Super Eagles German technical adviser Gernot Rohr has proven his mettle in his short stay as the coach of the Super Eagles of Nigeria. His emergence has brought stability and improved form to the team.
The Nigeria Senior national team has been on the ascension in CAF and FIFA rankings since the German gaffer got the mantle of tinkering the team.
The team is yet to lose a match he resumed office. Apart from thinkering the Super Eagles of Nigeria, Gernot Rohr has postulated with special reference to Egusi and Peppersoup. In this chat with FEMI FABUNMI, the German tactician speaks on a whole lot of sundry issues. Excerpts.
How did you get the Super Eagles job?
Well, the position was vacant, I was out of job too, NFF needed to hire a coach and somebody from the glass house put a call across to me applied and I got the job.
You once coached Niger Republic and Burkina Faso National teams, how would you rate them compared to Nigeria National team?
Truth is I was Chief Coach of these two senior national teams but you can’t compare them to this country. Nigeria is bigger than these two countries.
Do you relate well with your local assistant coaches?
Sure, we are best of friends we get along very well.
How would you rate the Nigerian Professional Football league?
The Nigerian league is one of the best in Africa, it is full of talent but they have to improve on facilities.
Officiating too has to improve, the Nigerian referees are trying but there is room for improvement.
How often do you see the NPFL?
I try as much as possible to watch the Nigerian league, moreso, I endeavour to meet with coaches of these local club sides, this is another way of improving the league.
Nigerian coaches are wonderful, willing to learn and introduce one or two things that will help improve their sides.
How would you access working in Africa as against in Europe?
The facilities and working environment in Europe is top-notch, all working equipment are readily available. The facilities over there are highly technical and very easy to use, but the same cannot be said of Africa.
However, Africa is trying their best too, but truth is we improve to work here.
As the coach of the Super Eagle of Nigeria, where do you spend most of your time?
I work in Nigeria, most of my time I spend in this country. The people of Nigeria are very wonderful people, so I am happy to be in their midst.
Steven Odey of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM FC) is the current highest goal scorer in the Nigeria professional football league, how come he has not gotten a looking into the national team of Nigeria?
I have seen Steven Odey play on many occasions. He is a very good striker, no doubt about that, but we have a winning team already, it is bad to change a winning team at this point in time.
However, we will invite him in due course, it could be against one of our opponents in friendly games. Surely, we will definitely invite him when the time is right.
We have seen coaches try out new formation and tactics, when should we expect such from you?
Let me tell you something, club sides in Europe, America and Asia can experiment because their season is very long. They have a lot of matches to play, but the story is not the same with national teams. Nobody experiments with the national team.
If what we are using now is still working for us, I wouldn’t want to change it now.
We can experiment with 3;4;3 formation. In our friendly games. Just recently, you chose Ogenyi Onazi as captain ahead of assistant captain Ahmed Musa what informs this choice?
We wanted to choose somebody who can lead well and plays regularly for his clubside. We all know Ahmed Musa has not been playing regularly for some time now for his EPL clubside Lecelster.
If you look at it, you would realize Onazi also fits that position and we went for him.
How do you draw up your team last, considering the fact that we have many good players playing for clubsides home and abroad?
It is good that many of our players are doing well at this point in time, but truth is we cannot invite everybody at the same time. Having many good players is a positive problem we have to deal with.
Do you keep contact with coaches of Super Eagles Players?
We do that all the time, we constantly keep in touch with these coaches just to know how the Nigerian players in their fold are doing.
What of those who joined the Chinese league?
They are also closely monitored too on a regular basis. We are leaving to stone unturned in a bid to ensure that the Nigeria national teams are well positioned.
Who draws up the Super Eagles list?
I do, I short listed all Super Eagles list except the first one, the reason is simple and clear, I was still new at that time.
You have been in Nigeria for sometime tell us your best Nigerian dishes?
I love Nigerian food especially Egusi and peppersoup. It taste so nice and I can eat it everyday.
A lot of African teams have defense problems, who would you solve the Super Eagles defense issues?
Well, we are already working on that, that is the reason we keep looking for good Nigerian defenders soonest that problem will be a thing of the past.
Some players have been invited to Super Eagles but haven’t gotten play time, when will this happen?
Very soon, we will try a whole lot of them in our friendlies, the likes of Ola Aina, Tyronne Ebuehi, Chuba Akpom and a host of others will be tested.
Are you being owed salaries?
I wouldn’t want to discuss that now, but let me assure you that everything is okay with me.
What happen if Nigeria fails to qualify for Russia 2018?
I will leave my position as technical adviser of the Super Eagles of Nigeria. Right now we are topping the log and I think if we continue to do things rightly we will make it.
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