Onazi- the shambles that is almost over

Article by Adam O'Domhnaill

Ogenyi Onazi joined Kitchee in August 2023, and just over two months later, he was gone. 

Or so we thought. Italian media reported that he had signed for Avezzano Calcio of Serie D, although over the course of time we have come to know that this was not the case, with the player putting out several Instagram stories saying how these rumours are false but I think most fans will agree that his days at the club are numbered.

It is fair to say he will not be fondly remembered by the Kitchee fanbase. Onazi has played 324 minutes across five games, never completing a full ninety. Two penalties given away at crucial moments of games against Lee Man and Lion City Sailors. One yellow card. Zero goals. Numerous bad tackles and constantly looking off the pace. In this piece we delve deeper into his short Kitchee career so far.

Background

Onazi may not have been a household name when he signed for Kitchee, but a quick google would have shown his supposed pedigree. Over fifty caps for Nigeria, including an African Cup of Nations triumph and going to the World Cup twice. He had solid spells with Lazio and Trabzonspor, before a series of short term deals brought him to Kitchee. His reputation from playing at a high level for club and country meant that he should have been a key part of the Kitchee midfield, but that has definitely not been the case.

He made his debut in the season opener against Tai Po, playing seventy seven minutes as Kitchee strolled to a comfortable 3-0 victory. He then posted a highlight reel of his own performance online, which can still be seen on his instagram. Nothing remarkable, passes and tackles that a player of his calibre should be making with ease. His next game came away to Lee Man, which Kitchee lost 4-1. While no one at Kitchee would be proud of their performance that day, he was noticeably bad. Kitchee had been outplayed in the first half and trailed 2-1. So what was not needed was a stupid dangerous lunge inside the box, reviewed for a possible red card, early in the second half. Lee Man converted the penalty, Onazi was subbed soon afterwards and Lee Man went on to win comfortably.

Onazi did play a fairly uneventful eighty four minutes in Jeonbuk in the Champions League, as Kitchee lost 2-1. His last league game would be the following weekend, playing sixty one minutes in a 2-0 win, outshone by Charlie Scott scoring a long range effort from central midfield. Kitchee went into their second ACL tie of the season knowing that it was a must-win game to have any hope of progressing further. Kitchee went a goal behind to Lion City, but had the majority of possession and shots. But then another moment of madness from Onazi saw Lion City awarded a penalty. In defence of Onazi, the foul was on the soft side and looked outside the box, but Onazi was out of control in the tackle. He was withdrawn at half time based on his poor performance on and off the ball, and has not been seen in a matchday squad since. At this moment in time, and possibly forever, his Kitchee stats are five games played out of a possible ten, zero goals, one yellow card and two penalties given away, all in the space of just over three hundred minutes on the pitch. In the home tie with Bangkok United, a section of fans held up ‘Onazi out’ posters, and in the league game with Sham Shui Po, fans sarcastically called for Onazi to play, both highlighting his unpopularity amongst the fanbase.

Personal issues

As many of our readers will relate to, moving around the world, with or without family, can be a challenge. Onazi moved to Hong Kong in August, and unfortunately his mother passed away soon afterwards, which could give some explanation for poor performance, specifically the moments of madness giving away penalties. There was also a bizarre moment where he posted a photo of his new partner, with a caption detailing the end of a seven year marriage, and that he and his wife had been separated for years, before deleting the post soon afterwards.

Is he leaving?

On 30th October, Serie D 24 posted an article announcing that Avezzano Calcio had signed the former Lazio and Trabzonspor midfielder after a spell with Kitchee in Hong Kong. He was reportedly going to Italy next week for his medical, and he was removed from Kitchee’s squad lists on wikipedia and transfermarkt- he has now been restored on the latter, but without a squad number. This news was met with jubilation by some Kitchee fans, who flocked to social media, specifically the comments section of his supposed new club, to criticise Onazi’s performances.

Throughout the day, self-proclaimed football middleman Anthony Lam was arguing with fans in the comments section, accusing Kitchee fans amongst other things of being thugs and being ungrateful for his work bringing players to the club. We believe he is partially responsible for (or claims to be) the recent transfers of Dejan, Mingazow, Damcevski, Kim Shin-Wook and Onazi. Considering the financial outlay and shambolic performances of the last three, Kitchee fans are within their rights to voice their opinions about an expensive flop. Kitchee invested heavily in foreign players who have 139 minutes of ACL football between them this season. Simply not good enough for players of a supposedly much higher level, and questions do need to be asked about the role of agents and middlemen in the recruitment process.

Conclusion

Ogenyi Onazi has had a difficult start to life in Hong Kong, with his personal problems undeniably having an impact, and we do sympathise with him to an extent, particularly for the loss of his mother. But his poor performances and attitude on and off the pitch have not endeared himself to the fanbase, especially with mistakes made in such pivotal fixtures. His attitude has not helped, with him not acknowledging fans after the Lion City match. Onazi himself responded to a comment on a Football Weekly HK instagram post earlier today, asking a critical fan ‘what have you contributed to the growth of the club?’. This will not help his cause. He may not have left just yet, but his departure cannot be far away.

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