The performances of Raphael Onyedika for Belgium side Club Brugge in the UEFA Champions League hasn’t gone unnoticed by the football world, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola who praised the contribution of the Nigerian to the Club Brugge setup before his team’s win over the Belgians in the final group game of the UEFA Champions League. Onyedika scored in the game.
“The patterns defensively are really good, especially with the holding midfielder (Onyedika ) and creating overlaps in certain positions,” he said. “We have to be focused on the way we have to attack and man-marking, because I don’t know the shape of what they are going to do to create the spaces to attack.”
Joining in singing the praises of the 23 year old is AFCON 2013 winner Efe Ambrose, who rates him as the best Nigerian midfielder at the moment.
” Anytime I watch Raphael play I just nod my head in excitement. At the moment I don’t think there is any Nigerian midfielder at his level. He is presently the best for the Super Eagles”, Ambrose told OwnGoalNigeria.com in an exclusive chat.
With 12 caps to his name and a goal, Ambrose called on the new coach of the Super Eagles Eric Chelle to give more responsibility and game time to the midfielder starting from the world cup qualifiers games in March.
” He ( Onyedika) has to play more particularly if the team wants to play in an offensive manner like the new coach suggested. I really think he should be the main anchor in the middle with all due respect to those in the role at the moment”.
Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman