CHINA-based forward Odion Ighalo is not happy playing as a lone striker in Nigeria’s coach Gernot Rohr’s preferred 3-2-3-1 formation and he allegedly wants showdown talks with his German boss.

Ighalo has taken loads of stick (stick uncountable) for his below-par performance in the Super Eagles’ Russia

2018 World Cup opening match against Croatia in Kaliningrad on Saturday, and the Changchun Yatai star fears he could be made a scapegoat for the team’s failure in Russia.

The former Watford goal scoring sensation flicked a header towards Croatia goalkeeper Danijel Subasic, which the collected easily, and that all he could contribute as the Eagles’ analogue approach that  saw them crashing  to a 2-0 loss to the Eastern Europeans in the Group D  fixture.

Our correspondent learnt that the former Grenada star, who last year joined the exodus to the Chinese Super League on a reported  £180,000 per-month wage,  allegedly  complained after  struggling to impress playing  as a lone striker  in the 1-0 defeat to Czech Republic in a pre-World  friendly in Austria.

It was learnt that Rohr believes his strength  and poaching skills  would benefit the team  by opening up holes for Arsenal forward Alex Iwobi to exploit  – and was not ready to listen to any complaints from a player who made his name playing the position most times at Watford.

Speaking to our correspondent after the Kaliningrad  encounter, Ighalo, who  clocked 29 on Saturday, said he was disappointed with the outcome of the Croatia fixture.

He  said they didn’t create many quality chances, apparently blaming that for his poor performance in the match.

The former Udinese player said the Eagles should accept the defeat is part of sport.

He said, “I did my best be we didn’t create enough chances,” the former Flying Eagles captain said.

“We must work on our weaknesses ahead of the next match.”

Ighalo added, “It’s difficult to play as a lone striker but the coach decides how we play. We have to decide the pattern we play (in subsequent matches).” – Punch

– Jun. 18, 2018 @ 09:25 GMT |