TheCable

Gernot Rohr says he included Odion Ighalo in the 40-man provisional squad for the Super Eagles 2022 World Cup qualifiers against Liberia and Cape Verde next month because he’s a “special player”.

The Franco-German spoke in a chat with ElegbeteTV from his base in Germany.

Ighalo had announced his retirement in 2019, shortly after picking up the golden boot at the AFCON in Egypt.

He had also disclosed that his decision came after due consultations, so he could “concentrate on club football and give the younger players a chance to learn and grow.”

However, Rohr, who has been “relentless” in trying to return the 32-year-old to the Super Eagles, said while the team has Victor Osimhen, Taiwo Awoniyi, Paul Onuachu, “we don’t have anyone like Ighalo.”

He added that the team need Ighalo’s experience and maturity and the younger players could benefit from those qualities.

“Ighalo is a very important man, I hope he can come back. I put him on the 40-man provisional list for the FIFA World Cup qualifiers, we are in touch,” Rohr said.

“He’s doing really well at his club and he still has the ambition to help his country. We have so many good strikers like Awoniyi, Moffi, Onuachu and Osimhen, but we don’t have anyone like Ighalo.

“Ighalo is different. He’s a special player, he sees everything. Our team now misses maturity and experience and this is where he could help us, because we miss his leadership, his experience and the goals he scored.

“He was the top scorer in the last AFCON and the qualifiers. I think we have so many young players, but they could learn a lot from the side of such a good player.”

Super Eagles will face Liberia on November 13 before hosting Cape Verde three days later as they push to book a place in the final round of qualification for Qatar 2022 World Cup.