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Make white man talk am. maybe na then some of una go listen. lol

Has Gernot Rohr reached the end of the road with the Super Eagles?
Ed Dove
14:06 ET | Nov 15

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The Franco-German coach has a point to prove after one of Nigeria’s worst results during his tenure
Four and a half years after Gernot Rohr was first appointed by Nigeria, the German coach finds himself at a crossroads during his time as Super Eagles head coach.

Friday’s 4-4 draw with Sierra Leone, a defeat in almost everything but name, represented one of the national side’s worst performances in living memory.

Ironically, the first half an hour of that match represented one of their finest spells of football since Rohr took the helm, as the Super Eagles put four past the Leone Stars without response, and appeared on course for a record-breaking victory.

However, the subsequent collapse threatens to become the defining moment of Rohr’s troubled time at the helm.

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Nigeria, their confidence ebbing away with each Sierra Leonean goal, wilted over the next hour of action, with their midfield losing control, their defence flagging under pressure, and the attacking unit increasingly toothless.

Rohr watched on impotently as his side unravelled, ultimately losing two points in the race for Cameroon but, more critically, enduring a hammer-blow to their morale and denting the nation’s fragile confidence in the Super Eagles.

While the players’ professionalism and attitude must be questioned, Rohr must also take a considerable portion of the blame.

Time and again his substitutions have proved ineffective and have too regularly appeared to cost Nigeria momentum and control in a match, rather than helping the Eagles consolidate their authority and continue to take the game to opposition.

It was as clear as day, as Friday’s match swung in the Leone Stars’ favour, that Nigeria’s midfield was labouring, yet Rohr watched on helplessly, making tweaks and cosmetic re-alignments, rather than fixing the gaping hole in the hear of the team.

Certainly, it can be hard to find too much logic in some of Rohr’s substitutions, and sometimes, his changes appear to be made just for the sake of it.

Why, for example, remove the influential Samuel Chukwueze, whose movement and running gave the Leone Stars something to be worried about behind their defence?

Why remove Leon Balogun for Semi Ajayi? Why introduce strikers Paul Onuachu and Kelechi Iheanacho when the midfield requires bolstering?

The substitutions themselves are problematic, as are the timings of the changes…Rohr dithers, watching on as Rome burns, when a proactive approach is required.

Then, the broader squad selection must also be questioned.

In the past, we’ve seen Nigeria setting themselves up to fail, rather than succeed, and it feels as though the same is happening again with Rohr.

Many eyebrows were raised when the German coach named four midfielders—one of whom was right-back Tyronne Ebuehi—in his squad for the double-header against the Leone Stars.

It was hard to see, without injured Wilfried Ndidi, who would offer the defensive rigour in the heart of the park, and there were always going to be a certain issue of the practicality of a Joe Aribo-Oghenkaro Etebo midfield pairing.

Unsurprisingly, both of these two problems—both very predictable—came home to roost for the Super Eagles, as the duo in the centre were targeted and ultimately overrun as the contest went on.

Why replace injured winger Moses Simon with Onuachu?

Why replace Frank Onyeka with Shehu Abdullahi?

Why invite two right-backs and then play centre-back Kevin Akpoguma in that position?

Was there no place for Ramon Azeez, Kelechi Nwakali, Mikel Agu, Uche Agbo, Anderson Esiti or Okechukwu Azubuike?

Perhaps they haven’t always impressed with the national side, but any of them should be a competent option—should Etebo tire or get injured, say—against a side ranked 120th in the world.

These are all questions, perhaps, that the NFF and Amaju Pinnick should have been asking Rohr and his team when federation officials called for a summit on Saturday morning to understand what went wrong in the 4-4 draw.

The federation also have some questions to answer, specifically about the decision to offer Rohr a new contract in May 2020—ahead of the World Cup, before the Eagles’ underwhelming performance and first-round exit at the grandest stage of all.

While Rohr’s handling of the 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign—after being drawn with 2012, 2017 and 2019 Africa Cup of Nations champions Zambia, Cameroon and Algeria—was a fine achievement for a progressive, adventurous side, the West African giants haven’t built on the promise of those years.

The coach’s desire to constantly cut the average age of the side, and oversee consistent influxes of new faces may have resulted in Nigeria being the youngest squad at the 2018 World Cup, but has it also denied the Eagles of some critical experience and calming older heads who can help the team get through difficult periods.

Introducing youth around a spine of Ndidi, John Obi Mikel and Odion Ighalo was one thing, but with the three of them absent, Rohr’s Super Eagles project may be entering it’s terminal phase.

Frohrd said Akpos is better in the air. Why so much emphasis on air for a RB when we needed a CB with air prowess? Why Akpos no use he head prevent those crosses? Lol

Kog45:
Hmmm,Aina on the bench against Algeria,Tunisia and funny enough him and Ebuehi on the bench against Sierra Leone...
Walahi Rohr dey craze.

I can saying it anywhere that Sanusi is not better than Aina.

Ebuehi as RB and Aina LB! Shikena..

No team in Africa will ever respect this team. And when small teams don't respect you, na so so struggle struggle o.

It was against Croatia I knew it. Croatia was a big team granted. But I could see then handwriting on the wall.

Karlovich:
I agree with you that Rohr is not a good tactician, our game against Argentina in the world cup was where I realized it.

obvious to who? lol

Mujtahida:
You put your finger right where the decline or ineptitude became obvious.

white man no get sentiments. wetin u dey talk?

forgiveness:
Are you not one of them? Dem dey use national team do business!?

Sentiment no dey play football. I don talk tey tey but una no wan hear word.

If he do dat same selection for Sierra Leone, na go count goals tire because this Sierra Leone get stamina and tactics.

if this team go world cup commot Ndidi and Osimhen, e don finish o.
Now I am seeing the importance of Ndidi to this team. But a team without good back up is spineless.

elunico:
Without Osimhen on Tuesday, where are the goals gonna come from? Dude has got like 4 goals 4 assists in the qualifiers already.

fROHRd

finding a solid assistant is very hard for us to do. By the time we realize it will be too late. We will have wasted years with the potential at our disposal. I don't think our players are great, but a coach that knows what he is doing can achieve a lot with this set of players.

Karlovich:
I mean subsequently, WC qualifiers start in May 2021. I don't think we can afford to sack him now. We still have some games before then.

For one thing, this team under Rohr will not be able to compete well globally. There is more science to the game at that level than just pulling a string of players and waiting for them to gel and start playing with a style.

andrewbaba44:
Lol you said let’s see

I don talk am yesterday say if rohr win next 2 games una go change una mind

We will beat Sierra Leone at their home but that one no mean anything

of course Akpoguma was outstanding! this guy is now behaving like our home based coaches in this regard lol

fabyom:
I just listened to Rohr interview. Osigoal is out with a shoulder injury, Dennis with ankle, and Chukweze with groin (He might recover before the next match). Balogun is fine now. He was substituted for Ajayi cos of injury. Akpoguna will start again at freetown, according to Rohr he was outstanding on friday. Lesson learnt. #Wemove. Failure is an opportunity to begin again more intelligently.

Even if we had managed a 4-3 win I will have still abused this team. But at least if we saw Rohr make a couple changes that helped us manage a slim win, we go manage am. But those Sierra Leoneans exploited Akpoguma's wing. I don't know who the Sierra Leonean coach is, but by that single feat he has shown he is a better match reader than Rohr lol

MetalJigsaw:
To a lowly Siera Loene oo

At least let me not take that aspect away from him. You and many others know I have been singing this tune for long. I've figured him out long. But there is something new I have noticed about him that a few here have also noticed. We saw in the friendlies that Akpoguma was not effective as a RB. Why not let the guy fight for a place in CB? Is Akpoguma better than Aina or Ebuehi at RB? They have all been tested there and we know the answer.

And to Okoye (and other new players especially MODIFIED), let's not get carried away about European football. Your performance in Europe earns you a call up. But when you come to SE, you have to be judged by your performance in the Green White Green alone. It's either you are not good enough or the coach simply does not know how to utilize you.

Someone here was still trying to excuse Rohr for the Benin disaster, tying to blame the players alone. If you are a coach and your opponent pulls 1 goal back. 2 goals and then 3, and you still cannot make changes that shows that you know what you are doing, is it the players to blame?

Mujtahida:
Rohr has nothing to redeem him. He wasn't hired to manage players but to win games.

they are kicking well. Thanks for asking!

DrLikita12:
I know. Comedy of errors
Hope the little one and madam are doing well.

politics and money

but it was in same pitch we led 4-0 at some point

MetalJigsaw:
Why the hell did Rohr OK that pitch? What happened to the Uyo one?

And Rohr don't have commonsense?

Subzero047:
This is not even about football knowledge, this is just common sense

that's what you get when you employ an analyst to deputize a clueless tactician.

Subzero047:
Yobo has common sense, do you think he would not have told Rohr that inviting only 3 midfielders is counter productive?

Yobo was an analyst before he took up the job

it's funny how we spend countless pages abusing ourselves over our preferred players but when the real matter dey on ground na results like this we dey get. Let's use our time progressively. At least argue about the best tactics and coach for the team lol

He tested Ajayi there during the friendlies. It would have been better to put Ajayi there again instead of playing with no DM. At least we would have scrapped a win. lol

Curtisaxel7:
I blame Rohr for not inviting a single proper DM. That is where he lost the whole thing.

How are you sure he doesn't listen to his assistants? well, we got Yobo, who I've always sounded was not the right decision. If you need a coach to learn on the job, who does he learn from? Rohr? will he be learning how to manage players?

Subzero047:
I don't think he listens to anybody because some of his decisions defy common sense that even Yobo will tell him

SENTIMENTS

Ihenzy:
Rohr feels he was doing Musa and kelvin a Favour. Most especially starting kelvin at RB in a team he is yet to gel with and also against an African opposition.
Why not use your regulars and integrate kelvin into the team gradually but no baba feels it will be a thing of pride playing his beloved German.
As for musa, I don't know what basis rohr is even playing him sef. You could invite him to lift tje spirit in camp but starting him is a No for me.
After all the man has never looked like a coach to me

What Rohr is lacking there is no assistant to fill it. It's an easy fix get a solid assistant or get a coach who has those abilities as well. Player management is not enough to go far.

thank you. next thing they will make reference to the time we were not qualifying for AFCON.

IDENNAA:
This is just unacceptable, just disastrous. I said it before here even if Rohr wins the nation's cup he must still go. We are cutting this guy slacks just because he is white.

lol my moniker sef don do the first work.. nice one!

Edopesin:
Congratulations! Joe Bi den junior, He sure bounced Donald Trump out of the white house

More God continue to give you and your family reasons to smile sir

thanks boss

solonnachi:
Congratulations to you Sir. Proud father

I pray you get the ones you are praying for now. As for me, I don hang up my boots. lol

nairalandankrah:
Congrats bro!!More kiddos coming your way..

lol.. so far I have been sleeping well. unlike the first one lol

IDENNAA:
Cc. Joebie

I got 4 of them blood suckers

Anyway ,enjoy the sleepless night and cries

na u dey busy dey calculate months lol. thanks though

temi1290:
Congratulations Joebie, your Valentine's seed brought forth fruit,we thank God

na so.. see wahala o! I was waiting to praise this team, that this is the way to demolish a lesser team. Now who I go blame? the boys? Hell no!

do4luv14:
To oga Joebie, congratulation, as wey dey yarn for warri, Oshare na Osah you be


and the Odenigo himsef, chaii the baba Ibeji of this thread I rejoice with you @ Idenna

Thank you my sister! A bad day to return here

DrLikita12:
Congratulations

it's unforgivable to give up a 4 goal lead at home.

Sportilitica:
Not surprised with this result. We underrated them in the second half

the comeback no be fluke. This Nigeria team no be am

correction: you know who the real culprit is