World Cup play-off: Nigeria turn attention to 'new Okocha' for Ghana game

Nigeria to play Ghana in match

Ademola Lookman switches nationality to Nigeria

Samson Siasia defends details what Nigeria must do to beat Ghana

After getting Ademola Lookman to switch nationality, the Super Eagles of Nigeria have turned focus on Crystal Palace midfielder Eberechi Eze.

The Super Eagles of Nigeria believe that getting Eze to star for the team in their match against the Black Stars of Ghana will help their chances.

Samson Siasia, a former coach of the Super Eagles has tasked current coach Augustine Eguavoen to make moves on getting Eze to play for Nigeria.

Siasia has realized that the Super Eagles struggled at the AFCON due to the absence of a player with the quality to carve openings for the Super Eagles.

Siasia holds that Eze is the ideal man for the job and that the Super Eagles coach should explore every means possible to get him for the game.

“We don’t have number 10., that is a creative midfielder in the mode of Jay Jay Okocha that can distribute accurate passes to the strikers. We just don’t have them now that is why I have been thinking of Eberechi Eze of Crystal Palace. The Super Eagles meed that player. He could be the next Okocha if we invite him.” Siasia told Sun News

“I have told Eguavoen that the team needs a player of his mood. He will be a good addition to the Super Eagles. We need somebody like him in the team because if you don’t have an offensive player who creates chances for the strikers to score, the team will have problems.

“That is why we had the problem we faced during the Nations Cup in Cameroon. Strikers like Awoniyi will run around without getting the ball and we will say he did not play anything, yet nobody gave him the ball.

“When Sadiq came in, even though he missed many chances, he, however, created some chances too. Awoniyi is a good player, scoring very well but we have to understand the network between the midfielders and attackers.

“If the strikers don’t get the balls, they have to create the changes by themselves. This is the biggest chance we have. We are not bad defensively and I was surprised they keep blaming the goal we lost against Tunisia on the goalkeeper, but they forgot that great keepers need to have good defenders.” he added.

Eberechi Eze who is of Nigerian parentage has played for England at the youth level hence still qualified to play for the Super Eagles.

Ghana will host Nigeria on March 25 at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium before travelling to Abuja four days later.