1994 African Footballer of the Year, Emmanuel Amuneke has urged football lovers across the country to stop entertaining the idea of dragging the in-form Manchester United striker back into the Super Eagles.
Odion Ighalo is one of the country’s most trending topics after completing an unexpected deadline day switch to United. The striker’s childhood dream has gotten even better with Ighalo netting four goals in his last five games for the Red Devils.
The latest of his strikes was a spectacular finish into the top corner with his supposedly weaker left foot in the 5-0 thrashing of LASK in the Europa League on Thursday.
It’s a dramatic turn of fate for the former Watford ace who retired from international football after helping the Super Eagles claim the bronze medal at the 2019 African Cup of Nations in Egypt. Ighalo topped the scorer’s chart with five goals at that tournament.
Fans have been craving for Ighalo to return to the national team set-up after Nigeria’s head coach revealed he would be delighted to have the goal-getter back in his team.
But former Barcelona winger, Amuneke, insists the Shanghai Shenhua star has had his time with the Super Eagles, and it’s the turn for others to take the team to a greater height.
“Ighalo said he’s retired, so let’s move on,” Amuneke told Brila FM.
“Let him focus on Manchester united, let us move ahead, we have other young players let’s build for the future with them.
“Ighalo has done so much for Nigeria, and we appreciate him for that, and we are praying that God gives him the grace to succeed in his new adventure.”
Youngster Victor Osimhen has carried the goalscoring responsibilities of the Super Eagles since Ighalo quit the stage, with the Lille forward netting four goals in his last four games for Rohr’s side.