Technical Director of Nigeria Football Federation, Austin Eguavoen, says that neither the NFF nor its president Amaju Piñnick forced Odion Ighalo’s return to the Super Eagles on Gernot Rohr, Completesports.com reports
Speaking with the media in Abuja on Tuesday, Eguavoen said Odion Ighalo was interested in returning to the Super Eagles and that was why Gernot Rohr recalled him from his retirement.
Ighalo called it quits with the national team in 2019 stating that he wanted to give younger players the opportunity to develop.
“Ighalo was not forced or begged to come out of retirement. I am sure Ighalo showed interest having been contacted about a return to the Super Eagles, that is why his name appeared in the list of invitees. You cannot force anybody to comeback to play for the national team,” Eguavoen stated.
Also Read: Why Iheanacho Has Been Struggling To Score Goals For Super Eagles -Rohr
“Who says Ighalo is old? He is not and he is still good and playing well. How old is Cavani. Ighola’s name appeared on the list sent to us and that means Gernot Rohr wants him, and since he takes credit for the team’s success or otherwise, we okayed it because we don’t have the right to query his list,” the former Eagles coach stated.
Asked if how the team plays matters, or if the the results are more important, Eguavoen retorted : “how the team plays matters, we shall be concerned when the team is not entertaining. Result and entertainment matters, so we have to merge the two together, but it matters how the team plays.”
40 Comments
Who called on Ighalo give us the name Sir?
And is Cavani playing in Saudi Arabia league?
Maggot full una head bunch of criminals. Everything has expired date in future when you’re old and weak you’ll answer questions. Rubbish people with so much shamelessness.
Na your papa call am if u have one.ewu
Who’s this villager Uber abi wetin be your name? Ogbeni you don mad abi. Shey you think say them fit dey brainwash everyone nii. Give yourself sense before i slap sense put your head.
Idiot na ur homeless father, thunder fire u with ur supporters,i don’t care how you feel animal
Where was Dani Alves playing that he led Brazil to Olympic triumph earlier this year? Was it not in Asia that Paulihno was playing when he returned to Barca and helped them win La Liga in 2017/2018?
It is not completely about age or where one plays, it is about what one has to offer. So let Ighalo have some peace! Thanks.
@Solo Brazilian league vs Saudi league which is better? Mumu dey smell.
You are on the social media and can do better than this. Eguaveon is a living authority as far as soccer is concerned. Receive some sense and stop being silly. You people needed an explanation and had just received one.
Awoniyi would have been invited instead of Iheanacho, your senior man, that is the only mistake on the list. Your ‘Roar’ recently confirmed it.
Thank you NFF for this clarification at least this will go a long to address the propaganda orchestrated by those who want Rohr and Pinnick to be sacked, purely for selfish reasons. The truth is, out of all the strikers so listed, none excepting maybe, Osimhen is as prolific, rugged and consistent as Odion.
Yet
Ighalo couldn’t hold down a shirt at ManU
Yet ighalo is not playing at any elite European league not to talk of club
The same Ighalo whose selfishness costs us a 2nd round placement in the world cup as well as a final placement in the last Nations cup of only he had made a pass to a better positioned attacker prior to the winning strike from.Mahrez?
Just finished watching AC Milan vs FC Porto. I was focus on Zaidu Sanusi.He played for 90mins and did very well against world class strikers such as Ibrahimovic et al. This gives rise to the question why was he not invited. Collins the only full back in SE invited players list plays for a second tier team in Germany and cannot be compared to Collins who is a champion league player. Which criterion did Rohr use in dropping a champions league player for a division two player.
Sanusi was invited
Zaidu Sanusi is in the list of invited players. Pls, check the list.
Why the liar? What do gain in slandering Nigeria’s image? Always on the look out for officials to tarnish. Repent to have eternal peace.
My brother why you dey bother yourself? By now you should have known that this man rohr is deeply compromised. Na Nigeria we dey.
Contradictory body languages everywhere….. Ighalo painted a picture of him been undecided and thinking of returning but suddenly his name appears and he dives at it…… Pinnick came on air to break the news to us that Ighalo is returning suddenly another NFF man is saying they saw the list and Ighalo’s name was there……If Ighalo is undecided then why is he jumping on the chance to return?…..If Pinnick knew about Ighalo’s return before hand then how come Eguaveon only got to know about it when he saw the list as two of them are in the same nff?…… This whole Ighalo come back is smelling of fraud corruption and nepotism all over it and it’s really stinking……. Ighalo will regret this action and he will pay for it dearly.
Shut up, will you? Equaveon captained Nigeria when the Super Eagles were 5th on FIFA ranking, that is a record. Who in your entire region has attained such feat that you must come to the public space to abuse someone whose achievements are there for all to see. You people come here to make noise without any substance. Tell me who among the strikers is better than Odion Ighalo on the list. Odion has scored 9 goals in 10 appearances for his club while the one you are protecting had only scored one in the same number of appearances. So who should be forced on Rohr?
Michael Ighalo of today is not ranked top 20 striker as long as he is heavy and playing in Saudi league.
Is that the reason why Iheanacho is goal shy? Patson Dakka that came in recently is banging in goals.
Michael you are a madman and you need better beating.animalistic idiot like you talking like a dog,we have Dennis,taiwo awoniyi,Sadiq umar, and terem moffi who are young and are doing brilliant and yet the nff is calling a 34 year old striker who has hung up his boots in national matches, yet you open your rotten mouth to talk trash.
oh yes nobody force him A beg make
we hear word yeye peoples one day also VICTOR MOSES will be back to national team too
Are you for real? That is the guy captaining the SE up and down in his playing days. Remember USA’94?
remember USA 94, Remember AFCON 80. Let us keep living in the past while your ex internationals put their thumbs.
Down on the Progress of boys who they know deep down will outshine their Achievements but no way, they can not allow that to happen, they must be the hero’s off Naija ball untill thier dying days. God forbid the class of 2022 outshines them. Eguavoen Go and Sit down Jealous MAN!!!!!!!!!!!
Lol!!!! This ighalo matter don dey be like when the old wife suddenly see her husband coming home with another new osere wife ho.
Make we take am easy abeg hoo. I know we all love eagles and we want them to do well. Moreso our affection for the new and young strikers. They will all have their undenied time.
For now let us pray and hope for better. Greetings to us all.
Nobody forced him.. yen yen yen. Later on we’d be hearing another news that some one Oga at top enforced this and that. Sir pls tell us more about Musa, Iwobi scenerio at the world cup. Abeg Nigeria is a cruise trust me. They never care. Saddens how soccer fans and lovers are here insulting one another just because of some selfish folks. Spits!
How do you mean? Don’t forget the possibility of cruising into another country is near zero and still with severe consequences.
One question I have is that if Ighalo was undecided why is there no word from him when the list came out? Is he going to turn it down or show up? At the end of the day even tho this issue has caused some division among the fans, all we can do is rally behind the super eagles and support them to cross these last 2 hurdles before the main decider.
These living bitters on CS forum are bitter seeing Nigeria’s name still in existence, but can we freeing wear other colors apart from the green and white? Eguavon is right and besides Odion, our national heritage must be protected. My question to Eguauvon, when is list against liberia coming out? Chatting.
You on the social medial and can do better than this. Eguaveon is living authority as far as soccer is concerned. Receive sense and stop being silly. You people needed an explanation and had just received one.
This a way we reason. The coach himself already confirmed the striker that was forced on him if there is anything like that. He cannot play on Africa pitch, so, what is the constructive arguement?
Ighalo and Musa are typical Nigerians, very greedy and selfish, these two leftovers should quit the super Eagles now their services are no longer needed, they should Emulate Mikel and victor moses. Germany, Italy and England are celebrating their young players, awoniyi, Kalu and Sadiq should be on that list.
@Helen, that’s true. He can’t score on our pitch is from that certain agitated quarter. There “roar” didn’t realised when he let the cat out. The only mistake on Rohr’s list is the scoreless striker that was forced on him. We know him. Awoniyi was robbed.
@Edet, And the scoreless who can’t score anywhere is ranked number 1 striker, right? Awoniyi that is scoring home and away was not invited but the one who Patson Dakka is benching and can’t even score on African pitch was forced on Rohr, now on SE’s bench. Iheanacho is occupying Awoniyi’s seat. NFF is only allowing the sleeping dog lies otherwise it would queried your Roar” for inviting an unproductive striker that can’t even score on Africa pitch. You are only trying to mask it as if it is about Odion Ighalo.
Thank you Michael, I have been wondering what is it they are hiding when they started crying online. We have Rohr to thank for being truthful about who was forced on him, though he was polite about it. Their ‘senior man’ succeeded in cheating Awo. We are watching but one thing is sure, Iheanacho cannot offer what he hasn’t. My pity is for Nigerian fans who will experience tensed moment seeing Iheanacho in green white green attire, maybe in their upiweka.
https://guardian.ng/sport/knocks-for-rohr-over-ighalos-recall-to-super-eagles/
Rohr and Pinnick Lovers Enjoy the read form an Ex Baller wey get sense.
.. stale news. Adegoke only wanted to be heard and can’t be said to know more than Rohr.
The NFF only made a clarification which ordinarily shouldn’t need any approval from the reading public
In my normal trademark, I just finished browsing through the 33 comments so far, many are just waking up, so, we are expectant. I would like to advise each and everyone present to put the interest of our country at heart. Nigeria will be first before anything.
That being said, I am expecting that we should be putting our coaching crew on their toes by now. Everyday our ears are filled with Iheanacho, this, Odion, that. Awoniyi nko? Not mentioning Bassey, Ebuehi and Aina in extant cases.
Time has come to grow above little mindset that is all about stories, and even beyond average mindset that is about events to more matured mindset that is about idea generation. Other countries preparing for the qualifiers have started preparations in earnest. The match is just next week and statement on preparation so far. How do we assist the coach with ideas? What’s coach Rohr doing? Has Coach Yusuf resumed fully? Has invitation letters being extended to our overseas based players? Are there new techniques that could be deployed to ensure successful outings since we are faced with double headed matches? These are some of the things that should occupy our mind. Let’s be easy, positive and objective with our submissions
Rohr is the worstest coach Nigeria has ever had in the history of NIGERIA
I Tink Rohr need to start to think by himself and stop allowing for NFF interference it is really sad. It has been killing our ball for the last 2 decades now.
You have spoken well and calm for the first time in 3 days. Please keep am like dat bros. The fact remains we are all in Support of #pinnickandrohr out movement. Abeg just try and be calm when airing you views. The truth shall prosper and pinnick go fall very soon