Nigeria coach Augustine Eguavoen has come out to explain his decision to name midfielder Ogenyi Onazi in Super Eagle’s provisional squad for the upcoming 2022 World Cup qualifying tie against Ghana.
The 29-year-old, who currently turns out for Saudi club Al-Adalah, made a return to the Super Eagles squad as one of the standby players ahead of the two-legged fixture but his inclusion was not well received by the fans.
Onazi, who was named in Nigeria’s final squad for the 2014 Fifa World Cup in Brazil and started in all four games as the Super Eagles were eliminated by France in the Round of 16, made the standby list alongside Chidozie Awaziem, Jamilu Collins, Chidera Ejuke, Taiwo Awoniyi, Paul Onuachu, and Peter Olayinka.
Eguavoen has stated the inclusion of the former Lazio player was also recommended by his associates but he was not sure whether he was still good to play at the highest level.
“The first game [against Ghana] is on May 25, there are still one or two games to be played before that game proper so when I spoke with my guys, yes Ogenyi [Onazi] is a good player,” Eguavoen told reporters as quoted by Allnigeriasoccer.
“Whether he’s still good and can play at that level we don’t know but to pacify everybody, to just make sure there’s harmony here I put him on standby. He’s on standby, but again I have the final say. Like I said before, I have my plan and it’s close to my chest.”
Eguavoen also defended his decision to name three goalkeepers - Maduka Okoye, Francis Uzoho, and Daniel Akpeyi – in the main list for the decisive battle.
“When I came up with the list normally it should be three goalkeepers, I came up with two, left the third one blank, and consulted with all my colleagues and their opinion was different from what I was thinking but again we have to know that we are in a democratic world, all three will not keep,” Eguaoven continued.
“You can bring ten guys and seven or eight are knocked out with Covid, what happens, it can be an injury.”
Onazi was also part of the squad for the 2018 Fifa World Cup in Russia, although he did not feature in any of the team's three matches but was expectedly left out of the squad for the 2019 Afcon after failing to fully recover from an Achilles injury suffered in December 2018 while playing for his club in Turkey.
On Monday, Onazi said he will not be distracted by critics, who have questioned his inclusion in the squad but insisted his focus is to play for the Super Eagles.
“Personally, I don’t listen to what they write online. I’m still on the reserve list, not yet on the main list so we can’t tell what’s going to happen. Let’s keep it that way and then we’ll see what’s going to happen,” Onazi said.
“As far as I’m concerned, football in this present situation now – it doesn’t matter if you’re playing in Manchester United or you’re playing in Kazakhstan or wherever. You’re not taking your club to go and play in the national team, you’re taking your individual skill and ability to join with your fellow players and make a team.
“During my time at the national team, I never had a problem with anybody. I’ve always been a person in the middle – between the young and the old – to make them integrate into the team. When I’m on the pitch, I give my all until I’m almost dead.”
The Super Eagles will face the Blacks Stars in the first leg on March 25 before the return leg that is scheduled for four days later in Abuja.
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