By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Former Club Brugge manager Jacky Mathijssen has weighed in on the situation surrounding Nigerian striker Tolu Arokodare, who has found himself on the bench at KRC Genk despite an impressive campaign last season.
Arokodare scored 21 goals in the previous campaign, earning the Pro League’s Top Goalscorer award.
However, the 23-year-old has since lost his starting place to South Korean forward Hyeon-gyu Oh, who has become the preferred option under head coach Thorsten Fink.
Speaking to Belgian outlet Het Belang van Limburg, Mathijssen suggested that Arokodare may have been a better fit tactically in Genk’s opening game against Antwerp, which ended in a draw.
“Against a low block like Antwerp’s, I think Genk would have benefited more from Tolu than from Oh up front,” he said.
“I know, of course, that agreements were made between the club and the two players: one was promised a transfer, the other the starting striker position. But as long as Tolu is still there, Fink is a bit between a rock and a hard place—caught between agreements and performance.”
Arokodare’s bench role has sparked speculation over his future, with reports linking him to several clubs across Europe. Genk face upcoming fixtures against Standard Liège, OH Leuven, and a crucial UEFA Europa League qualifier—matches that may offer Arokodare a chance to reclaim his spot.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
