Ghanaian publication puts question marks on Onazi’s recall to Super Eagles

[FILE] International Friendly – Nigeria vs Serbia – The Hive Stadium, London, Britain – March 27, 2018 Nigeria’s Ogenyi Onazi Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra

Facts are beginning to emerge on how some players got into the Super Eagles’ list through the ‘backdoor’ ahead of the crucial Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifier between Nigeria and Ghana.

The provisional squad released by Technical Adviser, Augustine Eguavoen, last week, was greeted with mixed reaction, with some football analysts accusing Eguavoen of giving some of the invitees ‘undue’ favour.

However, what appears a clearer picture may have emerged, yesterday, through a Ghanaian publication, Ghanasoccernet. According to Ghanasoccernet, Augustine Eguavoen, revealed that he did not make the decision to recall Onazi to the squad that will play against the Black Stars of Ghana in the final qualifying matches for the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup.

The publication alleges that Eguavoen remarked that Onazi’s invitation for the crucial 2022 World Cup playoff against Ghana was to ‘pacify everybody’.

Eguavoen astonishingly revealed that the technical team was not even aware of the form of the Saudi Arabia-based player (Onazi) even though he is part of the 32-man team he named for the two-legged matches.

His claims, reports Ghanasoccernet, suggest that Onazi was imposed on him by persons he did not name, even though the technical team was not keen on calling the Al-Adalah FC midfielder. Onazi is among the seven players on standby list for Super Eagles 32-man team for playoff.

However, his recall has caused massive controversy in Nigeria leaving many Super Eagles’ supporters stunned.Eguavoen has added more fuel to the fire by revealing that he was not the one who made the decision