Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr will be without several of his key players for the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Liberia and Cape Verde, Completesports.com reports.
The three-time African champions will host Liberia on September 3 before travelling to Cape Verde four days later.
This is as a result of the Premier League’s decision not to release players for international matches in ‘red list’ countries-where they would have to quarantine on their return to the United Kingdom because of Covid restrictions.
Rohr cannot invite the likes of Wlifred Ndidi, Kelechi Iheanacho, William Troost-Ekong, Oghenekaro Etebo and Emmanuel Dennis for both games due to the Premier League’s decision.
Brentford midfielder Frank Onyeka and Everton’s Alex Iwobi can’t also travel for the qualifiers.
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“The clubs’ decision, which is strongly supported by the Premier League, will apply to nearly 60 players from 19 Premier League clubs who are due to travel to 26 red-list countries in the September international window,”reads the statement by the Premier League.
“This follows Fifa’s current position not to extend its temporary release exception for players required to quarantine on their return from international duty.
“Extensive discussions have taken place with both The FA and the Government to find a solution, but due to ongoing public health concerns relating to incoming travellers from red-list countries, no exemption has been granted.”
“If required to quarantine on return from red list countries, not only would players’ welfare and fitness be significantly impacted, but they would also be unavailable to prepare for and play in two Premier League match rounds, a Uefa club competition matchday and the third round of the EFL Cup,” it continued.
“This period takes into consideration 10 days of hotel quarantine on return to England but does not include any additional time that would be required for players to regain match fitness.”
13 Comments
Damn…… this is a horrible way to start the WC qualifiers. Disaster looming
We can do without them. Our coaches need to the find our boys playing regular football.across Europe and Africa.
Do without them? In the years Rohr has been coaching the national team, he has stuck to certain faces and this will come as a huge disadvantage. The crucial players are based in England. Ndidi and Frank.
Half truth CSN. They will be available bfor the game in Nigeria. I don’t think Nigeria bis in the red zone. Nut caoe Verde is. Check your facts before publishing.
Thanks I was about to write the same thing. They’d be available for the game in Nigeria, but not for the game in Cape Verde’s game.
This is incorrect CSN. Please check your facts before publishing fake news. Naija is not listed in the red zone, but Cape Verde is. Thanks
THANK GOD FOR THAT. I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS NEWS SINCE AFTER LIVERPOOL RULE OUT M.SALAH FOR W.C QUALIFY.
THIS IS HIGH TIME FOR GERNOT ROHR TO SIT TIGHT. NO SHAKING GERNOT ROHR, AFTERALL YOU HAVE BEEN INVITED SO MANY NEW PLAYERS TO SUPER EAGLE (despite you didn’t use some of them in friendly match), SO NO EXCUSE. IT HAS HAPPENED BEFORE IN LATE HOUR OF 2005W.C QUALIFIER, NO OKOCHA, NO AIYEIGBENI, NO GARBA LAWAL, NIGERIA WENT AHEAD BY WINNING WITH LARGE MARGINS AGAINST ALGERIA(2-5) & ZIMBABWE (5-1). NO STORY GERNOT ROHR!!!
BEST POSSIBLE REPLACEMENT
**K.NWAKALI FOR Iwobi/Aribo
**U.AZUIBIKE FOR Ndidi/Onyeka
**AKPOGUMA FOR BALOGUN
**AWAZIEM/OMERUO FOR Troost-ekong
**C.DESSER FOR IHEANACHO
**C.EJUKE FOR Dennis
**ONYEKURU FOR Etebo
WITH ALL THIS WE CAN STILL GO AHEAD AND WIN 5-0
Win 5-0??Are you kidding?With our regular players we couldn’t beat Lesotho with that margin I doubt it would happen this time.The way we think so little of opponents especially in Africa is laughable,this is why a lot of us are in shock when this games ends disappointingly.
A player you didn’t mention in your list who should be the first on the list of midfielders to take the place of our UK based ones who we may miss due to Uk quarantine law is Shehu Abdullahi.Another one is Obinna Nwobodo and Kingsley Michael.
It’s always going to be tough without our first choice players.
Rhor must put plan (b) in order to select (B) team if there is any hindernces which will tackle Super Eagles;I think team (B) like this:center backs(Akpoguma,Awaziem,Omeruo,Ozurnwafor) defensive midfielders(Azubuike Uchechukwu, Joel Obi, Alhassan Ibrahim,Abdullahi shehu,keleche Nwakali); attackting:(Ahmed musa,Chidera Ejuke,Henery Onyekuru, Terem Moffi,Ebibi Duru, Paul Onauchu,Victor Osimhen,Sadiq Umar,Simy Nwankwo)
NFF should invite players from other European countries like Norway, Belgium, Holland, Turkey and Egypt and Tunisia. 9ja get players all over the world but no good quality friendly match to try them
I dont believe this, thats how they were saying we will miss certain players because of covid regulations in one of our games but surprise surprise all the players were there. So they should stop making assumptions for now and let the FA OR NFF do their jobs to ensure these players are available and all necessary precautions to protect them from getting infected is taken.
PLEASE NFF PUBLISH THE LIST IN TIME.
WE ARE EAGER TO SEE NEW POTENTIAL PLAYERS.
The match is just a week away (Sept 3) and our opponents, Liberia, are already in camp and training. Cameroun has already announced their squad and sent invitations for the WCQ, as well as many other African coaches. Rohr/NFF is yet to make his own public, let alone camping anyone. Are they vetting the list or what’s the delay?