President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Mr. Amaju
Melvin Pinnick has explained that the resolve of the Federation’s leadership to
ensure there are no distractions of any size or complexion around Nigeria’s
2018 FIFA World Cup preparation and participation informed the offer of a
fresh, two –year contract to Super Eagles’ Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr.
Franco-German
Rohr, signed by the NFF in August 2016, has met the first milestone of his
contract, which is qualifying the Super Eagles for a sixth FIFA World Cup
finals. Nigeria thoroughly overhauled a so –called Group of Death,
spanking 2012 AFCON winners Zambia home and away and earning four points from
home-and-away clashes with fellow 2014 World Cup finalists Cameroon and
Algeria. Second –placed Zambia finished six points behind the Super Eagles.
“We have
decided to confront head-on any possible area of conflict or controversy, and
fully resolve each and every possible friction point well ahead of the
competition.
“After
signing the agreement on payment to the team from expected FIFA income, the
next stage was to take care of the Technical Adviser. He has done very well and
does not need to go into the World Cup uncertain of his future,” stated
Pinnick.
The 64
–year old Rohr, a former Germany defender, flaunts a sterling record with the
Super Eagles, winning seven of 12 matches and drawing four in his 15 months in
charge so far. His only loss was the 0-2 reverse to South Africa’s Bafana
Bafana in a 2019 AFCON qualifier in Uyo in June 2017.
Under him,
the Eagles have beaten Tanzania, Zambia (twice), Algeria, Togo, Cameroon and
two –time world champions Argentina, and drawn with Senegal, Corsica, Cameroon
and Algeria.
Following
the 1-0 defeat of Zambia in Uyo on 7th October that guaranteed
Nigeria’s place at the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia, Rohr, whose qualifying squad
has been declared the youngest of all 32 finalists, he said, “I love working
with this group. I am delighted being at the head of such a wonderful, level
–headed and ambitious squad.”
After
signing a two –year contract with the NFF last year, Rohr said: “I have a
German heart – the heart of a winner. I have confidence that with the right
atmosphere and the right support, the Super Eagles have the capacity not only
to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, but to get to the latter stages of the
competition.”
ROHR’S
RECORD
03/09/2016:
Nigeria 1 Tanzania 0 (AFCON Qualifier, Uyo)
09/10/2017:
Zambia 1 Nigeria 2 (WC Qualifier, Ndola)
12/11/2016:
Nigeria 3 Algeria 1 (WC Qualifier, Uyo)
23/03/2017:
Nigeria 1 Senegal 1 (Friendly, London)
27/05/2017:
Corsica 1 Nigeria 1 (Friendly, Ajaccio)
01/06/2017:
Nigeria 3 Togo 0 (Friendly, Paris)
10/06/2017:
Nigeria 0 South Africa 2 (AFCON Qualifier, Uyo)
01/09/2017:
Nigeria 4 Cameroon 0 (WC Qualifier, Uyo)
04/09/2017:
Cameroon 1 Nigeria 1 (WC Qualifier, Yaounde)
07/10/2017:
Nigeria 1 Zambia 0 (WC Qualifier, Uyo)
10/11/2017:
Algeria 1 Nigeria 1 (WC Qualifier, Constantine)
14/11/2017:
Argentina 2 Nigeria 4 (Friendly, Krasnodar)
0 Comments