lost 2-0 to Congo in a friendly match.
Twenty-six years after Nigeria’s debut international match, one of Africa’s biggest football nations, Egypt fell to the October 8 magic, losing 4-0 to Nigeria in the last stage of the triangular World Cup qualifying series for Argentina ’78.
Up till October 15, 2013, when Ghana beat Egypt 6-1 in Kumasi, the October 8, 1977 duel with Nigeria remained Egypt’s biggest loss in a World Cup qualifying match.
Before the 1977 duel, Nigeria in 1963 played a friendly match with Liberia in Monrovia. The October 8 magic was active, even in an away match. Nigeria drew 2-2 in their very first encounter with Liberia. It was shortly after the team had, through a protest, upturned a victory by Guinea to pick Nigeria’s very first African Nations’ Cup ticket.
Little wonder then that when FIFA suspended Nigeria in 2010, the world governing body provisionally lifted the ban on October 8!
Nigeria on 8 October
- 1949 – Freetown (Friendly) Sierra Leone 0-2 Nigeria
- 1963 – Monrovia (Friendly) Liberia 2-2 Nigeria
- 1977 – Lagos (World Cup qualifier) Nigeria 4-0 Egypt
- 1993 – Algiers (World Cup qualifier) Algeria 1-1 Nigeria… qualify for USA ‘94.
- 2005 – Abuja (World Cup qualifier) Nigeria 5-1 Zimbabwe
- 2010 – FIFA, in apparent respect to the 8 October magic, provisionally lifted a ban imposed on Nigeria.
- 2011 – Abuja (African Nations Cup qualifier) Nigeria 2-2 Guinea. Although undefeated, Nigeria failed to make it to the 2012 African Nations Cup.
- 2015 – D.R. Congo beat Nigeria 2-0 in Visé, Belgium. The ‘October 8 Magic’ is finally broken.
Rivers United have launched themselves to the top of the log at the end of the match day 5 of the Nigeria Premier League. The Port Harcourt side beat Akwa United 2-1 to go afloat after initial leaders, Remo Stars crumbled to a 1-0 defeat at Kwara United in Ilorin on Sunday.
It was Remo Stars’ first defeat in the season. Rivers United are now with 13 points. Stephen Mayo put Rivers United ahead after 31 minutes. But it turned a temporary lead as Akwa United bounced back almost at the blast of the referee’s whistle for the second half.
Friday Apollos levelled up for Akwa United before Ndifreke Effiong Udo scored the winner in the 85th minute.
Sunday Results
- Kwara United 1-0 Remo Stars
- Rangers International 1-0 Abia Warriors
- Heartland FC 2-0 Niger Tornadoes
- Kano Pillars 2-0 Sunshine Stars
- Plateau United 1-0 Ikorodu City
- Rivers United 2-1 Akwa United
- Enyimba 3-0 Katsina United* Suspended
- Nasarawa 0-0 Bayelsa United
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