Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr has explained why he dropped Genk’s striker, Paul Onuachu from the 23-man Super Eagles list ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers against Benin Republic and Lesotho later this month.
Paul Onuachu has been impressive this season with 27 goals in 31 appearances for Genk but his omission from Gernot Rohr’s list sparked a lot of reactions by football fans online.
Onuachu was included in the standby list but fans wondered why Gernot Rohr dropped a player who has the most goals by any Nigerian player in the current season.
However, Gernot Rohr has now explained why he dropped the 6ft striker from his in an interview with ESPN Africa. According to the Franco-German tactician, he didn’t include Paul Onuachu because he wanted to try someone else.
Io n his words;
It is because I want to see somebody else,” Rohr explained. “We saw him already, we know him, we know his strengths.
“He was a little bit unlucky each time when he has to play. It is the last moment before the World Cup qualifiers that we can test somebody else, so we choose Sadiq Umar.”
Despite his omission from the squad, Paul Onuachu has not stopped scoring. He was on target in Genk’s 2-1 victory over Anderlecht in the Belgian Cup on Sunday.
On the flip side, one argument raised against the striker is his lack of performance each time he plays for the Super Eagles. He has often been criticised for his inability to replicate his club form for the national team.
His goal the Super Eagles came in a one-nil victory over the Pharaohs of Egypt in 2019.
