Former Nigeria international, Benedict Akwuegbu, has told Completesports.com he’s ‘proud’ of John Obi Mikel and Odion Ighalo services to the Super Eagles but earnestly appeals to them to rescind their decision to retire from the national team duties.
Soon after Nigeria won her 8th AFCON bronze medal following a hard fought 1-0 win against Carthage Eagles of Tunisia in the Third-Place match on Wednesday, the duo announced their departure from the international scene, first by captain Mikel Obi and later Odion Ighalo.
Akwuegbu admits there is time to come and time to leave, but he appeals to the players to review their decision to quit at this stage.
“Mikel is a fantastic player, so also Ighalo who even won the Golden Boot award with five goals in the AFCON 2019 tournament,” Akwuegbu said.
” They played a remarkable role in Super Eagles bronze win even though we had looked forward for the trophy.
“But that’s it. Wishes, they say, are never horses. They did their best, not only in Egypt but during their entire national team careers.
“You don’t play football all through your life. They feel they have seen it and should leave the stage. I wish them well but I feel they should have to stay more.
“Yes, I believe they are still relevant to the national team and the NFF ought to try to convince them to have a change of decision”.
Akwuegbu would reflect on the concluded AFCON, pointing out that indeed, it was true reflection of the high quality of African football.
“I think the best team won. Algeria deserved the cup because they were highly tactical, disciplined, organised never lost a game throughout the championship.
” Senegal on their part, were good, physically strong, skillful but were unable to break down the Algerians.
“It was a worthy final that represents the best of African football,” Akwuegbu concluded.
By Sab Osuji
19 Comments
Please let them retire so that the team will have a new strike force we are tired of heart break miss by ighalo when it matters. Ighalo in his life has never won any trophy except for this first bronze.
U20 team that he captain lost due to his misses.
He went to watford did he win the EPL no.
He went to China he was top3 scorers but his crucial misses and selfishness took his team to relegation.
Now he is at Shangai shehuha where Martins saw and conquered by taking the team to Asian champions league but today that club led by Ighalo is wallowing and atruggling to survive.
Same thing with Nigeria because of this guy crucial misses we didn’t go past group stage.
What else do we want from Ighalo we need cup not top scorer award. Simple
I have nothing against Rohr but ighalo has retired let him go in peace and have fun in China.
And of a late i have nothing against born again Ighalo after some crucial goals he scored to qualify us till the semi final. But he is not just consistent like superstars in the frame of Obafemi, Suarez and co because consistency is the only thing that gives trophy
Ighalo is our best striker for now.
You are a big disgrace for trying to bring down ighalo
, you even try to bring him down in china when he has done so well and scored goal, you are really stupid for blaming him for his team relegation, he got the goals, he cant do all the work, the defenders are there
, he just joined shanghai shenua and you are saying they are struggling to survive as if its his fault? he has scored 7 goals in 9 appearance before the afcon and you still criticize his performance for the shanghai club? SHAME ON YOU BRO, hating will take you no where
@Chima E Samuels l am really disappointed with your comment on this patriotic and humble player who have sacrificed so much for this nation. It’s just very unfair. Instead of showing appreciation for his sacrifices, you rather choose to crucify him. Just think about that, as l leave you to your conscience and your God!
Take note, lam in no way related to lghalo nor ever met him.
We have congratulated him but not to the extent of begging him to comeback. I don’t encourage backward thinking I just gave a summary of Ighalo at least not everyone can replicate what Messi and Ronaldo does even Messi has a jinx with his country and he is yet to break it.
The point is clear if you are jinxed you need extra motivation to break it and if walking away is best for him so be it let’s respect his decision and move on from this history.
May I commend akwuegbu for his services to his fatherland in the time past. He was part of the legends of Nigerian football in the 80’s and 90’s. It’s good hearing from him once again. For me I think it’s time for Mikel to retire because of his age and time spent in the team. But for ighalo, I hope he changes his mind. He is still needed in the super eagles and I hope the nff would talk to him with some ex internationals. I want the govt to assure ighalo through the nff that every threat to him and his family from any miscreant or rude fan would be traced and such persons arrested and dealt with. We must support our own to get possible best results.
Ighalo n Mikel have done their best for Nigeria. They have decided to retire, why d hell does Akwegbu want them back. Not taking anything away from these players, we have got loads of players waiting to replace them.
You have spoken well Chima E Samuels.
I don’t understand what Akwuegbu is trying to insinuate here?
Adi and Fatai Alashe are doing very well and they are always ready to play for Nigeria while Akwuegbu is still begging Ighalo to come back? Chai, chai, ah, chai. Hmmmm, nkan bę ę ooo.
Aribo is young and in form now while Akwuegbu is Appeals To Mikel To Rescind Retirement Decision. Hmmm, it is well ba.
Hmmmm, this is not good enough for our football. We should be moving forward not backward. Chai, bad market.
We have young talented players everywhere that can do more that the current team.
We have them in Nigeria and outside the Country.
We have more than 10 Okocha and Kanu but the problem is that, if you don’t have money or know people up there, nobody knows you. That is the main problem.
I’m pretty sure of what I’m saying. Oga Rohr is not the right choice for the Super Eagles because he doesn’t make used of the raw talents we have.
In Nigeria here, we have thousands of great goalkeepers, strikers, Midfielders that are better than what he have but his mentality is wrong.
He believes made in Nigeria players are not good enough forgetting that we are not good enough, we produced, Peter Rufai a.k.a Dodo mayana himself.
We produced late Rasidi Yekini, late Keshi, Uche Okechukwu, a.k.a gentle giant, Amunike, Siasia, Aghahowa, Kanu, Okocha, Ikpeba, Ike Shorunmu and so on and we won 3 Afcon trophies with our made in Nigeria players.
What did he coach Rohr and his supporters achieved with their made in abroad players? Bronze medals? Too bad.
Mr. Akwuegbu, let Mikel and Ighalo retired jęję. We thank them for their efforts. May God be with them.
For now, you should tell the NFF president and coach Rohr to resign because they are taking our football backward.
Super Eagles needed a realiable coach while Nigeria needed a dependable team. That is the fact. Ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!
Mikel has offered a lot to the team and teams in the past. If he is retiring, I wiish him well.
Ighalo still has a lot to offer. I want him back to the team.
@omo9ja more grease to your elbow keep on telling them the truth. God bless you
Exactly he has some truth despite the abuses. We have bunch of unemployed graduate back home in Nigeria same way we have hundreds of goal mad strikers in Nigeria but nepotism is killing us and we are crying on Ighalo’s neck to come and save us.
Nigerians will see truth but because of low thinking they will never understand meanwhile as I right most of the guys writing here are unemployed while other are in a field different from their course of study it’s also applies to our sports corruption is everywhere that the best will never see light.
Amen. Thank you my man. I will. Saying the truth is my daily bread. For sure,
I will. We are tired of celebrating failure. Imagine, Akpeyi no1 goalkeeper in Nigeria, ewoooooooo, I begged, Kilodeeeeeeee?
This is getting too much. We have what it takes in every corner to be the best of the in the world but still struggling to be among the best in the world. Hmmmm, why why why why? Nigeria??????? Not in only in football but in general.
I’m so sorry for my darling Country. So sad. Unbelievable. We can’t continue like this my people. No no noooooo. It is impossible. God bless Nigeria!!!
Amen. Thank you my man. I will. Saying the truth is my daily bread. For sure,
I will. We are tired of celebrating failure. Imagine, Akpeyi no1 goalkeeper in Nigeria, ewoooooooo, I begged, Kilodeeeeeeee?
This is getting too much. We have what it takes in every corner to be the best of the best in the world but still struggling to be among the best in the world. Hmmmm, why why why why? Nigeria??????? Not in only in football but in general.
I’m so sorry for my darling Country. The corruption is getting too much. So sad. Unbelievable. We can’t continue like this my people. No no noooooo. It is impossible. We can’t. God bless Nigeria!!!
As a good fans what we need is to appreciate them (Mikel and Ighalo) for their service to the national team. they don try I think retirement is their best option for now. b4 the tournament I already knew that they will retire from the national team after this afcon and am still expecting the retirement messages of Akpeye and co old players in the team.
One of things I hate most(in football) is that for a player to retire and some people clamouring for the rescinding of his decision abeg what a disgrace, so are u people saying that if the whole country is scrutinized we won’t find a player that is better off. any player that retire(1- it can be bcos he want to pave way for young talent to come in, that is good but
2- he can also retire bcos of pride, that is the bad one cos so many player are looking for that opportunity.
abeg make fans wake up if slumbering he no make sense to they beg player not to retire, not to this kind of great country.
am not among those who rubbish players cos the two player offers something good to the team especially our senior captain. but that should be the last thing we do in this country. ire ooo
Common sense says you leave the stage when the ovation is loudest. I think the ex-internationals should respect the opinion of these great players and let them retire. They are even waving medals at the fans as they announce their retirements. What can be more memorable, emphatic and concrete? Any appeal to lure them back is counterproductive, with the risk of the players being forced out of the team at a later stage for dwindling productivity, wiping out the memory of their contribution. Nigeria is blessed with neophyte strikers and defenders. Lets nurture them. Ighalo, Mikel, don’t let any person fool you. Run away with the good names you’ve established in the hearts of the SuperEagle’s fans.
@CHIMA E SAMUEL, Why not crucify IGHALO for not making you pay your house rent since January?? See this guy with daft sense oo. So you expect Ighalo to lift a team like WATFORD, I repeat WATFORD not Liverpool, Man City, Chelsea etc to Win the Premier League abi..ahahh. When did Ighalo became Messi or Ronaldo or Hazard that are Team Motivators and game changers Biko??? He went to Shenua,he has only played 7 matches and he came to Nigeria for AFCON even reportedly with Injury to show how dedicated he is and yet you expect him to Win The Chinese League and take them to the Asian Champions League with just 7 matches?? Hope you’re now seeing how horrible your sense of reasoning is??
IGHALO never said he wants to rescind his decision of playing for Nigeria. Akweagbu said so!! So why not direct your insults and senseless talks to the man who wants him back??
Let’s be guided oo!!
Ighalo and Mikel are great super eagles and shall be missed.Tough as it’s i think they should stay retired.Ighalo especially,has not won anything for Nigeria from his youth days always a sad end to every competition he is involved aside Egypt afcon even at that didn’t come back with gold.
I know it won’t be easy to get replacements for this accomplished footballers but eventually like always someone better with better fortunes always spring up.
I wish Mikel and Ighalo well in their future endeavours.
Benedict pks come back and play . There is time to retire . We need u