Kenneth Omeruo believes Paul Onuachu have what it takes to become a key player for the Super Eagles in future, reports Completesports.com.
Onauchu scored twice in Nigeria’s last two 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Benin Republic and Lesotho to stake claim for regular shirt in the team.
The 26-year-old has recorded 27 goals and bagged two assists in 32 outings across all competitions for his Belgian Pro League club Genk this season.
“He (Onuachu) is a very good player. He works very hard
,” Omeruo stated during an Instagram Live Chat with BBC journalist Mimosa Fawaz.
Read Also: Genk Celebrate Onuachu’s Goal Vs Lesotho
“It is just unfortunate that he has not been able to do well for Nigeria as he does for his club side. He is always in- form, it’s just that it hasn’t worked out for him yet as it does for his club.”
Onuachu scored his first goal for the Super Eagles in a friendly match against Egypt on March 26, 2019. A first minute strike that won the game for Nigeria and the Egyptian team coach then who also coached Omeruo at Leganes still hasn’t forgotten him.
“My former coach [Javier Aguirre] who used to be the coach of the Egyptian team asked after him and said, ‘where is that boy’ because in his first game for Nigeria against Egypt in Asaba. He scored within a few minutes and we one,” Omeruo said.
“He is a very talented player, a difficult player to mark. I am a defender and I always don’t want to play against him in training. He is so huge and very strong. It is difficult to get a player like him.”
“We shouldn’t joke with him because he has so much qualities.”
6 Comments
Thanks my brother for that recommend Abt Paul Onuachu..u really knows his quality
From the horses mouth they have seen him in close quarters, not the guess work a couple of us have been doing.
@Chima E Samuels… Truth don the comot from people wey the tool-up with am… That his goal against Egypt open my eyes long time ago that he was a player with insane IQ levels… 100% vision. Paulo never even start… Some folks won’t like Umeruo for this honest assessment! Paul Onuachudowskidinho… Kai, Nigerian football fans can make even death attempt suicide.
To me he just didn’t function well before due to lack of supply and the lone striker formation in which he was exhausted with little or no supply, unlike Osihmen who is very much used to formations like that. With the new formation of having two strikers our forwards will have more space and liberty to operate.
He who don’t have long leg in the Nigerian settings dents to come last. If not because of Spain banning the other guy from coming out, Paul wouldn’t being talked about in this fashion today. Soon after that match in Asaba, where Onuachu scored the fastest goal in the World against Egypt in 2019, Omo9ja and many other well meaning Nigerians called on NNF and the coach not forget Paul Onuachu for God’s sake. But today, Paul has scored so many goals in Belgium that they may soon stop counting. Paul won’t just stop scoring. Just put him there, my brothers, Onuachu must score for Club and Country. Ask Omerua or Fashanu.
I commend Omeruo for his boldness, sincerity, and maturity in openly appreciating Onuachu’s qualities. Hear the beloved Omeruo, a quality player talking about another quality player: “He is a very talented player, a difficult player to mark. I am a defender and I always don’t want to play against him in training. He is so huge and very strong. It is difficult to get a player like him.” This statement is not praise-singing. Many professionals immediately recognize it as “Objective Professional Peer Assessment” – pardon the long jargon.
Not only is he huge, but also very fast. Talk of a warrior possessing the skills of both an elephant and a gazelle concurrently.
Rohr and NFF should take note. They almost took a false step in excluding Onuachu from the main squad, as @Edoman noted. Now they know. Why exclude your most powerful arsenal from a decisive battle?