Ighalo reveals what Solskjaer has taught him so far

Tuesday 05 May 2020 12:34

Odion Ighalo has given a fascinating insight into Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s coaching methods and revealed how the Manchester United boss has improved his game after just a few weeks of working together.

The Nigerian front-man joined United in January and has already netted four times, averaging a goal every 80 minutes in a red shirt.

His manager also had a knack for finding the back of the net, and he’s been passing on a few pearls of wisdom to the 30-year-old.

“When I moved to United, I learned a few things from him,” Odion said as part of his MUTV Takeover, when he’s selecting which shows the official channel will broadcast on Wednesday.
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“During games… there was even a game I scored in, and he said ‘You should have scored more if you do this or do that’.

“I thought about it and I know if I would have done what Ole said, I would have scored more. He says: ‘You’re a striker, take the chance’. So I’ve learnt a lot from him, in terms of positioning and how to do one or two things in a game.

“As a striker, it’s good when a striker is coaching you,” Ighalo added. “And, as a striker, you benefit even more than the defenders. He is someone who has scored goals for a long time and has done a lot for United, so it’s good to learn from him.”

It’s not only in Manchester where Ole is considered a legend, but also in his native Norway. Odion knows this only too well, having spent a year playing for Oslo outfit Lyn earlier in his career.

“He’s a big player [in Norway],” said Ighalo. “Playing for United is amazing - for me, it’s the biggest team in the world. In your country, they are going to value it, like the way I am in Nigeria.

“In Norway, everyone rates him so highly because he did a lot for United, and he’s Norwegian. He was always on TV when I was there.”

Ole has certainly made a big impression on Ighalo since the attacker joined United in January, and it’s not just because of his expert coaching.

“He’s a very calm guy; he’s a good guy,” said our no.25. “Outside of football, he’s a good guy. When everybody is laughing in training, he joins in and he talks to us, but, when it’s the game, you see a serious face. We have to do this, we have to do that - then it’s business time.

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Odion was speaking as part of his MUTV Takeover, which you can watch on Wednesday. One of the striker’s six selections for the MUTV scheduling was Ole’s UTD Podcast episode, in which the boss provides some intriguing insights into his playing days and management style.

Ighalo’s five other selections will be revealed on Wednesday, before the MUTV Takeover is broadcast live.

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