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- Plaudits pour in for new Eagles ‘destroyer’ Onyeka
By: Johnny Edward
Finding a suitable replacement for Wilfred Ndidi before the start of the African Cup of Nations must have been a daunting task for Jose Peseiro after the Leicester City midfielder pulled out of the Nigerian squad due to a muscle injury, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
But the Eagles boss, who was making his AFCON debut in Ivory Coast, somehow stumbled across the perfect solution — without breaking a sweat.
Frank Onyeka has turned his Eagles career around after playing second fiddle to Ndidi for over two years since he earned his first invitation to the team under former coach Gernot Rohr
And now he is an integral part of the squad, breaking down the opposition moves with relative ease.
And while stepping into Ndidi’s role at Ivory Coast is no easy task for any player of any ilk — the Brentford midfielder has won the hearts of many Nigerians for his outstanding defensive displays for the Eagles who are seeking a fourth AFCON crown.
Much like Ndidi, Onyeka’s recovery tackles and his ability to anticipate where the ball will go, sticking out a spidery leg to turn possession back over, are among the best qualities he has displayed for the Eagles at the AFCON so far.
His tackling, interceptions and destructive qualities has perfectly complimented Alex Iwobi – the more creative player, allowing the Fulham midfielder to push higher up the pitch in a box-to-box No. 8 role to feed team-mates in the final third as seen against Cameroon.
Onyeka’s performance has also not gone unnoticed by former player, journalists and fans back home who admired his dexterity on the pitch.
Former Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh, who won the 1994 AFCON and was a member of the silver and bronze winning squads in 2000 and 2002 respectively, said, “Frank Onyeka has been very good for the team at the AFCON.
“He covered a lot of ground and kept the intensity going constantly for the team from midfield. He did that well alongside (Alex) Iwobi in the middle.”
Former Eagles striker, Victor Ezeji, also praised the Onyeka power play effect at the tournament.
“Onyeka for me is one of the unsung heroes in the team,” Ezeji noted.
“He provided good cover for the Eagles backline and shut out most of the attacking plays from the Cameroonians. He has done a great job in that role in the absence of Ndidi in the team. What we hope to see now is a bit of creativity as the games will get tougher.”
Another AFCON winner, Brown Ideye, added, “Frank was extraordinary considering the tactics the coach deployed. He has done great so far, not just him, but every member of the team and I hope that he continues.”
Ace broadcast journalist Ralph Chidozie-George praised Onyeka for his performance. He wrote “Give the silent operator, Frank Onyeka, his flowers. Well-oiled machine.”
“Scoreline aside, this is the best game I’ve seen this team play in two years. Frank Onyeka is a midfield monster,” Babatunde Koiki, a journalist, said.
Another journalist Latifat Adebayo-Ohio added, “Nothing but bullish. Your flowers @_FrankOnyeka.”
Making of Champions, a Nigerian-based athletics website also made an appreciation post for Onyeka.
The website posted, “The man stopped everything that moved in midfield for Nigeria against Cameroon. He has justified his inclusion in the starting 11.”
Media personnel Nurudeen Obalola also believes Onyeka is the Eagles’ unsung hero. He wrote, “I love Frank Onyeka in that Eagles midfield. He’s the team’s unsung hero.”
Nigeria will face Angola on Friday for a place in the semi-finals. The Eagles head into the encounter with an unbeaten record in the tournament.
The three-time AFCON winners are on a four-game unbeaten streak at the tournament after victories against Cameroon, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast and a draw against Equatorial Guinea, will bid to seal a spot in the last four for the 16th time, while the Palancas Negras are eyeing their first-ever semi-final appearance.
