'I won't' – Genk coach resists calls to start last season's top scorer Arokodare

Racing Genk head coach Thorsten Fink has addressed growing calls for Tolu Arokodare to be reinstated in the starting lineup following the club's difficult start to the Jupiler Pro League season.

Genk have taken just one point from their opening three games after a 2-1 defeat to Standard Liège, prompting questions about whether  should return to lead the line.

At the start of the campaign, Fink made it clear that Hyeon-gyu Oh would be his first-choice striker. 

Genk have yet to make a concrete move to secure Arokodare’s long-term future, a situation that has fueled speculation over his role. 

However, Fink insists that his decisions are guided by the club’s broader objectives rather than short-term form.

"Both my strikers are top-notch,” Fink told Het Laatste Nieuws, via Voetbal Primeur.

"It doesn’t matter who starts on Friday. Tolu is a striker for the box, but Oh has also certainly proven he can score. When I make a decision, it’s not for the short term. We look at the team’s interests.”

Arokodare’s aerial presence and penalty-box instincts have been seen as valuable assets, especially against opponents who sit deep and defend in numbers.

Many supporters believe his style could help break down stubborn defences, but Fink is standing by his tactical structure.

Despite suggestions that deploying both Arokodare and Oh together might solve Genk’s attacking challenges, Fink ruled out the possibility of a two-striker system.

"In any case, I can tell you that I won’t be starting with two strikers. That’s not our philosophy,” he stated firmly.

With Genk searching for their first win of the campaign, the spotlight will remain on Fink’s striker selections.

Whether Arokodare gets the nod against Oud-Heverlee Leuven on Friday may depend less on public opinion and more on how well his skill set fits into the tactical vision Fink continues to defend.

Wale Adejumo

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