Ikpeba backs Eguavoen on Onazi, Dennis, Amoo, Etebo invitations for Ghana World Cup playoff

Former Super Eagles forward and 1997 African Footballer of the Year Victor Ikpeba has backed Super Eagles interim coach Austin Eguavoen on the decision to hand invitations to some players for the 2022 FIFA World Cup playoffs despite the concerns of most Nigerian football faithful.

Eguavoen handed invites to out of favour internationals Ogenyi Onazi, Oghenekaro Etebo, Odion Ighalo and Emmanuel Dennis albeit the duo of Ighalo and Dennis were only denied the chance to play at the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon by their clubs while Onazi has been in the international wilderness.

Ikpeba opined that qualification to the World Cup in Qatar should be paramount.

"We are not the coaches. They must have seen Onazi doing something," Ikpeba said of the Saudi Arabian-based midfielder on SuperSport's Monday Night Football.   

"What we want to do is see them go out adm defeat Ghana and qualify for the World Cup. We should not dwell on the list.

"Egu has selection headache. We don't know know if Chukwueze or Moses will start because we have lots of forward's.

Speaking on if the duo of Leicester City's Ademola Lookman and FC Copenhagen diminutive midfielder Akinkunmi Amoo should have been on the standby list and gradually integrated into the team, the onetime AS Monaco and Real Betis star said it is imperative not to rush new players.

"Integration is important. You need time to gel," Ikpeba admitted.

"Europe is different because you play together regularly. Eguavoen has a lot of work cut out. It doesn't matter who starts."