Ighalo must reproduce club form for Eagles – Semitoje
But the former Nigeria defender has challenged the 26-year-old to reproduce club form for the Super Eagles to be inducted into African Football’s Hall of Fame.
Ighalo, who joined the Hornets from Spanish La Liga club Granada in 2014, has scored 14 Premier League goals in 19 appearances for Watford this season. The ex-Udinese player has scored two goals for his country.
The former Nigeria’s Under-20 team captain is wanted by a host of clubs in Europe including current La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid and Italian giants Roma.
Semitoje, who has expressed his delight at Ighalo’s form in England, insists the forward can help the Eagles qualify for the Gabon 2017 and the Russia 2018 World Cup with the right support.
The Tunisia’ 94 Africa Cup of Nations winner urged Nigeria coach Sunday Oliseh to scout around for a creative midfielder to get the most out of the Watford scoring sensation.
“Ighalo is one of the best strikers in Europe at the moment,” the former Iwuanyanwu Nationale captain, who manages a youth side in Denmark, told our correspondent on the telephone.
“But he must to reproduce the form he demonstrates in every game in the Premier League when playing for the Eagles.
“Ighalo can be the new Rashidi Yekini if he works harder – and he must have self-belief and confidence like Yekini.
“He will only be taken seriously in Africa if he scores goals to help the Eagles win titles.
“He has a chance to make a name for himself in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2018 World Cup.
“He should score goals to enable the country to qualify for the two tournaments.”
The Algiers ’90 Africa Cup of Nations silver medallist, who was dropped on the eve of the Eagles’ departure for the 1994 World Cup in the United States, urged his co-Tunisia ’94 winner Oliseh to focus on the domestic league for talents capable of benching the established players in the national team.
Semitoje, who hailed the national Under-23 team for winning the Senegal 2015 Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations, said some of the players should be given a chance to play for the Eagles.
They also sealed their place in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in the tournament.
The former Kwara Bombers star believes some of the players could solve the Eagles’ defensive and midfield problems.
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