By Daily sports on February 27, 2021
Nigeria national team manager Gernot Rohr has explained his policy of preferring not to play new call-ups in competitive matches.
The Super Eagles boss has rarely dipped into the pool of up-and-coming players in recent times, with the likes of Matthew Yakubu, Dele Alampasu, Sebastian Osigwe, Kevin Akpoguma and Frank Onyeka seeing little to no action in competitive fixtures such as the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers for next year’s tournament in Cameroon.
When asked why he invites new players without giving them chances to play, Rohr is quoted by All Nigeria Soccer as saying: “We tried in the last few friendlies and even the international games in Benin City and in Freetown, we had some new players.
“We had some players who decided to come with us, leaving for example Germany U-20, U-23 like Akpoguma, who decided to come with us, it is fantastic.
“But they need the time to come in and it’s not easy in a few training sessions only to find exactly the right way to play with the team, it’s more easier for the other ones who were with us in the World Cup and played with us in the AFCON.
“We have to try to invite better players, friendlies are good for that to see them. When they are friendlies it is not for the result we are playing, we want to see new faces.
“We tried new goalkeepers, new wingers, new defenders and the midfielder from Midtjylland, Onyeka, the Austrian goalkeeper.
“We saw a lot of players in the friendlies but they are not enough, we only have two since one year.
“When you have games that you need results it is not the best moment for the players and for the team to invite new ones.”
Rohr and Nigeria will look to secure a berth at the AFCON when they play their final two Group L qualifiers against Benin and Lesotho late next month. (African Football)
•PHOTO: Gernot Rohr
Source Daily sports
Posted February 27, 2021
You may also like...
I am not under pressure at Arsenal —...
D’Tigers unveil 12-man squad for W’Cup qualifiers
Nwakaeme scores in Beer Sheva UCL win
Eagles star Leon Balogun gets 3-match ban for...
Champions League: We Will Fight With All We...
Enyimba will subdue Zamalek – Udoji
Ajibade’s PSG suffer nine-point deduction
Ondo State hosts Business Network golf tourney
Retaining WAFCON trophy difficult but possible – Nnadozie
NBF trials for C’wealth Games begin March 1
Adeshina joins Bowerman watch list
Enyimba management faces probe over $1m CAF money
Anambra Police Set For Medal Haul At All Police Games In Asaba
Rivers name seven-man LOC for 2026 NDG
Edo okays two-week closed camping ahead of Niger Delta Games
SWAN wants Olympic Stadium, Sports Sector Rejig In Anambra
Ademola Lookman Becomes Nigeria’s Second-Most Expensive Player After Move to Atletico Madrid
Silva hails Chukwueze progress
Most Read
Rangers International going, going . . . (63,528 views)
Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (54,834 views)
Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (52,730 views)
Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (52,384 views)
Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (52,307 views)
Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (52,218 views)
Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (52,089 views)
NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (51,638 views)
Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (50,814 views)
Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (49,336 views)
Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (47,732 views)
John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (47,196 views)