‘Mikel Obi and Victor Moses deserve a mention’- Nigerians react to Goal 50

Jul 31, 2013 12:15:00 PM

This year’s list of best players in the world has generated heated arguments among a cross section of readers who feel more Super Eagles deserve to be mentioned

FEATURE
BY Shina Oludare

If wishes were horses, beggars would ride. This aptly points to Nigeria football fans, who like Oliver Twist are not satisfied with the inclusion of only Sunday Mba, a first-time entry for the country as they have queried why no other Super Eagles’ stars made the 2013 Goal 50 list, released on Monday.

Before this year, no Nigerian had made the Goal 50 list decided by over 500 journalists across the Goal.com platform.
The non-inclusion of John Mikel Obi and Victor Moses is the bone of contention as they question selectors over the absence of the Chelsea duo.
Has Goal been fair to Nigeria in this annual ritual to determine outstanding footballers? What justifications does the world’s biggest football website have for rating South Africa’s goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune above Mikel and Moses? Did they not win the Africa Cup of Nations and Europa League in the period under review? How did Mohammed Aboutrika and Victor Wanyama find their way on the log despite not participating in the
just concluded Nations Cup?
Akinmurele Abiodun observed that the inclusion of Sunday Mba was more than justified.

“Mba single-handedly gave the Super Eagles the Nations Cup trophy. His breath-taking performance against Cote d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso are testimonies to his hard work.” However, Abiodun expressed his disgust over the omission of Mikel and Moses. “I can’t help but wonder why Moses and Mikel were excluded. How come?” he queried.
In the same vein, Ajunwa Julian was surprised at the exemption of the duo. “Moses and Mikel had a fantastic outing at the Africa Cup of Nations and were both instrumental to Chelsea winning the Europa League," he stated, before concluding, “The selectors are biased.”

Apanisile Oluseye countered a rather disappointed Julian, who was bamboozled by the fact that notable Nations Cup absentees, Mohammed Aboutrika and Victor Wanyama were enlisted ahead of the Chelsea players.

Oluseye lauded Goal for leaving out the Europa League winners.

“Moses as far as I am concerned has not made a bold statement for club and country, so I see no reason why he should be mentioned,” he explained. “As for Mikel, his major  undoing is his inability to score goals. Should Goal now substitute goal scoring midfielders for him just because he won the Nations Cup and Europa League?”

Another reader, Ropo Olawunmi hit back insisting Victor Moses was the reason why Sunday Mba became a revelation in South Africa.

                                                               Victor Moses scores penalty against Ethiopia 

“If Moses had not made that man of the match display that saw us win our last group game against Ethiopia, would Mba have scored in the quarter final and final? If we are to judge by Afcon, Moses made meaningful impact,” he blasted.

As for Oseme Stey, he made a case for the likes of Emmanuel Emenike, Godfrey Oboabona and Ahmed Musa saying that “Did Burak Yilmaz, Jackson Matinez, Paulinho and Fred perform better than Emenike, Musa and Oboabona? I suspect foul play somewhere.”
However, David Obasogie decided to tow another dimension preferring the choice of Vincent Enyeama and Godfrey Oboabona in his top 50 list.

“Godfrey Oboabona did tremendously well for both club and country. He has not missed a second in the Super Eagles; hence I think he deserves a place in the Goal 50 ahead of Wanyama and Khune," said Obasogie.
“Left for me, I would vote the trio of Mikel Obi, Godfrey Oboabona and Vincent Enyeama ahead of any other Super Eagles star,” he concluded. ------------------------ goal.com