Ighalo’s recall is needless, Super Eagles legend Adepoju says

Mutiu Adepoju has labelled Odion Ighalo’s recall to the Super Eagles squad as needless.

Ighalo, who plays for Al Shabab in Saudi Arabia, is one of 24 players named by head coach Gernot Rohr for Nigeria’s World Cup qualifying matches against Liberia on 13 November in Morocco and Cape Verde at home three days later.

Ighalo quit the Super Eagles after finishing as top scorer at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

In a chat with Complete Sports, Adepoju – who played for Nigeria at the World Cup in 1994 and 1998 and won the 1994 AFCON – questioned the need for a recall when the team already has strikers who are “doing very well and scoring goals.”

“I like Ighalo as a player, he is a very good striker,” Adepoju said. “He retired from the Super Eagles two years, so, if he is recalled to do what the strikers in the team are already doing, well, I don’t know the reason for that.

“We have Victor Osimhen scoring very well for his club [Napoli], we have Kelechi Iheanacho, Taiwo Awoniyi and so many of them.

“If we have players who are doing very well and scoring goals in their clubs, do we still have to recall Ighalo? It’s just my opinion.” the former Real Sociedad midfielder said.