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Exclusive: Don’t Force Ighalo Into Super Eagles Now -Aikhuomogbe Warns NFF

Exclusive: Don’t Force Ighalo Into Super Eagles Now -Aikhuomogbe Warns NFF

Former Nigerian goalkeeper, Andrew Aikhuomogbe has kicked against the decision of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to recall former Super Eagles striker, Odion Ighalo back into the team.

He made this known on the backdrop of call by NFF President, Amaju Pinnick to consider extending invitation to the former Watford striker, who is enjoying a good goal scoring time at his current club, Al Shabab in Saudi Arabian League.

Recall that Ighalo hanged his boots after helping the team win a bronze in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, where the Super Eagles defeated Tunisia 1-0 in the Third-Place match.

Reacting to this development, Aikhuomogbe in a chat with Completesports.com from his base in Cairo, Egypt, said that the NFF should allow the Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr concentrate on the array of strikers on his disposal at this point.

He noted that the likes of Victor Osimhen, Paul Onuachu, Taiwo Awoniyi, Kelechi Iheanacho, Terem Moffi are good enough to shoulder the team’s goal scoring responsibility.

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“I really don’t think there should be any need for the NFF to want to recall Odion Ighalo back into the Super Eagles when we have quality strikers such as Victor Osimhen, Paul Onuachu, Taiwo Awoniyi, Kelechi Iheanacho, Terem Moffi and others that are painting Europe with goals.

“Yes, Ighalo is a good striker no doubt about that, but we need to move forward and work with the current crop of strikers for the 2022 World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations. Inviting him will definitely mean that one or two of these players will be dropped.”


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COMMENTS

WORDPRESS: 94
  • Michel 2 years ago

    Who is still thinking about inviting ighalo for God’s sake

  • Lawrence 2 years ago

    These so-called former players should shut the fukup, you want a better player to dropped just because the ineffectual would lose their place. Please, say something else. Ighalo is Afcon bound but needs to be begged.

  • pompei 2 years ago

    If Ighalo qualifies to be in the squad on merit, WE NEED HIM. Period!
    But it must be PURELY ON MERIT.
    Nobody, including Odion Ighalo, should be in the team based on sentiment or nepotism, or to satisfy some parochial interests. If you’re in the squad, you have to qualify for the privilege. If Ighalo comes out of retirement, and our coaches consider him to be one of our very best, so be it!

    • JimmyBall 2 years ago

      @Pompei… this kind of thinking does not help. Is Ighalo coming to bench Osimhen who is the marksman for Napoli or what?

      What we need is a long term solution not stop-gaps… most nations are integrating youth into their sides… olmo, Ferran Torres(Spain), Jamal, Adeyemi(Germany)… we are here talking Ighalo… Poorman’s Drogba.

      Let him score 250goals in one season in Saudi Arabia… our attackers struggling to score are problems of our wing play… the likes of Samuel Kalu, Ahmed Musa, Simon Moses are all overrated.

      We need to recall players in areas that we need real depth and class… I will root for Victor Moses and Joel Obi being recalled not Ighalo. Awoniyi is there, we have not even had enough of Moffi, Awoniyi,Sadiq… they are planning to go for ancestors again… Pinnick and Rohr sef… they are both synonymous to traveling with punctured tires! Those two are bigtime quacks…

      The way Amaju Pinnick keeps turning up at Oghenekaro Etebo`s house every now and then, you will know he is just another Buhari… because of people like Etebo who are from warri like Pinnick… the likes of Joel Obi, Alhassan wont get a look-in ever… not under pinnick!

      • Footballfanatic 2 years ago

        Joel Obi?????? As much as I support most of what you wrote you can’t be serious with naming Joel Obi what difference does that make with the same people clamoring for Ighalo. Contradictory to say integration of youth is important but then you mention Joel Obi…. lol

        • JimmyBall 2 years ago

          @Footballfanatic… your view na your view. I mentioned Joel Obi for two reasons… (1) He is truly young… Joel Obi broke out in football early. He went to Italy and started academy football at age 14yrs… it is not much one can cheat on age around such a tender age. (2) He is very active for Salernitana even though the club aint doing so good regarding their league position.

          Any seasoned coach will form a crack squad from guys having the needed big stage experience, consistency and unique skillsets. Joel Obi playing style is still very needed in defensive midfield where we seem still not so sure of guys that we have. Apart from Ndidi who himself is not the finished product yet… guys like Frank Onyeka, Etebo, Bonke are not exactly what we need when we compare them to the likes of Oliseh, Olofinjana of the past.

          It is only someone who does not know football in and out that will trash an individual like Joel Obi who is amongst very few left-footed defensive midfielders still in the game. The same argument can be made for experience regarding Ighalo but he is in a lowly league and we do not lack capable personnel in the striking department… it appears our strikers are struggling to score because we do not have a reassuring and solid link-play and coordination from the midfield and wings… coupled with the fact that Rohr imparts nothing to his team… you wont be out of place to call Rohr a quack!

          • Mercy 2 years ago

            There is no way Joel obi is 30yrs old. He played in the feeders team of first bank of lagos b4 moving to inter Milan. So all the saying he is 30yrs is a crap

      • pompei 2 years ago

        Jimbo, did you read my comment at all?
        So you disagree with invitations based on merit? Ok. What criteria do you want to use for invitations then?
        Don’t tell me that our attack is the best thing since sliced bread, because I’m not buying it. I want to see goals. We lined up top strikers from top leagues against CAR, look what happened. Even without a good AM, we created dozens of chances, all wasted!
        It took a center back coming forward to score before we were finally able to breach the CAR defense and get our first goal.
        Now, you’re telling me we should not allow a tried and tested striker the opportunity to come and compete for a spot in the team? If he comes and does not succeed, then we move on with what we have. But if he is good enough to displace any of these guys, we have NO CHOICE but to use our best legs. How can you disagree with that?
        If the coaches decide to pick Osimhen, Awoniyi, Iheanacho, and Ighalo, for instance, imagine the possibilities. If we must use one striker only, then it would have to be Osimhen or Awoniyi. But for two strikers, Ighalo is a great option to have. Imagine an Ighalo/Osimhen or Ighalo/Awoniyi attack. A great mix of experience and youth.
        Again, if Ighalo is considered not good enough, then we can put the matter to bed, and whoever is selected has our full support.

      • Jones 2 years ago

        Why does Joel Obi deserve a call up and not Ighalo….Joel Obi most times doesn’t even start games for salernitana….what did Joel Obi do in all the previous games he played in SE….please Joel Obi doesn’t bring anything new to our midfield except being ‘half-fit’……there’s no need for Ighalo/Joel Obi in SE.

        • JimmyBall 2 years ago

          Joel Obi is sill just 30years… has yet to announce his retirement and is playing in a competitive league… Serie A! Again our defensive midfield is not yet solid and convincing enough anytime Ndidi is not there… and wont be always! That is why he deserves a chance ahead of ones like Ighalo playing in sunday league… Oh, Sorry! Saudi League… in Asia! Ighalo has announced his retirement years now and he was not forced… what then will be a new motivation for him… probably use Nations Cup and World Cup to sell one last fast market!!! Lol…

      • KENNETH 2 years ago

        I will just keep mute. Thought playing in the Top 5 league in Europe is the criteria for entering the national team. When last did people watch the Arabian league. This is just pure rubbish coming from the NFF. Abeg let them go wank off.

    • @pompeo what is your definition of merit???….merit is not scoring in a Saudi league and someone scoring in the Bundesliga will be dropped for you o…….Merit is not been off interms of pace and technique then run to Asia and get a call up because you are bagging in goals against technically inferior players o……. Please clearly define merit here please.

      • He proved himself in the most competitive league before he departed for Saudi. Please let’s not insult Ighalo, he remains a
        proven quality striker.
        However, I would advise he remains in retirement, it’s time for the new generation to prove themselves.

  • Andy Rukwve 2 years ago

    No sense.

  • @Friday lol Bench warmers, bros you really should be ashamed of yourself for making such a comment you and all those 2 that liked your misguided comment

  • When I said people comment here but don’t keep up to date with ball, you thought I was joking, @Friday just proved me right.

    Keep decieving yourself

  • People talking about merit should know that Ighalo can never be in the team on merit because he is not playing top level football again……. Please if you people are looking for an excuse to bring him back no problem,but please stop insulting the word MERIT

  • Larry 2 years ago

    Ighalo has nothing to offer. Please go and watch his matches in the Arabian league against less formidable teams compared with European countries.
    The question is : Who in the current SE strikers is Ighalo going to replace?
    On current form, Ighalo is not better than any of Odey, Akpom, Ogbu, Simy ?
    If Roar needs Nation’s cup experience, he should be thinking of an influential and mercurial Nation’s cup winner and WC quality player in VM.

    • pompei 2 years ago

      You’re talking about formidable teams?
      Is CAR a formidable opponent? What of Cape Verde?
      Are you satisfied with the performance of our strikers against these “formidable opponents”? Be sincere to yourself.
      The opposition CAR and Cape Verde offered against us is arguably inferior to what Ighalo faces in the Saudi league.
      Last season, Odion had 9 goals and 3 assists from 13 games.
      This season, he has racked up 8 goals from 9 games. Add those stats to his vast experience, would you refuse to invite him to camp if he was available?
      Let him come and demonstrate in training that he is worthy of selection.
      If he can’t make it, WE WILL THANK HIM AND SEND HIM HOME. BUT IF HE OUTPERFORMS OTHER STRIKERS, HE MUST BE SELECTED!
      We need depth in the squad. If Osimhen and Awoniyi are having a tough time, there is nothing wrong in trying Ighalo. Maybe he can find a way with his cunning and experience.
      If we want to maximize our chances of winning the Afcon and qualifying for the world cup, we must prosecute future games with our very best legs.

      • Larry 2 years ago

        @Pompei, i think you should view this topic in a more reasonable and ethical manner.
        We all know what it takes for an African player to play regularly or start from the bench in top European teams. These guys will have to compete with the best and favored local breeds to be given game times in Europe.
        Ighalo was aware of this and he decided to go to look for a comfort zone in a less fancied league. If he was that better than all the available options, a top European team would have signed him after man utd dumped him on the bench and out of the team.
        It seems to me that you have narrowed down the striker to Awo, Osi & Nacho but the question is on current form would you pick Ighalo ahead of any of Moffi, Onuachu , Sadiq and Desser ?
        The probl with SE is not about scorers, it is more about creator, give Osi/Awo fast attacking and tricky players like Dennis,VM or lookman, you will understand where the problem is..
        Besides Roar is not that technically sound enough to use the right approach in matches..
        Moreover, the other day Roar was roaring about not having players in top 5 European leagues.Is it now that he has many options in attack that Ighalo will now be in the picture.

        • Dr. Drey 2 years ago

          Get your facts right….Mr most in-form ignoramus.
          Inter and Tottenham were amongst top clubs who wanted Ighalo after is loan deal with Man U, but his over $300k per week wages was too hefty for them.

          If Ighalo was bad, Man U wouldnt have signed him in the first place. If Ighalo was bad in a Man U shirt club legends like Owen and Berbatov wouldnt have come in public to praise him. Neither would he have gotten all the rave views he got during his loan spell. Those reviews and praises of Ighalo from the who is who (including Scholes and Neville) that is associated with Man U are still in the public domain.

          As a matter of fact, despite mostly coming on in the last 12 minutes of most of his games, Ighalo had more goal contributions in his first 600 minutes (averaging 1 in ever 100 minutes) as a Man U player than Cavani had in his first 600 minutes.

  • Chima E Samuels 2 years ago

    Pompei today your reasoning fall my hand I swear. Does the super eagles have no9 issue? Are we lacking scorers? So why this sudden Ighalo must be taken to nations cup and world cup. This same Ighalo that will loose open net. Them swear give us? Ighalo,Yakubu and Akpeyi these guys are serial killers but yet they get call ups. Anyone clamouring for their call up is a serial failure and not truthful to his conscience.

    • Ighalo is good enough. He won the Golden boot at the last AFCON for God’s sake. He has the experience and a combination of youth and experience with an Osimhen/Ighalo combination will be good for the Super Eagles. Thanks

    • pompei 2 years ago

      Chima, your inability to read and understand simple English fall my hand today.
      Where did I say Ighalo must go to Afcon and world cup? Where?
      Please, READ MY COMMENTS before you form your opinion! You don’t even need to read my comments on other threads. The ones I have here should be enough. Unless you don’t want what is best for the SE.

    • Ndubest 2 years ago

      I wonder this clamour for ighalo recall. May be he has interest in his recall that we dont know. He has retired let him go and rest.

    • Chima E Samuels 2 years ago

      Stop it the golden boot is not the aim Ighalo is not good enough at the moment. We should focus on the abundance of talents coming up and let the old man enjoy is retirement tenure in Saudi.

  • Diran 2 years ago

    I strongly support extending an invitation to Odion Ighalo for the Super Eagles subsequent world cup matches. Odion Ighalo is still a top striker and is banging in goals in Saudi at the moment. The standard in Saudi is quite high and their National team is also on course to qualify for the next world cup in Qatar. An attacking combination of Osimhen and Ighalo or Osimhen, Ighalo and Awoniyi/Iheanacho will be potentially very strong in both the future world cup qualifiers and the next AFCON in Cameroun. Thanks

    • @Diran Shut Up dere,, Shut up.. Was it not the same Ighalo that Algeria contained at the Last AFCON. Was it not the same Victor Osimhen who we were all Crying that should have been given game time in that Algeria game 2 years ago??????????.. That was 2 years ago. Osimhen is playing even at a higher Level now than he was then, and Ighalo on the other end has regressed due to age. Now we have A even more Lethal Osimhen than 2 years ago and you are calling for Ighalo. ARE YOU POSSESSED WITH STUPIDITY OR IS YOUR SENSE OF REASONING JUST NOT PRESENT AT ALL.. MY FRIEND SHUT THE HELL UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      • Dr. Drey 2 years ago

        Was it not ordinary CAR that contained Osimhen on his home turf…? So what exactly is your point…? LMAOOooo. Or has it made him a bad striker…?
        Maybe it is you who is possessed by stupidity now and needs an overhaul of your reasoning faculties.

        • @Dr Drey.. Oga stats.. I thought you have learnt your lesson about responding to me. When by now all that I have said has come to past regarding SE and the only thing that came to past be it negative that you have said, was that Musa will get his 100 caps.. which he did undeservadly So..

          any oga stats since you like them so much. What is Osimhen Goal ratio in SE shirt. Thank you and have a nice day. In fact i believe he is close to the number of golas scored by your God Musa in less than 3 quarters of the games. Osimhen has 8 goals in 16 games for SE and he is improving season in Season out. and he is leading the line for Napoli. come the end of the Season God willing. I really don’t think you will be able to mention Osimhen and Ighalo name in the same breather will all due respect to Igahlo as he still remains a player I have alot of respect for. I mean in Footballing Circles world wide you really can’t mention their names in the same breath already. Certainly not in Europe..

          • Dr. Drey 2 years ago

            Ndo o. Mr Prophet….all that you said came to pass…? Like your FAT LIES that Rohr connived with Rodgers to lie that Ndidi was injured in order to “REST” Ndidi…??? LMAOOooo or your Fat lies that Rohr doesnt want to invite Lookman because he is collecting bribe from Musa whereas Pinnick himself confirmed his switch isnt 100% completed yet….LMAOOooooo. All you said has come to pass……LMAOooo. Weldone Mr Nostradamus.

            See desperate man comparing Osimhen with Musa….comparing an out and out Centre forward with an out and out Winger…..LMAOOooo….Im not going to join you in your senseless comparison, because it is directionless even from the word GO….LMAOoo.

            Maybe when Osimhen gets to score 4 world cup goals, then you can book an appointment to have a chat with me.

            You cunningly summersaulted from the core of my comment which I posted above after it seemed to have checkmated your senseless reasoning to start comparing an out and out winger to an out and out center forward.

            Once again if Ighalo being contained by AFCON champions Algeria in the AFCON semifinal is your reason why he shouldn’t be invited to the SE anymore, what should we do to those who were contained by CAR on home soil…??? LMAOooo.

    • @Dr Drey the one on Musa’s pay roll, You are really doing a good job as his PR agent, How much does he pay you to defend his lost cause online. abi he is also Serching for a wife for you???? LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLL!!!!!!

      Guy rest your case. You’re poor footballing knowledge was exposed months ago, Like I promised i would do.

      I mean someone who feels 14 goals in 101 caps is a good return has a mediocre mindset. I can’t relate with Mediocre mindsets

      • Dr. Drey 2 years ago

        I’ll rather be a PR agent to a $200k per month worth player, than be a wretched drug rehab candidate like you…..LMAOooooo.

        My “poor footballing knowledge was exposed” by a liar who told us Rohr connived with Rodgers to lie that Ndidi was injured in order to “REST” him…… LMAOOooo and that Rohr doesnt want to invite Lookman because he is collecting bribe from Musa whereas Pinnick himself confirmed his switch isnt 100% completed yet….LMAOOooooo.

        I can see my presence on this forum has always been a huge threat to you, so much so you wake up every morning thinking of surpassing my “football knowledge”……LMAOooo. I just tested your so-called footballing knowledge with just one question and you have been staggering and rigmarolling up and down since……LMAOoooo…so much for a ‘footballing knowledge’

        Musa with his 15 goals (including 4 world cup goals) and 15 assists return is still the best of all time from any SE winger apart from Segun Odegbami. If it pains you so much go and collect his captain’s armband from him and kick him out the SE…….LMAOooooo

        If you like chew grass till tomorrow a thousand of you cannot remove Musa from the national team……LMAOoooo

  • The Truth remains that we need goals in the Super Eagles team!
    It is turning into critical times with the Business end of the world cup qualifiers at hand and the inevitable AFCON!!!
    The coach and the NFF are scared of an Embarrassing AFCON with these young good but inexperienced strikers and midfielders in the Team!
    Most teams Nigerian SE has played in the world cup qualifiers have players mostly in African leagues that are inferior to the league where Odion Ighalo is playing thus it is now a matter of been effective and not only the issue of club form and merit by playing in Europe.
    Nigeria needs to be prepared to go to the unusual channel for results to come to us in good measures!!!

  • pompei 2 years ago

    Akp, I can’t understand your adamant refusal to allow Ighalo the opportunity to compete for a jersey, if he decides to come out of retirement.
    He is not guaranteed for selection. He has to compete for it. If he shows in training that he deserves selection, will you not select him?
    Algeria has strikers playing all over Europe, yet their main man is a Qatar-based striker. Will you advise Belmadi to stop inviting Bounedjah because he is based in Qatar?
    You keep saying I want to bring Ighalo back. As if I have a vested interest in Ighalo. My only interest in the whole situation is that I want to ramp up competition for jerseys. Perhaps, if the young guns see Ighalo in camp, they will sit up and start performing, instead of taking selfies all over the place. Have you thought of that?
    If they see Ighalo, they will realize that one of them could be dropped for him, and they will have to dig deep and show the coaches that they are the ones that are deserving. If Ighalo can’t keep up, then we know he isn’t one of our best. IN THAT SCENARIO, WE CAN, AND WE WILL, DEFINITELY EXCLUDE HIM. But if he outperforms others, how can you not select him?
    Only a SABOTEUR will refuse to select the best legs for the national team, when all the available evidence supports selection!

  • Footballfanatic 2 years ago

    Nigerians are so myopic that they are overlooking the fact that Amaju is the one choosing or forcing players on the Coach. Why must he and why can’t Rohr be the one deciding if he wants Ighalo or not. This fool called Amaju confidently said he forced Rohr to INVITE Musa when he was clubless, this is pure interference in the coach’s job and very soon this self destructive button will be pressed to the fullest by Amaju picknick.

    • pompei 2 years ago

      That one is not a problem. If he likes, Amaju can bring his relatives to SE camp. Amaju himself and the minister joined SE training the other day, abi? LOOOOOL!
      At the end of the day, Amaju can bring anybody he likes, but Rohr will only select the very best. He will return Amaju’s boys back to sender, if they are not good enough. Rohr has a solid track record of selecting only the best for matches. He will not deviate from that behaviour.

      • Greenturf 2 years ago

        But he didn’t return Musa back to sender??

        • pompei 2 years ago

          Greenturf, Musa na world cup hero for Naija ooo. Musa’s case is different.
          Musa can be mediocre, but the day he gets it right, the boy na super star. He has been spectacular for Nigeria so many times in the past. As a coach, when you have a player like that, it’s hard to let go. You’re always thinking maybe today, Musa will click. When Musa clicks, he can be a world class performer.
          I agree that at the moment, it’s tough to justify Musa’s inclusion in the team. But, this decision is up to Rohr. The players competing for Musa’s position like Dennis, Ejuke, Onyekuru, and others are improving rapidly. The day will soon come when Musa will have to step aside. However, if he somehow recovers his 2018 world cup form, I’m sure even you Greenturf will not want him to go anywhere! 🙂 🙂 🙂
          BTW, Musa has not been in the starting eleven for a while now. So again, Rohr has chosen to have him as an option on the bench, but he still starts only the best.

          • @Pompei Please for once stop responding sometimes and just listen..@Greenturf and @footballfanatic have said and made good points and you are responding with sentiments. How wasteful is it to bring an overaged Underperforming Musa to the national team, when you have players like Victor Moses carrying his Club on his back in Europa League and Emma Dennis doing the same in the English Premier League. now in your mind you prefer a over aged player that played in Kano pillars and is warming the bench in a Lowely Turkish club.

            Let me tell you guy. This response of yours is the problem with Nigeria in a nutshell. In any other FA with the plethora of talents we have in Musa’s position, Musa in this his current form would not have smelled the Super Eagles. Musa would have been dropped 2 years ago.

          • Dr. Drey 2 years ago

            The bench warming Ahmed Musa has played 9 out of 10 matches of his club so far this season, starting 8 of them, with 1 goal and 2 assists and several key passes to show. What a bench warmer.

            Hatred sure makes peoples’ brains go up in smoke anytime they want to use it.

          • Well with all due respect to Musa, with the plethora of talents we have Musa is still not Top 10 in that Position. that is not impressive. Well Dennis was already on 2 goals scored in England and about 2 assists before the CAR Double Header, but was over looked. Musa after 9 games in Turkey only notched up 1 goal and 2 assists. Well on top of that Dennis went on to smash Musa stats against Everton this past weekend with a goal and 2 assists a Stronger than any team Musa is facing in Turkey. Iwobi (Way ahead of Musa) was on the team for Everton. and didn’t performed well. But In SE Musa and Iwobi are ahead on Dennis. Meaning Dennis now has 3 goals and 4 assists in 7 or so games in England this season, Meaning he is contributing in every game (Unbelievable performance) Stats that any national team in the world will not overlook talkless of Africa, If you are Dennis how will you feel My friend??????????????

            Mind you Dr Drey remember the arguement I made about “if anything Vic Moses should be Given the arm band not Musa”

            I was right by the looks of it LIKE I ALWAYS AM. Rest bro My footballing knowledge pass your own hoha.

            If I were Dennis I would be gutted with SE.

          • Dr. Drey 2 years ago

            Hahahahaha…I thought you lied Musa is a bench warmer……LMAOOooo….so where are you now getting all these figures from now…….LMAOOoo. Your brain seems to be running on start-up and shut-down cycles like a back up pump……LMAOOooo

            One moment, you claimed “…Musa is warming the bench in a lowely Turkish club….” 50 seconds later, you yourself turned back to also claim Musa has played 9 games (out of 10) in Turkey……Lmaoooooo, in the same “lowly” club that is punching weights with the biggest clubs in the country for the 2nd season running.

            Your football knowlege is truly greater than mine…..LMAOooo…even the whole world can see it…..LMAOooo

            Pls go and kick Ahmed Musa out of the SE because Dennis is the super eagles captain…..LMAOoooo

        • Dr. Drey 2 years ago

          Were all other captains of the SE since the days of Christian Chukwu returned ‘back to sender’ in their last days as Nigeria internationals…?
          Of course Musa is a muslim from the north, he doesnt deserve the same privileges extended to all (but one) captains of the from time immemorial without any fuss being created by anybody.

  • Sean T 2 years ago

    Odion Ighalo for what ? Is like Pinnick is on some kind of cheap drug. SE problem is not the strikers because we have more than competent players available for the position. Our problem lies in the midfield. We need a playmaker is as simple as that. Have you pple clamouring for Ighalo invitation no shame. Even Osimhen with all his pace strength and ruggedity, he find it difficult to score sometimes because he is not getting the pass. So are you telling me a tired leg Ighalo can dig deep from the midfield to help create chance or open up spaces like Osimhen or Awoniyi will do ? Pls stop deceiving yourself. With the current state of the SE. IF Ighalo return and given the chance to play 5 to 7 straight matches he will find it difficult to hit the net. So what is the point inviting him ? Abeg make una go rest jare

  • Favour 2 years ago

    Well not just ighalo should be begged,victor moses also should be begged back. We need their experience even if to be on the bench

  • @pompei Ighalo has a huge personality and history in the team and it will be difficult to keep him on the bench if he is invited……. Moreover if you want to create competition please create it among the numerous young strikers available now……..In international football you see players retire not because they are not good enough again but because they want to give more time to up coming players……. you know that international matches are limited and it needs to go round……In Europe you see top level players retiring from international football and still mentain a regular run in a top5 league……. Example is milner Verdi Noble etc……. they can still play for their national team but they refuse inorder to give way for others to get caps……..In Nigeria just like the politicians the footballers too want to remain there forever……..And the most annoying thing there is that just like the politicians their reasons for wanting to remain relevant forever is purely GREED.

    • pompei 2 years ago

      Akp, you make some great points here.
      However, let me ask you a question.
      If we had beaten CAR with 5 or 6 goals, will we be talking about Ighalo today?
      Our people say NA CONDITION MAKE CRAYFISH BEND.
      We are here talking about Ighalo because our “world class” strikers playing in “top five” leagues struggled, ran out of ideas, and huffed and puffed against CAR!
      Do you realize that many of the CAR players are not even good enough to play in the Saudi league? A good number of them are home based, playing their football in CAR. And our “world class” strikers struggled to find their net? Akp, I FIND THAT VERY SCARY!!!!
      We gave excuses that they struggled because of the poor Teslim Balogun pitch. But what excuse are we going to give with the performance on the lush green Douala pitch?
      It’s time to take drastic action, before it is too late!!!
      We have to find a way to push these boys to realize their potentials. Perhaps Ighalo’s presence will motivate them. He may be on the bench dishing out instructions. He may even be needed on the pitch to help out when the going gets really tough.
      It’s up to the coaches to decide who they want to invite to camp. If it true that Ighalo wants to come out of retirement, then let us allow him to come and help us out. Only if he is deserving.

      • Griity 2 years ago

        That is OP, SE played CAR without our 3 most reliable midfielders (Iwobi, Ndidi and Etebo). This is bcos our Coach Gernot Rohr has failed to get us one or two more attacking mid fielders in the mode of K.Nwakali, Alhassan, Olise, Ejaria, Eze, D.Bashiru, etc. He invites new players even in friendlies and fail to give them enough playing time, if at all. Coach Rhor has wrongly used Onuachu and Iheanacho (until recently as support striker): He has also refused to give others like Awoniyi, Dennis, Dessers, Moffi, S.Umar, Simy, et al. enough grace to prove themselves in the SE.
        Well done NFF and Coach ROHR: You can go ahead and Invite your World best Ighalo at the detriment of other aforementioned seasoned Strikers in the top 5 league of this world. Be rest assured that AFCON 2022 may be your last.
        I come in Peace!!!

      • Edoman 2 years ago

        @Pompei, you are worthy of my followings. l deeply appreciates your sound and comparably reasons you eloquently presented all along. l rest my case based on your presentations. Many thanks.

      • @Pompei We ran out of Ideas purely because of Tactics, I mean Osimhen scored a goal against CAR and, nearly scored a fantastic double or have you forgotten??, In fact had he buried that Second chance where he rounded the Keeper with a deft flick, we would have been talking about one of the best goals scored by a No 9 in a SE shirt in history. some times we just have to allow talent to grow and harness by allowing them game time to shine and gel like Ighalo was allowed to do in his time.

        it was a good outing the CAR double Header. on the other hand Kelechi scored 2 against Liberia and had to Leave for Covid Reasons before CAR. had he been allowed to play he would have got 1 or 2, Osimhen on the other hand scored 1 against Cape Verde.

        I mean @Pompei are you not being to hard on the boys???. what that shows me, is that Induvial Brilliance Won that CAR series, Because of poor tactics and Lack thereof by Rohr.

        Don’t blame the boys because the No 9’s passed the Test whilst the coaching staff failed it is clear as day. Pinnick is Possessed with stupidity and anybody supporting this Igahlo Theroy is just as stupid as he is.

        Liberia and cape Verde are our remainng games and Victor and Kelechi showed they have now Problems scoring against them So bros WHAT IS IGHALOS NAME COMING UP FOR IAM ASKING YOU???????????

        • “Liberia and cape Verde are our remainng games and Victor and Kelechi showed they have *NO!* Problems scoring against them So bros WHAT IS IGHALOS NAME COMING UP FOR IAM ASKING YOU @Pompei???????????”

    • Greenturf 2 years ago

      In the case of Milner and Vardy the frustration of not getting first team football forced them to early international retirement.

  • Dr Banks 2 years ago

    Guys while I am not condoning Pinnick’s obvious interference in the SE selections, but I implore us to see reason with his utterance on this issue for the reasons below:

    First let me point out that Pinnick was not usurping the coaches’ duty by visiting these guys in London, he was in London unofficially to see his family, note that he mentioned that his children were in their mid term holiday and decided to hang out with the boys as a courtesy. So he wasn’t wasting any taxpayers money for the trip.
    And remember that Rohr has been saying it that he still need Ighalo in his team, so Pinnick wasn’t the one imposing Ighalo on the coach, he only agrees with Rohr’s philosophy

    On Ighalo’s issue, even I personally wasn’t happy when Ighalo announced his retirement from International soccer. He was at his peak then being the highest goal scorer both in the AFCON Qualifier and AFCON proper beating all the Salahs, Manes, Aubameyangs and Mahrex of this World to the Golden Boot. And let’s not forget that he was playing in China at the time he achieved this feat.

    So recalling him to the team to fight for a shirt is not a bad idea to me, all we need is our best legs to compete in order to be AFCON Champion. But I equally hope they can try to convince Moses too, he is very much needed in that SE bcos all these wingers we are singing their praises are nowhere close to what Moses brings to the table. Their wealth of experience will add a lot of qualities to our team as it stands.

    Let’s not forget quickly Ighalo’s performance in Man U during his short stint with the Reds, if only Ole has had more faith in him he would’ve performed more admirably but despite featuring sparingly he was still able to score a handful of goals whenever he featured for Man U.

    It’s true that we have strikers banging in goals in the Top 5 leagues in Europe but what were they able to do against CAR whose best player on that day plays for a 4th Division team in France? When faced with tough defenders like such, an experienced striker will surely triumph with an ace under his locker, remember how we toiled hard to break down the Burundi defence in our first match of AFCON 2018 until Ighalo came in to break the deadlock with a smart finish.

    Ighalo will surely not come in to bench Osimhen, Awoniyi or Iheanacho but rather come in around 70 mins to do the damage. The fringe strikers who are yet to prove themselves worthy in the team will be the ones to be dropped. And he will surely impact more knowledge into the younger strikers.

    So IMO, Moses and Ighalo, possibly with Lookman will be a quality addition to the squad at the expense of pretenders like Kalu, Simon, Onyekuru, Musa, Onuachu.

  • @pompei the reason we couldn’t beat CAR was not from the strikers……we played against a disciplined team who packed the bus and played us man on man……. Playing without a playmaker will make breaking such a team a big task……. You need a playmaker to draw them away from their position and open up spaces for the strikers to function…….The pitch also aided CAR’s game plan because it made unsettling our players more easier for them and shooting from outside the box was almost impossible……. They hit us on counter and the gamble paid off…….SE’s problem is the creative midfield department…… Your team is as good as it’s midfield…… anybody can score if the team has a well oiled midfield engine…… infact some top teams in Europe now play with a false 9 and they excel because they have a solid midfield.

    • pompei 2 years ago

      Akp, Liverpool don’t have playmakers in the midfield. Henderson, Fabinho, Curtis Jones, Nabil Keita are all central midfielders. They can create, yes. But the bulk of the creativity comes from the wings and full backs. Mo Salah, Sadio Mane, Robertson, and Alexander-Arnold. These 4 guys are the creative hub of Liverpool. With Firmino in the center forward position, providing little flicks and tricks here and there.
      Liverpool would have destroyed CAR.
      We did not have creative midfielders against CAR, but we created lots of chances from the wings. Chances our strikers failed to convert.
      If we had converted one out of 3 or 4 chances, CAR could have lost that first leg by at least 3 nil. But we missed all our chances, they converted the only one they had, and won the game!

  • pompei 2 years ago

    Larry, I agree with you on one thing. WE DESPERATELY NEED A CREATOR IN THE MIDFIELD.
    However, against CAR, without a midfield creator, WE STILL MANAGED TO CREATE DOZENS OF CHANCES! So, why did we not convert them?
    Even if we have Bruno Fernandes, he will create chances, but our strikers have not convinced me that they will convert those chances. So our problem is lack of creative midfielders, but it is also the failure of our strikers. They are not clinical, ruthless, in front of goal. No sense of urgency, no desire, no fire in the belly. Only Osimhen shows these qualities. And even he needs to do more.
    So you see Larry, we want to believe that goal scoring is not a problem in the SE. But recent matches suggest otherwise.
    Our struggles against Liberia, CAR and Cape Verde suggests that our attack is not what we think it is.
    God forbid, if Osimhen is injured tomorrow, are we not in trouble?
    The only way our strikers can convince me and put me at ease is with goals. I want to see our strikers put the ball in the back of our opponents’ net. Frequently!
    Ighalo actually did well at Man United. Considering that he was only allowed a few minutes at a time, he still grabbed a good number of goals. If Solksjaer had been brave enough, Ighalo could have really helped them.
    Ighalo went to Saudi for the money. If the same money was offered by a European club, he would go there and still score goals.
    I believe that I am within the boundaries of reason and ethics when I ask for the the striker pool to be widened, so we can observe more strikers.
    Our scouts need to get off their couches and do their jobs!
    Not only Ighalo. Guys like Dessers, Ike Ugbo, Uche Ikpeazu and Sadiq Umar should be monitored, together with guys like Onuachu, Awoniyi, Iheanacho and the big man Osimhen. Out of these, we select four strikers, and encourage those not selected to keep working hard.
    If we select our best strikers, we maximize our chances for success. That is the overriding objective.

  • Charles 2 years ago

    Abeg make una recall yakubu, Mikel etc since we requiring experience.

    • JimmyBall 2 years ago

      @Charles… e no shame you say CAR beat us not long?

      • pompei 2 years ago

        I still have nightmares about that Lagos defeat.
        If CAR is giving us such a tough time, I shudder when I imagine what will happen against the best teams on the planet.
        This world cup we want to qualify for, make we no go disgrace ourselves for there oooo. It’s better for us to be at home looking at each other, than for us to go and be collecting 6 or 7 nil over there.
        We need our strikers to wake up. Better to lose a game 5-3, than 5 nil. And if we score, we might even win a few games. We need goals!

  • KangA 2 years ago

    Can’t we read Pinnick’s scripts? This same Pinnick takes SE home games to substandard stadium, putting our opponents at advantage. Can’t people see that Pinnick is following Buhari’s footsteps? Let him recall Kanu, Aghahowa and Finnidi.

  • Dr Banks 2 years ago

    You guys should ponder on this………..Cameroon has the best African record in World Cup history to date and it’s all due to the exploit of one very old but reliable striker known as Roger Mila.

    Roger Mila was fully retired when the President of the country imposed him on the coach to join the party to the World Cup and oh boy, did he not turn out to be the best African performer till date in the WC history? You can’t buy experience in any market my people

    I rest my case!!!

    • Footballfanatic 2 years ago

      Cameroon, Senegal, and Ghana have the best record. Don’t use Roger Mila as a reason to invite Ighalo. That’s not an excuse at all…

  • Chris 2 years ago

    I just wonder why we should be disturbing ourselves whether Ighalo should return to the SE or not, to the best of my knowledge we don’t lack strikers, as a matter of fact we have never had the kind of competition we have today in the attacking department. Victor Osimhen is fast becoming a world class, Awoniyi, Iheanacho, Terem Moffi, Onuachu and Sadiq Umar are doing very well at the moment, so what is Ighalo coming to do? If anybody must be brought back, I think it’s Victor Moses who is very much in form and let Ahmed Musa be allowed to focus on club football.

  • Chima E Samuels 2 years ago

    I laugh at the ignorant ones who thought Ighalo was going to help them beat CAR. Una never see anything I sorry for people! Ighalo should comeback no problem. Amaju Pinnick please fast track everything case close.

    • Dr. Drey 2 years ago

      As if he didnt come from the bench to help us defeat Burundi when the so-called younger and exuberant strikers were huffing and puffing for over 75 minutes.

      • Chima E Samuels 2 years ago

        Watermouth you never cease to amaze me. Let them bring Ighalo on we are watching!

        • Dr. Drey 2 years ago

          Pig mouth. Liar-in-chief. Your senselessness and hatred for Ighalo stopped amazing us long ago when you told us Isaac Success is FAR BETTER THAN Ighalo…….LMAOoooo

          I asked you a simple question up there but your brains seems unable to handle it.

          You claim people are ignorant for thinking Ighalo was going to help them beat CAR…I asked “your informed and intelligent majesty” if it was not the same Ighalo who came on from the bench to help us beat an equally stubborn and resistant minnow like Burundi before, and you are busy foaming from your mouth, nose and ears.

          When Ighalo was topping goal scoring charts in Africa back then, you came here watering it down by claiming he was scoring against “fishermen” teams…..I guess CAR must be a team of NASA Engineers, Scientists and Computer programmers.

          Let Ighalo come, let any old guard that wants to return come. If they can prove to be more serious-minded than the so-called ‘senior men’ and deliver when it matters so be it, they will stay. If they prove they cant, so be it, the young ones will continue.

          What are you all afraid of….LMAOooooo….if you are all convinced Ighalo is finished why is his return scaring the piss out of you all….??? LMAOooooo

  • TALK UR OWN 2 years ago

    IGHALO DOESN’T HAVE BUSINESS IN SUPER EAGLE AGAIN. I KNOW, THIS WAS CAUSED AS A RESULT OF G.ROHR DOESN’T KNOW HOW TO FEED BETTER COMBINATION IN S.EAGLE. WHY DO WE NEED TO B DECIEVING OURSELVES DUE TO SELFISH INTEREST AMAJU PINNICK.
    IN U.S’94, WHAT EXPERIENCE DOES EMENALO, NWANU, OKOCHA, OLISEH HAVE, THAT MAKE THEM PERFORM CREDIBLY WELL IN’94 W/CUP. OR HOW MANY OF THEM HAVE PLAYED CHAMPION LEAGUE, PLAYED WITH TOP STARS LIKE KLINSMANN, BAGGIO, MARADONA, ROMARIO BEFORE.
    IF ROHR KNOWS WHAT IS DOING AND SELECT BETTER PLAYERS IN RIGHTFUL POSITION COUPLED WITH BETTER COMBINATION, THE CROPS OF PLAYERS WE HAVE NOW ARE GOOD ENOUGH FOR SUPER EAGLE UPFRONT.
    ** 7. CHUKWUEZE-MUSA-DEÑNIS
    **8. MOFFI-ONYEKURU-IHEANACHO-LOOKMAN
    **9. OSIMHEN-DESSERS-ONUACHU-AWONIYI
    **11. EJUKE-SIMON-KALU

    • Omo9ja 2 years ago

      God bless you @TALK UR OWN. Pinnick is the problem of our football ⚽️. Well spoken bro. Ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!

  • Omo9ja 2 years ago

    I have said this a little while ago but here they are NFF talking about Ighalo again.

    Confusion every where. Simple thing NFF can’t do it.

    Do we lack quality strikers in the Super Eagles? Absolutely no.

    NFF just running around the bush period. They are doing a shabby job in the Super Eagles. Get rid of Oga Rohr and the entire coaching crew period.

    If truly NFF want the best for Nigeria, Amaju Pinnick, Oga Rohr, coach Agu and Salisu Yusuf should be replaced.

    Am not a coach but I can tell NFF that the main problem of Eagles not playing good football as a unit is Oga Rohr.

    Oga Rohr situation is similar to MAN UNITED coach and Lampard at Chelsea then.

    Oga Rohr is making life difficult for our team and most especially our strikers.

    Osimhen is working too hard to pleased Nigerians.

    The missing link in the Super Eagles is midfielders.

    My question now is, why the coach refused to give Nwakali a chance?

    Why oga Rohr can’t be sacked under Amaju?

    Why NFF doesn’t care that having Salisu Yusuf in the Super Eagles is a taboo?

    These are the questions NFF need to answer.

    Ighalo is a Nigerian and a good striker too and a well matured person but the strikers we have in the team are doing great why do Amaju have to bring Ighalo back into the team when we have Dessers, a fantastic, energetic, workaholic and sharp shooter striker he is to say the least but the gaffer doesn’t look Dessers side.

    Hmm. More so, we still have Awoniyi there. We could see that Awoniyi didn’t do much in the last match we have played against CAR because the coach didn’t know how to use players.

    A good coach will study his players when to play each player and how he can utilize their potentials to earn Nigeria something spectacular but all we are seeing is putting players on the pitch without having a plan and strategy to win matches and now what our NFF believe in is to bring Ighalo back into the team before Eagles can win matches when we have our young strikers that are capable to achieve that and also, that means the current strikers of the Eagles are not good enough if am getting Amaju and NFF right?

    Super Eagles can’t do anything because the team is missing a supplier in the midfield. Eagles needed a distributor in the midfield when we have players that can do the job and NFF still keeping the gaffer because of what?

    At this stage, we can’t do anything unless Amaju Pinnick vacate his office.

    In my personal opinion, it is better to waste our Afcon ticket with Amunike, Egbo, Marnu Gerba, Enyeama and Ikeme than wasting another ticket with Oga Agu, Salisu Yusuf and Oga Rohr.

    Once again, I will advise Ighalo not to come back into the Super Eagles. That is my candid advise to him. A word is enough for the wise. God bless Nigeria!!!

  • TALK UR OWN 2 years ago

    OGA PINNICK, BASE ON POTENTIAL, DESSERS, LOOKMAN, MOFFI (despite scoring lesser goals in COMPETITIVE league) ARE FAR BETTER THAN IGHALO (that is scoring much goals in FLUKE league)

  • Guys Rohr is the one that have been clamoring for the return of Odion Ighalo and not Amaju Pinnick, Amaju is just trying to carry out all his wishes so that he will not have any excuse for not performing. We all know that Rohr always have excuse for everything. I have listened to numerous interviews granted by Rohr where he always express his wish to have Ighalo come back to his team. Infact, he recently repeated his call for Ighalo after the match with CAR, my people Rohr is the problem of Super Eagles , we presently have enough talents to form two crack opponent destroying Super Eagles. But we have a coach who is tactically inept and physically dull and lazy to the extent that he cannot phantom how to put these plethora of TALENTS THAT GOD HAS BLESSED US WITH TOGETHER. How can a right thinking coach be missing Ighalo in a team where you have Awoniyi, Osimhen. Moffi, Onuachu, Dresser, Ihenacho, Sadiq etc , etc. Many National team coaches around the World will certainly be envying Rohr yet the old man does not know what to do with our team. If he is not greedy he ought to have hired an assistant from either Germany or France to cover his ass. We need the chelsea solution in super eagles before it is too late.

  • When I said that Come World Cup Nigeria Will shoot herself in the foot again, By evil agents imposing underperforming Players on the coach at the expense of Quality players . Well here we go it is happening.

    and it is always The evil agents coupled with clueless fans supporting their misguided and greedy selfish interests at the expense of honesty and hard work. Quite sad NAIJA in a NUTSHELL!!!

  • Dr. Drey 2 years ago

    The last time I checked, ALL three of Kelechi, Osimhen and Awoniyi were contained by ordinary CAR right there in Lagos…..LMAOoooo. So on the basis of your “Ighalo was contained by Algeria dumb arguement”, I think we should also
    stop inviting them to the SE too because of that…..LMAOooo.

    Pls remind us the name of man who has scored the only goal we have scored against the same Algeria in 2 years.

    Just keep barking and biting trees as always…..LMAOoooo

    • Chima E Samuels 2 years ago

      drey you need to shut up and stop talking shit all the time. Osimhen and the rest are far ahead of Ighalo playing in Saudi. You’re disgustingly contentious I have always advised you idiot but you want to poke mouth everywhere. You came on as oseriodon either you or ayiphlly, make una get sense for once and stop talking just to get a reaction.

      • Dr. Drey 2 years ago

        Bastard, come and shut me up na…..LMAOooo….even CSN that owns this website has not told me to shut up…..it is you that owns nothing tangible in life about from you phantom 4 forex accounts and a car that consumes $100 worth of fuel in less than a week that wants to force me to shut up….??? LMAOOoooo.

        Its obvious you are a frustrated fool….otherwise I dont understand how my comment on someone else’s comment should get under you skin this much.

        I presented a simple logical position up there, but because you are an olodo, you have nothing to thwart it but brute attack on my personality…LMAOoo…..that goes you prove how low your intelligence quotient is.

        We should shut up so that you and your fellow drunkards can have a field day right…because you cant answer simple and basic aptitude questions..LMAOooo

        All of a sudden Dr.Drey is now Ayphilly again…..LMAOOooo…that is how serious your lunacy has degenerated.

        I thought you lied to have carried out “research” about how to generate likes just to absolve yourself of the truth we all already know, that you are the one behind all these dirty desperate means of seeking validation, the validation you have so much craved on this forum for years…..LMAOooo…..why not proceed with further “research” to know if Dr.Drey has any business with you and the your gang of nicompoops who are messing this forum up….?

        Yeye idiot.

    • Osahonigiebor 2 years ago

      YOU ARE FOOL @DRE DRE. YOU THINK YOU KNOW IT ALL AND CAN BARELY PUT ACROSS A SUBSTANTIVE ARGUMENT WITHOUT INSULTING. THIS SHOWS SOME EGOTISTICAL NAIVETY FROM YOUR END. IF YOU LIKE INSULT FROM NOW TILL TOMORROW, YOURE NOT GOING TO BULLY ANYONE INTO AGREEING WITH YOU. IDIOT! GOAT!

  • It is simple Which ever of the Two Be it Rohr or Pinnick clamouring for Ighalo. they need to go. Pinnick because he is clueless and is imposing under performing players on our darling SE for financial gains and Rohr because is clear that he lacks the charisma to deal with the High profile talent at his disposal. We need a no nonsense coach Period!!!!..

    This as I feared has reached Devine intervention. before we know it Onazi, Ighalo, Joel Obi, Ahmed Musa will form the spine of this squad if Pinnick has his way and this Ladies and Gentle men can not happen.

    Haba I mean we are still navigating this Musa conspiracy and now this bastard is throwing Ighalo into the mix what is next YES you Guessed it Onazi. then Michael Babatunde. Because in Pinnick Mind they have wolrd Cup experience God forbid. If I had known this is what Pinnick had in mind, I would have supported Chris Green Cause all those years back.

  • Chris 2 years ago

    What we need now is a better coach. Rorh have not been able to harness the numerous talents that we have at the moment.

  • Everybody who says Our NO 9 are not performing are deluded!!!!!!

    Osimhen scored a goal against CAR and, nearly scored a fantastic double or have you forgotten??, In fact had he buried that Second chance where he rounded the Keeper with a deft flick, we would have been talking about one of the best goals scored by a No 9 in a SE shirt in history. some times we just have to allow talent to grow and harness by allowing them game time to shine and gel like Ighalo was allowed to do in his time.

    it was a good outing the CAR double Header. on the other hand Kelechi scored 2 against Liberia and had to Leave for Covid Reasons before CAR. had he been allowed to play he would have got 1 or 2, Osimhen on the other hand scored 1 against Cape Verde.

    Rohr needs comeption for Aribo, Kelechi Nwakali or Ovi Ejaria we shouldn’t be the ones too tell him that now that Etebo is injured this coach should have done that.People cannot see that Rohr is actually doing nothing there I mean this situation I have just highlighted proves that, he as the coach should know this.

    He must then drop either Shehu or Kevin Akpoguma and try by all means to draft in Moses and also he needs to be brave enough to tell Musa that his services are no longer needed and sharply draft in Emma Dennis in his place. I mean even the blind can see that. If this was the end of the season now. Can any one honestly say. That they would take

    Musa and Ighalo over Victor Moses (If Available ) and Emmanuel Dennis???

  • Footballfanatic 2 years ago

    The man has spoken I hope all this back and forth will be put to an end now. Ighalo said he is not reversing anything lol. Now you have no choice than to work with what you have.

    • @Footballfanatic. Thank you very much for this is really good news, I know Ighalo repects himself.., However taking into account the distraction this story has caused. I think Pinnick is walking on a thin rope and is showing his lack of sound decision making. I mean what nonsense to even consider Ighalo with the quality we have. this is frustrating. and to think he is actually the one imposing Musa on the coach. Pinnick must Go or stop this madness and, Musa should follow suit Super Eagles has outgrown him and, when it comes to credentials of a captain of a national team. He is not the right Profile he is weak and a weak player cannot, I repeat cannot command respect from players that are outgrowing him in stature.

      Pinnick Must go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Really this madness. as if there is not enough reason to sack Pinnick this Ighalo and Musa madness is enough reason. he is trying to take this team God is shining his light on backwards and it is sad that he has support from a lot of Nigerians who are as clueless as him.

      • Machaveli 2 years ago

        And you reckon you’re the only one out of the clueless Nigerians that have a clue?
        Don’t let your emotions get the better of you son.

  • Victor 2 years ago

    From my experience with the game, I think Ighalo is likely to bring so much experience to the team especially in the area of big games when some young players get carried away by the virtue of their inexperience(like the saying goes you can’t buy experience on the market- look at the saka, sancho and rashford experience with England in the last euro) I could also recall Roger Milla Cameroon in Italia 90, whose presence took them to the qfinal. This is what experience can bring. Ighalo is a strong personality- strong mentality that alot of the players respect. Without prejudice he could easily be captaining the team now. I assume his work on and off the pitch would be a huge bonus. This is however on the condition that he is willing/ ready to come and the coach is on the same page on this. He should not be forced into the team.

  • pompei 2 years ago

    Mr. Iwunze,

    I have read your comments, insults, curses and all, and it is abundantly clear that you do not take the time to read and understand other comments from folks you disagree with, mine included.
    This is what happens when you see a comment.
    If it’s a name of someone you historically disagree with, you just scan the comments without digesting them, and when you see the names IGHALO and/or MUSA, your temper flares up like a volcano, and you start churning out the insults and curses.
    As far as you’re concerned, Pompei wants Ighalo in the team, whether he merits it or not. Totally false. You would know this if you read my comments.
    If you took the time to read and understand my comments, you would see that you’ve been barking up the wrong tree all this while.
    My candid advise to you – TAKE THE TIME TO READ COMMENTS BEFORE FORMING AN OPINION.
    Advise no be curse. Do with it what you will.

  • Victor 2 years ago

    From my experience with the game, I think Ighalo is likely to bring so much experience to the team especially in the area of big games when some young players get carried away by the virtue of the inexperience(like the saying goes you can’t buy experience on the market- look at the saka, sancho and rashford experience with England in the last euro) I could also recall Roger Milla Cameroon in Italia 90, whose presence took them to the qfinal. This is what experience can bring. Ighalo is a strong personality- strong mentality that alot of the players respect. Without prejudice he could easily be captaining the team now. I assume his work on and off the pitch would be a huge bonus. This is however on the condition that he is willing/ ready to come and the coach is on the same page on this. He should not be forced into the team.

  • pompei 2 years ago

    If this article is true, then our debate is effectively ended.
    Ighalo does not want to come out of retirement. Case closed.

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