Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr has defended his decision to include Genk forward, Paul Onuachu, in the national team set-up.
Onuachu made his international debut for Nigeria in March this year against Seychelles after coming in for Oghenekaro Etebo in the 62nd minute.
He has featured seven times for the Eagles but has been heavily criticized by football fans claiming his presence always prompts the national team to adopt long balls tactics.
Rohr has however come to his defence admitting his height can be needed on some occasions when you need long balls to go forward because you don’t have the luxury of time to play from the back.
“In some matches, you need long balls to go forward because you don’t have the luxury of time to construct the ball from the back, it can be interesting to have a tall player not just in the offence but to also defend the ball.”
“Like we did in the AFCON against Cameroon, we brought in players with heights.
“It is interesting to have all these tall guys but it is true that the football we play we do that on the ground.
“It is difficult for Onuachu that’s why somehow he did not play the AFCON qualifiers against Benin and Lesotho but he is a good player,” he concluded.
