Former Amiens head coach, Philippe Hinschberger, did not mince his words when he shared his candid opinion about Genk forward Tolu Arokodare, Soccernet.ng reports.
Drawing parallels to the infamous former Manchester City star Mario Balotelli, Hinschberger spoke of the Nigerian youngster’s carefree attitude that he believes needs a serious reality check.
Having managed Arokodare for over eighteen months at Amiens before his transfer to Genk in January, Hinschberger is familiar with the player’s capabilities.
The young striker came in as a replacement for the revered goalscorer Paul Onuachu but struggled to live up to the expectations, only managing to score two league goals by the end of the season.
As a result, Genk’s title hopes took a nosedive, and they had to witness Royale Antwerp take the crown in the Belgian league.
However, the start of the new season saw Arokodare eager to prove himself.
He kicked off with a remarkable header in the 1-1 draw against Servette in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers’ first leg.
The upcoming second leg, scheduled for today, holds high stakes, with Arokodare anticipated to be the key figure in securing Genk’s victory against the Swiss side.
Hinschberger, though recognising Arokodare’s physical prowess and potential, expressed his concerns about the player’s inconsistency, making him an unreliable choice in crucial moments.
The coach emphasized the need for improvement and even hinted at the young forward’s perceived nonchalant attitude regarding defending and ball possession.
“Tolu is an endearing boy who sometimes deserves a little kick in the ass,” Hinschberger candidly told Watson.
The former Metz coach emphasized that despite Arokodare’s physical presence, there are many aspects of his game that require refinement and focus.
“He’s very fast, but you don’t really notice that because he doesn’t often go towards the goal. This is what he has often been criticized for,” Hinschberger pointed out, highlighting a lack of aggressive attacking.
Arokodare’s inconsistency in scoring was another point of concern for Hinschberger.
“Out of five chances, he can score two extraordinary successes and miss three easy ones,” the former coach revealed.
“Tolu can be loved by half of the stadium and hated by the other. He has irritating sides, a certain nonchalance when losing the ball.
“He doesn’t come back to defend much, because running takes energy from him and he doesn’t have a physical kick drum. In Amiens, people criticised him for his attitude on the pitch, which is a bit like Balotelli’s.”
As Genk gears up for the UEFA Champions League qualifier against Servette, securing a win would propel them to the third qualifying round, where they would face Rangers.
The match promises to be a crucial test for Arokodare, offering him a chance to demonstrate his worth and silence his critics.
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