Former Super Eagles midfielder Ogenyi Onazi has described his time with the Nigerian national team as largely positive, noting that he rarely faced challenges and started the majority of matches he played.
Onazi, who earned 52 caps for Nigeria between 2012 and 2018 and won the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, said the only difficult period of his international career came under former head coach Samson Siasia, whom he described as “weird.”
According to the midfielder, Siasia benched him without clear reasons during his brief stint in charge, a period that coincided with poor results and the coach’s eventual dismissal.
Speaking on his experience, Onazi said:
“I don’t think I had challenges in Super Eagles, it has always been good for me in the Super Eagles. For the games I played, I think 98 percent I was starting the games.
“It was only when Samson Siasia came to the national team that I had some changes and it was only him that put me on the bench. Siasia is a kind of weird coach, I don’t know, but there are so many things surrounding him that didn’t go so well.
“At some point, someone even called me because of Siasia and some reasons and all that.
“Even without him being my coach, I did something for him, I don’t want to say it. Coming to the national team, although it’s not supposed to be that I did a favour for you, I don’t know why he put me on the bench.
Also read: World Cup Playoffs: NFF Provides Update on Petition Against DR Congo
“The two games we played, he lost them and they sacked him after the games. It was against Egypt, home and away. He was strange. For me personally, I don’t think I had challenges in the national team, it was always good.”
Overall, Onazi maintained that his experience with the Super Eagles was a good one, despite the brief setback during Siasia’s tenure.
