Condemnations continue to impede the selection of Ogenyi Onazi as a member of the Super Eagles’ 32-man provisional team to play Ghana in an Qatar 2022 World Cup play-off game later this month.
Nigeria are expected to compete for a spot at the biggest football event around the globe when they clash with Ghana in a two-legged encounter later this month
In the lead-up to the mouth-watering game, Eagles coach Austin Eguavoen announced his 2013 AFCON player as among seven players available to play in the crucial match, the move that has infuriated Super Eagles fans.
There have been four years since the last time the midfielder played for Nigeria during the 3-0 victory over Seychelles in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
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The 29-year-old also served as an unused substitute for the Eagles in three games during the tournament of 2018 World Cup.
This year, Onazi has played a miserable 19 games in every competition, playing 946 minutes while scoring only one goal.
Despite being in the list of standby players, certain sections of the football community in Nigeria have expressed their displeasure at the list that was released by Eguavoen last Friday.
“I thought we are playing for the World Cup and not just a friendly match? What is Onazi, who many had thought had retired doing in the squad, I hope this is not what I am thinking,” a stunned Emmanuel Ajegunma sarcastically asked.
Wole Popoola, an IT technician, also expressed his disapppontment over the inclusion for Onazi even on the standby list.
“Onazi needs to understand that he has passed his prime,” he told PUNCH Sports Extra.
“Is it so difficult to get players who are still in the active league rather than those in the obscure league? I don’t find this list so convincing.”
Alexander Ehodagbe also used JEA Saprong’s quest of the Black Stars not to use players based in small leagues in Asia for the two crucial matches. He said: “I heard the Ghanaians are saying their coach should not invite players playing in the Saudi league and here we are digging out one from there. I laugh for Nigeria my country.”
“I saw on standby Ogenyi Onazi, is he still playing football? I thought he has retired,” Chinedu Eze wrote on Twitter.
Also, commenting on the Super Eagles Twitter handle, Dozie Owums said, “Eguavoen, how did Onazi make the list over Lorient’s Innocent Bonke or Denmark-based Raphael Onyedika?
Post was written by Ademetan Abayomi and was first published on his platform futbalgalore.com.ng.
