DISCUSS: Will Osimhen Eclipse Rashidi Yekini's record?

[Enugu II]

Osimhen has time to break Super Eagles’ goals record but Yekini’s legacy is unrivaled
Rilwan Balogun by Rilwan Balogun 3 hours ago in Featured, News, NewsNow, Nigeria 0
https://soccernet.ng/2022/06/osimhen-ha ... valed.html



After scoring four goals against Sao Tomé and Principe, the Napoli forward rose to 10th on the scorers’ list

Victor Osimhen only made his debut five years ago and he is already aiming for the Super Eagles goals record.

With 15 goals in 23 games, the attacker has shown great promise for the future and barring any unforeseen circumstances or the emergence of a new attacker which may threaten his place, he’s expected to break the Super Eagles’ goals record in the coming years.

That achievement, however, will not come on a platter of gold. Osimhen is not get getting carried away and he understands the enormity of the responsibility on his shoulders.

More than his personal achievements, the team means more to the forward and he always aims to win a game than score goals. Still 22 goals off Yekini’s 37 goals record, Osimhen is poised to beat the mark and create a new one, but Yekini’s legacy is untouched.

Between 1983 and 1998, Yekini was the goalsfather of the Super Eagles. His hunger, technique and quality were never questionable and Osimhen rightly acknowledges the weight of that comparison.

He told Omasports in an interview some years ago that “the shoe is heavy, I shouldn’t lie but Nigerians haven’t seen anything,”

From the time he made that statement till now, he has scored in almost every game he’s featured in for Nigeria.

To see a player come close to Yekini’s record offers hope for what’s achievable for Nigeria with many attackers doing their part in the past. At different points, attackers like Obafemi Martins and Ikechukwu Uche have been so hot that they were touted to break the record but they never came close.

Osimhen, however has an incredible advantage owing to his current age and ability. He is yet to hit his peak years and the future offers glee.

Nigerian football legends have called for caution, even as they expressed their delight in his progression. Yekini was devastatingly gifted in the art of goalscoring and his scoring record stands at more than a goal every two games, like Osimhen’s.

“Osimhen is a good striker with good physique and all that,” Garba Lawal, a winner of the Gold Medal at the Atlanta 96 Olympics, and three-time AFCON bronze medallist and one-tome silver medallist told The Nations.

“He is very young and he has a lot of future with the Super Eagles; but I think it is too early to compare him with Rashidi Yekini ( may his soul rest in peace).”

A man whom Osimhen credits a lot for his development, a Super Eagles legend, and former assistant coach of the national team, Emmanuel Amuneke finds solace in seeing young players get closer to surpassing the feats of former players.

He however reminded Nigerians that players like Yekini don’t come all the time.

“It will be good that the new generation of players surpass the record set by the older generation,”

“But we can’t forget what the older generation did in the past and as you know, all players have their own eras even at that Yekini will always remain special.

“ Players like Yekini always come in a generation and we can recall all that he did in terms of his goal scoring record both at the club and national team levels.

“But with a progressive mind such as mine, I’m really happy with the progress being made by the likes of Victor Osimhen and wherever Yekini is (may his gentle soul rest in peace), I know he would be happy with what Osimhen is doing today, ” he said.

Like Ahmed Musa, Joseph Yobo and Vincent Enyeama, a century caps is not impossible for Osimhen and if he continues at his current level (an average of 0.65 goals per game), he will equal Yekini’s record by his 58th appearance. Impressive expectations for a young player, but the legacy set by Yekini should not be mistaken, it’s for now, supreme and forever untainted.

[maceo4]

I was hoping Martins would, but its somehow a very elusive record and kinda sad for how low an amount it is when you really look at majority of other major football nations.

[theYemster]

Just based on the law of averages, I'm betting he will. More games played today than before. Qualifiers, tournaments like AFCON have more matches plus with the international window, we also play more friendlies.

The only issue I can think of is his injury history. Yekkni if anything, was durable (and patriotic) as hell. Rarely missed games.

[Damunk]

"Victor Osimhen only made his debut five years ago and he is already aiming for the Super Eagles goals record."

Wow.
Was it really FIVE years ago Osimhen made his debut for the SE?

[Enugu II]

Just based on the law of averages, I'm betting he will. More games played today than before. Qualifiers, tournaments like AFCON have more matches plus with the international window, we also play more friendlies.

The only issue I can think of is his injury history. Yekkni if anything, was durable (and patriotic) as hell. Rarely missed games.

TheYemster,

There is also availability issues. For instance, Osimhen was absent for the two friendlies in the USA. Another is that Nigeria often retires our footballers early with the call for a youngster to take over quite often.

[maceo4]

Just based on the law of averages, I'm betting he will. More games played today than before. Qualifiers, tournaments like AFCON have more matches plus with the international window, we also play more friendlies.

The only issue I can think of is his injury history. Yekkni if anything, was durable (and patriotic) as hell. Rarely missed games.

TheYemster,

There is also availability issues. For instance, Osimhen was absent for the two friendlies in the USA. Another is that Nigeria often retires our footballers early with the call for a youngster to take over quite often.

We swap our strikers all the time based on who’s hot at the moment. Let one go two or three games without a goal and grumbling will start for the swap-fest to activate. No to talk of injuries etc…

[imehjunior]

He will definitely surpass Yekini's record

[TonyTheTigerKiller]

He may not. The same people who are singing his praises today have called for him to be replaced in the recent past. All it will take is for another striker to get hot and he’ll be relegated to the bench. That’s the Nigerian way… and a lot will depend on how many more times we get to play the likes of São Tomé


Cheers.

[mcal]

...for Osimhen to equal or surpass Yekini he may need a dedicated NFA. There are more match today than during Yekini days with authoritarian/military style NFA leadership.

[Damunk]

Just based on the law of averages, I'm betting he will. More games played today than before. Qualifiers, tournaments like AFCON have more matches plus with the international window, we also play more friendlies.

The only issue I can think of is his injury history. Yekkni if anything, was durable (and patriotic) as hell. Rarely missed games.

TheYemster,

There is also availability issues. For instance, Osimhen was absent for the two friendlies in the USA. Another is that Nigeria often retires our footballers early with the call for a youngster to take over quite often.

We swap our strikers all the time based on who’s hot at the moment. Let one go two or three games without a goal and grumbling will start for the swap-fest to activate. No to talk of injuries etc…

This is true. You know our people.
And uhmm.....it goes beyond just strikers.
Double DNQ.

[Damunk]

He may not. The same people who are singing his praises today have called for him to be replaced in the recent past. All it will take is for another striker to get hot and he’ll be relegated to the bench. That’s the Nigerian way… and a lot will depend on how many more times we get to play the likes of São Tomé


Cheers.

True. I vaguely remember the beginnings of a revolt but fortunately, he picked up again and it died. But it is never far from the surface and our people no too get patience like that.
Its not only our so-called leaders.

[Aswani]

If he can avoid injury, I am convinced Victor will reach 50 goals.

We will always be in AFCON and World Cup qualifying groups where there will be one or two teams chopping goals.

He just needs to cut out the excess offsides.

Haji Yekini's feat is incredible though, considering the player politics he did that Victor wouldn't face.