Odion Ighalo has revealed Al Shabab’s refusal to allow him represent Nigeria at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon made him quit the club for rivals Al Hilal, reports Completesports.com.
Ighalo was named in Nigeria’s 30-man squad for the competition, but the striker was not released by the club for the competition despite his desire to represent his country.
The 32-year-old claimed Al Shabab were supposed to issue him an exit visa in order to allow him travel to Cameroon, but did not do so.
The decision according to the forward resulted in a discord between him and the club.
“I was not happy with them and we decided to part ways because the Nations Cup that I didn’t go to caused a lot of bad blood,” Ighalo told ESPN.
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“Four hours until my flight [to Cameroon], they had not sent me the exit visa. I called the team manager, and he told me they did not get an invitation. But I had a copy of the invitation that was sent because they copied me in the email.
“We had all this back and forth going on, I changed the ticket to the next day, and then the third day, and they still did not send me the visa. At that point I knew they did not want me to go.
“My anger was that they should have told me straight up, not smiling in my face one day and then acting a different way. That is why I decided to leave.”
Having joined Al Hilal, the forward says he wants to help them continue their title-winning traditions: “They won the last two league titles, they won the last two Asian Champions League, the League and the Cup.
“It’s up to me to join the guys and keep winning trophies.”
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COMMENTS
Very Patriotic.well spirited Nigerian! Can’t wait to see you partner with Osimehn king!!We Love you and miss you!! How we wish you were around at the just concluded Afcon Boss!
Eiiii clear Ighalo. Ghana on minds and we can wait to see you on the pitch against GH. Mucha.
I thought as much. Good luck Odion.
We trust you. Keep training man we need goals against the Black Stars.
He just scored a brace against them. He helped his new club wipe his old club 5-0
Ghana peeing till defeated. I see selection headache on the side of Eguavoen. Ghana, Naija men are there.
How much we missed this guy in Cameroon. His love for our fatherland is 3much. Love your jersey, Odion.
Unto Black Stars, Ighalo
Leggo!!!
If egu can get his tactics right I believe odion and oshime will thrive well under him.
Lack of rugged strikers too cost us afcon. Of all the goals scored in afcon only two came from those that played as main strikers.
And where are the ignoramuses who claimed that he signed an agreement not to play for the national team? Someone who played against Cape Verde in November of last year, only for a false report to fool some illiterates among us that he had a signed such a nasty contract.
This is why it’s not right to jump to conclusions or assumptions on something you are not privy to. A lots of people say a lots of bad things to Ighalo, regarding this issue. However NFF supposed to report this club for proper sanction then, but trust those ignoramus in glass house, they are only interested in jamboree trip
Ighalo is a Nigerian hero. His absence was the reason why we shamefully lost to Tunisia in round 16. With him available now, l can tell you, Ghana is in trouble. With Onuachu, Osimhen, Lookman, Nigeria shall be in FIFA World cup. No basket oooo.
What is patriotic in Ighalo? We are not illiterate here. When you signed the contract with Al Shabab, you stated in the contract that you have retired from national team.
Now that Amaju, the most corrupt man on earth asked you to join the Super Eagles upon seeing your performance against Cape Verde in Lagos, you also acted funny and you wanted to come but God pass you both.
The most annoying thing was, you kept everything to yourself until last minute and coach Eguavoen was aware of that and the gaffer gave you 24 hours or so to make your final decision. In the end, you, Amaju and coach Eguavoen wasted a slot.
That incident have never occurred in the history of Nigeria football before Amaju but now, you have the guts to come out again to say you want to represent Nigeria?
Ighalo, Ighalo, Ighalo, if am not mistaken, I called your name thrice abi? What do you think you can add to Super Eagles? Speed, strength, and rootless in front of goal as a striker? Do you have one of these qualities as a striker currently? You that contributed nothing against Cape Verde?
However, as I said here yesterday, if I see Ighalo name on the list again, coach Eguavoen and Amunike should resigned immediately.
If I see Akpeyi and John Noble names on the list, that means our own have failed.
Moreover, coach Eguavoen have nothing to do with Ighalo with what he did to Nigeria during the Afcon in Cameroon. Even during his days at the national team, he wasn’t the kind of striker we wanted.
He was fortunate in Egypt and that was the only tournament he made himself proud.
I love you and I wish you the best but please stay away from Super Eagles. Victor Moses have been asked to join the Eagles but he said no. That is what is called dignity with class.
No wonder Mr. Buhari is our president when we have young vibrant men that good enough to role Nigeria? Amaju did not see anything good in Nwkueme, Dessers and Moffi that can make Nigeria proud against Ghana but coach Eguavoen and Amaju opting for Ighalo? Can’t they see now that president have failed? Can’t NFF and the coaches see now that Ighalo is outdated and he has failed woefully against Cape Verde? For these reasons, NFF should be ashamed of themselves if we see Ighalo on the pitch against Ghana.
CSN, what is going on here? You people keep promoting Ighalo almost every week. We have Dessers that scored four goals in a single match but you CSN did not say anything about him. Lastly, if Nigeria fail to qualify for the World Cup, I will blame our own first then, CSN. Amaju and Ighalo do not own the Super Eagles. Super Eagles is our property.
Amaju Pinnick days are numbered. He will vacate his position soon. I can’t wait to see the list. Fingers crossed. Ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!
Stop beign gullible oga. The same Ighalo that signed as a retired player with the club, actually played for the Eagles in November against Cape Verde. was the said contract not in operation back then? Why are some people so dull of hearing? Why would hatred make you become unreasonable?
@Omo9ja don’t mind them… Nigerians will never learn
For the fact that someone obstinately went against a contractual binding(stating that he is retired) with his club just to honour the national calls of his fatherland shows that he is Patriotic.
For the fact that someone ignored training with his club for two days all because he was furious about not representing his country, is patriotic
For the fact that someone broke away from an anti patriotic contract that he initially consented to, to join another club, shows he is Patriotic.
How many of the Messianic football heroes can do that!
People like Musa, Odion will continue to earn our respect for their attitude and character. Football has got it’s off Field part too!
So my people stay away from lies, rumours and image tarnishing!
Peace!!
There’s difference between selfishness and patriotism.
Ighalo did not switch club because he loves his fatherland. I stand to be corrected. If indeed he loves his fatherland, he would have stayed retired from national team not to talk of going to Cameroon to represent Nigeria.
He deliberately wasted a slot and he decided to go to another club so that he can bribe his way in to feature in another world cup.
NFF president will do whatever it takes to chase the young strikers away from the Super Eagles and bring back Ighalo.
I will keep asking this question, we what Ighalo did against Cape Verde for almost 90 minutes, he contributed nothing in that match. You are as good as your last match. If we go by that performance then, Ighalo should not near the team.
Against Argentina, he wasted a rare opportunity and Nigeria crashed out. If NFF and the coaching crew try to bring in Ighalo, that means they have learned nothing from the past.
Apart from Ighalo’s achievements in Egypt during the Afcon which I thanked God on his behalf. Ighalo and Akpeyi are not Super Eagles materials period. He, Ighalo was fortunate in that tournament simply because of his world cup saga against Argentina.
However, Oga Rohr did a shabby and lazy work bringing in Ighalo and he was begging Nigerians after the match against Cape Verde.
Hmmm. Ghana vs Nigeria is very important and Super Eagles need an intelligent striker who is young, strong and compact to hold his own against a physical Ghanaian team.
Super Eagles players are well known to Ghanaian team and it is very logical to have a striker like Dessers in place to punish the Ghanaian team if truly coach Eguavoen and Amunike are the better options to do the job. I believe they are but I have to wait and see the list first to confirm that.
How many chances did he get against Chelsea?
Against Cape Verde, what did he do? No disrespect to Ighalo. Ighalo issue is simply similar to Bola Tinubu of Lagos.
Mr. Tinubu have almost everything in life but still, he wants more. This Mr. Bola Ahmed Tinubu that am talking have no strength to rule Nigeria like the current president, Buhari. Intelligent wise though, yes he’s there but in terms of integrity and health issue, he’s no where to be found.
If Nigeria have to move forward from this mess, Nigerians must do something different in the coming election. They should not vote for either APC and PDP, problem solved.
Nigerians should vote for a new party. Nigerians should vote for a new person entirely.
Nigerians should go for a young vibrant man that can use his strength, knowledge and his wealth experience to take Nigeria to the promised land.
Meaning, Ighalo with his experience is not enough to be with the boys against Ghana.
Super Eagles need a well young experienced striker along with Osimhen to get the job done against Ghana and beyond.
If you people don’t believe in what I just said, IF possible, NFF should organize one or two friendly matches with the NPFL before Ghana encounter and see what Ighalo, Dessers, Nwkueme, Adeboye and Osagwe can bring into the Super Eagles.
We can’t continue recycling players like Ighalo, Akpeyi, John Noble and so on when we have experienced strikers and goalies like Dessers, Nwkueme, Adeboye Adeleye and Osagwe.
We should stop lying to ourselves. If we don’t put corruption aside in this country then corruption will definitely tarnished Nigeria beyond this level.
Again, I wish Ighalo well but there’s time for everything. He shoul step aside, the young strikers are there to do the work. Ighalo wasn’t in the team during the Afcon and world cup qualifiers. So, why now that Ighalo have to be in the team? If you know you know. Something is fishy. Ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!
Imo Naija. You are not more patriotic than Ighalo. How old is Ighalo that you want him to stay retired when it was conspicuous that inexperience cost us the nations cup.
Thank you ambassador for the young. ighalo switch club because he hates his fatherland. And it was because of selfishness that made him refuse training with his club for two days.. And you there talk of his previous bad performances for SE? Oga even the world best like Messi and Ronaldo had their misses and bad moment that would make you think even my grandma would not waste that.. don’t worry. Come march, I will remind you of all your long but hateful comments concerning ighalo.
@ omo9ja, no one can remove the love of odion ighalo from their heart those who loves him. A word is enough for the wise.
I am just Laughing as this is old news anyway Let us keep quiet it seems majority of Nigerians fans will always and are always the cause of the NFF and Coaches making wrong selections when they read comments like this nawa o..
*Ighalo came out of retirement because he hates his fatherland*
LMFAO! “Ighalo with his experience is not enough to be with the boys against Ghana”.
“we have experienced strikers and goalies like Dessers, Nwkueme, Adeboye Adeleye and Osagwe”. LMFAO! Imagine!! I don’t even know what to tell you. You are just jaming the comments upndan.. LMFAO!!!