By Daily Sports on March 11, 2019

Nigeria is a complex society peopled with a huge number of illiterates. The country can also be safely referred to as a nation of contradictions, unnecessary intrigues and foremost, as a sad metaphor. Again, Nigeria is without any let or hindrance a sick country where anything goes. Nevertheless, I’m not here to say much of what this column has not published before concerning the characteristic half step forward and many steps backward movement.

Football is one of the reasons why there is still an entity called Nigeria and unfortunately it is badly administered like the entire polity. Football has been terribly bruised that it is almost lifeless. Football is terrorised and abused that presently Nigeria still goes round and around like a rolling stone, gathering no moss.

I can vividly recall that the agents of Amaju Pinnick called me names in the build-up and politics of hiring a technical hand for the Super Eagles. You also remember the much-heated argument between Amaju Pinnick group and former Chairman of the technical committee, Chris Green, who then accused the NFF President of meddling into the process of who gets the top job.

At the end of the exercise, Gernot Rohr was imposed on the technical committee and due to the way and manner Rohr emerged, the frosty relationship between Amaju and Green deepened for the worst. 

Let me point out here that I was caught in the crossfire with Amaju Pinnick boys accusing or tagging me with many unprintable names because Daily Sports ran a critical column based on facts gathered from reliable insiders of the intrigues that characterised the employment of a foreign technical hand for the Super Eagles. It would be recalled the column was anchored on Chris Green, his thoughts and disappointments. It rattled the NFF high command and it further earned me more isolation from the football governing body’s hatchet job. One is not complaining either over spilled milk. It came up here because of the alarm Gernot Rohr raised last week on the AFCON football summit that would happen in Egypt later in the year. His panicky and unwarranted statement on the Super Eagles anticipated performance leaves soured taste in the mouth and one believes that those that prompted his engagement are listening and must have read the outrageous interview by Rohr Gernot. The rest is however history.

The Franco Germany coach of Nigeria wished away the possibility of Nigeria making much impact at the forthcoming Nations Cup. Yes, he has done certain gimmicks in order to concentrate and get the job done this time but coming outright to say that smacks of irresponsibility and lack of commitment on his part.

Except if I can be proved wrong with facts and figures, he is not owed. Yes, in as much as football is no mathematics, it still did not give Rohr the guts to raise such dangerous alarm capable of demoralising even his players that after all, the coach has admitted the Super Eagles team cannot do better than the countries he mentioned.

I don’t know why he chose to make such unguarded statement this hour and timing and what impact or goal he thinks it would achieve for him.

To be honest with you, I think Gernot Rohr mouth is running diarrhea and unfortunately, nobody has called him to order. I read his outburst in this medium and asked nobody in particular what is wrong with this man and why has Nigerian football come face to face with this kind of characters as head of her national team.

He has to do enough and get back confidence into the lads. After the 2013 victory by late Stephen Keshi, we are yet to compete in prime African Championship instead of the other way round. For the 2019 Africa football summit; Nigeria must not be given out like that. There must be enough preparations to steady the team as championship stuff, nothing more would be acceptable. After all, the fact that in 2013, Keshi took a young team to that competition and won should serve as a signpost to Gernot Rohr.

It should be drummed into his ears that the Eagles squad at his disposal presently can win the 2019 AFCON because it is a mixture of experienced and the young which is what a football team is all about. Rohr has a good team which he should sit back, plan deep and map out strategies that would throw up a championship side. His Super Eagles team is better than Keshi’s 2013 squad that won that year’s football summit.  

The technical hand has not achieved anything for Nigeria since he came on board. This is his chance to prove himself either right or wrong and nothing would be good enough for him.

Gernot Rohr must start now to perfect his match plan towards the next Nations Cup coming up in Egypt later in the year. Whatever his recent alarm may be termed to target remains immaterial to an average fan of the Super Eagles. Nigeria is ripe enough to bring home the diadem when the curtain is drawn.

Gernot Rohr should be told in clearer language that raising alarm, months before the football championship remains no solution to whatever may be his problem. He should also be reminded also that talk is cheap but should get down to work hard with his boys for a turn around to optimum result at the competition. He should not give this impression that he talks on the drop of a hat, because such people are not deemed serious and resourceful.

What the fans need now is total preparations and planning that would bring about great competition for the Eagles. The countries he quickly mentioned in the report are football playing nations like Nigeria and therefore it would amount a slap on the face if he relegates the three-time African kings.

Yes, my heart smothered and dropped when I read the story which also made my stomach to turn. I said who sent him to give himself out as an unprepared and unready lot. Who advised him to raise such alarm to serve as a buffer in case he fails?

My take is that if he is not ready for the job, he must throw in the towel. The forthcoming Nations Cup remains on and Champ Nigeria will be going into it with full confidence and not as an underdog. The boys that will make it happen are on the side. Aside Salah who is doing extremely well in his club, who else would the Nigerian side think twice about. We have come of age and a force to be reckoned with also in African football and a Gernot Rohr must not be allowed to bring us back or to our knees. If after this stay, he still does not know how to harness the team, it will be better he leaves. Below is the rerun story where Rohr spilled the beans. Enjoy! Let us discuss further in our social media platforms. Keep shooting hard till next week!!

Gernot Rohr Downplays Nigeria’s 2019 AFCON Hopes

Nigeria manager, Gernot Rohr has downplayed his team’s chances of winning the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. The Super Eagles have already secured qualification for the finals in Egypt later this year, making their last preliminary game at home to Seychelles later this month nothing more than a dead rubber.

Nigeria did not qualify for the last two editions of the AFCON in 2015 and 2017, though they did claim the continental crown on their last appearance back in 2013. Rohr insists that his side should not be considered one of the favourites for the title, pointing out that they are not in the top three African nations on the FIFA rankings.

Nigeria is fourth (46th overall), with Senegal first (24), followed by Tunisia (28) and Morocco (43) in second and third respectively. “No, I do not think we can say that. When we look at the ranking of Africa and FIFA, we are not the first African country,” Rohr replied when asked by girondins4ever if Nigeria are amongst the favourites.

“There are other countries in front of us, I think we are fourth. There is Morocco, Tunisia, and Egypt that may be favourite at home for the AFCON; there is also Senegal in front of us. “The ranking is not just the latest results, but for a few years. In 2014, 2015, Nigeria was not great and did not qualify for the last two AFCONs. It has somewhat handicapped it’s ranking at FIFA and Africa.”

Source Daily Sports

Posted March 11, 2019

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