By Akinwale Kasali
Before Tuesday’s Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Blue Sharks of Cape Verde at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos, calls for the sack of Coach Gernot Rohr had been in the front burner.
After the lackluster display by the team, with the game ending at 1-1, calls for his sack escalated among fans, football enthusiasts, ex-internationals and soccer analysts.
Early Thursday, the media was awash with the rumoured sack of the Franco-German tactician of the Super Eagles. It was highly celebrated by many soccer loving Nigerians.
But, the joy was short lived, as the Amaju Melvin Pinnick- led Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, distanced the Federation from such rumours.
Debunking the rumoured sack of Rohr, the NFF Assistant Director, Media, Ademola Olajire, denied knowledge of the development.
Olajire insisted that it’s only after a Board meeting of the NFF and a signed statement released that Rohr’s sack could be authenticated.
“I’m not aware of Rohr’s sack because there are procedures for doing things at the Federation.
“Before such a decision could be taken, there will be a meeting of the NFF Board and a release issued to the public.
“As for now, I’m not aware of the sack. The online platforms that reported the story cannot announce his sack without confirmation from the NFF,” Olajire said.
Corroborating Olajide, NFF President, Pinnick said that no such decision has been taken.
“The Board of the NFF is studying the report of the Technical Committee, which it submitted after the match against Cape Verde in Lagos on Tuesday. There are a number of possibilities but we have not taken a decision to sack Gernot Rohr. I want to assure you that whatever decision is eventually taken will be one that will please the generality of Nigerians.
“Mr Rohr has a contract with the NFF and there is a procedure for disengagement. If we get to that bridge, both parties will look at the contract and see what has to be done both ways,” he said.
“The Super Eagles’ squad is a national asset and we are just fortunate to be in that space to make decisions. Any decision we take must be what will be acceptable to Nigerians from far and near.”
Former Super Eagles Coach and Ex-International, Sunday Oliseh, has continually expressed dismay at the level Rohr had taken the national team.
“It’s disgusting the level the coach has taken our football to.
“I watched the game and we didn’t have a definite pattern and a philosophy of how we play. I dare ask what he has achieved in five years with these talented players at his disposal.
“Since his appointment, this coach has been paid $55,000 per month, the sum of $2,640,000 by a country where the U-17, U-23, the Super Falcons and Super Eagles are threatening strike for unpaid wages. Put that in perspective for a moment, our football is not the same as it was. We need a fresh direction before it’s too late.”
In the same vein, Former England striker, John Fashanu, did not mince words on whether Rohr should remain in charge of the Eagles.
“It is time for Rohr to pack his bags and move on.
We’ve got so many potential Managers in the country and why do we feel the need to bring somebody who has to change his whole life to understand the dynamics of Nigerian football because the dynamics in Nigeria are quite unusual.
“It is also unbelievable that he is earning $55,000 monthly. I fell off the chair when I heard how much he earns. Do you know what that amount could do to a village; it could change the dynamics of everybody.
“I really cherish what I said earlier; let us love our own people because it was a sad day for me on Thursday. Before now, Nigeria losing to CAR was unheard of. I want the Sports Minister to please take note because he is the only man who can make a difference. Please let’s get this right and send Gernot Rohr packing.”
Africa’s Pillar of Football, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, also called for the sack of Rohr.
The former Abia State Governor says Rohr’s five years as Eagles boss is a ‘waste’, calling on the NFF to sack the former Girodins Bordeaux Football Club gaffer.
Taking to his Facebook page, Senator Kalu said, “In the last five years we have wasted our time in football.
“There is nothing new we are doing any longer. To see a country with many professional players home and abroad struggling to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations and World Cup is heartbreaking. Gernot Rohr is not a good coach and I don’t understand why he is still managing Super Eagles.
“When I was Governor, he applied to become employed as Enyimba coach. He was brought to Nigeria by Oscar Udoji but I refused to employ him. I am calling on the Chairman of NFF, Mr Amaju Pinnick to wake up and to quickly find a replacement for Rohr.
“We, soccer lovers don’t need further dissatisfaction in a game, we have the capacity to make ourselves proud. If the problems you have this year are the same problems you had last year, then you are not a leader. You are rather a problem on your own that must be solved.”
Rohr is the longest serving Coach of the Super Eagles. He was appointed head coach of the Super Eagles in August 2016, and he led the team to a third-place finish at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations and qualified Nigeria for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, with the team booted out in the Group Stages.
The failure of the Super Eagles to sack Rohr, the magazine gathered, is that NFF has paucity of fund to pay him off if sacked, as the Franco-German gaffer has one year left on his contract, which expires in December 2022.
Also, getting a technically sound new Coach will be a Herculean task for the NFF and payment of the Coach will be difficult.
Rohr, according to information gathered, is presently being owed by the NFF, which makes it difficult to sack him.
But, some soccer analysts argued that failure of the NFF to sack Rohr and continually back him despite his shambolic performance and his lack of technical ability speak volumes.
They added that no indigenous Coach would have been given such privilege if he performed below expectation.
Jerry Musa, a Soccer analysts complained bitterly that Rohr does not have what it takes to lead a team like Nigeria, pointing out that the NFF and Rohr are hiding something from Nigerians.
“The Super Eagles lack motivation, tenacity and fire power. They hardly string three successful passes.
“Rohr has cemented his place as the worst Nigeria coach to have cemented his place and keep his job. He was again his typical self with his poor game reading ability, poor substitution and tactical deficiency”, he said.
