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Onazi Targets Super Eagles Return

Onazi Targets Super Eagles Return

Super Eagles midfielder Ogenyi Onazi hopes he will still get the chance to play for the three-time African champions, reports Completesports.com.

Onazi, 27, last featured for the West Africans in a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixture against Seychelles in 2018, having only recovered from a long injury layoff.

The former Lazio player missed the 2019 AFCON finals due to the setback.

Read Also: NFF Should Fire Rohr If He Fails To Win AFCON 2021 –Mabo

Onazi stated that he is in regular contact with Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr and hopes to feature more prominently for his club for a chance to earn a return to the national team.

“I was injured that’s why I wasn’t in the national team, I speak with the coach sometimes, and I also congratulated him on his new deal,” he told Brila FM

“But you can’t be speaking to the coach all the time, because my job is to play and when I’m doing that pretty well, I’m sure I will be back in the team again.”

Onazi has made 52 appearances for Nigeria and scored once.

By Adeboye Amosu


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COMMENTS

WORDPRESS: 33
  • Onazi this one go hard o, too many options available and even more dynamic and younger incoming options soon to be blooded in, makes it a mountain for you to climb!!
    Reality check suggests you can only extend your support from afar, we would appreciate that

  • Gowetok 4 years ago

    @Deee,Onazi that i know is better than almost all our present midfielders if he is in form.I dont know his current form but if he can work his way back to the onazi we know between 2013 and 2014 then he will definately improve the S.E . For now super eagles combo still leaves much to be desired and that was why we were overwelmed by Algeria in last Afcon.Mikel/Onazi/ mba midfield combo remains our best in recent years.

    • Past glory guy,he was in his prime!! Algeria cannot overwhelm this present midfield 

  • I think we need Onazi in the team, we currently lack a back up to Ndidi, Onazi will fit that position perfectly, I prefer him to Esiti

  • Paschal 4 years ago

    Etebo doesnt have the box to box class of Onazi but Etebo has an edge over Onazi cos hes younger and he plays in a more competitive league. I believe if Onazi is able to return to his old form he will still do well in SE but for now that may be difficult cos of the presence of Aribo, Etebo and Ramon Azeez who actually benched him at the U17 world cup in 2009. Nothing is impossible. Wishing u all the best Onazi.

  • Elijah samson 4 years ago

    Let us look at it this way. Onazi is getting old. He is no longer the Onazi of 2013/2014 because even his club has to send him to another club because he no longer has a place in trazopor. @Gowetok Onazi of 2013 is different from the Onazi of 2020. Let us wish him well while he stays afar and wish the eagles well.

  • Collins id 4 years ago

    Our nigeria national team is not going for the youngest team award or is there a new world cup for that? I dont think so. Onazi brings class and style to our midfield, he dictates in that role morethan Ndidi and etebo, wen onazi plays in all games he played we have never take a lead and there after draw the game or loses its verry difficult bcos he knows how to take maintain victory i personaly like him more than mikel or etebo, i hope he could return to italy before 2021 he will have a place in the eagles.

    • JimmyBall 4 years ago

      … CollinsId, you the watch Ball. Onazi knows his trade more than all those we have there now! He was not even given much chance at 2018 world cup because of Mikel… we saw Mikel really exposed in the last Afcon that Algeria won… Since Onazi openly criticized Mikel for not marking as much when they played together, often leaving bulk of the work for others midfield, Mikel ensured that Ndidi paired him instead at 2018 world cup. Onazi… It was that played alongside Mikel throughout the qualifiers.

  • Dr. Drey 4 years ago

    From Lazio to Trabzonspor to Denzilispor.
    My brother @Onazi, ask yourself, “ARE YOU DOING WELL”….???

  • Gowetok 4 years ago

    It seems Nigerian fans have short memories.Lets remember how Onazi single handedly boss the midfield wen nig mull cameround 4;0. Critical analysis shows that SE lost form in the world cup proper because of imbalance in midfield. Onazi wasnt playing .I dont know why. Throughout the qualifiers he played so well and gave mikel , victor moses and moses simon freedom to wreck havoc upfront. I still believe SE need Onazi, u can not buy experience in the market. If onazi works himself to form he should be recalled.When Onazi was in midfield S.E beat Algeria 3; 0 but in his absence we were overwelmed and the coach didnt know what to do

    • Chairmanfemi 4 years ago

      Kindly analzye what went wrong with your Midfield Maestro @Wembley England Vs Nigeria and Czech Republic Vs Nigeria – pre world cup friendlies.

      Ndidi’s class is undebatable.

      Who was arguably our best player at the World Cup?? Wasn’t it the same ETEBO you’re talking down on??

      • JimmyBall 4 years ago

        Let’s be honest with ourselves… When Rohr came in and started with double defensive midfielders… it collapsed against European oppositions who are often very quick and intelligent on the ball… One game does not define a player, he paired Joel Obi with Onazi and they were bumping into each other… Onazi was the pivot during the qualifiers but for some time mikel objected playing with Onazi because Onazi openly said he Mikel, does not like to mark and this causes huge burden in the middle… Mikel was instrumentental in Onazi not playing at 2018 wc. The so called Ndidi and Etebo were left chasing shadows against Algeria and Croatia..

        • Ayphillydegreat 4 years ago

          Against Croatia Etebo completed about 10 dribbles which was a WorldCup record since JayJay against Italy in 1994 before Hazard completed more dribbles against Brazil in the quarterfinals to claim the WorldCup record for the most dribbles completed by a player in a single match. Just take a Look at the caliber of players Etebo ranked with in that category; Jay-Jay and Hazard. It was Etebo’s long range shot against Algeria that resulted in the penalty converted by Ighalo. Onazi was not in the class of Etebo and Ndidi during that WorldCup. He looks very heavy and duly lost his place with that woeful performance against England.

          • JimmyBall 4 years ago

            … Yea. Etebo capping a beautiful day against Croatia and giving them a penalty due to needless childish tension…

          • Ayphillydegreat 4 years ago

            Was it not Ekong that gave away the penalty?? You can only stick him for the first goal from a Mandzukic header that he deflected into the net which has happened to many great footballers. For now based on the league and growth Etebo is a class above Onazi. 

  • Mercy 4 years ago

    Onazi was once a good player but not anymore. Turkish, ukraine, and to some extent Russian leagues are not good league for Nigerian players. They have never been suitable and I dont think they will be for Nigerian players. Any of our players that move down to those leagues begin to experience downward trajectory movement. My advise to onazi is that he should go back to Italy to revive his dwindle career before he start thinking of coming back to the eagles.

  • Gowetok 4 years ago

    @Chairmanfemi,granted Onazi lost form after the qualifiers but the best of Etebo and Ndidi cannot be compared to the best of Onazi. Etebo has got strength but his reading and movement are suspect. If Onazi is reading this I actually join the crusade for him to return to Italy and revive his career. SE midfield burden cannot be left in the shoulders of Ndidi alone.Our present midfield lacks tact. Their ball winning is good but ball distribution and joining attack is not up to the standard we need. Etebo wins the ball most times but after that loses ideas on what to do next. Even Ndidi has same problem . Effective ball distribution . If u watch mikel/Onazi combo and Ndidi/ Etebo combo u will notice what im saying.
    We know that Aribo has come in to help in terms of ball dristribution but his ball winning ability is weak. Onazi , if in top form combines these two attributes; ball winning and distribution and a bonus of joining attack

    • @Gowetok The best of Ndidi is Levels above Onazi and, he has reached it at the age of 22 how old is Onazi???????????. isn’t that a case closer already. okay let me break it down some more for you. Onazi spends most of his club career as a bench warmer bouncing from one lowly ranked Turkish club to another.
      Meanwhile Ndidi continuously wins Best defensive ball winner and tackler in Europe’s 5 leagues season in season out and, is on the radar of some the biggest clubs in Europe and world football which Onazi has never managed to be in Italian or Turkish big clubs radar talk less of Spain, England and Germany. My bro check your football Knowledge and facts before commenting

      • @Gowetok No Other Leicester City player has more game time(Minutes) than Wilfred Ndidi the last three seasons combined

        • JimmyBall 4 years ago

          … Look at you at Iwunze, so for your mind Ndidi is 22 years? Onazi is a better player than Ndidi any day.. He is back from injury let’s wait and see…

  • Footballfanatic 4 years ago

    Emerging Nigerian left back that plays for santa clara in the portuguese league. They beat benfica yesterday. I think he should be given a chance to contest with Collins… https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sPHaXcvbxQw

    • Footballfanatic 4 years ago

      Been following him for 6 months now but is improving gradually..

      • Adisboy 4 years ago

        Footballfanatic,Rohr has been following him as well as Sadiq Umar. Don’t be surprised to see them in the next SE list especially Sanusi

      • Dr. Drey 4 years ago

        @Footballfanatic I’ve been following him too. He is sometimes even deployed as a left midfielder when Santa Clara plays away from home. He has been quite good since he burst unto the scene some months ago. He has been in contact with the national team selectors too and i’m sure he’ll be called up as soon as international football resumes.

        The next list of SE callups will be quite interesting. Something tells me we will see Ejuke, Sanusi and Ejaria’s names on the list.

        • Footballfanatic 4 years ago

          @ Dr. drey it will be interesting to have and overlapping left back with eye for goals interswitching with any of our wingers…..he seems a bit more aggressive than collings..just my observation.

          • Ayphillydegreat 4 years ago

            Honestly from the few clips I’ve seen of him, I think he might be a better option to Collins. Both will be in the team which is quite a great headache for the gaffer. The competition for spots in the current SuperEagles is unbelievable. 

          • Dr. Drey 4 years ago

            I quite agree with you. He looks to be a more aggressive type compared to Collins who is very conservative, though not taking anything away from collins attacking wise….3 assists in 13 matches for the SE shows he has had his own fair share of positive contributions to the team. Zaidu coming in to provide some stiff competition in the team could make collins shake off his nerves and up his game. Alternatively, a combination of Collins/Zaidu on our left flank could bring back the days of the marauding Babayaro/Udeze combo of the early 2000s in the SE…..that is in a situation where we choose to play a flat 4-4-2 system anyway.

  • Ayphillydegreat 4 years ago

    If we can get the pre Matudi Onazi then I think he may still be useful in the current SuperEagles midfield albeit as a backup to Ndidi and Etebo. If we are going to get the post Matuidi Onazi then I doubt he can ever displace any of Aribo, Ejaria, Azeez and a prospective Nwakali not to talk of Ndidi and Etebo. 

    • Dr. Drey 4 years ago

      The Pre-Matuidi Onazi was like an angry wasp as @DEO (if im not mistaken) used to call him on KON those days. The post Matuidi Onazi came back heavy, added weight with an expanded waistline and reduced mobility. His exclusion from the SE was long coming given the fact that his value proposition wasnt increasing yet his game was on the decline. He partnered Ndidi for most parts of the 2018 qualifiers but while Ndidi has tapered up an upwards tranjectory since then, that of onazi seems to be heading down south. And with younger ones who can more same or even better value that what Onzai offers coming on board now (and also playing in better clubs/leagues), Onazi will have to play out his skin to stake another claim at a spot in this Eagles.
      Unfortunately, this current SE regime does not seem to be one which can be “influenced by external forces”

  • Ayphillydegreat 4 years ago

    Another player on the outside looking in for a spot in that midfield is Azubuike Okechukwu. It’s just unfortunate that Zubby hasn’t earned is much deserved SuperEagles call up yet, but with his club Istanbul Basaksehir comfortably on the top of the Turkish league which could open up a champions league outing for him, he would definitely be on the radar of SuperEagles selectors in due time. What a plethora of talents available for GR to use from. #FLY LIKE AN EAGLE INTO THE FUTURE.  

    • Pompei 4 years ago

      @ Ayphillydegreat, Zubby for me is as close to Ndidi as we have right now in the DM position, quality wise. Talk about a natural. Think about it, when Zubby and Etebo were together in the U23 Olympic team, Zubby was the first choice DM and team captain. If Etebo has become so important for us today, surely Zubby is also capable if given more chances. The only chance he got so far, in the second leg of the 2017 Afcon qualifier against Egypt, he put in an almost MAN OF THE MATCH performance. His club are currently topping the Super Lig in Turkey, and he is in good form. He deserves another look. An abundance of options for Rohr. Exciting indeed!

  • FrankL 4 years ago

    Onazi was a very good defensive midfeilder,in his best days he was unplayable,was singlehandedly better than the whole France midfeild(2014WC),so much that they had to get him out by any means.But that said,we must show some respect!,Ndidi’s stats speak for itself,we all know he is one of the top five in his position, arguably among the top three,and to me probably the best(stats do not lie).Etebo on his own part is closer to world class than people think.He starts every where he goes, presently he starts in a 5th placed team in SPAIN,just few games after joining the team.Lets not forget it takes serious quality to break a world cup dribbling record.ETEBO was FANTASTIC in all our 2018 WC matches,Even balogun confessed he was wowed.in summary,onazi’s best days are behind,if he happens to return to form,he can be a good Squad addition,but CANNOT NEAR the pitch,at the expense of Ndidi or Etebo.

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