Super Eagles gaffer, Gernot Rohr has expressed optimism that the presence of former Super Eagles Forward, Odion Ighalo would have improved the finishing of young strikers such as Victor Osimhen and Kelechi Iheanacho.
Ighalo called it quits on his time with the Super Eagles after the 2019 African Cup of Nations, AFCON, where the team won the bronze medal after defeating Tunisia in the Third-Place match. He also emerged as the highest goal scorer of the competition and was named in the team of the tournament.
Despite speculations of a return to the team during the just concluded 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, however, the German tactician stuck with Osimhen and Iheanacho to qualify Nigeria to the bi-annual tournament.
Rohr while speaking in an interview with Elegbete TV, said that Ighalo’s experience and professionalism could have been a handful to his team due to his goal-scoring prowess.
“The answer is simple. The answer is when you look at the age of all the players that you speak about, they are all young, and also we need experience.
“And if, for example, Odion Ighalo will play with us- I don’t know if it’s possible for the moment, but perhaps if he’s coming back, I think players like Osimhenn and even Kelechi Iheanacho could have a big help in the presence of Ighalo to learn, to progress to see his professionalism.
“He’s a great professional, a big example for everybody, and he’s also a great goalscorer. We are very young, especially in the attack, and it could be good to have some more experience with us, Rohr added.