NEXT SE INVITATIONS: Rohr May Drop Onuachu + Etebo

[Enugu II]

2021 AFCON Qualifiers: Rohr may drop Onuachu, Etebo
Published February 11, 2020
Iheanacho to return after nine months
Johnny Edward
https://punchng.com/2021-afcon-qualifie ... chu-etebo/

Ahead of next month’s 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Sierra Leone, Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr may drop Europe-based duo Paul Onuachu and Oghenekaro Etebo from his squad for the double-header, Sports Extra reports.

Nigeria currently leads Group L with six points from two games after recording wins against Benin Republic and Lesotho and will be aiming to secure early qualification for the 2021 AFCON by recording back-to-back wins over the Leone Stars.

The trio faces stiff competition to keep their places in the team due to their below-par performance at club level recently.

Etebo, who secured a loan move to Spanish club, Getafe, during the January transfer window, has made only two appearances since joining from Stoke City and has missed out on his club’s last two games against Atletic Bilbao and Valencia. It remains to be seen if he will be available for the clash against Barcelona at Camp Nou on Saturday.

Onuachu, who has scored seven goals in 18 league games for Genk, has fired blanks in his last three games, and last featured for Genk in their 1-0 win over Sporting Charleroi on February 2nd.

He has also failed to score for the Eagles in his last six games for the national team.

According to a top Nigerian Football Federation official, the former Midtjylland striker doesn’t fit into the new-look Eagles.

Also, centre-back Leon Balogun’s chances of returning to the team remains a doubt as he is yet to get his club career off the mark after joining English Championship club, Wigan, from Brighton Hove Albion.

Balogun was left out of the Eagles’ opening two games against Benin Republic and Lesotho after he dropped in the pecking order.

William Troost-Ekong, Semi Ajayi, Kenneth Omeruo and Chidozie Awaziem are ahead of the 31-year-old defender.

Meanwhile, Sports Extra reliably scooped that Leicester City forward Kelechi Iheanacho is poised to return to the Eagles nine months after he was dropped from the 2019 AFCON squad.

Iheanacho has been the Eagles’ most prolific player this season in Europe scoring eight goals in 14 games across all competitions for Leicester City.

[Eaglezbeak]

The names mentioned are obviously not playing regularly and most football fans are aware of this and of cause Kelechi has found his form once again so no research was needed to state the obvious!

[EMIR KONGI JAFFI JOFFA]

We want Onuachu, he adds a different floor to the team with his aerial ability. Perfect back up to Osimhen

[Babalawo]

Bored Journalist.

Someone has a 7/18 record for Genk and is still not good enough for the Eagles? Ok o! He last played 9 days ago and this Journalist wants to make it sound like it was 9 months Ago.

Anyway didn't expect less from a Nigerian that goes by the name Johnny Edwards...must be a creekite.

[Tobi17]

Bored Journalist.

Someone has a 7/18 record for Genk and is still not good enough for the Eagles? Ok o! He last played 9 days ago and this Journalist wants to make it sound like it was 9 months Ago.

Anyway didn't expect less from a Nigerian that goes by the name Johnny Edwards...must be a creekite.

Onuachu offers nothing to the NT, just never rated the lad...too clumsy for my liking.

[EMIR KONGI JAFFI JOFFA]

Bored Journalist.

Someone has a 7/18 record for Genk and is still not good enough for the Eagles? Ok o! He last played 9 days ago and this Journalist wants to make it sound like it was 9 months Ago.

Anyway didn't expect less from a Nigerian that goes by the name Johnny Edwards...must be a creekite.

[Bigpokey24]

Bored Journalist.

Someone has a 7/18 record for Genk and is still not good enough for the Eagles? Ok o! He last played 9 days ago and this Journalist wants to make it sound like it was 9 months Ago.

Anyway didn't expect less from a Nigerian that goes by the name Johnny Edwards...must be a creekite.

[maceo4]

We want Onuachu, he adds a different floor to the team with his aerial ability. Perfect back up to Osimhen

What arial ability? Tall for nothing, barely scores headers...

[Odas]

Bored Journalist.

Someone has a 7/18 record for Genk and is still not good enough for the Eagles? Ok o! He last played 9 days ago and this Journalist wants to make it sound like it was 9 months Ago.
Anyway didn't expect less from a Nigerian that goes by the name Johnny Edwards...must be a creekite.

Kai, I go die-oo!

[olu]

Etebo not being called won't be a surprise. He hasn't played much the last 2 or 3 months. Onuachu has been decent for Genk. However Simy and Umar Sadiq have been more consistent if Rohr is looking for other tall strikers that can hold up the ball.

My 4 would or the next game be Osmihen, Simy, Iheanacho, and Maja (even though he's cooled off).

[Tobi17]

Etebo not being called won't be a surprise. He hasn't played much the last 2 or 3 months. Onuachu has been decent for Genk. However Simy and Umar Sadiq have been more consistent if Rohr is looking for other tall strikers that can hold up the ball.

My 4 would or the next game be Osmihen, Simy, Iheanacho, and Maja (even though he's cooled off).

Simy Nwankwo and Umar definitely deserve to be called up and Onuachu dropped for good, both players will offer far more quality.

[Dammy]

Dessers nko?

[Eaglezbeak]

Dessers nko?

How and what is he doing?Are there no shining youngsters in Nigeria that don’t belong to a private academy?If the scouts can find at least one home based player a year before they go aboard I’ll know they are good at their good (in spotting talent) but if they are just reading CE comments for names of guys that play in Europe why don’t they just let you do it?

[Tobi17]

Dessers nko?

On form too, deserves a look in as well.

[Tobi17]

Dessers nko?

How and what is he doing?Are there no shining youngsters in Nigeria that don’t belong to a private academy?If the scouts can find at least one home based player a year before they go aboard I’ll know they are good at their good (in spotting talent) but if they are just reading CE comments for names of guys that play in Europe why don’t they just let you do it?

been on the top goal scoring chart in his club is what he's doing.

[obaGol]

Bored Journalist.

Someone has a 7/18 record for Genk and is still not good enough for the Eagles? Ok o! He last played 9 days ago and this Journalist wants to make it sound like it was 9 months Ago.

Anyway didn't expect less from a Nigerian that goes by the name Johnny Edwards...must be a creekite.

What does "creekite" mean? I hope it doesn't mean what I think it means...

[Babalawo]

Bored Journalist.

Someone has a 7/18 record for Genk and is still not good enough for the Eagles? Ok o! He last played 9 days ago and this Journalist wants to make it sound like it was 9 months Ago.

Anyway didn't expect less from a Nigerian that goes by the name Johnny Edwards...must be a creekite.

What does "creekite" mean? I hope it doesn't mean what I think it means...

Hint: 1Naija is a Creekite.

[Damunk]

Dessers nko?

How and what is he doing?Are there no shining youngsters in Nigeria that don’t belong to a private academy?If the scouts can find at least one home based player a year before they go aboard I’ll know they are good at their good (in spotting talent) but if they are just reading CE comments for names of guys that play in Europe why don’t they just let you do it?

I think you need to think practically and not sentimentally.
We are talking about the full SUPER EAGLES here, not Abraka Bombers or Kpomo United.

With all the foreign scouts swarming all over Nigeria and 'kidnapping' them to foreign clubs, which one of those youngsters at that stage is Super-Eagles ready?
Even Osimhen, Chukwueze and Moses Simon took time to develop into SE material. You speak as if 'going abroad' gives them an automatic SE call-up. Local 'stars' like Chikatara, Ifeanyi, Nwobodo etc have all gone abroad and are struggling to make the grade, not to mention proven young stars like the Nwakali brothers, Chidera Ezeh, Musa Yahaya, Dele Alampasu and Musa Mohammed. The list is endless.

We need to get real and recognise that the modern game is not waiting for anybody. If you like, come to the World Cup or AFCON with your 'quota system' of local and foreign-based players, nobody send you. Na your palava be dat. National teams are for players ALREADY PROVING THEMSELVES at a certain level i.e. better than, or at par with what is already available. Simple.

In positions of weakness, of course you might find the 'shining youngsters' you refer to being called up as long term prospects. But everything get levels.

The only reason we have kids like Maduka and Uzoho in the picture is because we have a goalkeeping crisis. Enyeama retired, Ikheme unfortunately fell ill, Afekholai , Ajiboye and Thomas have been unconvincing, leaving us with the much maligned Akpeyi and Ezenwa.

Our local clubs should be producing quality players for national attention, whether young or old. If they are not doing that, then what is there for the national team to scout?
You can't eat from an empty pot or from a pot of soup wey don sour.

[Bigpokey24]

Dessers nko?

How and what is he doing?Are there no shining youngsters in Nigeria that don’t belong to a private academy?If the scouts can find at least one home based player a year before they go aboard I’ll know they are good at their good (in spotting talent) but if they are just reading CE comments for names of guys that play in Europe why don’t they just let you do it?

I think you need to think practically and not sentimentally.
We are talking about the full SUPER EAGLES here, not Abraka Bombers or Kpomo United.

With all the foreign scouts swarming all over Nigeria and 'kidnapping' them to foreign clubs, which one of those youngsters at that stage is Super-Eagles ready?
Even Osimhen, Chukwueze and Moses Simon took time to develop into SE material. You speak as if 'going abroad' gives them an automatic SE call-up. Local 'stars' like Chikatara, Ifeanyi, Nwobodo etc have all gone abroad and are struggling to make the grade, not to mention proven young stars like the Nwakali brothers, Chidera Ezeh, Musa Yahaya, Dele Alampasu and Musa Mohammed. The list is endless.

We need to get real and recognise that the modern game is not waiting for anybody. If you like, come to the World Cup or AFCON with your 'quota system' of local and foreign-based players, nobody send you. Na your palava be dat. National teams are for players ALREADY PROVING THEMSELVES at a certain level i.e. better than, or at par with what is already available. Simple.

In positions of weakness, of course you might find the 'shining youngsters' you refer to being called up as long term prospects. But everything get levels.

The only reason we have kids like Maduka and Uzoho in the picture is because we have a goalkeeping crisis. Enyeama retired, Ikheme unfortunately fell ill, Afekholai , Ajiboye and Thomas have been unconvincing, leaving us with the much maligned Akpeyi and Ezenwa.

Our local clubs should be producing quality players for national attention, whether young or old. If they are not doing that, then what is there for the national team to scout?
You can't eat from an empty pot or from a pot of soup wey don sour.

it's critically thinking and not practically thinking ...my goodness

[Gotti]

Bored Journalist.

Someone has a 7/18 record for Genk and is still not good enough for the Eagles? Ok o! He last played 9 days ago and this Journalist wants to make it sound like it was 9 months Ago.

Anyway didn't expect less from a Nigerian that goes by the name Johnny Edwards...must be a creekite.

Speaking of Onuachu...
He just hung a few minutes ago as Genk lead Antwerp 1-0 in the first half.

[Babalawo]

Bored Journalist.

Someone has a 7/18 record for Genk and is still not good enough for the Eagles? Ok o! He last played 9 days ago and this Journalist wants to make it sound like it was 9 months Ago.

Anyway didn't expect less from a Nigerian that goes by the name Johnny Edwards...must be a creekite.

Speaking of Onuachu...
He just hung a few minutes ago as Genk lead Antwerp 1-0 in the first half.

The Boy is Super Eagles Material!

I don’t understand the hate he has on CE, the boy is a NBS (Natural Born Striker) & deserves to be in the SE.

[1naija]

Bored Journalist.

Someone has a 7/18 record for Genk and is still not good enough for the Eagles? Ok o! He last played 9 days ago and this Journalist wants to make it sound like it was 9 months Ago.

Anyway didn't expect less from a Nigerian that goes by the name Johnny Edwards...must be a creekite.

Speaking of Onuachu...
He just hung a few minutes ago as Genk lead Antwerp 1-0 in the first half.

The Boy is Super Eagles Material!

I don’t understand the hate he has on CE, the boy is a NBS (Natural Born Striker) & deserves to be in the SE.

Hmmm, shouldn't natural born strikers score for the national team once in a while? I think we better start begging Ighalo to come back, cause none on our strikers apart from him has proven himself in the national team. Until proven otherwise, our 3 strikers are:

Ighalo
Iheanacho
Osimhen.

The rest are jara.

[Bigpokey24]

onuachi no be am