ON THIS DAY in 1989, Odion Ighalo was born in the Nigerian capital of Lagos.
The striker began his career in his homeland with Prime and Julius Berger, before earning a move to Norwegian side Lyn in 2007.
A spell in Italy’s top flight followed, where he lined out for Udinese. A series of loan moves included a stint with Premier League club Watford, and he did enough to earn a permanent contract at Vicarage Road.
31-year-old Ighalo, who has 16 goals in 35 international caps, is currently on loan at Manchester United from Chinese Super League outfit Shanghai Greenland Shenhua.
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He has scored four times in eight appearances for the Red Devils.
I’m sure Murphy is a very good coach with plenty of strong recommendations but is this an opportunity lost to bring someone new into the fold with different ideas who isn’t tied to the current management team?
@Ricky Wright: I think Irfu have taken a good approach to u20′s management in the last number of years. They seem to go for coaches who place a high degree of emphasis on skills and heads up rugby. Probably why the 20′s have been more exciting to watch over the last number of years than the senior team.
@Punts & Race Discussion: if we look at the sort of players which have come through and are coming through at Munster and Leinster in the forwards it makes a great reading for the type of players Ireland are looking to produce. I know am missing a few guys here but off top my head that reads well from last few years. All athletically gifted and skilled.
Doris
Deegan
Baird
Connors
Kelleher
Penny
Porter
Ryan
Sheehan
Wycherley x2
Coombes
Ahern
Hodnett
@Punts & Race Discussion: personally I think it was a mistake to have the u20 national team head coach as the academy coach for a province. That was changed in January with Kieran Campbell being appointed. Now the rumour is he’s heading to England which is fair enough. The u20 game is a shambles at the moment due to lack of games as a result of covid. Hopefully it’ll get going again soon
Great Appointment