Should Paul Onuachu be Recalled for Afcon Campaign?

I don’t think the optics will look good for Nigeria if a high-flying centre forward like Onuachu is excluded from the Afcon parties.

The worst-kept secret in the world of Super Eagles fan community is, wait for this, that Onuachu is not regarded as good enough to represent the Super Eagles in spite of his exploits in club football.

And I get it. I have been known to refer to Onuachu as a high-maintenance striker who needs a massive adjustment in tactics and formation to accommodate his languid brand of centre forward play.

But the lad is keen and always plays with his heart on his sleeve, which I think has to count for something.

Onuachu has been scoring a variety of goals in Turkey this season: headers, bicycle kicks, low shots, high shots and even penalties. Imagine if he had been the one to play the first penalty against Congo or the one positioned to head the ball that Arokodare wasted in the extra time of the same match.

My point? I don’t think Paul Onuachu is a total waste of space. I also think that perhaps only minimal adjustments need be made to accommodate him, after all, Jose Peseiro manufactured a function for Onuachu in the last Afcon.

But, something tells me Onuachu is not Eric Chelle’s type of player. Based on the profile of the centre forwards he has used, I think the Malian manager wants pace, movement, versatility, unpredictability, neat touches, take-on abilities, and dependable aerial prowess, some of which Onuachu provides, several of which he doesn’t.

Nothing personal against Onuachu, but Chelle appears to also be going for relatively unknown quantities in certain cases. The Malian also has a measure of “loyalty” about him, so I won’t be surprised to see an underfiring Arokodare selected ahead of Onuachu.

But, if selected, I think Onuachu knows he has something to prove, and he will only be too eager to prove it with goals!