In the aftermath of the two matches between the Leone Stars and the Super Eagles I have refused to make any comments. I have been besieged with questions about why I have remained silent. I am surprised that people are surprised that I have been unusually quiet. What more is there for me to say?
One year ago, or so, I was vehemently opposed to the renewal of the contract of Franco-German coach of the Super Eagles, Gernot Rohr. I screamed and shouted to the point where some people thought I had personal issues with the coach. My take was simple: the coach may have been good for the standards set for him by his employers, but surely he was not good enough for the vision most Nigerians have about the place of their national team in the world considering the country’s achievements, capacity and capability. I thought I must belong to a different planet from those that elongated our collected agony by renewing Rohr’s contract, because not only was extended by several more years they now offered him a contract so tightly legally put together that the country cannot sack him for the next 3 years without breaking the vaults of Nigeria’s Central bank.
The man became so comfortable that he presented us with the worst football match in our entire history against ordinary Sierra Leone and did not even apologise. He committed unforgivable blunders in the kind of substitutions he made. His entire attitude on the bench was unserious throughout the period of Nigerians’ pain and humiliation.
So, those who renewed his contract are reaping what they sowed. Period. Unfortunately, it is every single one of 200 million Nigerians that will have to pay the price in money and in failed expectations.
It is obvious that those in charge have set small goals for him because they too have such small dreams about Nigerian football.
Also Read – Pinnick: Under-Fire Rohr Won’t Be Sacked
The match was a test about the true character of Gernot Rohr and his competency as a football tactician. Once again he failed woefully.
I still cannot fathom the special job he is doing as manager of the Super Eagles that any number of Nigerians with better qualifications, but underrated by their own, cannot do better. If this is what he has to offer the country after 4 years, with the humongous wages he is being paid, then there is something wrong with who we are.
The matches against Sierra Leone are bereft of any tactical depth and understanding. There is no acceptable excuse for the result of the match in Benin City. It was such a bad advertisement for Nigerian football and Nigerian players, particularly those of them that are Diaspora born and bred. It is making us dream home-based players and domestic Nigerian football again.
My wonder is that after such a match any Nigerian would still be defending the coach. We had sacked several coaches and even administrators in the past for a fraction of what we all saw in the two matches. A Nigerian coach had even been sacked after winning the biggest football trophy in Africa. Yet, this man is treated with kid gloves, shoved in our faces in the manner of colonial enslavement and Nigerians are made to swallow the bitter pill, pain, humiliation and shame. Gernot Rohr has been given too much long rope.
He may be considered a good coach using some people’s standards, but by mine, I join with Aiyegbeni Yakubu, our celebrated football hero, who was quoted recently as saying that the German may be the worst coach in the history of Nigerian football.
Thank God, I am not in any position to influence anything. In the days of yore, a tsunami in football administration would have happened by now. Thank God we are in strange times. Coaches are overprotected.
I would have sworn that with the evidence of his capability laid bare by Nigeria’s failure at two critical moments during the World Cup in Russia and the AFCON in Egypt, the country will not be led by the nose again with the narrow sentiments of a few administrators and sports writers that stand to benefit from sustaining the vestiges of a colonial mentality that embraces everything White and condemns everything Black.
The rather ‘stupid’ question I have been asking myself in the solitude of my silence is this: will the world end if Gernot Rohr is sacked?
‘Abeg, make I remain silent o, and siddon look the drama of Nigerian sports administrators wey dey celebrate nonsense and some people dey clap hand’
A Dangerous Sports Festival!
Minister of Youth and Sports Development Sunday Dare and Edo State governor Godwin Obaseki launch Edo 2020 National Sports Festival mascot, named Etin
Edo 2020 National Sports Festival is a very disturbing matter.
There must be something in the hosting of the festival beyond what we see.
Also Read – Akpoborie: Rohr Now A Liability In Super Eagles
Time was when the National Sports Festival was a dream event, the platform where the most gifted athletes in the country in all sports were showcased with very clear objectives – discover the best athletes that will be trained to represent the country, and use the festival to promote unity amongst the youths of the country. There were a few other objectives but these were the main ones.
The program ran unfailingly like clockwork every two years, a regular feast of the best of sports and social integration as it moved around the country from 1973 to 1981. The distortions in regularity, content and goals started in 1983 and have never been the same ever since. What the festival has become deviates very much from the original goals and objectives. It is now a jamboree, an event where State sports administrators collect their own piece of the national cake. Every Nigerian knows this.
However, when Edo 2020 was to hold early this year some of us hoped it would restore some degree of normalcy to not just hosting the event, but also to achieve some of the original objectives for which the games were established. The Edo State government did not spare any effort in putting up facilities that would have made the games a true festival – newly minted sports facilities and an ambitious public participation that would have made major contributions to the economy of the State. The main objective of discovering new young talent had long been abandoned. Edo 2020 was not going to be an exception.
<em>Edo 2020 was never going to throw up new talent to take Nigeria to the 2022 Olympics. That tradition is long dead and buried. Very few States take the program of sports development seriously. So, Edo 2020 was going to be just another Jamboree for most participating States, the only opportunity most State Sports administrators have to make some money from sports.
Then came the global coronavirus bombshell, a plague that has turned the entire world upside down. Nothing has been the same since the Coronavirus escaped from the science laboratories of China and made prisoners of all humans.
Nigeria joined the rest of the world in reacting to the deadly pandemic by adopting some level of health and safety protocols set up for the management and control of the spread of the virus. The games, originally scheduled to hold in the month of April, were postponed. Meanwhile, the plague continues to afflict the world. In the case of Nigeria (and several parts of Africa), for reasons that have remained largely unknown, the scourge has not been quite as devastating as predicted.
My worry is that a kite is being flown for the games to hold before the end of the year.
Even as there is a second spike of the virus at the present time, and Nigeria is not immune from it, why hurry to host the games now? Thousands of young athletes and their adult officials from different parts of the country will assemble and descend on the city of Benin, and the caricature of a festival will go on. I just do not get it. Is this not toying with fate, testing the patience of the elements that have been generous to Nigerians by not devastating us, and courting an imminent disaster?
What would delaying the hosting by a few more months until the coast of any danger is clear cost the country or the hosts? Hosting in the next two weeks will not yield any of the main objectives for organising it. No one except the hosts with their excellent venues is actually ready. The athletes have not been training properly for 8 months.
The rest of the world is shutting down public events, Nigeria wants to open its own.
What will the country actually gain from the festival hosted this December?
Obviously, there is a degree of threat of a health catastrophe should these games go on no. Can Nigeria pay the price if anything goes wrong?
I am sorry, some things just do not add up.
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COMMENTS
Aaahhhhhh! It’s been a long time you’ve been in hiding until u were given a voice by just a slip. Didn’t even have the time to read ur garbage bcs it’s usually stinking. Relax, he’d leave after the world cup but until then, enjoy the ride and always remember to keep ur blood pressure pills by ur side….PS, your man whom u said you’d sail and sink with has been lost on the sidelines, no meaningful pact from him so far. Him think say this one na to water suit, fry hair like daddy shokey, siddon for in front of giant screen come dy analyze and disect matches . E don set o, make him come show us what he’s made up as u posited. Nonsense people like this.
Impact***, wear,****made of ***
Guy who get time to read this novel….lol we all know this man hated rohr even when the going was good lol.
If the NIGERIA vs S.LEONE match is the worst in nigerian history then NIGERIA vs CONGO must be the “WORST OF WORST” in our football history…..
I said it on this forum that sacking ROHR would not make the SE to win world cup with the new JORGEN KLOPP/QUARDIOLA neither his staying as a coach…..
But “a bird at hand is more than 1million birds in the forest”….
I believe b4 2022 comes to an end, b4 u pple draggs us to the valley of 70th in the world, another messiah would pop up….
Just bear with us biko…..
Live make we follow live….
Let Mr Segun bring the money to pay Rohr off. Fiss off Your living in the past.Yes let him tell Nigerian how many talents his sport school has produced from inception.
Uncle Sege, you’ve said it all. I believe someone somewhere in Nigeria Football administration is gaining something from Rohr being our coach… I don’t know why we keep supporting inadequacy / mediocrity and we are all happy in that regard as Nigerians. After four years in charge, Rohr win percentage with the Super Eagles is 54%, I don’t think that’s best we can get as a country if we need to face the fact.
How is Rohr winning ratio 54%? He won 29 matches, drew 14 and lost 10. That’s 53 matches in total. Winning 29 matches out of 53 is almost 60% winning ratio. The highest in SuperEagles history. So what justification do you have to sack a coach with such record?? Taking over a team that missed back to back AFCONS, ranked 70th in the world and 16th in Africa. Qualified for the WorldCup in a very tough group that even people like uncle Sege thought was impossible at the time. Qualified for the AFCON after missing out on the previous two. Took the team to third place in a 24 team tournament. And now on the verge of qualifying for a third major tournament with games to spare despite the two draws. What justification do you have to sack such a coach???
@Ayphillydegreat… it is actually 54% (29/53 x 100) sir. That is almost a win in every two games.
Your calculations are right.
I did not bother to read Uncle Segun’s article. I am trying not to disrespect him as an elder and I know if I end up reading this nursery rhymes of an article (going by what he has been writing in recent times), I might be tempted to disrespect him. As such, I decided not to bother to read the article. It does not worth my time. This man has been quite for a while. And judging by his immediate reaction, it is evident he will never pass by an opportunity to promote the ignoble role he has been playing regarding SE in recent times. This is very shameful.
Uncle Segun is now nothing but a liability to Nigerian football. It is extremely sad how someone with such a glorious football career had stooped so low, wallowing in petty racism and saying things unbecoming of an elder like he has been doing recently.
If WE want to point out the major problems of Nigerian football presently, Rohr is definitely not a major problem. Uncle Segun, you are one of the problems. Pinnick and Dare are also major problems for us. SE is not the only national football team in Nigeria for God’s sake. Neither is football the only sport. Dare is so jobless that he thinks the only sport in Nigeria is Super Eagles.
What is wrong with this Dare of a man? Is he a minister of YOUTHS and SPORTS or a minister of Super Eagles? Dare and Pinnick have failed WOEFULLY in their responsibilities. They should stop behaving as if their only responsibility is SE. They are failures. They do not have the moral justification by ANY STANDARD to call Rohr a failure. I definitely believe Rohr should do better, but he is by no means a failure as much as Pinnick and Dare.
It is laughable when Pinnick in one of the articles on Complete Sports was reiterating how much of efforts he put in to secure the players’ arrival for the last matches. What point was he making actually? Are we supposed to thank him? Are you not the same person that took the match to a stadium that will give the visiting team an advantage over the host? You took three steps forward and at the same time you took ten backwards. Pinnick also went all out to make us fail in that match.
I am not saying Rohr is completely guiltless but looking at the roles people like Dare, Pinnick and Odegbami are playing, the real problem is not Rohr. Bring any world class coach to Nigeria in this kind of corrupt environment, and the person will fail woefully. In this present situation, the best you can do is to harness the strength of Rohr and find means of supporting his areas of deficiencies as much as possible. Remove Yobo from SE. He has no business there. Get someone who can make meaningful contribution. What we need in SE presently is an Assistant Coach, not a Fashionista.
Uncle Segun, you are the one who technically announced Yobo as the Assistant Coach to the whole world. Your signature is evident on the development. Yobo is the latest development in SE and since he arrived, things have been getting worse. You guys can as well sack Rohr and put that completely clueless anointed candidate of yours in charge of the team. I am sure he will never lose a match.
If NFF need to pay the like of Amunike as much as Rohr earns to join the team at this point for the purpose of continuity, succession and technical contribution to the team, that is DEFINITELY NOT a wasted investment. But those guys have no vision. They are very corrupt and selfish without any sense of direction.
The reasoning of an average Nigerian is a very sad case. That is where we are as a nation. A nation is a simple reflection of the people. We like to ignore the real problems, treating the effects instead of the causes. Nigeria has been regressing continually as a nation. We are joking if we think we can ignore the real issues and at the same time, we think one aspect of the nation will work.
It is extremely sad because our problem as a nation is systemic. And we have not even come to a proper realization of what our problems are, talk less of beginning to proffer the right solutions.
uncle ode the patriotic man. God bless you.
Mr Odegbami i respect you sir.You have said it all.Indomie generation will not understand you and Nigeria football.Sir,let them continue to insult and call you names,it doesnt matter.You are more concern about ourfootball developments.They insults anyone that says the truth concerning Gernot Rohr,forgetting that Nigeria football is higher than gernot rohr’s level.Thank you sir once again.
So many people are coming out in numbers to pin point of keeping Oga Rohr till today.
Many people have spoken. Mr. Dare, Yakubu, Akpoborie, Amokachi and now Mr. Shęgun Ódęgbami. Still, NFF turned their ears.
Here is what Daniel Amokachi said.
Ex international, Daniel Amokachi insists Gernot Rohr isn’t the right coach to take the Super Eagles of Nigeria to the next level.
Rohr came under increased pressure following the Super Eagles 4 – 4 and a goalless draw against the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone in the 2022 African Cup of Nations qualifying ties in Benin City and Freetown respectively.
In Benin, The Franco-German tactician saw his team raced to a four goals lead in 30 minutes, but the advantage evaporated after the Leone Stars staged a stunning comeback.
While assessing Rohr’s time in charge of the Eagles, the Atalanta 1996 Olympics gold medalists, said the former Gabon coach has failed the challenge so far.
“The person in charge has been there for five years already but there is nothing to write home about.” He told brila.net.
“Is he the right person to take the country forward, in my opinion, I don’t think so, because five years is a lot a coach to say he’s building a team and then, he can’t give you starting eleven?”
“We have also seen some decisions that a right coach wouldn’t have made and a coach that doesn’t take the backroom staffs along end up having big problems.” He said.
Amokachi who once worked as Super Eagles assistant coach of the Super Eagles twice also added that Rohr lack the ability to change the game from the bench, due to a lack of good communication with his back room staff.
“I saw in a lot of games that he doesn’t relate with the bench in most of the time, we heard what happened in Benin that he just wrote a note and gave to the team’s secretary and they made substitutions and even some of the players were furious about it and let their voice heard from the bench.”
“But then Nigerians know he’s not the right person to take Nigerian football forward.” he concluded.
What can we say about this now? God bless Nigeria!!!
Here is another one.
“Former Super Eagles player and assistant coach, Daniel Amokachi says Nigeria is blessed with good coaches who are more qualified to lead the national team than Gernot Rohr.
Amokachi made this known in chat with brila.net on the future of current Super Eagles handler Gernot Rohr and possible replacement, should the Nigeria Football Federation decide to fire him, following the recent unimpressive performances.
The former Everton and Club Brugge attacker stated that Sunday Oliseh, Emmanuel Amuneke, and Ndubuisi Egbo are some of the Nigerian coaches who are more qualified and deserved to lead the national team than the Franco-German tactician.
“We have people like Sunday Oliseh, Emmanuel Amuneke, Ndubuisi Egbo, so no way someone can tell me they aren’t better than Gernot Rohr.” He told brila.net.
“Which of Nigerian coaches that I mentioned that was given more than six months? , but this person (Rohr) they gave him five years.”
“Oliseh and Amuneke were given less than six months and they are more qualified than Gernot Rohr.”
“We can’t keep supporting pieces of machinery that comes into Africa and then they are good coaches.” He said.
Rohr’s future became a topic in the media after his team failed to win any of their four matches in 2020, including a disappointing 4 – 4 draw against Sierra Leone in Benin-City last Friday.
When asked if it’s time the Nigeria Football Federation replaces former Gabon and Niger boss with an indigenous coach, Amokachi said where the coach is from does not matter, but he has to be qualified for the position.
“Does it really matter where a coach comes from?, for me I don’t believe in that, but if you are bringing in a coach, he has to be the right person for the job,” he stressed further.
“If we have indigenous coaches who have the capacity, why not, but that a coach has to be a Nigerian, English German and so on does not matter,”
“However if you are bringing a foreigner and have to give him all that money? he has to be a good one,” he added.
Rohr was contracted in 2016 as a replacement for Sunday Oliseh but he signed an extension that will keep him in the position until after the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar”.
Nonetheless my people,
the list is okay apart from Olishe. We should leave him aside.
Amunike and Egbo, Enyeama and Ikeme are the best for our young team.
Mr. Amaju Pinnick, don’t start a battle you can’t finish.
We deserve the best and it is our right to react to this Oga Rohr issue. Enough is enough. God bless Nigeria!!!
Well,it is true Rohr and his soldiers did not do well in the last international break.Rather than blame Rohr and the players I wish to play THE DEVIL’S ADVOCATE:
1. Was anything actually wrong with the tactics or the set up of the super Eagles in both legs?..From the men available to the team there was absolutely nothing wrong with the coaches choice of men or tactics.The goal keeper was chosen ahead of others based on form and consistency and based on the fact that of the keepers he came to camp first.There was nothing wrong with the choice of the Hoifeheim man as 2,this thing happen even in Europe very often and the player did well too.If the game had gone other ways we will not all be complaining about the formation.
2. Could the Nigeria FA have provided a better playing turf for the National team? YES AND YES AND YES.My submission on this is hing on the ground that every where in the world playing turf plays a major roll in the quality of play.Trust me take Barcelona to that Benin pitch and you will see the other side of Barcelona(poor foot ball).But why is the FA always taking the team to such playing turf like Asaba and now Benin,well I think the answer to that might just not be far from political.Hmmmm… so u mean we can just be playing politics with our joy and National integrity??.
3. The lone stars stadium was an eye saw and could easily pass for a base ball stadium and can we say that was the reason we did not win the match? May be so.Algeria almost lost to Zimbabwe team even though they went 2goals ahead.What happened,bad infrastructure or plating turf offcourse.
Pls,don’t want us to misquote me, a lot needs to be done with the team,but rather than insult the coach we should look grass root and correct some Administrative brouhaha we have presently.
I’ve been waiting for Elder Odegbami’s comment all the while and I’m afraid he didn’t dissappoint. As usual the elder has played his racism card to stylishly add his voice to that of those wailing for Rohr’s sack.
Come to think of it, even Politician Dan Amokachi who failed woefully as a coach is talking too? Someone that couldn’t qualify U-23 to 2004 Olympic games and even lost All African Games in Abuja. He never made any meaningful impact as a coach but always getting appointments through politics.Of course the job of a coach is easier said than done. Some of these guys don’t even think well before they talk. How can Dan say a runaway Oliseh is better than Rohr? as if Oliseh didn’t have his chance and bungle it.
Even Aiyegbeni too is talking. Well, na Rohr give them chance to spew rubbish oooo! It’s not their fault. Na Benedict Akwuegbu I dey wait for now, the man that thinks once you’re an ex-international with one or two caps you have the right to walk into NFF and pick any job you want.
Uncle sege, you never disappoint me with your well articulated write up. Please enjoy your retirement sir. The NFF is not worth crying over. We all know all the politics being played. At least you pointed it out that keshi was even fired after winning the nations cup. How many of our local coaches were given free hands the way this PE teacher is operating. He gets paid steadily even during this pandemic, sittiing at home doing nothing except monitoring his hotel business. But yet when it is our local coaches we will not hear word, your owe salaries until you carried to FIFA. Abeg we are all watching. at least they have said all ex-players mouth stinks, we shall see at the end
Quote “Even Aiyegbeni too is talking”. This quotation is regrettable as it is offensive to all those who admire the Yak in his playing days. If you are not Yak’s fan, that is okay, but l don’t think anyone needs to be remanded that he is a Nigerian with many Caps for Nigeria in his glorious playing days. He has inalienable rights to express his opinion just like any of us in a game that made him what he is. For anybody to hide behind his or her lap-top and spewed their venom on Aiyegbeni for playing for his Country is cruel and abusive. OmoEsan, l am aware of the petty jealousy between Esans and
the Binis. Let me hope you did not allow that to cover your reasons why you continue to harbor ill will against a real biniman. In Benin City, Yakubu is loved. His mother is revered and proud of her son achievements just as yours is of you, l am sure.
Apologies to The Yak for my manner of expression and thanks to you Edoman for pointing that out.
If I have disrespected any of the ex-internationals too in my expressions, I am truly sorry. However, my apologies doesn’t take anything away from the intent of my post. Those guys, Yak & Akpoborie also disrespected Rohr who’s old enough to be their father and who has served Nigeria well, by calling him a liability. Even at that, I didn’t intend to serve them in their own coin.
Meanwhile, Edoman this has got nothing to do with Esan & Bini oooo! You made me laugh no be small. I’m not even from Edo State talkless of being an Esan man.
Also proud of the open net sitter he missed from two feet away from goal in 2010 world cup that made Maradona refer to him as the worst striker ever.ever.ever.ever ?
@OmoEsan l am extremely happy to take note of your kind and sincere words. You made me smile too when l seemed to have got your ethnicity way off. Yak and myself have a blood relationship through our mother side. l happened to be around when it all started for him. l hope you can now bear with me why l am so defensive when his name is mentioned in a negative fashion. Equally bear with me if l have offended you as well. l admire your writing skill and you deserve my respect and candor.
@Edoman, no qualms jare. My day isn’t complete without reading our views on CSN , so I can’t afford to offend anyone here regardless of the side of the divide you belong in any arguement.
Thanks for the compliments bro, let’s keep the fire burning and keep having fun.
“My take was simple: the coach may have been
good for the standards set for him by his employers, but
surely he was not good enough for the vision most Nigerians
have about the place of their national team in the world
considering the country’s achievements, capacity and
capability.”
If wishes were horses… Left to the vision and aspirations of Nigerians, SE would have won every tournament since 1960. We have a win it all mentality even when we are ill prepared for tournaments. The NFF gave Rohr those targets which he passed, bcos of our position at that time being 60 something on Fifa ranking and 16th in Africa.
Though u are entitled to ur own opinion, we still need to be realistic with our comments. Even in the days of JJ and Kanu Nigeria was whipped by less fancied teams like Liberia and Sierra Leone and heaven did not fall.
@MuYiwa,may God bless you,it baffles me a lot how inordinate ambitions have always made us an object of ridicule in eye of the whole world,a country that is ranked 31 in the world aiming to set a target of getting to the SEMI FINAL OR EVEN WINNING the mighty world cup……where are the wherewithals?a lot of things are needed to win any major tournaments,the coach nd his or her crew,players,a country’s football administration,mother luck et cetera.Imagine an ex international who is expected to know better claiming that the target of winning 2022 AFCON nd qualify for next world as too EASY to meet…Segun Odegbami has failed several time in getting elected into all positions,nff nd caf presidencies, ogun state governor that he contested for,hence his antagonistic nd pull him down(PHD) syndromes may have emanated from prolonged live of frustrations.
Why I am always a realist and one that stands for objectivity ; there is nothing wrong to be ambitious.
There is nothing new in the football circle; unfavourable teams have gone on to do the unthinkable, even at the all mighty world cup.
Croatia got to the Semis in 98; a rookie nation at that time after their split from Yugoslavia. Since then they have never looked back.
Bulgaria in 94 went straight to the Semis.Taking out the Current Champions. That Bulgaria team lost to Us in the group stage.
Not forgetting, the African trio of Senegal, Ghana and Cameroon; who had one leg into the Semis if fate had smiled on them.
In other scenarios;
Denmark won the Euros in 92 without even qualifying; coming through the backdoor after Yugoslavia withdrew for political reasons.
Greece won the Euro in 2004. A shocker to many.
The point is; it is realistically possible for Nigeria to get to the Semis of the world cup. It is not a dream too far and not one overly ambitious to desire.
No one goes to the world cup without any ambition or dream to move further; that is self defeatist.
With drive, hard work and a bit of fate;things can happen. Precedent has proven such.
That said;
The only reason we doubt our ” footballing dreams and ambitions” is because the NFF is totally bad in her management and organisation. And the lack of commitment of our boys and such.
They have to do the “needful”. You can’t be ambitious without the right mechanism to drive your ambition. Things have to be put in place. There have to be an objective plan towards achieving such and building on such plan must be ongoing.
I think the NFF should take a hint from the NBBF(Nigeria Basketball federation) and learn a thing or two about ambition and growth. The NBBF have been doing a lot to achieve their dreams on the low key.
The men team has come out from the shadow of Angola and Senegal; since 2012 have been on the rise. Maintaining such momentum. Holding their own as number one in the continent and one of the in form teams in the world. Just look at the recent NBA draft, it would tell you a lot.
The female team took things further, being not just number one,but the top riser in the world as regards the sports.
All these achievements happened due to the dreams and ambitions of the NBBF. They dreamed it, set a goal and worked towards it. It was too far then. But now they are there and want to move a step further by accomplishing a medal stand at the Olympics. It is possible. Cause they believe and are working towards it.
The NFF shouldn’t just dream and set target. They should put things in place and work towards those target. Get the league functioning; true commitment to all cadre of National teams (not just Super Eagles) and coaches; quality stadia and facilities and off course, pay your debt, always!
_ Has the world come to an end? _
Uncle Segun Odegbami asked a very simple question as captured in the title of his article which is that will the world come to an end if Gernot Rohr is sacked as Super Eagles coach to which the simple answer is: no.
But, contrary to popular belief, coach Rohr can be sacked. He has targets in his contract which have to be met prior to expiration of the contract. If those targets are not met, Rohr will be sacked but at this precise moment, he is still on course to meet his targets. So, the grounds for termination of his contract presently do not exist.
That is the bitter truth that Uncle Segun has to swallow.
Contrary to what Uncle Segun is articulating in his article, I believe that the vision of a vast majority of Super Eagles supporters is encapsulated in the targets set for Rohr in his current package with the Nigeria Football Federation.
Winning the Africa Cup of Nations and going beyond the second round of the World Cup are the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow for almost all Super Eagles stakeholders which are core targets in Rohr’s contract.
And for all the disappointment that trails the results of Nigeria’s matches after Rohr put pen to paper on a new deal this year, there are reasons to suggest that the Super Eagles have just taken off to a slow start since September this year. There are promising signs that things can get better.
“The man (Rohr) became so comfortable that he presented us with the worst football match in our entire history against ordinary Sierra Leone and did not even apologise,” said Odegbami.
I have to be honest, I am nowhere as old as Uncle Segun and I have seen far worse Super Eagles matches than the games against Sierra Leone (trust me on that!).
We have to temper our disappointment with pragmatism (or even honesty). 2 points from those 2 games only served to move us closer to Afcon qualification (and not farther away from it).
Legitimate observations and criticisms of Rohr’s approach and tactics are welcomed but to go as far as label those games as the worst in Nigeria’s history makes me start to realise why many observers take Uncle Segun less seriously these days.
“It is obvious that those in charge have set small goals for Rohr because they too have such small dreams about Nigerian football,” is another statement made above by Odegbami that flies in the face of the well documented targets set for Rohr by the NFF.
The Mathematical One said he wonders why anyone would still be supporting Gernot Rohr after such outcomes against Sierra Leone. If he spends more time wondering why his comments generate much controversy (even from people like myself who hold him in such high esteem) perhaps he will be closer to finding out why Rohr still attracts support.
For me, it is not about supporting or criticising Rohr. It is about holding administrators and coaches to account.
If Rohr gets it right, I will heap praises on him; if he messes things up, I will observe where I think he got it wrong and offer my critique.
Recently the German tactician has not done very well (in my humble opinion) . We the fans wanted morale boosting friendly outcomes in October and convincing Afcon qualifiers laced with thrilling displays and a minimum of 4 points in bag in November but Rohr failed to deliver on both occasions.
Borrowing from the title of Uncle Segun’s article above, does that now mean the world has to come to an end? No! No! No!
We apportion blame where due, learn valuable lessons and then move on (to better things!).
“Thank God, I am not in any position to influence anything,” expressed Uncle Segun in the article above to which I reply equally enthusiastically :’Amen to that!’
thanks@mr hush,it is no sin to be ambitous but it’s ridiculous when such ambitions are not backed by proper planning nd projections.We can have a projection of winning the 2030 world cup right from now,put our act together,good enough we have coach who believes in the catch them young idea,please imaging the iwobis,osimhens,chukwuezes,ainas nd others in 2030 if they are allowed to be together under the same gaffer nd that is continuity…….with other things in place we can take on any team in any competition nd win,fire brigade approach rarely wins competitions but we used to it
@Lanre
I totally concur with your submission…
Though winning the world cup in 2030 seems a tall order ; it is a dream projection that can drive our work ethics to substantial success. Even if it is getting to the Semis; it is respectable and a step forward.
Like you stated; dreams, ambitions without plans and hard work is simply fantasies and pure fallacy.
our realistic projections for QATAR 2023 IS QUARTER FINAL the round of sixteen is one jinx we have never broken nd we must let the coach understands that getting there guarantees his CONTRACT EXTENTION nd you will see how he would do all necessaries to cross the hurdle even if the opponent were brazil,germany or argentina…..that is realistic projections,not day dreams
Fulham vs Everton, 4 Nigerians on display. Iwobi very outstanding as a right winger for Everton.
Iwobi is on fire! What a player today.
Uncle Shege is just ranting as usual. We all know his perceived hatred for Rohr and foreign coaches for reasons which he has not fully explained forgetting that he, himself excelled in super eagles under the tutelage of a foreign coach. Comparing the achievements of foreign coaches to that of local coaches statistically in super eagles will show that foreign coaches are way ahead with concrete results and achievements. The tables are just there for all to see, sentiments apart.
On the matter of Rohr, why can’t NFF hire a part time top coach to work with Rohr or even get part time top Nigerian coach to work with super eagles. Most top coaches combine club and country. Some will say its not possible or a distraction but if you love your country you can do it. After all the current coach of Bayern Munich is still part of German national team while great Mario Zagallo of the great 1970 brazilian team was an assistant for Alberto Parreira during 1994 world. Check the Italina national team, everyone comes out to help. Same with the Dutch national team but for Nigeria, Amunike, Oliseh and some others will not want to work part time out of pride or even demand to be paid what NFF cannot afford. Finally, we are our own problem and not Rohr.
Interesting…..
The right question is, “Will Nigeria seize to exist if Odgbami disappeared from the face of the earth?”