Posted: Feb 14, 2011
Obafemi Martins’ addition to Blues will help spark the attack to greater heights, Alex McLeish reckons.
Martins, who is set to make his debut today against Stoke City, is one of five strikers the manager now has to choose from.
Nikola Zigic, Cameron Jerome, Kevin Phillips and Matt Derbyshire are the others, with Marcus Bent remaining firmly out in the cold.
And with Carling Cup final places up for grabs – Martins is eligible – the competition has got that little bit fiercer.
Derbyshire has found that out to his cost recently.
He started five out of six games after being given an opportunity at Blackpool at the beginning of January – and has failed to make the 18 for the last two fixtures, with Phillips edging ahead in the pecking order, although Derbyshire has had a knee niggle.
“There are some options there, great competition,” said McLeish. “We were in the first half of the season searching for the right formula and we stuttered a little bit.
“Now there are great opportunities this last 14 games or so for the players to make their mark.
“It is difficult when you have such options.
“I can’t keep every player happy and there will be players disappointed when they’re not in the starting line-up and disappointed when they’re not on the bench.
“But you can only pick 18 and, from that 18, only 11 start on the field.
“I’ve been doing it for a long time now and it’s never easy telling a player he’s not playing, but it’s part of the job.”
McLeish has admitted that one of the attractions to Martins was his previous stint in the top flight, and that he expected him to ‘hit the ground running’.
“I wanted to try and get players during the January window who knew their way about in the Premier League. Martins has got vast experience, so that was a factor.”
Martins, who is set to make his debut today against Stoke City, is one of five strikers the manager now has to choose from.
Nikola Zigic, Cameron Jerome, Kevin Phillips and Matt Derbyshire are the others, with Marcus Bent remaining firmly out in the cold.
And with Carling Cup final places up for grabs – Martins is eligible – the competition has got that little bit fiercer.
Derbyshire has found that out to his cost recently.
He started five out of six games after being given an opportunity at Blackpool at the beginning of January – and has failed to make the 18 for the last two fixtures, with Phillips edging ahead in the pecking order, although Derbyshire has had a knee niggle.
“There are some options there, great competition,” said McLeish. “We were in the first half of the season searching for the right formula and we stuttered a little bit.
“Now there are great opportunities this last 14 games or so for the players to make their mark.
“It is difficult when you have such options.
“I can’t keep every player happy and there will be players disappointed when they’re not in the starting line-up and disappointed when they’re not on the bench.
“But you can only pick 18 and, from that 18, only 11 start on the field.
“I’ve been doing it for a long time now and it’s never easy telling a player he’s not playing, but it’s part of the job.”
McLeish has admitted that one of the attractions to Martins was his previous stint in the top flight, and that he expected him to ‘hit the ground running’.
“I wanted to try and get players during the January window who knew their way about in the Premier League. Martins has got vast experience, so that was a factor.”
Eagles Forward Set To Dump VVV Venlo
Posted: Feb 14, 2011
Super Eagles winger, Ahmed Musa, will be joining his teammates in the Flying Eagles camp in the first week of March, Complete Sports can report.
The VVV Venlo attacker, who was a thorn in the flesh of the Sierra Leone defence in the Eagles 2-1 win in an international friendly played in Lagos last week, revealed in a phone chat after his team’s 3-0 loss to ADO Den Haag in the Eredivisie that his coach John Obuh has granted him permission.
“I have spoken to the coach as regards my arrival to the Flying Eagles’ team and I hope to help the team win the championship in Libya. The group is tough no doubt but we will qualify from the group and with luck on our side win the championship for Nigerians,” he said.
Musa, who emerged as the highest goal scorer in the Nigerian Premier League last season with 18 goals in his debut season for Kano Pillars, however declared that he wouldn’t be going down to the lower leagues if Venlo get relegated from the Dutch top flight.
He added: “ I won’t be going down with Venlo if they get relegated but as a team we all are doing our best to ensure that doesn’t happen. We play very well but get unlucky at times not to win games. I pray we don’t regret this at the end of the season.”
Venlo are currently 17th in the 18-team Dutch league table with 13 points from 23 games and are top candidates for the drop
The VVV Venlo attacker, who was a thorn in the flesh of the Sierra Leone defence in the Eagles 2-1 win in an international friendly played in Lagos last week, revealed in a phone chat after his team’s 3-0 loss to ADO Den Haag in the Eredivisie that his coach John Obuh has granted him permission.
“I have spoken to the coach as regards my arrival to the Flying Eagles’ team and I hope to help the team win the championship in Libya. The group is tough no doubt but we will qualify from the group and with luck on our side win the championship for Nigerians,” he said.
Musa, who emerged as the highest goal scorer in the Nigerian Premier League last season with 18 goals in his debut season for Kano Pillars, however declared that he wouldn’t be going down to the lower leagues if Venlo get relegated from the Dutch top flight.
He added: “ I won’t be going down with Venlo if they get relegated but as a team we all are doing our best to ensure that doesn’t happen. We play very well but get unlucky at times not to win games. I pray we don’t regret this at the end of the season.”
Venlo are currently 17th in the 18-team Dutch league table with 13 points from 23 games and are top candidates for the drop
Joel Obi Turns Down F/Eagles
Posted: Feb 14, 2011
Inter Milan starlet Joel Obi upset officials when he turned down a chance to represent Nigeria at Under-20 level.
Following his imperious performance with the Super Eagles in Wednesday’s friendly against Sierra Leone, the 19 year-old was asked to join up with John Obuh’s Flying Eagles but turned down the request.
“He told us he could not play with the Flying Eagles as he had to return to his club,” NFF executive committee member Christopher Green told KickOffNigeria.com.
The decision left Green and other NFF officials unhappy, and potential sanctions were discussed before finally being shelved.
Following his imperious performance with the Super Eagles in Wednesday’s friendly against Sierra Leone, the 19 year-old was asked to join up with John Obuh’s Flying Eagles but turned down the request.
“He told us he could not play with the Flying Eagles as he had to return to his club,” NFF executive committee member Christopher Green told KickOffNigeria.com.
The decision left Green and other NFF officials unhappy, and potential sanctions were discussed before finally being shelved.
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