Midfield maestro, Ogenyi Onazi has highlighted the difference between the 2013 AFCON winning squad and the present Super Eagles class, Sports247 reports.
In an exclusive chat with www.sports247.ng in Lagos, Onazi said the 2024 class of Super Eagles players has more talented players but the presence of leaders of men in the 2013 class made the difference.
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The 2013 set of Super Eagles was the last Nigeria team to win the Africa of Cup of Nations while the 2024 Super Eagles lost in the final of the competition 11 years later.
Onazi who played a prominent role for the Super Eagles in the all conquering 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON ) winning squad said avalanches of leaders in the 2013 squad helped the team to keep their focus despite criticism in some quarters back home after the team was written off but presence of these leaders carried the younger ones along as they are ambitious and determined to make a name for themselves before they retire from the game.
” That time we have Emenike, Brown ideye, Ike Uche, Austin Ejide , Joseph yobo,Mikel Obi, Emmanuel Emenike and coach Stephen Keshi, all these are men. If they say come to training by 12 pm , you will be there by 10:30 pm because you don’t want the senior men to incur the wrath of these men. These are the standard of the national team back then.”
He spoke further on what is missing in the present set of Super Eagles.
” I believe the present Super Eagles team have more talents than ours but it takes a group of people who have self ambition to achieve that feat.”
” The team lacks leadership to ginger the players. It is not all about playing for the biggest team in Europe.”
” When I was in the super Eagles, I was the smallest and I think I was among the top three clubs in Europe but that is not the difference. Vincent Enyeama was playing in Israel league, from there he went to Lille FC in France, we had Goalkeeper Austin Ejide also in Israel, we have home based players like Sunday Mbah, is not about the club you are playing for but the quality of leadership , you need to have the people you respect, the young chaps doing so good need the elderly ones to guide them” , the former Lazio FC midfielder, opined.
Onazi spoke on how the team took the criticisms of the team after they started the team competition slowly and how they eventually overcame it and went ahead to win the competition.
Onazi said: ” It is always good to be an underdog. When people don’t give you the chance, it gives you more motivation to push and turn things around”.
” There were speculations everywhere that we are going to the nations cup to just participate and come back but then everybody has their ambition to make a name and make a difference for themselves. ”
“Then we put all the determinations and ambitions together and gave our best and up till now we are the last set to win the African cup of nations title. We are proud of our team.” Said Onazi.
The 32 year old midfielder played for the Super Eagles from 2012 to 2018 with 52 caps under his belt and attended the 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cups.
He is at the twilight of his career after playing football at the highest level, he is currently playing for Italian Serie D club Avezzano.
