Former Super Eagles striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni is delighted to see the influx of strikers in the senior national team ahead of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations but insists Odion Ighalo remains the best amongst the bunch, Completesports.com reports.
Gernot Rohr has handed Paul Onuachi his debut against Egypt in an international friendly in March with the lanky forward hitting the winner in the first minute of the game.
The German coach has also handed opportunities to Victor Osimhen and Isaac Success to lead the Super Eagles attack, but the former Portsmouth and Everton striker believes Ighalo’s wealth of experience in the team and his cirrent rich vein of form gives him an edge above them all.
“If Ighalo continues scoring this way it will be very difficult for him to be benched,” Yakubu told Completesports.com.
“He’s (Ighalo) is the Super Eagles best striker at the moment, no doubt.
“They have good strikers coming into the team at the moment – the likes of Osimhen, Onuachu and the likes, but he (Ighalo) possesses everything you need in a striker to get the goals.
“He’s experienced, matured and prolific.
“Osimhen is another player who could fill the void in his absence, but with decent supplies Ighalo will deliver.”
Ighalo has continued from where he stopped in the Chinese Super League last season when he finished as the CSL’s second top scorer with 21 goals, but it was not enough to save his former club, Changun Yatai, from relegation.
This season, the 30 year old has scored six goals in six games for Shanghai Shenhua who he joined on a three year deal at the start of the season.
By Johnny Edward
13 Comments
Twins brothers I’m not surprised by your support to Ighalo.
I respect your opinion Mr Yak. Aiyegbeni, Domo sir!
I equally respect the fact that u equally mentioned Osimhen, Onuachu, …
But I submit that level playing ground be given to best inform strikers at the AFCON.
Let me reiterate that Kelechi Iheanacho, irrespective of His club travail, is still the best set piece taker in the current super eagles (He has scored some beautiful goals from set piece including the Argentina friendly) I pray he equally rediscover his best form before the AFCON.
Edo wa doo!!!
Correct, Gritty. I think if not for anything, this set-piece taking ability might just be what will get Iheanacho into the Afcon final squad. Along with maybe Moses, no one else in the SE currently knows how to convert set-piece opportunities into goals. Etebo that is trying the role is a total no-no.
This wan na Isoko connekshon? Hehehe! The Yak was a top striker in his day, and as they say – GAME RECOGNIZE GAME. No doubt, Ighalo is one of our best strikers at the moment. I’m with Gritty though on allowing all the strikers a level playing field to compete for available jerseys. No automatic jerseys please. I also agree that Iheanacho is talented with the deadball. But for us to benefit from his freekick taking expertise, bobo needs to make the team first!
Haba, Pompei, “domo” nah Benin nah. Like Aiyegbeni, Ighalo is Edo, and I guess @Gritty too. It’s like the equivalent of “doh” in Delta/Warri. On Iheanacho, I think coaches can get a player into his team just for his unique skill. Just like Cabarello is still a part of Chelsea squad today simply for when games go into penalties.
Kel, I thought Isoko dey inside Edo? I may be totally wrong though. Anyway, na Edo connekshon 🙂
The yak that lost a goal a kid can score in the world cup,ighalo also had a golden opportunity against Argentina what happened blew his chances,now press,media are indirectly blowing ighalo as our best striker,I laugh,even kelechi some of you are praising,go and re watch the match against the Argentina Kelechi was useless,ighalo May thrive in nations cup because it’s physical football,African football,world football no,world cup is where you play among the best, that’s why till date the 1994 squad still remains our best,they all to the bench players can display any team in world stage. Igahlo for what? Abeg the Yak.
You have spoken well @Presh.
When we are talking about Football, Ighalo doesn’t deserve to be wearing that no9 Jersey. However, Kelechi wasn’t at his best in Russia but coach Rohr have to be blamed for that.
Simmy and Iwobi were delayed to the last minutes of the encounter. Can you imagine that?
That is why I don’t trust the coach. Even, if he have Messi or Ronaldo in this current team, he would benched them all for nothing.
Imagine benching Simmy for Ighalo and Kelechi in Russia that was clearly shows the ability of the coach. Simmy and Iwobi were missed managed in Russia.
The coach knew that Kelechi was rusty. Ighalo the king of missed firing in front of goal. Still, he used them to pleased himself.
A good coach should have discovered that Ighalo can only score once in a while but not in every match.
Same scenarios will happen in this year Afcon because the coach haven’t learned from his mistakes.
When was the last time we had a striker that threatening the defense of our opponents?
Onuachu did just that against Egypt for the entire 90 minutes of the match still, the coach said after the match that Onuachu still has a lot to improved on. That means he wasn’t satisfied with the performance of the player but Ighalo is 100% perfect ba?
He may drop Onyekuru as usual. Onuachu might not even given a chance to play in Egypt. These are the things I am expecting the coach to do. This is not about hate but reality. Well, Ighalo it’s your time. Carry on.
“but he (Ighalo) possesses everything you need in a striker to get the goals. Really?
He’s experienced, matured and prolific”. No doubt.
Hmm. I am so disappointed with what Mr. Yakubu said. As a good scorer, he should have known more than this.
Ighalo, Apoborie and Benedict Akuegbu are in the same categories.
Onuachu and Agali has the same similarities.
So all in all, all eyes on coach Rohr now because he have a point to prove in Egypt. I will advise Ighalo to enjoy his time under coach Rohr administration. Because if he doesn’t, tomorrow might be too late. God bless Nigeria!!!
Stat speaks for ayegbeni as one of Nigeria’s ever best striker..check is record in EPL during his playing days (not a fluck, does a double figure every season) Champions league record at macaibi Haifa (hat trick). Forget his goal miss at world cup all good strikers miss begging chances at world cup( higuain, nistelrooy…). The fact is his goal scoring record ratio surpasses even didier drogba in EPL..now to odion ighalo forget CSL…his EPL and Super eagles goals stat ratio is still one of d best. Is double figures in a season in EPL for two seasons speaks volume. He was always among d top 5 highest goal scorer albeit his last season. Go to CSL u will see top Brazilian, Argentine and others players plying their trade..let’s appreciate our own. We can integrate d young along with his experience.
Thank you for your well articulate reply bro. I purposely didnt reply these ones because they are just a bunch of ignorant muses trying to belong.
Aiyegbeni is the 3rd highest scorer of all times for Nigeria after Legends like Rashidi yekini and Segun Mathematical Odegbami. Infact Odegbami is just one goal ahead of him in the all time rankings (I stand to be corrected tho). I once took these haters to the cleaners once when they claimed Julius Aghahowa was FAR BETTER than ighalo. I laid out the figures before them to show how Ighalo has been 3 times more prolific for both clubs and country than any other striker after Yekini and Aiyegbeni……till today dem never get mouth to respond…! Lolz.
Anybody that wants to argue should go and argue with history and fact books. Lolz
Mr omo9ja initially I hated your comments about rohr but now I understand you better and I need everyone of us to shout it loud to the coach that we are expecting Nigeria to get to the final of the cup of nation . It seems the coach is satisfied with the name tag of my eagles are young . We won’t take that from him if rohr is not bold enough to tell us this team is good for the semi final then I think it’s a shame on both the NFF and the coach . No way for one average Oyinbo coach to keep telling us the super eagles is inexperienced and young. THIS IS NIGERIA AND WE ARE NIGERIANS WE EAT FOOTBALL DRINK FOOTBALL AND ITS ONLY FOOTBALL THAT UNITES THE OVER 250 ETHNIC TRIBES TOGETHER . NO USELESS COACH SHOULD TOIL WITH OUR EMOTIONS AND FOOTBALL PERSONALITY AND INTEGRITY. ROHR STOP CALLING OUR DEAREST EAGLES YOUNG TEAM AGAIN GIVE THEM A LION HEARTS AND MAKE THEM BELIEVE THEY CAN WIN IT WITH HARDWORK. BILL GATES AND MARK ARE BOTH YOUNG AND NEVER EXPERIENCED MONEY IN TIME PAST TO BECOME BILLIONAIRES .AM NOT SAYING EAGLES MUST WIN BUT LET THE COACH STOP GIVING THE EXCUSES THE TEAM IS YOUNG..
AM A YORUBA MAN AND I HAVE HAUSA AS MY GATEMAN THOUGH AM A DOWN TO EARTH MAN STILL I DONT RELATE TO HIM AS SUCH APART FROM OFFICIAL ISSUES BUT WHEN EAGLES ARE PLAYING I CALL HIM WITH HIS CHILDREN TO JOIN ME IN MY LIVING ROOM AND HE CLOSES THE GATE WITHIN THAT TIME OF WATCHING FOOTBALL. WHENEVER NIGERIA SCORES WE HUG EACH OTHER AND AT TIMES HIS CHILDREN WOUKD RUSH TO CARRY ME UP . FOOTBALL MAKES US TO MIX UP AND FADES AWAY TRIBALISM AND NEPOTISM ITS A PITY WE DONT HAVE A SENSITIVE GOVERNMENT WHO COULD ANNEXED THIS FOOTBALLING POWER AS A BREACH TO NIGERIA UNIFICATION
only two of can understand each other…two ewa’ @ADEMOLA thank u for understand it…u also said the truth if not futbol i would love this our country to seperate…but i be the saddest man when ever they talk seperation…only super eagle match make me celebrate like mad man. matching in motor way causing hold up as if were soldiers. so nobody hate rohr.