In a country where political issues have been very much the demise of a nation such as Nigeria, it’s quite easy to suggest that matters off the football pitch have affected matters on the pitch.

It was just recently, a statement was released by the federal crown court in Abuja on the 21st of January, stating that the Nigerian football federations were being disbanded from football, “The Nigerian football federation (NFF) and Premier League (NPL) will be dissolved.”

Recent competitions haven’t been kind to Nigeria, especially big tournaments such as the World Cup. Their last two saw them knocked out in the group stages in 2010 and 2002.

The ‘Super Eagles’ have been crowned African champions twice both in 1980 and 1994, and their uncharacteristic failure to not qualify for the African nations cup in 2012 was the first time since 1986.

Many will be very much surprised to not see Nigeria in this month’s African Nations Cup, and the national side only have themselves to blame, the 2-2 Guinea draw on the 8th of October, in Abuja was enough to ensure Nigeria did not cement their place in the tournament.

The former Nigerian coach Samson Siasia, was suggested to have many fall outs with the first team players, which one could easily link to being one of the problems for West African side. His recent spat came with West Bromwich Albion forward Peter Odemwingie, which led to Odemwingie not being part of his squad.

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However, it could be argued that the ego’s of many of the first team players have not helped the progress of Nigeria as a football nation, the likes of Chelsea’s John Obi Mikel have fallen off dramatically throughout the course of last year for club and country, which has left many critics wondering where the future lies for them.

In all fairness, it would be cruel to suggest that the NFF are not trying to rectify the situation, the new appointment of Stephen Keshi has at least indicated for the mean time Nigeria expect drastic changes to be made within the next coming years.

Keshi was the captain of the last Nigerian side to win the African Nations Cup in 1994, and will know what it takes to make sure Nigeria are right back in it next year. His Job specification is quite simple, qualify for the African Nations Cup in South Africa 2013 and ensure his team makes the quarter-finals in Brazil for the World Cup 2014.

The future is not all doom and gloom for Keshi’s men, he’ll be pleased to know he has a lot of talent he can work with, in the next few years. Inter Milan’s Joel Obi is just one of those many talents, the 21 year old is highly rated by the Nigerian camp and although he hasn’t featured a lot for the Italian outfit, his versatility in the midfield is very much admired.

Another player to watch out for is the 18 year old Ahmed Musa, a young winger plying his trade in Russia for CSKA Moscow, the lighting quick winger is known for his hard work and determination on the field, standing at 5ft 7 the young speed demon is well equipped to trouble wingers on both flanks.

A few strikers to watch out for are Emmanuel Emenike, 24, who has scored eight goals in 11 games for Fernabache, Ideye Brown, 23, has scored 10 in 18 games for Dynamo Kyiv and Anthony Ujah has scored 27 in 36 games last season for Lillestrom.

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The Nigerian side will be hoping a merge of hot prospects and talent will be enough to get them back into the AFCON next year. The manager knows the task at hand won’t be easy but he brings with him experience in abundance, whether his winning mentality can rub off on his current squad remains to be seen.

It will be a shame to not see the Super Eagles in this year’s AFCON but I’m pretty sure a fresh start a long with a new direction will ensure them a part in South Africa next year.

@Rantisamz

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It certainly wasn’t pretty, the win over Bradford coming just three days after the proud victory over runaway league leaders Swindon Town, but behind all the tension and the nerves shredded by the mild night under the floodlights at Gresty Road, it was 3 points.

Crewe needed nothing else but Steve Davis’ eleventh win from his 21 game long tenure and they got it, as teams like Manchester United are accustomed to, it doesn’t matter how at this time of the season, the win is the be all and end all.

If anybody was calm enough to be immune from nerves before the game, they surely had to be felt after around fifteen minutes of a scrappy opening in which neither side could ascertain any solid possession of the ball. Bradford were robust in the tackle, singling out the majestic ability of Nick Powell somewhat after his controversial showing up at Valley Parade on Boxing Day, but it was a handball which triggered a penalty concession just after the twenty minute mark. The ball pinged around the area, Adam Dugdale tried to settle it in front of goal before having it whisked away by a sly movement of the palm by Andrew Davies, referee Dean Whitestone did well to notice it and award a spot-kick that was duly dispatched by Harry Davis, emphatically considering the jitters felt around the ground and the breakthrough settled them to a degree.

It was a relief to break down the Bradford back-line that was proving stubborn in the face of the movement of Ajay Leitch-Smith and the trickery of Powell. On the flanks things were quite subdued; Byron Moore was seemingly prioritised with a defensive job on the dangerous Kyel Reid who had built a reputation on a devastating recent performance for the Bantams against Oxford, while Dan Shelley struggled to affect proceedings from his station on the left-side. Shelley, in a performance that replicated his struggle against Swindon, appeared sluggish and unwilling to go past his man, often ending his bout of possession with a dead-stop and a raking, ambitious long ball to the diminutive Leitch-Smith and so, the ball was lost easily to a taller back-line.

There was no dominant side, neither goalkeeper had a lot to do and it just heaped more uneasiness on the collective bag of nerves that is synonymous with expectation. Whistle that word quietly, after an eight game unbeaten run which has included latterly a three match winning streak, Crewe were favourites to beat a Bradford team languishing in 19th position before the ball was kicked. But it’s never as simple as that with Crewe and a new sensation of pre-match optimism is certainly an alien one given the slide down the leagues of recent years. As if such tension wasn’t enough, Crewe were unwilling to seize the initiative in the wake of Davis’ opener and, in what appears to be a signature style of Crewe’s recent run of performances, sat back to invite a degree of pressure.

Bradford were much the better side after half-time, Dean Smalley wasted a header whilst shortly after volleying over James Hanson somehow heading wide after Dave Artell missed a header, Kyel Reid dragged a shot just wide of Steve Phillips’ goal. Bradford’s front two of Hanson and Chris Dagnall were dangerous throughout in terms of movement but it’s testament to the work the back four have done with moving as a unit and the importance of cover, they appeared anaemic in the realms of true goal threat. But it still wasn’t an easy watch, the Alex back-line had been disrupted somewhat by an injury to Matt Tootle and even though loanee Jordan Brown impressed in coming on to left-back, there was a feeling that the substitution had perturbed the fluency of the team. Powell was largely on the periphery, Ajay was isolated and Crewe were lacklustre in moving the ball from the back when a counter-attack presented itself. Luke Murphy battled hard alongside Ashley Westwood in the midfield engine room, but there was no obvious out-ball when it was won, leading to a relatively basic concession of the football and the encouragement of more pressure.

As a crowd, there was an air of gratitude for every minute that ebbed away with the slender single goal lead still intact. There was no action on the Crewe bench despite Bradford’s double substitution on the 70 minute mark and they only goal threat mustered by the home side were two long range shots from Powell and Shelley that cleared the bar. Memories of Swindon on Saturday were being evoked when an element of luck was needed to avoid an implosion in the face of copious amounts of pressure as Di Canio’s men struck the woodwork twice in a one-sided last 30 minutes. But thankfully, that intense pressure never really materialised from Phil Parkinson’s men until stoppage time. A free-kick was flung into the box, confusion reigned in the Alex back four until substitute Dave Syers held off Adam Dugdale and to the tune of three thousand home fans holding their breath, turned his left-footed shot narrowly wide of the right hand post. Ref Whitestone gasped on his final whistle shorty after and the Railwayman could breathe again. The torture was over and another win had been achieved, grinded out by the satisfying notion of a 1-0 score line.

That is the only thing that mattered, behind all the concern of match-tiredness spoken of by Davis and the baffling reluctance to make use of the subs bench with that in mind, those three points had been added to the tally to make it 58 from 38 games played. “The key to everything is that the three points is vital at this stage and the lads showed some real grit to get them” was Davis’ verdict as the play-offs come within touching distance, a single win, with another eight games still to play. Relegation threatened Hereford loom next on the horizon for the Davis’ side as they aim to whittle down each game as it passes, but if they can beat league leaders Swindon, they can beat 23rd placed Hereford. Right? Unfortunately, things are never so simple with Crewe and more nerves and fingernails will be eaten before the 5th May. This play-off lark isn’t easy, but any Crewe fan wouldn’t swap it for anything else.

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By Crewe Alex blogger Adam Gray

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The candidates for this season’s PFA Players of the Year have been named, with Manchester City having three of the six possible winners.

Goalkeeper Joe Hart, playmaker David Silva and striker Sergio Aguero head the list of players ready to claim the prestigious accolade.

The Etihad Stadium trio are joined by Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney, Arsenal goal-machine Robin van Persie and Tottenham’s midfield dynamo Scott Parker.

Last year’s winner Gareth Bale is not included in the six candidates, but will be considered for the Young Player of the Year award, along with Spurs team-mate Kyle Walker.

Aguero is again included in the Young Player of the Year reckoning, as is Chelsea forward Daniel Sturridge.

Danny Welbeck is rewarded for his breakthrough at Old Trafford with inclusion in the running for the Young Player award, with Arsenal Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain completing the list.

The awards will be presented on April 22nd at a ceremony in London.

PFA Player of the Year shortlist: Joe Hart, Sergio Aguero, David Silva, Wayne Rooney, Robin Van Persie, Scott Parker.

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PFA Young Player of the Year shortlist: Danny Welbeck, Daniel Sturridge, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Kyle Walker, Sergio Aguero and Gareth Bale

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The 2011/ 2012 season was dubbed by many to have been the most entertaining we have seen for years. Arsenal Football Club have had a particularly turbulent year, concluding in their wait for a trophy still ticking over. The season began with one of the worst starts to a league season the red half of north London has ever experienced, and from there on in life as an Arsenal fan would be tested to the limit. They have seen the lows, with a 4-0 defeat in Milan followed by a FA Cup exit at Sunderland. But there have been highs for The Gunners this year too, most notably a 5-3 win at Stamford Bridge, and beating the old enemy 5-2 to help overturn a ten point deficit. But what exactly can Arsenal fans learn from this season? We look at ten concluding points to Arsenal’s season.

Click on Oxlade Chamberlain to unveil the top 10

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Theo Walcott is a major doubt for England’s decisive Euro 2012 Group D game against Ukraine on Tuesday after he picked up a knock in training.

The Arsenal man impressed when he came off the bench against Sweden on Friday by scoring one and setting up another, which give the Three Lions a 3-2 victory.

England boss Roy Hodgson has revealed that Walcott could well miss the game against Oleg Blokhin’s men after pulling up in training.

“Unfortunately he had a slight setback in training,” Hodgson said.

“He felt the hamstring that kept him out for so long at the end of the season and which we were slightly concerned about when he came to us,” The Telegraph quote Hodgson as saying.

“We have been lucky nothing has occurred with that but in a little training session today we had to take the precaution of taking him from the field because he felt some tightness there.

“Whether he is a real contender for a starting position will depend upon what the medical people can tell me and how much guarantee they can give me that if I do start him he won’t be leaving the field after five minutes, forcing us to have 13 men rather than the 14 I would rather count on,” he confessed.

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By Gareth McKnight

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Real Madrid are ready to take the initiative in the race to sign Tottenham’s star playmaker Luka Modric, and will make a £30 million bid in coming days according to The Daily Mail.

The Croatia international’s future at White Hart Lane is unsure after the side missed out on Champions League football, and with his nation now eliminated from Euro 2012 it is expected that the transfer talks will commence.

Modric was pursued by Chelsea last summer but Spurs held firm and rejected approaches from their Premier League neighbours, however Manchester United are thought to be serious suitors of the midfielder this time round.

However, Jose Mourinho’s Madrid team are looking to strengthen their Primera Division squad, and it is believed that the Santiago Bernabeu chief has told the club to make a bid for Modric.

With Spurs reluctant to part with their star man, a sale to a foreign side would be preferred over selling Modric to any of their Premier League rivals.

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By Gareth McKnight

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As Martin O’Neill prepares to get stuck into his Sunderland squad, the Stadium of Light rumour mill is in full swing with a host of names being linked with a move to the North East.

It’s an exciting time for Black Cats supporters as they debate the merits of potential new recruits and attempt to predict O’Neill’s targets, despite the Northern Irishman keeping his cards typically close to his chest. While a number of fresh faces could well be lining up in Red and White next season, their places in the side must be vacated by members of the current squad and as such many of O’Neill’s troops could find themselves surplus to requirements this summer.

With the club reportedly chasing at least two new strikers, defensive reinforcements and some speedy wingers, they must free up space in a side brimming with talented squad players. As well as finding the room to accommodate any new signings, the club must also consider the financial implications of their recruitment drive and freeing up wages while recouping as much of their outlay as possible is of paramount importance if they’re to maintain their sustainability.

It’s time to take a look at the 10 players who could be surplus to O’Neill’s requirements this summer as he looks to stamp his authority and mould his team into European challengers.

Click on Connor Wickham to unveil the 10

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It’s Saturday evening; you’ve secured the prime sofa position for optimum television viewing and struggled through an entire episode of Casualty. Now all that’s left is to ‘look away now’ at the end of the news and you can saviour the delights of another set of Premier League fixtures.

Now, Saturdays can be somewhat demanding, with a long list of activities on offer and the exciting prospect of consuming alcohol without the fear of having to get up in the morning. This will inevitably mean you’re not as attentive as you should be and it’s at this moment when certain players convince you of their bogus talent in their 5-minute airing on the BBC. You might witness a fantastic mazy run or a blinding solo effort but just like when meeting your idols, watching them in the flesh is always a disappointment.

Click on David Luiz below to reveal my top 15 players who only look good on MOTD

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Join on me Twitter @theunusedsub where I think the greatest incentive for a club to achieve promotion is so they no longer have to endure Steve Claridge analysing their games on The Fooball League Show.

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It’s here. It’s finally here. After months of stressing over England buggering up and losing on penalties, Team GB buggering up and, well, losing on penalties. The football season has returned and my, have Wednesday wet the appetite…

On Monday night The Owls took on Oldham Athletic in what was the first test for the new squad that Dave Jones has assembled for our most recent stint in the Championship and, had we gone on the first half display, we’d be shaking in our boots. However, a tremendous second half performance not only forced a comeback and won us the game, but it gave me those goose bumps. Those goose bumps that only football can give.

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, there’s been an unusual air of optimism surrounding Wednesday this preseason. We’ve signed well, got a good coach at the helm and for the first time in ages we’ve got a bit of stability. Despite all this, half an hour into the Oldham game we found ourselves 2-0 down with our backs to the wall and, by half time we’d managed to miss a penalty as well.

I’m not ashamed to admit that my first thoughts were, “Well, what did I expect, it is Wednesday”. I tweeted something along the lines of, “Good start Wednesday. 2-0 down”, but then, from deep inside me, I had a pulse of assurance. Whether it was the fact that it was a cup game, the fact that my girlfriend said it would be alright, or purely because, for some reason, I actually have confidence in this team, I don’t know, but I added ‘#KeepTheFaith’ to my tweet. Anyway, when the second half started up, despite the score, I didn’t think we were out of it.

Football is a wonderful game isn’t it? Over the years we’ve seen comebacks like Liverpool v Milan and Newcastle v Arsenal, but nothing really beats seeing your own team do it. To non-Wednesdayites we were dead and buried at half-time. United fans tweeted their happiness, “Let’s all laugh at Wednesday”, obviously just bitter about their defeat at the hands of heavyweights, Burton Albion.

However, the boys came out fighting in the second half. DJ said after the game that he’d had ‘one or two words’ with his troops and I’d put money on the fact that some of them weren’t suitable for sensitive ears.

Anyway, second half goals from Jermaine Johnson, Chris O’Grady (2) and Michail Antonio secured a 4-2 win over the Latics and, in turn, cued a Twitter attack on those Blades who, like last season, had begun tallying their roosters before they’d come into the world.

Yes, we could focus on the fact that we were 2-0 down against lower league opposition, but do you know what? I’d rather take heart from the fact that we came back from a shite first half to really show a pair of bollocks and score four goals to win the game.

I, like many Wednesdayites, will choose to see the second half display as a true indicator of what to expect this season and continue to be excited at what we could offer to England’s second tier.

Jones said, “I’m spitting feathers. That was the worst first half I’ve seen. I remember the first 45 rather than the second.” And so he should, his job is to stop us doing that again, to get the player’s heads right. Our job however, is to support our boys, to take the positives and keep battling against the moronic Unitedites who continue to regurgitate the same spiel quicker than a nauseas drunkard.

It’s nice to go into my office and be proud of what my team are doing, proud of their resilience and proud to see a group of players that really know what it means to pull on that blue and white shirt.

On one final side note, I’m dead chuffed to see Antonio signing, he proved his quality against Oldham and I think he could be the final piece in DJ’s puzzle. There’s also talk of Jose Baxter and Jay Bothroyd coming to Hillsborough. I’d be happy with both of those if they happen, as long as Bothroyd doesn’t bring his Ugg boots…

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Come on Wednesday!

Can We Kick It? @YesWeCrann

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Instigating change is tough in football. This week has shown the dangers of doing it quickly, with Andre Villas Boas coming under instant pressure at Tottenham and Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool struggling to come to terms with the new style of football that was the signature of his Swansea team. It is unsurprising then that Roy Hodgson, holder of the poison chalice that is the England manager’s job, has distanced himself from this new fad, insisting that he is in no rush to dispose of the ironically named ‘Golden Generation’, which has never led England to anything like silverware, never mind gold.

At the heart of the issue, as usual, is England’s midfield dilemma. For years the questions in the build-up to England games surrounded which of the 400 players England had tried on the left side of midfield would be given the nod to start the upcoming match. Nowadays another issue is at hand. The centre of midfield the position up for debate, particularly with injuries to steady Gareth Barry and golden boy Jack Wilshere leaving Hodgson with such depleted options in the area that Jordan Henderson cannot be far away from another call-up.

As a result, in the build-up to Friday’s World Cup qualifier in Moldova Hodgson has intimated that he may select Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard alongside each other in the middle of the park.  It would be a disappointing decision by Hodgson, who flatters to deceive by suggesting he is ready to make brave decisions by selecting the likes of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and yet continues to follow in the path of his predecessors by sticking with squad players who have previously been found wanting and making tactical decisions such as the Gerrard-Lampard one which are likely to see England move backwards rather than forwards. England have failed to reach the last four of a major tournament since 1996, and yet Hodgson seems to think that nothing is broken and therefore, as the saying goes, he is not going to fix it. In reality, the time has surely come to realise that international success for England can only follow large-scale changes.

Sir Alex Ferguson, the best of the bunch among managers, recognises this need for change to reignite a team, and having suffered the bitter disappointment of defeat to the ‘noisy neighbours’ last year on goal difference, he has drastically altered his attacking options. The futures of key players such as Nani and even Wayne Rooney have been thrown into question, with new blood such as Shinji Kagawa and Robin van Persie providing a new dimension at Old Trafford. Ferguson has never been one to fear cutting ties, with countless superstars like Keane, Beckham and van Nistelrooy able to testify that when he feels a player needs to be moved on for the good of the team, Ferguson is never slow to respond. It is one of the many characteristics that make him arguably the greatest club manager of modern times.

Obviously, the task is significantly less straightforward for Hodgson. If he decides to usher  the likes of Gerrard and Lampard from the international set-up, he cannot simply spend an oligarch’s ransom on a world-class midfield player to replace them in the same way that top club sides can. He must look to promote from within, and the number of international standard players in England declining, with the influx of foreign talent that makes its way to the Barclay’s Premier League every summer leaving even those with the most exciting of potential such as Danny Sturridge, Danny Welbeck and Steven Caulker with a tough battle to hold down a first-team place. These three players are all examples of those who have dropped down to clubs of lesser resources on loan to learn their trade , but  a mid-table Premier League club does not prepare them for international football in the same way as Champions’ League experience with a club that teaches them the habit of winning. As a result, many of the best young English players are still learning the game at the top level.

But it is too easy to say that picking Gerrard and Lampard in midfield together  is the best option because there is no better option. Barry and Wilshere may have been the pair’s closest rivals if fit, but they are far from the only options. Tom Cleverley shone in his last England outing. Jack Rodwell looks to have added an extra dimension to his game in his brief spell at Manchester City, and has also impressed in his fleeting cameos at the heart of the England midfield.  Michael Carrick, recently returned to the international scene, has won countless medals down the years but has never been a regular starter for England. Leon Britton had a pass completion rate to rival Andres Iniesta, and yet has never been considered for an England side that was shown to be hopelessly incapable of retaining possession at Euro 2012.

These players may currently be on the rung below Gerrard and Lampard as individuals, but that is not to say that they should be disregarded as options for what is fast becoming a problem position for Hodgson. After all, creating a great football team isn’t about picking the most talented players, but about picking the best team to win the match. Sergio Busquets, for example, is a regular for Barcelona and Spain, there are many other rivals for his place that would be considered more technically proficient. The Gerrard-Lampard axis has never looked natural since Lampard became an England regular in the build-up to Euro 2004. They have had plenty of chances, and have shown what they are capable of. With this pairing in midfield, England might get to the quarter finals of major tournaments, but they are regularly hopelessly outclassed against the world’s elite.

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The conservatives will argue that wholesale changes may result in disaster. England may fail to qualify for the World Cup. They may get knocked out in the group stages. But in reality what is the difference between a first round exit and a quarter final? Both are failures. Both will be greeted with the same feeling of deflation that has become all too familiar to England fans in recent years. England need to improve, and only experimentation and new ideas can lead to improvement. Selecting the same team again and again will lead to continuity, and for England, continuity is no longer the order of the day. So come on Roy. Take a chance, go for glory. Make England exciting again. Make a change.

Agree? Disagree? Follow me on twitter @gaz905