Former Nigerian midfielder Sylvanus Okpala has advised the Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr not to accept the possible imposition of Odion Ighalo on him by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
Recall that on Monday, the NFF hinted on the possibility of recalling Ighalo to the senior national team ahead of 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers and Africa Cup of Nations.
However, in an interview with Brila FM, Okpala said that the current Super Eagles squad does not need the services of the former Watford striker considering the array of strikers at Rohr’s disposal.
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“If I am the coach, I will not let it happen.
“There are lots of young players in Nigeria(home and abroad) to occupy that slot he will be coming to take – He also cited the Romario scenario in Brazil where the coach stopped the legend from coming back to the National team.
16 Comments
Am sure Ighalo and Moses will not agree to come back to SE…….Why would they humiliate their younger ex team mates by coming back to SE?……If I where Ighalo and Moses I will tell Rhor and Pinnick that Osimhen and Co are good enough to carry on from where I stopped…….Their coming back from retirement will really harm the confidence of Many players in the team…….And when a player’s confidence is tampered with then the player is half way into defeat…….. People bringing up the idea of bringing back players from retirement at this stage of our qualification series are SATANIC.
If Moses and ighalo dey there against CaR. Do u think car can win . Dey need Dem abeg . Let Dem come .pls.
Yes I agree with you…..so also if Kanu Aghahowa Yakubu and Finidi where there we would have beaten CAR silly…….As if Nigeria did not lose matches when Ighalo and Moses where playing……smh
Some people don’t watch player in current form . Player scoring every week need to be invited ok . Sadiq Umar . Moses is powerful at play creating assist and defending . Ejuke is best 10. For now need to settle in the team not that ur 10 u are using now even oshimen is carefully been used in his club. Even caf or fifa is allowing extra players in team. So wat the matter.
I need to add that playing for the national team is a service to the nation, which is above personal interest. It is not to be seen as if Ighalo is coming to take another person’s slot it is about what is best for the goal and objectives of the team.
YOU ARE SHOUTING EXPERIENCE, EXPERIENCE.
⚽IN FRANCE 98 W/CUP- RUFAI, YEKINI, EQUAVOEN, RECALL BACK TO GUIDE INEXPERIENCE OLYMPIC 96 BOYS. BUT AT LAST WE END UP IN DISASTER (4-1 against Denmark)
**FORGET OSIMHEN, WHAT IGHALO WANT TO OFFER IN S.EAGLE THAT MOFFI, DESSERS, LOOKMAN,ONYEKURU CANNOT OFFER.
No coach will bench osimhen or nacho for ighalo
Mr picnic hmmmmmmmmmmmm we don’t need ighalo in super eagles when we have players like victor osimhen, taiwo awoniyi, moffi, onuachu and ihenacho
What we need is creative midfielders
Ighalo voluntarily retired from the national team after 2019 nations cup, which he emerged the highest scorer. He wasn’t retired. He could as well rescind his decision and make himself available for selection in which case he would be judged by his current club form as well as his antecedent( which is very rich). We should let things take it’s natural course. This whole thing should be handled with diligence on the part of the nff, the coach and ighalo himself. Everybody must be on the same page.
This issue is now bothering on flagrant disregard for the personal wishes of Ighalo and Moses. It’s as if to assuage the ego of Pinnick, Ighalo must rush back to the SE despite past bitter experiences. This same Ighalo told us his family was maligned and even threatened when he missed crucial goals. Is he now sure he’ll never shoot wide off a blank net on return? We’re talking about soccer—a very unpredictable sports.
Pinnick and Dare have sinister, regional and myopic agenda. Now that there is calm in the SE camp, they want to muddy the waters. For Pinnick, he aims for just two EGOs , one an English word, the other an Ibo word. (I am not Ibo).
Has he even sought the opinions of the other players he fraternises with in social media? Will Ighalo have the strength to fight his way and score goals like Osimhen is doing in Napoli even if other players don’t pass to him consistently?
Ighalo is the best player of all time when it comes to positioning and creating chance but he finishes without common sense, most times his shot accuracy is off target, and this has cost us in major matches I think Ighalo needs a shooting therapist to help him in this regard. In big matches only a few chances come and big matches are the ones that win major titles.
The the continous publication of this particular issue causes distraction towards a crucial period. Have we thought about how this might affect the current players whose positions are sought? It might do good to make them sit up or most importantly might affect their moral. Most media outlets have reported that both players are not interested in coming back, especially Victor Moses.
This should tell each and everyone of us that we don’t have a coach in the Super Eagles yet.
All we are having there is a figurehead coach.
Oga Rohr’s team is lacking a play maker but the gaffer is seeking for Ighalo. Is Ighalo a midfielder ba?
Amaju Pinnick is not a good leader. He doesn’t care for you people. I have been warning Nigerians about this man Amaju Pinnick for a while but she you see now?
Pinnick knew that Nigerians love OYINBO coach and he brought OYINBO coach that has nothing to do in the Super Eagles.
Even, our inexperience Yobo will do much better than him.
I just read the news of Oga Rohr some where today asking Victor Moses to reconsidered Super Eagles but the wise man turned the offer down again.
Victor Moses told the gaffer that the gaffer has what it takes in the Super Eagles to qualify Nigeria to another world cup. Is that not true?
The coach doesn’t believe he has a strong team yet and Nigeria may pay dearly for his actions in Afcon and at the world cup if we qualify. We can see now that our players are the one winning the matches for Nigeria not the ability of the coaches.
Chelsea fired Lampard and Algeria fired their former player, Rabamaja then NFF should be ashamed of themselves for not doing the same thing with Oga Rohr after the last world cup in Russia and at the Afcon in Egypt. To my surprise, the gaffer is still doing his thing with Nigeria because he Mr. Gernot Rohr and his employer are getting something in return.
NFF perched Salisu Yusuf with Oga Rohr so that they can achieve their goal.
I like the way we patriotic Nigerians are handling this issue of Oga Rohr and Amaju.
It’s very interesting that so many people doing the talking every day.
Pinnick have no choice but to step down. The coaches are not good enough to continue. Ighalo is now the new midfielder of the Super Eagles? Ooga o. Naija for show. How market my people. Ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!
That’s how they impose Yobo and musa to the coach. Tomorrow they will critics the coach for not been a tactical coach
Has the coach himself tell us ighalo is being impose on him, who do you think is happy most if the ex players returns. Are you saying the NFF and minister of sports hate the national team while we love them most? Haba,let be more diplomatic and avoid talking as if we can do Rohr’s job better.