…Pundits urge Rohr to brace up
Prominent football followers are not impressed with the quality of play put up by Nigeria’s Super Eagles, when they tangoed with the Teranga Lions of Senegal in a friendly international in London last week Thursday.
Although, both teams played a 1-1 draw, the pundits believed that Nigeria, with the array of stars on parade, deserved to show some class and win the match.
The likes of former Under-20 national team coach, John Obuh; former Under-23 assistant coach, Fatai Amoo; and former Super Eagles midfielder, Friday Ekpo; had hoped to see an entirely new attack when the Eagles filed out against Teranga Lions.
But they were surprised to see that the attack, led by Manchester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho, could only produce a penalty goal that eventually rescued the team from a shock defeat.
Obuh scored Iheanacho low, urging the coach, Gernot Rohr, to work on Iheanacho’s psychology and temperament to improve the Machester City forward’s scoring form.
The 21-year-old missed scoring chances, before scoring from the spot to earn the Super Eagles a 1-1 draw against Senegal to preserve the team’s unbeaten run.
He said, “It is very difficult to comment on a game you were not able to see live, but based on what I heard, I think 1-1 is still okay, because we are still enjoying the euphoria of Rohr not losing a game.
Either by luck or otherwise, he is still keeping intact the unbeaten run record. We can take solace in their form.
Showing they are working hard for us to qualify for the World Cup.
He said, “Considering the team we played, which is above us in the ranking, I think we are on course. I will advise him to try to make sure that 70 per cent of his players play together more and more.
“If any new player is coming, let him try as much as possible to observe very well with many changes, because continuity will be helpful in his success.”
Amao also advised the team to work hard and reduce experimentation, adding, “I think the concept he used was a good one, but he needs to put the players together now and make a good standing team out of the players he featured against Senegal.
Nigeria’s opponents in the World Cup qualifiers are also watching our steps.
They are already armed with enough information on our players, so we should be more careful now,” he said. Ekpo in his submissions praised Rohr’s efforts, especially, his courage and determination to build a strong team for Nigeria.
He said Nigerians should be able to judge after watching Isaac Success and Kayode Olanrewaju against Senegal.
“People may not be too excited about the match, but I think the players tried. It is not easy to blend a new team in few days.
The players gave good account of themselves. The players should be encouraged and think about qualifying for the World Cup which is the ultimate,” Ekpo said.
“Kayode wasn’t as lively as Success, but having lost two chances, it was assuring that he was well positioned to put the ball in the back of the net, and this is something that will surely only improve with time.
Thanks to his goal-scoring exploits with Austria Vienna, where he has netted 16 times in 38 games this season, there is relief that Rohr finally gave the former ASEC 38 Mimosa’s man his first international cap.”
