Making Chidera Ejuke the Playmaker Maestro Super Eagles So Needed Now

 

Chidera Ejuke the new ball dribbling sensation has just won Player of the Year, just his first season in CSKA Moscow and has shown he can compete for a permanent first team shirt in the current Nigeria senior national team. Having delivered a very impressive performance in both home and away world Cup qualifier game against Central African Republic. 

Chidera could become the Playmaker maestro Nigerian fans has been clamoring for. 

I look at the statistics and the style of Chidera Ejuke and I got excited... Do we have another Austin JayJay Okocha in our hands? 

Two things that got me excited about his style of play, is his boldness with the ball as he dribbles along. He can perfectly receive the ball in the midst of crowded opponent players and discomfit them with his uncharacteristic dribbles and then make accurate thru pass.  That's the credentials of a good playmaker like JayJay or Iniesta. 

Some pundits has accused Ejuke as over dribbling and playing much to the gallery, just the same very accusation during Jay jay active days. But one thing that distinguished Ejuke is his strong man-marking skill and has unusual stamina to run the midfield. 

Ejuke presently play as a left winger but has all the credentials of a No 10 playmaker. Well, not many knew Austin Okocha didn't start off his career as a No 10. During his early days in Enugu Rangers he played as right winger, taking after his elder brother Emmanuel Okocha. Along the line he had to convert to a No 10 and he had to learn the ropes, playing second fiddle to Thompson Oliha. 

One of the challenges current Super Eagles team suffers is the lack of quality or do I say a natural playmaker. Joe Aribo has been alternating the position with Alex Iwobi and they have both struggled to impress. 

I think it is time to convert Ejuke and let him start learning the ropes to fine tune his killer passes, dribbles and ball holding for a more impactful play. Learn how to dictate the pace and control the game from the Midfield. 

I suggest the technical committee should engage JayJay Okocha to have intensive personal training session with Ejuke to show him some of the trick and tips of how to handle the playmaker role in the national team.