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| Coach Gernot Rohr |
Super Eagles Media
Officer, Toyin Ibitoye has explained that the Coach Gernot Rohr has not been in
the country to watch matches at the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL)
venues because he is preparing for the forthcoming World Cup and Africa Cup of
Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
The
Guardian Nigeria report continues:
Nigeria
currently tops Group B of the Russia 2018 World Cup qualifying series with six
points earned from victories over Zambia and Algeria.
Super
Eagles’ next games would be two crucial home and away matches against the AFCON
champions, Cameroon on August 31 and first week of September.
Speaking
on a live programme yesterday, Ibitoye said the time for the home-based players
to be looked into would come soon during the CHAN qualifiers, as some players
of the NPFL have already been penciled down for the programme.
“We
should understand that Coach Gernot Rohr’s assignment is not limited to the
country. His immediate assignment now is to qualify for the World Cup, which is
key. And most of the players he is going to use are outside the country.
“Apart
from the fact that the season in Europe is on, most of these players are
getting ready for the pre-season and it is very key to meet them. A number of
our players have not come to play for us yet and Rohr has to speak to them in
Europe.
“These
players are committed, they always want to give everything and let us just pray
that they will be injury free; then we will see them all against Cameroon. They
will have a chance to prove to everybody that they love to play in the green
and white shirt for the nation,” he said.
Ibitoye,
who added that the opportunity for the home-based players would come during the
CHAN qualifiers, said Rohr would help Coach Salisu Yusuf to put up a good team.
“We
need to qualify for the World Cup first; then the Nations Cup and the CHAN
qualifiers will be a very big opportunity for some of these players as Rohr
will be around to assist.
“Already, he is in talks with Salisu, they have been discussing about the players together. Rohr already has been working with a good number of the players. The CHAN is not for Rohr to take charge, but will serve as a backbone to Coach Salisu,” he stated.
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