Paul Onuachu deserves respect
“We have our football, we try to build the game with short passes with the wingers, switching from one side to the other and Paul Onuachu has to integrate now with his qualities and to adapt to this. We will not change our game only for him and make long kicks in the air, no. We play on the ground, we don’t want to play in the air,” Coach Gernot Rohr said.
The inclusion or exclusion of Genk forward Paul Onuachu from the Gernot Rohr’s Super Eagles has remained a big talking point raising lot of arguments among football fans. While others think he deserves a place following his prolific form in Belgium, others are of the opinion that the towering striker has never performed well donning the green and white jersey of Nigeria.
It is easy to guess which side of the divide the coach falls, his actions and words are giveaways that he is not a strong admirer of the 26-year-old who has bagged 25 goals this season in 30 club appearances under Coach John van den Brom but has managed just 2 in ten games since making his debut two years ago under Coach Rohr.
Exactly two years ago, Onuachu was the toast of Nigerian football after he scored the only goal inside 10 seconds against Egypt on his full international debut in Asaba, the goal which became Nigeria's fastest ever international goal also helped the Super Eagles to their first victory over the Pharaohs in 29 years.
Rohr’s announcement that ‘Onuachu should integrate himself and adapt to the team’ is a statement that should be directed to the Coach rather than the player. His adaptability can only be questioned after an enabling environment, formation and tactics are laid out by the coach to infuse him to function.
Modern football is dynamic and total, an infusion of build-up, short and long passes, dribbles, crosses and heading. Relying on short passes alone according to the coach with no crosses from the wingers only clips the wings of the Eagles to a pattern easily predictable by opponents.
The goal scoring ability of the 6ft 7inch tall striker has never been in doubt from his days in FC Ebedei to FC Midtjylland where he scored 51 goals in 135 appearances, Vejle on loan where he scored 5 goals in 13 appearances and now in Belgian top flight league, Genk where he has 34 goals to his name in 52 appearances. Today, Paul Onuachu is one of the sought after strikers in Europe and unarguably Nigeria's most in-form player both home and abroad.
How do you consistently have a consistent starter and goal scorer in his club on the standby list, yet call up inconsistent, unused subs and even player with no club to the national team? That is the question only Coach Gernot Rohr can answer.
How can a coach close the door against one of the best goalscorers in Europe just because he cannot integrate him into the national team? Does he need to understudy Genk's coach to know how to use Onuachu? Sometimes all a player needs is the trust and believe from the Coach and I doubt Paul Onuachu has received this in good doses from Rohr.
Rohr's invitation, selections and substitutions have been a thing of concern for many Nigerians including the members of the NFF Technical Committee led by Austin Eguavoen who have repeatedly faulted the invitation as well as the selection of the German-Francophone tactician.
Some time ago, the NFF recommended a refresher course for Gernot Rohr, he needs that and more, to help him understand modern football and how to better draw from the pool of talents available in the team now to the advantage of the country. Hardworking players like Paul Onuachu should not be honoured in Belgium and disregarded in Nigeria. He deserves respect not a standby list.