Peals of derisive laughter rang through the hall as Gernot Rohr named Odion Ighalo in his list of strikers for the September 7 Africa Cup of Nations Cup qualifier against Seychelles.
The Nigeria coach was forced to explain his choice, with a little chuckle of his own
"I want to give him the opportunity to prove to the fans that he can still score the goals," the German coach began. "He was scored a lot of goals in China and he scored again last week."
He was being factual; last season, Ighlao scored 15 goals in 27 league appearances.
Since returning from the World Cup, he has hit eight goals in as many appearances, but his club form is not the problem. It is his international-goal return that has proven to be the foundation for the withering albatross around his neck.
Four goals in 21 appearances is a disappointing record for a striker at this level, that's an average of 0.19 goal per game or, to be more picturesque, one goal every 5.25 games.
By contrast, Kelechi Iheanacho hits a goal every 2.5 games for Nigeria, although, to put some perspective to the numbers, both Osaze Odemwingie and Nwankwo Kanu posted worse games per goal ratios than Ighalo.
Odemwingie's was a goal every 6.3 games and Kanu scored every 7.3 games.
So why do fans have an issue with Ighalo?
The following might explain it.
He managed just one goal in World Cup qualifying, and zero at the World Cup proper.
Of his other three goals, only one other came in a competitive game, the penalty against Chad in a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier which was eventually annulled after the Chadians pulled out of the series.
In other words, when the Super Eagles have needed a striker to fire for them, Ighalo has not been the man, except for that one time against Cameroon.
Beyond the lack of goals, the manner of his spurning the chances that came his way in Russia proved particularly galling for many a Nigeria fan.
Ighalo will not be the first to suffer such recrimination.
Yakubu Ayegbeni sidefooted his way into the hall of infamy for THAT miss against South Korea at the 2010 World Cup. Few remember that he stepped up to score a penalty later in the same game.
Before Yakubu, Godwin Odiye's career is forever remembered for scoring the own goal that cost Nigeria a place at the 1978 World Cup.
Neither of those two had a chance to change their narratives.
Odiye won the Nations Cup three years after with Nigeria but the stain remained, while Yakubu was immortalised in a song by Nigerian rapper MI Abaga.
For Ighalo, one moment, okay make that two moments, against Argentina could have made him a national hero forever. All he had to do was find the net.
He did not, and so fine are the margins, that he is now a villain.
However, he now has a chance to flip that script, starting with this game against Seychelles.
If he can carry over his club form to the Super Eagles and score the goals that take Nigeria to the Nations Cup, his 'sins' will be forgiven.
After the press conference, Rohr expanded on his decision to not ostracise the forward
"I want to give him the opportunity to show to all his critics, that he is still able to do well with us and to score the goals," Rohr explained.
"Perhaps in Seychelles he will be very, very motivated to show them that he can score the goals."
Ighalo has the tools to do just that.
For one, he has the assured confidence and reputation of a player who has played at the top level of club football in Europe after successful stints in Spain and England.
Beyond that, he has the bruising strength of an ox, the smarts to link-up play excellently, and the ability to get himself into goalscoring positions borne of experience.
He just needs all of it to come together for the fans to get behind him again.