Jo Bonfrere has picked out Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr for criticism in the aftermath of the team’s shock 2-0 defeat to AFCON finals debutants, Madagascar, in Alexandria on Sunday, Completesports.com reports.
The footballing world was taken aback on Sunday when two goals, one on either half of the game, condemned the Super Eagles to a shameful defeat at the ongoing AFCON 2019 and ensured the Indian Ocean Island nation recorded their biggest win on the African continent to finish top of the Group B table.
“You don’t score goal when you don’t play well,” Bonfrere told Completesports.com during an exclusive chat.
“A coach should teach his players how to play, create chances and how to score goals.
“You don’t score, you don’t win. The Super Eagles have big players but there is no cohesion.
“Burundi match, one goal; Guinea, one goal. Madagascar came, and Super Eagles goals dried up, its not okay.
“Yes, no team is cheap now. Without disrespect, Madagascar is not the team to beat Super Eagles.
“No team can respect Super Eagles again. Yes, the door (of rubbing shoulders) is open and I can’t believe it”.
Bonfrere was in charge of the U-23 Eagles in 1996 when Nigeria became the first African nation to win the Olympic Games Soccer gold medal with a 3-2 win over Argentina in the final in Atlanta.
He was also in the dugout in 2000 in Lagos when Super Eagles finished runners up in the AFCON finals jointly hosted by Nigeria and Ghana.
The Dutchman restates that the Super Eagles have a turbulent river to cross in their campaign for a fourth AFCON silverware.
“This (knock out stage) is when top teams show their quality. It will be tough. I don’t know the next opponent but, yes, its going to be difficult.
“The coach has to do a good work on the players. He has to get the right combination (of players) and the tactics must be good,” insisted Bonfrere.
Bonfrere says he has been enjoying a festival of African football in his sitting room.
“No, I did not want to go to Egypt. I’m in the house, there is AFCON and there is Copa America,” he quipped.
“Its good for me, sit in the house, watch all the African Nations Cup games and also the Copa America matches on my television.”
By Sab Osuji
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COMMENTS
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Are u looking for a job, Mr bonfere??? Where were u when the team was doing very well, spankning cameroun and Algeria home and away etc? Nobody heard ur voice only for to just burst out of no where all of a sudden when the team slipped. Oh, I see! U want nff to employ you so that u can teach them how to “play well and score goals” as the current coach lacks the ability to do so for your mind.
Mr.Oakfield, do not kill the messenger Bonfrere is just stating the obvious…how long ago did we beat Cameroon both home and away? how long ago did we beat Algeria? football is a result business …its all about “what have you done for me lately” leading up to this tournament we have been struggling to score goals… we played zimbabwe, we did not score any goal… we played Senegal, we didn’t score any goal, we played Burundi, we didn’t play well but we got an offside goal in the seventy-something minutes, we forgot that we didn’t play way. we played Guinea. we didn’t play way either but we got a lucky goal in the seventy something minute from an unlikely player (Omeruo) we forgot that we didnt play well until we were humiliated by Madagascar. What all these games have in common is the fact we found it hard to create scoring chances.
How can you say the goal against Burundi was offside, are you blind?
i believe this nigeria coach is the most terrible coach in african tornament
Rohr is the most terrible coach and empty head coach ever in the African continent
Mr Oakfield, a coach is as good as his last game.
HELLO GUYS . THE COMMENTS YOU ARE ABOUT TO READ are solely my own perception of the way I SEE THINGS .THE LOSS OF EAGLES TO MADAGASCAR TO ME IS MORE OF POLITICS THAN FARE PLAY ON THE FIELD.THESE ARE MY REASONS
——- BEFORE THE MATCH A FRIEND OF MINE IN NIGERIA SAID HE WATCHED A SPORT PROGRAM IN IBADAN WHERE A FEMALE ANALYST SAID FOR BOTH PICKNICK AND CAF PRESIDENT TO BE IN THE STADIUM SAYS SOMETHING THAT SHE FELT SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT AND THAT THE TWO TEAMS MIGHT JUST PLAYED A DRAW .
———— HOW CAN A SEASONED COACH USED THREE DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDERS WHERE TWO ARE JUST TOO SLUGGISH AGAINST 108 RANKED TEAM .WHY ARE WE SO SCARED OF MADAGASCAR THAT SUDDENLY WE NEEDED TO PLAY DEFENSIVE WHEN OUR PLAYERS OUGHT TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES OFFENSIVELY SINCE ITS A DEAD RUBBER GAME.
————-ROHR WIFE IS FROM MADAGASCAR AND EVEN AFTER THE MATCH HE DIDNT FEEL THE SHAME OR EMPATHY
—————-EVEN AFTER COMMITTING SUCH A BLUNDER DID YOU READ THE COMMENT BY LEON BALOGUN THATHE HIS NOT A ROBOT
——— AMAJU HAS BEEN ORDERED TO BE ARRESTED FOR FRAUD AND HE NEEDED CAF TO SHIELD HIM AND POSSIBLY OFFER HIM MORE POSITION UNDER CAF TO AT LEAST SHIELD HIM FROM EFCC KNOWING FULLY WELL THAT NIGERIANS WOULD NOT WANT TO CASTIGATE THEIR OWN OPENLY
———SUDDENLY AFTER THE MATCH THE REPORT SAYS MIKEL IS INJURED AND NOT FIT TO PLAY THE REMAINING MATCHES HMMMMMMM
——-WHOEVER NIGERIAN WOULD MEET NEXT WILL BE DEFEATED BY EAGLES POSSIBLY A PENALTY COULD BE AWARDED WRONGLY TO OUR FAVOR TO COMPENSATE US
———— WHY IS IT THAT THE WORLD OF FOOTBALL IS NOT CELEBRATING SUCH A WIN BY MADAGASCAR.BECAUSE ITS OBVIOUS THAT THE MATCH WAS NOT REAL THOUGH I QUESS THE PLAN WAS TO PLAY A DRAW WHICH LATER BACKFIRED.
THIS IS WHAT I FELT ,I MIGHT BE WRONG.BUT I KNOW THAT IF PER ADVENTURE NIGERIA MEETS MADAGASCAR AGAIN THEY WILL BE STRIP NAKED BY GOALS .
@xxxxxxxxplay, you are on point. You have just spoken my mind. I knew even before the game that the match would be fixed due to the points raised by you, especially, the fact of Rohr’s marital status with a Madagascan (blood is ticker than water), and the fact that the CAF President is also from Madagascar. I am looking forward to the day Nigeria will meet them again when they will receive the bashing of their lives. Time till tell. I am upbeat that Nigeria will bounce back. I’ll look forward to meeting one of North Africans in the final.
Mr. Bonfrere is right. Mr. Rohr got it
wrong. His tactics and formation was not good. His selection was bad. I knew that super eagles will Victor Moses
Rohr is not a good tactician.. his selection of players is even questionable.how can a coach has Henry onyekuru , Osimhen, Chukwueze, Musa, Onuachu, Iwobi etc in attack and still do not know how to make use of them? I will have to go with Bonfrere.
I mean, I knew that super eagles will miss Victor Moses
Thank you Mr. Jo Bonfrere. You have said it all.
The coach said he was not worried about the 1 goal per match and I came out to tell him that why no worries?
You are winning yes but the tactics wasn’t okay and you as a coach should be worried that your team is not scoring goals.
Many people called me names. They said I hate the coach too much.
Furthermore, after the Madagascar match, coach Rohr also said it wasn’t a shameful scenario loosing against Madagascar. Then I knew it right away that this man has nothing to offer Nigeria.
Mr. Westerhof and Mr. Jo Bonfrere have spoken and they have said it finished.
I hope these two men doesn’t hate Coach Rohr too?
People are coming out now from every angle saying omo9ja never changed since the days of kickoffnig. Hmm, what did I do wrong?
I hate cheating. I hate politics game.
I love my Country that is why I’m omo9ja.
I refuse to join any group because if I do, I won’t be able to face the truth because facing the truth is my priority. These are the reasons some people getting angry to see omo9ja name CSN.
For me, I’m not really concerned about that. What is really important now is my Country. The image of our Country is at stakes. I will try whatever I can to make Nigeria better.
Football is the only sport that putting smiles on our faces and I will never allowed NFF or any coach to spoil our joy. If that is what is making this group of people saying omo9ja have never changed, I’m satisfied with that. Ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!
True talk bro. So sad Nigerians and shameless defendants of both rorh and buhari (intentional small letters), are allergic to both criticism and real progress… Choosing instead to point fingers at everything else and everyone else, including God, while failing to accept the shot that stands in their very front.
Thank you Mr. Jo, only people who do not mean well for Nigeria will take your advise in bad light, it is there second time you’d be saying it – eagles lack set plays and rorh, it seems, doesn’t teach them this. At thread point, it is obvious rorh doesn’t have what it takes to take our national team to where it should be. What I clearly don’t get is why the NFF is still hanging on to him??? I smell something fishy with his contract, and how he gets paid, because with these kinds of results, if rorh were a Nigerian, his black and would have been sacked!
The flood gates are open, all NFF e-rats are free to heckle, when you finish fighting with your keyboard, go and drink szobo.
Excuse all typos.
Thank Jo, your points are exactly true.
After we get trashed in d second round game because it’s obvious and will happen,not because of d players but because of the useless coach that we have, I recommend a sack for him, right from Egypt. He will still play d trio of ighalo, musa and Simon, these trio will play up-to 75 MIns of football without any shot on goal, then he will now bring in chukwueze and onyekwuru just to come and sweat. I have zeroed my mind.
Football is not all about old age now. Football has changed. Teams like Ajax, man city etc won the day with young talented players.
Ighalo played complete 90mins without a shot on goal. Hmmm
Our first outing at this afcon was good. Use Iwobi in Mikel position and Chikuweze in the flanks. The advantage of this is that both players can play midfield and the wings. They can always switch side or help each other out from time to time. We saw the Villarreal player making some dangerous move in the first match, shooting form long range and can throw a long pass. The coach should use his head. We need creative players not gra gra
I ve said it before this team ve no cohesion, no team work, poor positioning, poor tactical know how but people that know better than us keep saying we re anti rohr? I hope joe bonfere is know like me atleast he ve achieve something with the team in the past?@Dr Drey am still expecting ur view on our last match and match to come? I don’t blame anybody is NFF for giving a big tax to some1 who is not capable, whom his CV spoke for him already now NFF re planning of sack him even if he win the tournament but for how long can we been going into this kind of mess for GOD sake?
@Oakfield algeria and cameroun you deafeted home and away are far better than your super eagles. I dont koow why you are defending gr he is not a good coach for 9ja he has been there for three years yet he does not know his best xi. Musa.ighalo.simion must not start he should start playing chukwueze and onyekuru they are better than musa and ighalo.
My Brothers and kinsmen
Pls lets take it easy on these national heroes !
The players and the coach had learnt their mistake.
I am sure if we play Madagascar again with the same players and formation, the Scorelne will definitely be different and the SE will not toy with their efforts again
I felt bad about the result but I still stood by the lads to pick themselves up and performed better in the next match((es)…,
I personally spoke of three of the lads today (will not mention names) who are key regulars and I bet you, they are remorseful as well as wounded.
They want to be on the pitch for the next game and repair the heartbreak they have caused to their countrymen back home !!
Please, let’s give them a benefit of doubt !
They are still very much on the competition and they are gearing to go !!!
I think a few factors contributed to that defeat
– we have already qualified
– there is this ugly bonus row which went public and add a negative image on the federation, team and the nation integrity
– the team didn’t take Madagascar serious (a big eye-opener)
– and a host of others Which I don’t know
I believe the SE will do well in this competition
I believe the coach has learnt a big lesson on who to use (starters and respective positions)
– and I believe the players now know how it hurts losing a game that is supposed to be won convincingly!
I am just happy that this defeat did not happen in the knockout stages…our rebuilding process would have being hurt and dragged one or two step back!!
I believe the SE and Coach Rohr have learnt a big lesson..and I will see the outcome in the next match !!!
Pls, my people…lets stand by the team
Let’s give them all the positive support they need!
I hail oooo
Thank you Mr Bonfrere for such a wonderful write up. You are indeed a professional for condemning your fellow coach openly while you can place a call and advice him privately as a former coach of Nigeria. I think your action is unethical. Let me ask you a question pls. If you are given the opportunity to come back and coach super eagles will you accept it or not? Well, maybe your answer is yes that’s OK but at least for now no vacancy in that position maybe till after the nations cup. Could it be you have forgotten you were sacked for poor performance? Have you forgotten you inherited the team that won Olympics from westerhof? Which club or nation did you coach after Nigeria? Why didn’t you take up coaching job after you have made history with Nigeria in Atlanta at least that would have upgraded you CV? Until you coach another club or country and prove yourself I will continue to see you as an average coach and an opportunist. As we prepare to take on any team from group F i will advice Rohr to tie his mouth, close his ears and cover his eyes and do what he feels that will give him victory without looking back. I just discovered that he wants to please everyone and that’s causing him a lot of distractions and to loose focus. After our match with Burundi I was listening to a super sport analyst which I believed Rohr did too. The man said Chukwueze is a great player, he tried in the match but he still feel he’s a player for the future and suppose not to start that match, maybe coming from the bench. Am not sure he watched what that young man did to big teams like Madrid and Barcelona in just ended LA liga. He has grown and this is his chance to shine. Ever since then he has not tested action. To me he did very well in that match and suppose to have a look in again. I pity Mr Rohr he’s under immense pressure from all quarters and may have lost control. You people clamoured here that he should try new players in an inconsequential match as you claimed and unfortunately he lost and since then you have rained fire and brimstone. Any who expect Mr Rohr to risk the next match by making wholesale changes in that front line would be highly disappointed. Mr Rohr your job is on the line and believe me you will meet a hostile environment if you are beaten in the round of 16 especially if its our rival Ghana. NFF will deny you, players will blame you and your assistant coaches will question some of your decisions and critics in this forum will eat you raw if they are opportune to see you. You are in hot seat and its now or never. I have supported you and will keep on supporting you cos am not a fair weather friend, but I will not fail to voice out when you are acting wrongly. I want to tell you that you goofed in your interview that losing to Madagascar is not shameful. Hmmmmm I disagree with you and I hope it will not come back to hunt you. Super Eagles has not really impressed in the 3matches played so far but we are still a strong team despite the upset of loosing against Madagascar. We will come up with our grade A game in round of 16. I don’t mind us playing Ghana or Cameroon. Mr Rohr win that game and see 90% of those calling you names make a u-turn and start praising you again. I want you to consider this line up.
Akpeyi
Collins
Aina
Omerue
Balogun
Ndidi
Etebo
Iwobi
Ighalo
Musa
Chukwueze
Substitutes depending on our first half performance
Osimhen for Ighalo
Onyekuru for musa or chukwueze.
My personal opinion.
Mr ndubuisi or whatever you call yourself you are saying total rubish,it was people like you that I was insulting in my last comment cause people like you are totally blind and foolish like that failure called rohr.
When Mourinho criticized rohr people like you came out of nowhere to insult mourinho then side rohr,when solomon dalung criticized rohr and said the truth people like you came out of nowhere to insult Solomon dalung and side rohr,when Clemens westerhof still
came out and say the truth by criticizing rohr people like you still came out of nowhere and insult Clemens westerhof and side rohr,now bonfrere has came out and say the truth people like you has now still come out of nowhere and start insulting him and siding rohr, what I have to say to people like is that people like you are dying in foolishness and blindness or maybe you are in covenant with rohr,
we the super eagles fans will just have to wait till god punish rohr and punish people like you in covenant with him
Silence is the best answer to a fool.
Destiny, you are mannerless and reckless with words. You have no manners at all. Is this how you were trained to talk to and about people?
@xxxxxxx. I dont agree with u on thay sentiments. Since i started following eagles pinnick and his crew are the best nff team so far. Maigari was also not bad. I dont want to use trabalism to jurge but i most tell u the fact. The guy from the north i forgot his name. That guy have been trying to frustrate pinnick. Even when fifa has told him to back down he still throw stones at the glass house. wait oh! If a northerner is in power those that gives all position to the north. These guy keep calling pinnick to court even against fifa rules after then he is now using the efcc against him. With all deo respect to the north they are not known as our football powerhouse so anyone contending for nff position from the north should understand when he loses(not saying a northerner cannot win it wen truly deserved). Instead of keeping endless fight. As a nigerian if u ask me to vote for cbn governor or agricultural minister i will be fast to give my vote to an hausa or fulanni man as its obviouse they can manage that affair well. but not football at list not at the moment. Glawal or tbabagida should even be their contenstants not learners. Pinnick is not currupt he will proove it that guy is just trying to bring him down. For u to say the match was sold pleese. Its moreshamefull to always not accept defeat even two nil thats a clear winning by a better side of the day. Beside do u see anything that makes us better than them apart from our popular wingers? Their striker is better than ighalo by control and agility. They have better corner takers. Freekicks where better. So how did u get ur feelings of selling match. If a match is for sell who will buy first bitween naija and madagasca. Only Mikel can pay all those guys to score own goals each if that was the case. Please accept defeat and alow the winners to enjoy their victory. Many of us tried to give antony joshua reasons for loosing to the mexican wey use blow finish my bross belle. I remember bash ali stole his belt from the boxing ring after almost defeated by a camerounian. Please my naija people we are not the only people who deserve victory in the world. Up naija
no one is hating on the coach, we are all just not impressed with his seeming lack of coaching aptitude and zero disposition to winning. do u know that the formation we played during the qualifiers both world cup and nation cup is the same he’s been using, no twerk, no evolution…the same formation with different personalities. I don’t agree that the boys are to be blamed, I blame the coaching crew. Please, who as cursed us to always go with a formation that involves 2 defensive midfielders? we were a goal down and the first sub our coach made was a defensive one? Iwobi is not a miracle worker. We were playing against Madagascar and we were still that cautious…Really!!! He tried Mikel in that position in the first game, it didn’t work out, he did the same again. Please coach, do the needful, here in Nigeria, we don’t joke with soccer, we believe we can rival the big guns because we’ve done it before… pull us up, not the other way
I think Rhor sabotaged this game to help his wife’s country to at least qualify. That was his little contribution to help that team from the ouster. I don’t see any reason for Rhor to play 3 defensive midfielders in this game even if he wanted to try out the fringe players.
I would want to know the reasons behind these tactics. There should be an inquiry, please.
i believe Nigerian need to understand that Rohr is not a good coach and he is too loose as a coach, a team with someone like chukwueze, musa, oyekuru, suppose to be a threat to any team in the world considering their speed, when you have a good players and you still lossing games then you have to look at the coach strategies , everyone knows Nigeria as an attacking team but to what we are seeing today, rohe have chenge nigerian team to a defensive team even to the cheapest team in the world
I said it here before Nigeria plays Cameroon… I prefer Cameroon to Dr. Congo
Nigeria to play cameroon in the second round,I think it’s going to be a very difficult game for the super eagles of Nigeria.well every thing us possible in football.I wish them all the best in Saturday.
Even Musa said it days before the match that’why Eagle will loose’What came to mind then, is that they are trying to avoid a particular team.
Shut up….. and just apply for the job. You sound like a professional coach.