Eguavoen confesses he doesn't know if Onazi is still good, sheds light on inclusion standby list

Nigeria's caretaker coach Augustine Eguavoen has revealed that he included Eddy Onazi in the expanded Super Eagles squad for this month's games against Ghana after the midfielder was recommended by his associates.

The 2014 World Cup star has been in the international wilderness for three and a half years after falling out of favour with former coach Gernot Rohr.

Eguavoen fears Onazi is not on the same level as he was when he last played for the national team and those are genuine concerns as his club career has been on a downward spiral over the last three years.

The 29-year-old logged only three minutes during his stint with Danish Superliga side SönderjyskE before switching to FK Zalgiris Vilnius in Lithuania and he's now on the books of Saudi second-tier club Al-Adalah FC.

Eguavoen also shed light on how three goalkeepers - Maduka Okoye, Francis Uzoho and Daniel Akpeyi - were selected in the main list to face Ghana.

"When I came up with the list normally it should be three goalkeepers, I came up with two, left the third one blank and consulted with all my colleagues and their opinion was different from what I was thinking but again we have to know that we are in a democratic world, all three will not keep," Eguaoven told reporters.

"You can bring ten guys and seven or eight are knocked out with Covid, what happens, it can be injury.

"The fist game is on the 25th, there are still one or two games to be played before that game proper so when I spoke with my guys, yes Onazi good player.    

"Whether he's still good and can play at that level we don't know but to pacify everybody, to just make sure there's harmony here I put him on standby.

"He's on standby, but again I have the final say. Like I said before I have my plan and it's close to my chest. "

Onazi had his best years as a footballer at Lazio from 2011-2016, representing them in the Italian Serie A, Coppa Italia, Europa League and Champions League qualifiers.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel