The presence of the former vice captain of the senior national team of Nigeria Ogenyi Onazi in the camp of the CHAN Eagles ahead of their qualifiers against Ghana stirred up discussion among Nigerian football followers.
Onazi played in two test games for the team and it led to suggestions that he is in line to be named the captain of the team but that isn’t the case according to the former Lazio midfielder.
“I am actually here to collect my passport to travel and then I heard the team was training here. I like the opportunity to train at this high level and so I grabbed it. It is the best way to stay fit”, he said when quizzed about his presence in the camp.
“I think the coaches have put together a very strong team that is capable of nicking the ticket at the expense of Ghana. I have seen the players are very fit and good enough to make Nigeria proud. I know Coach Salisu Yusuf is well-informed in the domestic league and has assembled the best players in the league, and I can also see that the other members of the technical crew are positioned to help the Head Coach.”
The team will travel to Ghana within the week for the first leg of the qualifiers billed for August 28 in Accra, with the reverse fixture scheduled for the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on September 3.
Whoever wins the games on aggregate will seal a spot at the 7th edition of the Africa Nations Championship which will be held in Algeria early next year.
