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Tag: Rohr

  • Int’l friendly: Onigbinde queries Rohr’s selection of players

    Int’l friendly: Onigbinde queries Rohr’s selection of players

    Former Super Eagles handler Adegboye Onigbinde has questioned the basis for the selection of players for the friendly double-header against Algeria and Tunisia.

    The Desert Foxes of Algeria on Friday night pipped the Super Eagles by a lone goal to extend their unbeaten run in all matches to 19.

    Onigbinde told NAN that only Gernot Rohr, the Super Eagles Technical Adviser can give an account of the players and their style of play during the friendlies.

    “There is one thing we must accept, and that is that I am not close to the team.

    “I don’t know on what basis Rohr made his selections. He is the only person that knows why he chose those in the team.

    “For now, I am a stranger to Nigerian football and I wish the managers best of luck,” he said.

    Meanwhile, a former President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Sani Lulu , had commended the handlers of the team for inviting new players and also convincing some to switch allegiance to Nigeria.

    “I am happy that the boys are expressing high level of patriotism; that is how it should be.

    “Anybody who is a Nigerian must be encouraged to work for the country.

    “Nobody will come and do it for us except those of us that are Nigerians, so if one is in Diaspora, he or she should be thinking how best do I work for Nigeria.

    “So, I am happy that the boys are encouraged to do what they are doing; it’s a positive sign for a greater tomorrow for the country,” Lulu said.

    The Super Eagles will meet Tunisia on Tuesday in another friendly encounter in Austria, while Algeria play Mexico.

  • Omeruo, Simon among early birds in Super Eagles’ camp, 13 others in

    Omeruo, Simon among early birds in Super Eagles’ camp, 13 others in

    Defender Kenneth Omeruo and forward Moses Simon were among the early arrivals at the Super Eagles’ Hotel die Zeit an der Glan camp in Carinthia, Austria on Monday morning.

    The senior national male football team are in Austria for international friendly matches against African champions Algeria on Friday and Africa’s number two-ranked team Tunisia on Oct. 13.

    Ademola Olajire, Director of Communications at the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), said in a statement Monday that four other players were in the early arrivals’ group.

    These are forwards Samuel Kalu and Chidera Ejuke, defender Leon Balogun and goalkeeper Mathew Yakubu.

    Hours later, England-based defenders William Troost-Ekong, Oluwasemilogo Ajayi and Olaoluwa Aina, as well as forward Kelechi Iheanacho, landed in Austria.

    Right behind them were goalkeeper Dele Alampasu, defender Jamilu Collins, midfielder Frank Onyeka and forwards Cyril Dessers and Alex Iwobi.

    The other invited players were being expected in camp by Monday night.

    Olajire also disclosed that former Germany under-20 captain Kevin Akpoguma has arrived at the team’s hotel in Austria “to familiarise himself with the Nigeria set-up and bond with the other players’’.

    Akpoguma’s arrival is ahead of the imminent approval of his international switch to the Super Eagles.

    Three-times African champions Nigeria file out against Algeria at the Jacques Lemans Arena on Friday before taking on 2004 African champions Tunisia at the same venue on Oct. 13.

    Already, team head coach Gernot Rohr is sure to have to do without three of his initial call-ups.

    Turkey-based midfielder Oghenekaro Etebo suffered a knock on Sunday, while Wilfred Ndidi was earlier ruled out by injury.

    Permission has also been granted Italy-based forward Victor Osimhen to sit out the matches.

    It is the first gathering of the Super Eagles this year, with the coronavirus pandemic shutting down football globally since the month of March.

    This was just before two 2021 AFCON qualifiers with Sierra Leone, and the matches will now hold in November.

    Match organisers Eurodata Sport has clarified that no fan will be allowed inside the stadium for any of the two matches, in conformity with extant protocols on the coronavirus pandemic.

    Both matches will kick off at 8:30 p.m. Austria time (9:30 p.m Nigeria time).

    THE FULL LIST OF EXPECTED PLAYERS

    Goalkeepers: Dele Alampasu (FK Ventspils, Latvia); Matthew Yakubu (SKF Sered, Slovakia); Maduka Okoye (Sparta Rotterdam, The Netherlands)

    Defenders: Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain); Leon Balogun (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Chidozie Awaziem (FC Boavista, Portugal); William Ekong (Udinese FC, Italy)

    Olaoluwa Aina (Fulham FC, England); Jamilu Collins (SC Padeborn 07, Germany); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal)

    Midfielders: Mikel Agu (Vitoria Guimaraes, Portugal); Tyronne Ebuehi (FC Twente, Netherlands); Frank Onyeka (FC Midtjylland, Denmark); Samson Tijani (TSV Hartberg, Austria)

    Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Al Nassr, Saudi Arabia); Alex Iwobi (Everton FC, England); Paul Onuachu (KRC Genk, Belgium); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC, Spain)

    Cyril Dessers (KRC Genk, Belgium); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Samuel Kalu (Girondins Bordeaux, France); Chidera Ejuke (CSKA Moscow, Russia)

    Standby: Abdullahi Shehu (Bursaspor, Turkey); Ramon Azeez (Granada CF, Spain); Joshua Maja (Girondins Bordeaux, France); Henry Onyekuru (AS Monaco, France)

  • Rohr to sign new Super Eagles contract

    Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr is expected to sign a new contract with the Nigeria Football Federation next week.

    Rohr has been locked in discussion with the NFF over an extension to his current contract which is expected to end in June.

    The NFF insisted on inserting several clauses in Rohr’s new contract which the German trainer seems ready to abide with.

    “The executive committee mandated the general secretary to liase with Super Eagles technical adviser, Gernot Rohr, with a view to concluding all matters around his new contract within the next one week,” according to a statement by the NFF.

    The 66-year-old took charge of the Super Eagles in 2016 and qualified the three-time African champions to the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

    The Super Eagles however failed to progress beyond the group stage at the competition.

    Rohr also led the Super Eagles to a third place at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

  • NFF shouldn’t have made Rohr’s contract public – Akanni

    A former Chairman of Lagos State Football Association, Mr. Wahidi Akanni said the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has been unfair to Gernot Rohr, the Super Eagles’ Head Coach.

    According to Akanni, the public disclosure of terms and conditions of a possible renewal of Rohr’s contract by the NFF was unnecessary.

    Earlier, NFF President Amaju Pinnick had said Rohr would be handed a new contract to sign if he agreed to the terms.

    Akanni, an ex-international, said that making Rohr’s contract public as Pinnick did would only mean that the two parties had not been communicating effectively.

    “I think, with the back and forth media correspondences between NFF and Rohr, it is obvious that both are not talking.

    “A contract between an employee and his employer should not be in the public for that matter. Changing terms in an employment contract also should not be a problem if it’s acceptable by the employee.

    “But, while we hope this will be resolved quickly and amicably, one must acknowledge that NFF has no right to make the contract public because this will bring in a lot of negative sentiments against the coach,” he said.

  • NFF, Rohr work out modality for COVID-19 pay cut

    NFF, Rohr work out modality for COVID-19 pay cut

    Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr has agreed to a pay-cut in the face of dwindling fortune as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic as part of his solidarity to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in this troublesome period.

    The German coach, who was on a reported $55,000 salary as per the last contract renewal in 2019, has reliably informed his employers of his willingness to a pay cut as both parties dally over a new contract.

    NFF 2nd Vice president Shehu Dikko said the 66-year-old former Bayern Munich is eagerly looking forward to the extension of his contract and it was just a matter of time that all issues surrounding the contract will be sorted out.

    “Both parties are mutually on the same page,” assured Dikko. I can tell you as the extension contract is being prepared, there is an ongoing conversation between the parties to smoothen any rough edges or red flags which I believe there is none so far.

    “This is in addition to the conversation that took place prior to commencement of the extension contract preparation.”

    Though the final contact paper to be tabled before Rohr is still in the works since it involves inputs from various departments of the NFF including technical, legal, legal committee , strategy committee , Technical Committee and Executive committee.

    Yet Dikko said everything was on course, adding the coach is pained that the NFF would presumably lose income following the suspension of football activities as result of COVID-19.

    He said: “In fact even within this ongoing conversation, Rohr agreed to offer a pay cut for the next few months in view of the COVID -19 impact to the economy as a form of solidarity to NFF and the sponsors.

    “The only thing left is to agree the actual percentage of the pay cut and actually this conversation was even before the England Manager Gareth Southgate did the same in England.

    “So this clearly shows you the cordial relationship between the NFF and the Rohr contrary to what a section of the media portrays.

    “So both parties are hopeful to cross this bridge soonest and just like it was done before so that all focus on the job at hand,” added Dikko who doubles as the chairman of the League Management Company (LMC)-the body in charge of the Organisation of the domestic professional league.

  • Pinnick applauds FG’s intervention on COVID-19, clears air on Rohr’s contract

    Pinnick applauds FG’s intervention on COVID-19, clears air on Rohr’s contract

    President of the Nigeria Football Federation Amaju Melvin Pinnick has lauded the efforts of the Federal Government of Nigeria(FGN) in containing the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, describing measures taken so far as “effective and re-assuring”.

    Speaking on Arise TV yesterday Pinnick said: “I want to commend the Federal Government for the efforts so far in tackling this pandemic. The Government’s strategy across all the States of the Federation has paid off and it is incumbent on all of us citizens to join the global army to fight this virus off the planet Earth.

    “On our part at the NFF. We are working with stakeholders, taking a cue from (world football –governing body) FIFA to intervene in certain areas.

    “As an individual, I have a foundation by the name Brownhill Foundation, which has taken measures to support what the Government is doing, but we don’t want to talk about this. We are doing what we can in Delta and Lagos States and some other places.”

    On the impact of the pandemic on the Nigeria football sector, with the game having been shut down since 19th March 2020, Pinnick stated: “We will sit down with our (official premium) partners AITEO with regards to the AITEO Cup competition, to see how we can still put this year’s edition together.

    “There is also the AITEO/NFF Awards (in its third edition). This year’s edition is meant to celebrate the Super Falcons. We have plans to celebrate them but we don’t know how to go about it. So, we will sit down with our sponsors to figure things out.”

    On the ad-hoc committee set up by the football –ruling body to investigate the death of Nasarawa United FC player Chineme Martins and recommend appropriate safety, security and medical measures in the interest of the domestic game, Pinnick disclosed that the panel has finished its field work. “The committee has worked to an appreciable level; done with its report. The members have done a great job in a short time and I must commend them.

    Meanwhile the NFF President also revealed the conditions in the new contract offered to Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr.

    Rohr has been at the helm of the national team since 2016 and his current contract is expected to expire in July.

    On Monday, Pinnick disclosed the German coach has been offered a new deal which comes with receiving his salary in local currency (naira) and also staying in the West African country.

    “We have told him. He must live in Nigeria. His salary will be in naira. He must go around the leagues and see how he can nurture the players,” Pinnick told Arise TV. “If he is able to accept it, we have a deal.

    There are a lot of coaches that want to coach Nigeria.

    “We will seek legal opinions on international coaches’ contracts. We shall also seek the opinion of the Sports Ministry. He should get the contract (with the new conditions) in about a week’s time so that he can revert after studying it.”

    Rohr has enjoyed success with the Super Eagles since his arrival, guiding them to the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia and a third-place place finish at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

    The three-time African champions are on course to qualify for the 2021 AFCON as they sit on top of Group L after securing back-to-back wins in their first two qualifying games.

  • Coronavirus: Rohr sends goodwill message to Nigerians

    Coronavirus: Rohr sends goodwill message to Nigerians

    Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr has appealed to Nigerians including the fans of the Super Eagles to remain positive and adhere strictly to all outlined precautions by the government in order to stem the tide of Coronavirus pandemic.

    The German coach in his appeal message to football fans amidst growing fear over the outbreak said the virulent virus must not be allowed to stop friendship.

    “This virus cannot (and must not be allowed) to stop friendship,” the 66-year-old Rohr former Bayern Munich defender told Nation Sport from his home in France.

    Rohr is regarded as a ‘friend of Africa’ after coaching clutches of teams on the continent including Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia; Les Panthères (The Panthers) of Gabon; Ménas of Niger as well as Les Étalons (The Stallions) of Burkina Faso before berthing in Nigeria in 2016.

    In his message of solidarity yesterday, the German said COVID-19 can be defeated if all Nigerians do the needful.

    “You know we all live all the time in our Super Eagles as family,” noted Rohr who has supervised 49 matches as coach of Nigeria. “It’s the same solidarity we have with our fans and this must be conserved during this challenging time with COVID-19.

    “I beg all our fans to follow all the precautions and procedures so that we can stop the spread of this deadly virus. We all have to respect the restrictions and I believe that we are going to see very soon.“

    Rohr was on the verge of penning a two-year contract before the outbreak of COVID-19 that led to the suspension of all football activities, but he remains hopeful.

    He said: “I hope by June or July we should be back on the stream again with football activities and I hope we shall all find ourselves in good health.

    “But for us to be in good health, we must follow all the advice that can help us stop the spread of COVID-19; and I’m happy none of our players have tested positive to the virus.

    “I’m in close contact with the players, and they are training at home regularly in their homes just as I do with my children. This is truly the time for family and solidarity, “added Rohr.

  • AFCON 2021 qualifiers: Rohr confident of key players’ availability

    AFCON 2021 qualifiers: Rohr confident of key players’ availability

    Super Eagles Coach Gernot Rohr has expressed confidence that the core of his players will be available for next month’s AFCON 2021 qualifiers despite injuries to key players over the weekend across different clubs in Europe, AOIFootball.com reports.

    Speaking exclusively to AOIFootball.com, the Franco-German tactician who maintains a close eye on his players, revealed that he already spoke to the players in question and believes they will be ready for the Sierra Leone doubleheader.

    “I’m very confident that our injured players will come back soon. There is only one big injury which is Uzoho because he is out for several months but the other ones like Osimhen will be okay very soon and is already better. Omeruo has only a knock on the head, Kalu whom I saw, is already nursing a comeback this weekend.

    “For Moses Simon, we have to wait to know the extent and for Ndidi he is resting very well and will be fit very soon and then we have a little injury for Etebo but its not a big one and he couldn’t play over the weekend,” Rohr stated.

    Rohr’s clarification will come as a massive boost for Eagles following injuries in Spain to Omeruo and Etebo whilst France-based duo of Victor Osimhen and Moses Simon had to be subbed after scoring for their sides.

    Nigeria currently tops Group L of the 2021 AFCON table and will almost certainly land in Cameroon should they pick maximum points against Sierra Leone who are 3rd on the table with one solitary point.

  • How Super Eagles Coach Rohr’s fate will be decided – NFF

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF)’s technical committee will decide the fate of Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr, according to General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi.

    Rohr who started coaching the Super Eagles in 2016 will need a contract renewal as his present agreement ends in June 2020.

    The President of the NFF Amaju Pinnick has said the coach will be handed another contract if he agrees to the addition of new clauses.

    The development has divided football fans in Nigeria with Rohr expressing sadness at the development at the Glass House.

    While speaking about the contract impasse between the NFF and the German gaffer, Sanusi admitted that he is not in a position to know the coach’s fate.

    According to the NFF scribe, the body’s technical department and committee to decide the fate of the German tactician.

    “The issue of appointment and sacking of coaches is the responsibility of the technical department and also the technical committee,” he told Nigeria Info FM.

    “If you want to know whether the Super Eagles coach will be sacked or not, you should ask the technical department or the technical committee.”

  • NFF denies owing Rohr three months’ salary

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has said it is only owing Super Eagles head coach, Gernot Rohr for the month of September.

    The NFF was reacting to a tweet from London based journalist, Osasu Obayiuwana who claimed that the German coach was owed three months’ salaries which came to $150,000.

    The nation’s football governing body made its position known on its twitter handle yesterday.

    “The NFF wishes to put records straight with regards to a claim in the social media on Friday, 11th October 2019 that the football house is owing Super Eagles’ Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr, three months’ salary.

    “As we speak, Mr. Rohr is only being owed salary for the month of September 2019, which is being processed,” the tweets added.