Ighodaro sends message to Sundowns coach Mokwena

Etiosa Ighodaro has sent a message to Mamelodi Sundowns’ Rulani Mokwena following the coach’s decision to loan him out again.

The 24-year-old Nigerian international signed a three-year contract with the DStv Premiership defending champions in 2021 from Motsepe Foundations Championship outfit University of Pretoria; AmaTuks.

But Ighodaro never donned the famous Downs jersey, as he was loaned to AmaTuks the same year he joined them. He spent last season at Chippa United, where he had a fine time netting 11 goals in 27 league matches.

The Benin City-born star hoped his impressive form with the Gqeberha-based outfit would have convinced Downs coach Rulani Mokwena that he deserves a chance to play for the Brazilians.

However, Ighodaro was loaned again for the third time to Downs’s Pretoria rivals, SuperSport United, with his contract expiring at the end of this campaign. 

He believes he did not get a fair chance to prove himself and aims to prove he is one of the best strikers in the DStv Premiership.

Ighodaro says he was eager to PLAY at Sundowns

“I wanted to prove myself at Sundowns, but I think their coach had other ideas,” Ighodaro told FARPost.

“I cannot say why I was not given a chance as I am not the right person to answer that question. Sundowns’ coach made the decision for me to play somewhere else again this season. 

“Maybe he (Mokwena) felt I still needed to learn. And I respect his decision. I am pleased I have joined a good team with a good coach, Gavin Hunt. My aim now is to work hard and show that I am one of the best strikers in the PSL.” 

Ighodaro also revealed that his goal is to challenge for the PSL Golden Boot award, which Peter Shalulile and Khanyisa Mayo jointly won with 12 goals last season.

“A job of a striker is to score goals. And I have been doing that for the past two seasons,” said Ighodaro. The latter scored his first goal for Matsatsantsa in their 2-0 win against Richards Bay last week in the league.

“I believe I have grown as a player and can score more goals than last season. The good thing is that I have good players around me at SuperSport United.”

By Tshifhiwa Luvhengo

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