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Again, Rohr carpets home-based players

By Augustine Kalu on November 1, 2018

Super Eagles’ Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr, has once again carpeted the home-based players saying none of them is good enough for the national team the Super Eagles.

Of course there is no love lost between the Franco-German football tactician and the home based players as the former Burkina Faso handler has never hidden his disdain for Nigerian players plying their trade on home soil right from the very first time he set his foot in the country as the one who is to handle the country’s flagship football team, the Super Eagles.

Rohr made his feelings known while fielding question from sports journalist moments after the 2018 Federation Cup final between Kano Pillars and champions Enugu Rangers.

According to him having watched the match from the start to finish, he did see any player that is better than those who are currently in the team and as a result there is no gain talking of making any of the players a part of the squad.

This certainly will not augur well for many former players like Christian Chukwu, Henry Nwosu, Friday Ekpo, Etim Esim, Yisa Shofoluwe, Peter Rufai amongst others, who have been rooting for the inclusion of local players in the national team over the years.

“I am satisfied with the match but I must tell you that I didn’t really see one player who seems to be better than the players we have,” Rohr began.

“We have already very good players and I saw somebody in the first half and I didn’t see him again in the second half.

“Yes we saw some good players in the two teams but I cannot say this one or that one is good for the Super Eagles now,” Rohr said.

Continuing the former Burkina Faso coach said that the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba was not good enough for Eagles matches saying they have to work on the field and as a result he does not see the Eagles playing there for at least now.

“The stadium also in Asaba, the pitch is not yet really good for the Super Eagles. They really need to work on it and again the stadium is not big enough for Eagles matches,” Rohr explained.

With Gernot Rohr’s position on the Asaba Stadium, the NFF led by Amaju Melvin Pinnick should shelve their plan to host the Eagles’ 2019 Africa Cup of Nations final qualifying game against Seychelles in Asaba.

For the time being, Uyo will continue to play host to the Super Eagles home matches because there is no better stadium than it in the country at the moment as the Franco-German football tactician has already ruled out the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna and the national Stadium in Abuja for not being good enough for Eagles matches.

Meanwhile, Rohr has announced Alex Iwobi to take over from the midfield role Captain John Obi Mikel following the eye catching performance from the Arsenal star in the African Cup of Nations qualifiers against Libya this month.

In his words: “Alex is now trying to be a real playmaker for the Eagles. I have seen enough from him now to know a new possibility for that midfield position.

Rohr however, is not sure whether Mikel is still in the squad: “Perhaps, Obi Mikel will come back, Mikel can also be our playmaker with different style but Alex Iwobi we have a lot of movement.

“Right now, we have Alex who is very quick with the ball and has the talent of releasing on time. The Eagles fast wingers most especially, the point man to score goals for us. I think Alex is a joy to be at the centre of our game,” Rohr declared.

•Photo shows Gernot Rohr

Source Daily Sports

Posted November 1, 2018