Owolabi: Rohr should build Nigeria around Osimhen

by Staff Reporter

Thursday Sep 24, 2020. 13:00

Nigerian legend Felix Owolabi has urged Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr to build his team around Victor Osimhen.

Osimhen is widely considered to be the next big thing in Nigerian football following his big-money move to former Italian champions SSC Napoli from French side Lille OSC.

Rohr recently included Osimhen in the Nigeria squad ahead of their friendly games against Tunisia and Ivory Coast which will be played next month.

The 21-year-old striker has netted four goals in nine international matches for the Super Eagles and Owolabi, who helped Nigeria win the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title, believes Osimhen is a matchmaker.

“I think as at today, Osimhen is the best thing we can talk about, as far as Nigerian football is concerned,” Owolabi told the Guardian.

“And if I were the coach of the national team, I will build my team around that boy.”

The retired winger played for Nigeria at the 1980 Summer Olympics and also helped the Super Eagles finish third at the 1978 AFCON finals.

“For a very long time, after my tenure, and that of the USA ’94 World Cup group, I have not seen a matchmaker in the Eagles’ team,” he added.

“I want to say that this boy is something else. He is a very fantastic player and I advise the handler of the national team to devise a means of making the best use of him.

“There are at times when a coach will have such a unique player and he is confused about how best to use him… not every coach knows how to use such a player.”