Ogenyi Onazi has lost his role as one of the vice captains of the Super Eagles of Nigeria with coach Gernot Rohr omitting his name from the players who will captain the team during games.
Onazi played the role of vice captain to Mikel Obi for the first two years of the reign of Rohr as coach but lost his spot prior to the World Cup in Russia and it appears it has also cost him his role as one of the captains of the team.
While analysing the role of Musa and how it differs from that of Mikel as captain, the coach named Udinese defender William Troost-Ekong as the third captain of the team in the absence of Mikel and Musa who are the first and second captains respectively.
Rohr said all three players have shown leadership qualities on and off the pitch hence his decision to trust them with the armband and he further explained that the role of a captain extends beyond the ninety minutes they spend on the pitch.
“Musa’s leadership of the team has worked very well because he brings the right spirit to the group, which is very important. He is a younger man than Mikel with a different mentality”, Rohr said.
“The captain is very important because he can help me to bring to the team not only the right spirit, but also the right organisation on the pitch and off it.
“We spend about 22 hours of the day and perhaps two hours on the pitch. He also helps in the hotel and in the travelling, which is very important.
“Mikel is also a fantastic captain. He brings a certain calm to the team and the players respect for what he has achieved. We are blessed because in his absence Musa has done well. Even if Musa is not around we have our third captain, Troost-Ekong, who is also a very good character and an example for all these young players we have now.”
