Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr has offered explanation on his decision to omit Paul Onuachu from his 23-man squad for this month’s 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixtures against Benin and Lesotho, reports Completesports.com.
Onuachu only made the standby list of seven players despite his impressive form in the Belgian Pro League for KRC Genk this season.
The 26-year-old has so far scored 27 goals and provided two assists in 30 appearances across all competitions for the Smurfs.
Rohr stated that that decision was a chance to give another player a look in the same position.
“It is because I want to see somebody else,” Rohr told ESPN.
Read Also: Bonfrere Swore To Drop Me From Atlanta ’96 Olympic Team- Udi Opens Up On Rift With Ex-Eagles Coach
“We saw him already, we know him, we know his strengths.
“He was a little bit unlucky each time when he has to play. It is the last moment before the World Cup qualifiers that we can test somebody else, so we choose Sadiq Umar.”
The German tactician also hinted that Onuachu was his second choice at the moment despite the snub.
“In this position we have a number one which is Victor Osimhen. There is no question about it,” the former Girondis Bordeaux coach added.
“If we want a number two, we can have Onuachu, we know him. But I want another opportunity to see a new player, which is Sadiq Umar.”
By Adeboye Amosu
17 Comments
“We saw him already, we know him, we know his strengths.
“He was a little bit unlucky each time when he has to play. It is the last moment before the World Cup qualifiers that we can test somebody else, so we choose Sadiq Umar.”
Thank you Sir, (Case Close)
Totally understood. I thought as much myself cuz even when he had the chance to bring somebody else in, he picked onyekuru instead, and so it’s not the Musa factor as initially thought!!!
Ride on coach
“…if we want a number two, we can have Onuachu, we know him. But i want another opportunity to see a new player, which is Sadiq Umar…” says OGA ROHR.
THIS DEBATE OF WHY SHOULD SODIQ BE CONSIDERED OVER ONUACHU IS DEAD AND BURIED…
:::::SHALOM:::::
Baba which one be Shalom? people dey this sports page o. Na so dr drey dey use by fire by force to talk wetin no join. Omo make una get sense and talk sports like normal people. CS Facebook page make sense pass here. Make una come there see correct comment from real people which wan be. UBFE, Dr Drey,Deee1 mumu names. Make una come real place and discuss sports with real men.
Bro just checked it out….but I don’t think alot of people from here would go to the fb platform…because their identity will be exposed lol.
Are you Jewish? Literally the worst catch phrases here, but continue being stupid because you aint starting nothing
This is just how to do things. Thumbs up to Rohr. Onuachu ever remain a member of this SE team albeit no position is guaranteed for any player. It only makes sense to try other player combinations, as the team evolves. Presently, there is no denying the fact that Onuachu is the No. 2 in the strikers position behind Osimenegoals, until other players like Nacho, Umar, DESSERS,Maja, Terim Moffi, etc come on with some X- factor performances to usurp that position.
Sometimes,Oga ROHR I don’t understand you. You said that u want to give other players chance to prove themselves. But when u invite players like DESSERS, EJUKE, YAKUBU,ALAMPASU,ONYEKA; did u give them chance. Even AKPOGUMA, AJAYI that u used in Algeria-Tunisia friendly You used them in wrong positions compared to what they played in their respective club.
INFACT WE ARE TIRED OF ALL THESE EXCUSES
D EXCUSE IS NOT GENUINE & NOT ACCEPTED. BUT I WILL ONLY ONLY ADVICE U 2 STAND ON UR TOES ON WHOSOEVER PLAYERS U INVITE TO S.EAGLE. DON’T B INTIMIDATED BY WHAT FANS WILL SAY ON PLAYERS U INVITE.
***WE NEED POTENTIAL PLAYERS ON FIELD***
###FOR INSTANCE:FANS ALWAYS PRAISED D INPUTS OF PLAYER LIKE UTAKA,AMOKACHI(Tun’94 & Atlanta’96),OSIMHEN(against Ukraine friendly match) CONTRIBUTE AS A MAIN/SUPPORTING STRIKER ON D FIELD OF PLAY. HOW MANY GOALS DOES THESE PLAYERS MENTIONED ARE SCORING IN A COMPETITION.AND MIND U,ONE GOAL OF AMOKACHI IS BETTER THAN U DAT SCORED 3 GOAL IN A COMPETITION. OR IF NOT D POTENTIAL OF AMOKACHI(despite team work),CAN NIGERIA WIN GOAL MEDAL.AND AMOKACHI SCORED ONLY ONE GOAL IN THAT COMPETITION.
NOTE WELL: THAT IS D REASON FANS DOESN’T CELEBRATE IGHALO AS 2019 AFCON TOP SCORER compare to Emenike as 2013 AFCON joint top scorer.
###LASTLY,FORGET SCORING GOALS ALONE IN ABROAD. WE NEED POTENTIAL STRIKERS THAT CAN CONTRIBUTE TO D TEAM & SCORE GOALS (E.g. Amokachi/aghahowa/obagoal/osimhen)
@TUNDE, your write up dey give serious headache. Just trying to see how I can Unread what I just read. Wahala for my eyes.
COACH GERNOT ROHR
IN D PAST MILLENNIUM SUPER EAGLES HAVE ALSO PRODUCES TOP SCORER IN D NAME LIKE RICHARD OWUBOIRIKI,MIKE OBIKE,J.AKPOBORIE ,BEN AKWUEGBU,TOSIN DOSUNMU IN EUROPEAN LEAGUE BUT LATER DROPPED FOR LIKE OF SIASIA,AMOKACHI, IKPEBA,AGHAHOWA,OBAGOAL WHEN THEY FAIL TO DELIVER IN SUPER EAGLE.
*** ONUACHU CASE IS NOT A NEW THING***
WE CAN’T WAIT FOR A PLAYER TO B GIVEN 3 OR 4 MATCHES B4 U PROVE YOURSELF. THERE ARE ALOT OF PLAYERS WAITING FOR ONE MATCH TO PROVE THEMSELVES
MARTINS, UDEZE, IZOHO C.IKEME SHAKPOKE TAYE TAIWO,YOBO,IKE UCHE USED ONLY ONE MATCH PROVE THEMSELVES
PLS NO TIME
“It is because I want to see somebody else,” Rohr told” understood.
But on the other side, “We saw him already, we know him, we know his strengths”.
This is where I don’t agree with you Oga Rohr. If truly you know his strengths then why Onuachu is not performing well in the Super Eagles?
That means Sodiq is going to face the same challenges because both strikers has similarities and you will kick him out like you did to Simy, Onyekuru, Maja, Dessers and Alanpasun. You will invite players to camp and you will give them less than 10 minutes to do wonders? Is that possible?
Who does that kę? Who don’t like better thing?
I’m sorry, you can’t give what you don’t have period.
Osimhen that you called your no1, how many games has he played so far? Then, you ignored Dessers and the guy didn’t play up to 20 minutes? Few minutes you gave him, he did really well.
What are you saying here Oga GR huh?
You can’t brainwashed me anymore. I use to be your no1 fan before the world cup in Russia and I knew it after the world cup and Afcon in Egypt, you can not go beyond this level.
If you can prove me wrong by winning the Afcon trophy I promise. Yes, I promise to come out and say I am so sorry Oga Rohr and I will be your no1 fan again.
I am not doing this for myself but I am doing it because of Nigeria, our country because Onuachu is a good striker if you use your tactics well.
I’m not against your move by benching Onuachu. We have so many good players you can choose from but the main thing is results and the performance of the entire team.
I don’t want to hear any story in the end. I wish you the best Oga Rohr. Ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!
@omo9ja.
Atleast this one is a little bit cordinated…. Anybody can read and understand….
To the main point…. Are u aware that ONUACHU and some few others (standby players) are about to receive their invitation????
If u know them better advice them to do the needful ASAP….
NO TIME TO WASTE TIME ACCORDING TO U….
COME IN AND PUSH OTHERS OUT…. CREATE A SELF-CON FOR YOURSELF JUST LIKE ARIBO, ZAIDU did….
::SHALOM::
Lol no worry ursef na , amuneke , egbo nd possibly enyama will do better since u hv been clamoring for them
Omo9ja must you criticize everything about rohr. It shows you are a bad critic. What have you seen about onuachu in SE. Maybe he needs to take lessons from aghahowa, kalu, oshimen, aghali, amokachi etc. Players who came in and took their chances immediately. You see Nigeria is not togo or benin where players have all the years to take their chances.
You talk about changing tactics. For who? Is onuachu a Ronaldo. Rohr has other options so it’s not necessary to change tactics. Look at ihenacho against Tunisia. One single chance and look at that finish. Great finish. Had he been he scored the penalty, the match would have been his. You see you don’t criticize just for the sake of criticizing. Omo9ja you need to look at all factors before you begin to comment.
@Omo9ja, a golden fish has no hiding place, if your Onoachudowsky is truly great as you believe, he would’ve shown us all during the 7 matches he has played so far. Do you know that he was 1st choice striker going to AFCON 2019? And what did he do against minnows Burundi? Ighalo has to come in to bail us out. Dessers would’ve gotten more chances but for his club form woes, let him show us that he’s a great striker by churning out great performance in his club.
Zaidu, Aribo, Kalu all came in and grab their chances with both hands, Ebuehi came back from long term injury and grab his chance too so why is your dear Onoachu finding it difficult to impress in SE colour? Why do you want a coach to change his tactics for one useless player while we have other strikers that does the job marvellously albeit Osimhen and Iheanacho
It is very likely that Onuachu will get yet another chance to play for the SE before the end of the month. So,soon,the ball will be in his court to prove his doubters wrong.