After Super Eagles’ narrow escape into the final playoffs of the 2022 World Cup on Tuesday with a dismal 1-1 draw with Cape Verde, Head Coach of the senior Nigerian football team, Gernot Rohr, has come under intense pressure to step down from the post.
Nigeria topped Group C of the World Cup qualifiers with 13 points, just two above minnow Cape Verde. The Island nation ranked 40 spots below Nigeria in FIFA standing, gave the three-time African champions a scare at home in Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos.
Sources revealed yesterday that moments after the less than satisfactory performance by Rohr’s wards, the board of the Nigeria Football Federation was divided on whether to allow the German gaffer to continue on the job.
A member of the board who did not want his name in print said that Nigerians have had enough from Gernot Rohr and should be asked to go irrespective of what it entails to severe the contract renewed after leading Eagles to the World Cup in Russia in 2018.
“For how long are we to continue to put up with this kind of performance? Did you see any input of a decent coach in what Eagles displayed in such a crucial World Cup qualifier,” observed the football administrator.
When asked why Rohr’s contract was renewed when it was obvious the 68-year old coach was bereft of the quality desired by a team swarming with talents as Super Eagles, the board member insisted some of his colleagues did not support his return but the sentiment of the German winning the Russia 2018 ticket in a group that had Algeria, Cameroon and Zambia played a major role in giving him a second term.
“After seeing how he did not know what to do to tame Argentina when Eagles had the opportunity of cruising past the South Americans into the second round at Russia 2018, some of us said his contract should not be renewed. But majority members said his rebuilding process should not be interrupted. After five years now, where has this so-called rebuilding lead us to now,” fumed the official.
Given Rohr’s hefty monthly wage, any attempt to sack him now is likely to attract a princely $2million fine which cash-strapped NFF is incapable of paying.
However, in a post match interview with reporters inside Teslim Balogun Stadium on Tuesday evening, Rohr defended his team, stressing that qualifying for the next stage was vital which Eagles did.
“First of all, a draw can be like a victory, for today (Tuesday) because we wanted to qualify and knew that a draw means qualification. It was not an easy game because Cape Verde are a good technical team, and they scored at the moment. We believed we had the match in our hands,” he said.
Despite the Blue Sharks cancelling out Victor Osimhen’s first minute advantage four minutes later, Rohr praised his wards for holding on till the final whistle.
“I will stand with the team because they fought back to remain in contention for qualification which is the most important thing,” stressed the former Gabon, Niger and Burkina Faso coach.
He admitted that his back line was slow in connecting with Eagles attack midfield and attack.
“It was most unfortunate that the defence line was slow at linking up with the attackers and thus put more pressure on the team in the vital area.”
Although Super Eagles scored nine goals and conceded three in all the six matches played, the home defeat inflicted on Nigeria by Central African Republic was a blight on the team.
After this stage, all the teams that topped their groups (10 of them) will be paired one against the other to play home and away. The five winners of the playoffs are to represent Africa at the World Cup in Qatar next year.
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