NFF president Amaju Pinnick said the only way the Super Eagles can appease football fans in the country is to go to Freetown and beat Sierra Leone 4-0 in the return leg of the 2021 AFCON qualifiers on Tuesday, Completesports.com reports.
The Eagles shockingly surrendered a four-goal lead to draw 4-4 against the Leone Stars.
Speaking to the players inside their dressing room, Pinnick described it as the worst result he has experienced as NFF chairman.
“I will say it the way it is in my heart and the heart of so many Nigerians. The truth is that we can’t be leading 4-0 against Sierra Leone and concede four goals for no reason,” Pinnick said in a video with the players published on the Super Eagles YouTube channel.
“Since I became the NFF president this is the worst result I’ve seen in my life. Next few days I wonder how I’m going to sleep. It’s not because of losing or we won’t qualify for the Nations Cup, it’s certainly because this is towards the end of the year, you know the passion and love Nigerians have for this game.
“It’s football, it can go either way but what happened to us? Were we complacent? Were we so comfortable that we were leading 4-0 and all of a sudden the goals start coming in? At the end of the day nobody is going to call your name, it’s the coach and Amaju Pinnick. That is the truth. Unfortunately he is not the one on the pitch. I saw the reaction of your captain after they score the fourth goal and I shed tears for the first time in a long time.
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“That spirit of competition is not there anymore, to me that’s the truth. I’m not the coach but if I’m the coach there are some people that will not come to the team again and that’s the truth.
“Nigeria has 200 million people and should consider ourselves privileged playing for the national team. It hurt all of us I cannot think of anything else because we put in a lot, I did a check list, the flight, the immigration, custom, everything, just to make sure that everything goes seamlessly.
This is Nigeria, it is a big country. We don’t wake up playing Sierra Leone, you wake up playing Brazil, you wake up playing Argentina, you wake up playing Senegal.
“If it was just a scoreless draw, it would have been a different ball game, from the defence to the midfield off, also the attack. If there is anything that will make us be that proud footballing nation, it’s for us to go to Sierra Leone and beat them 4-0.
“It’s not just winning, winning is an understatement, it’s to make sure we give them that 4-0 and make sure they don’t score even one, that is the only thing we will do from the blast of the whistle till the end of the game.”
Pinnick further added:”I’m bothered about our ranking, I’m bothered about so many things that possibly you people are not bothered about we take the blame everyday. I sat down to look at the check list, call the secretary, call the team doctor everyday, I’m the president but I took charge because of the importance of this game to you and to Nigerians. I’m very pained, I’m very emotional now.
“When I was coming to meet you I was told to cheer you up I said no I can’t cheer you up and remain pained, let us suffer the emotion together I won’t cheer you up, not anymore. I’ve told you and I mean it, I will see your coach and there are somethings we are not going to accept anymore.
“The beauty about falling down is resurgent enough to bounce back. Bounce back in a grand style because what you have done is that you have given them confidence that Nigeria is beatable.
“We must go to Freetown and beat them at least four goals so that they will know truly the Eagles have landed. So we should double our effort and go to Freetown and win that game by 4-0 because it is very symbolic so that they will know that what happened in Nigeria was a fluke.”
By James Agberebi
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COMMENTS
Just shut your trap, u nor get boot, I took charge my foot. See how our fields look like places where cow dey chop grass. The president of Morocco, Algeria, Egypt football federation na 5 heads dem get? Abeg just shut up joor, Am pained my foot. Acting like u did anything special for tge team. Were u and your cronies not supposed to make arrangements for the players to travel and stay in hotels. They have and are still giving more to the country than u will ever give. bloody fool. Instead of working hard with your useless sports minister to develop the game mlions of Nigerians love u are here talking nonsense. If na play just stop am ooo. Like UBFC likes saying LUBBISH. just hide ur face in shame. In ur watch our national teams from u17 to SE have been poor. Appoint coaches on time, NO, na to dey travel across Europe dey beg players to play for 9ja u sabi. Na u be administrator, player, coach, scout join. How many years u don be NFF president wetin u don do to move our football forward? How many silverware we don win, no even mention the AFCON wen keshi win ooo, or u17 wen Amuneke win oo or women AFCON ooo as u and ur cronies frusrrate all the coaches. The poor girls even strike for hotel for some time claiming se u no gree pay dem even though the soccer governing body give una moni ooo. Nonsense abeg just sharap there.
you carry serious match go Benin, so we no get other good stadium? una dey play politices, pls you guys should allow our ex internationals to handle our football, am sure you follow dey choose players for the coach, allow this man to chose his starting 11, ndi oshi
So Benin stadium is not good or what was. Stadium the problem did you watch the match at all please edo state has one of the best stadium in Nigeria was what are you saying must they play the match in one stadium all the time did the coach or player complains of the pitch
and pay their outstanding bonuses, not empty promises
this match made me so emotional I can’t give any analysis for now… I mean, come on, we were leading 4 goals up?!!!
Sorry but cheer up bcoz the game in question was a scam. Watch out next game u will see the players play at least the scammers have made money tinkling the game in first leg so second leg will be far better and players more relax ,no obligations again. Scammers.
THE END OF ROHR MIGHT HAVE COME AND I PERSONALLY DO NOT FANCY HIS COACHING SKILLS RIGHT FROM DAY ONE, RORH IS JUST BELOW AVERAGE COACH WHO BEST SHOULD MANAGE COUNTRIES LIKE SUFAN, GAMBIA AND LIKES. THE FACT THAT HE GOT GOOD RESULTS FRONUS THEN IS BECAUSE NATURALLY WE ARE BLESSED WITH GOOD PLAYERS AND PLUS THE FACT THAT ROHR GOOD SELECTIONS .
ROHR CAME IN AT A OOINT OUR FOOTBALL STATUS IS LOW AND SO NOBODY CARES ABOUT HIS GAME PLAN AS LONG AS WE WIN AND LUCKILY WE WERE WINNING. I KNEW ALL THESE WAHALA GO BURST IMMEDIATELY NIGERIAN EGO CAME BACK AFTER SERIES OF WINNING STREAKS FOR THE SUPER EAGLESS THE FANS AND OFFICIALS WANTED SOMETHING CONVINCING FOR EAGLES WHICH IS ATTACKING FOOTBALL AND THIS CLAUSE WAS INSERTED INTO THE CONTRACT OF ROHR THAT HENCE FAULT ROHR SHOULD NOT PRIDE HIMSELF IN WINNING MATCHES ONLY BUT WE MUST PLAY GOOD ATTACKING FOOTBALL AND THEN ROHR HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO YIELD.
REMEMBER ROHR TACTICS IS JUST TO PACK TWO DEFENSIVE PLAYERS AND ASK DEFENDERS TO BE ROBUST THEN EXPECT OUR SKILLFUL PLAYERS TO OPEN OPPONENTS DEFENCE BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE ERA OF PLAYERS LIKE MIKEL,MOSES,ONAZI ARE GONE EVEN IGHALLO. MOST ESPECIALLY MOSES AND MIKEL ,THERE IS NO DEFENSE IN THE WORLD THAT MOSES CAN NOTGO THROUGH AND NO MIDFIELDER IN SFRICAN IS AS EXPERIENCED AS MIKEL THEN . THESE ARE THE FACILITIES ENJOYED BY RORH LOOKING BACK AT OUR MATCH AGAINST ALGERIA IN WORLD CUP AND CAMEROUN QUALIER IT WAS THE BRILLANCE OF MOSES AND THE GENERAL MIKEL THAT GAVE US VICTORY.
NOW THOSE TWO PLAYERS ARE GONE AND IT IS NOW REQUIRED OF ROHR TO PLAY ATTACKING FOOTBALL.. LETS SEE WHERE IT ENDS BUT AM CERTAIN THAT WITH ROHR WE CAN GO TO NATIONS CUP BUT WORLD CUP FORGET ABOUT IT.HE HAS NOHIDING PLACE AGAIN MOST NATION NOW KNOW THAT EAGLES CAN NOT SUSTAIN TEAMS THAT PLAY PRESSING GAMES
Shebi na u collect bribe from obaseki and carry the match go Benin abi? E don back fire now u come dy look for scape goats. Just shut the f…. K man! That’s una trade mark, always looking for whom to blame after fk…. Up. When you people create problems, una go look for scape goats to bear the brunt just like the govt is blaming the youths for the problems bedevilling the country today. If you like next time u go carry important match go your village other than our traditionally known home ground (uyo) after surulere stadium. Anu offia!
You don’t know what to say okay was playing the match in Benin a problem
If the German coach does not win in Freetown, we should ask him to go. We can’t continue like this. This is the first time in history Nigeria is winning 4-0 and squandered it. Rohr also broke our record with South Africa. We lost in the dying minutes against Argentina and so many things. The man does not understand the mentality of Nigerian players.
I am also heartbroken. Lost a lot of money yesterday.
NFF, please do something and get us a quality coach before it is too late. Rohr does not have what it takes to lead Nigeria to the promised land.
See let’s be frank and fair in our assessment. Even though I know it wasn’t a good game bit to fair it wasn’t Rohr fault that they succumbed their 4goals lead in the game. Rather than blaming the coach alone I think all the players sud be wipe too. After all it was se Rohr that coached them to score 4 goals before the players became complacent and relaxed. Before it down on them the Seria Leon had already scored 4 goals. Lesson to learnt is to try not to underrate any team in football anymore.
When at 4-2 or 4-3 u no take drastic measures then it will be the coach’s fault..
@Joe why are you guys bent on sacking this coach. Asking him to go and ask your father to take over right? U think any world class coach will agree to coach Nigeria or can we even as a country afford any. Think about it yourself thanks
Mr Tayo please don’t insult people’s father .
Total value of super eagle team 200million pounds
Total value of S/ Leone national football team is 7.8 milion pounds. … results 4 : 4 . On field of play.
Joe every world class coach will jump at the opportunity to coach nigeria forget about what happend in the last match nigeria is blessed with talented football players which is the dream of any world class coach to coach .
@tayo, we do not need a world class. What we need is an intelligent coach. A smart coach who can prevent a kind of situation. Tell me, what if it was SL that were leading 4-0 nil in 29 minutes, do you think they won’t win the match? Let’s use our basic common sense and tell ourselves the truth. Nigeria has the money to get anyone.
A smart coach would have protected the lead yesterday, perhaps 4-1, 4-2 or 5-2 and go for draw in Freetown. The truth of the matter right now is Nigeria cannot win in Freetown. We lost the opportunity.
The basic truth is that Gernot Rohr is not a good coach and I have never seen his team play good football since he was engaged. Very surprising that NFF renewed his contract.
Do not blame anybody except Mr. Pinnick and Oga Rohr.
Mr. Amaju is playing politics game in our sports while Oga Rohr doesn’t have what it takes to coach the Super Eagles period.
These are the main problems of the Super Eagles for now.
Oga Rohr would have been fired immediately after the world cup in Russia but NFF manipulated everything the man continued and he even went to Afcon same thing that occurred against Argentina at the world cup occurred again in Egypt at the Afcon.
What is the point of having a foriegn coach and we are getting the results below our standard? From 4:0 to 4:4? Chai, too bad.
I was expecting the gaffer to moved back Akpoguma when Balogun injured his back but the coach opted for Ajayi. What kind of tactic can we called that?
Also, the substitutions the coach made yesterday was terribly bad.
What was Yobo doing while Oga Rohr was making that horrible decision? Clearly, you should be blamed for that Mr. Amaju Pinnick for putting Yobo there instead of him to understudy the manager and one of the ex players. Oga Pinnck, your days are numbered
Oga Rohr fans should please stay aside for now. We don’t need your excuses. Your coach have failed.
Oga Rohr is not for the Super Eagles and NFF should please and please hire our ex players to finish the job.
The seriousness wasn’t there in the team. Eagles wasn’t rootless enough yesterday and during their friendlies and I said it before the match yesterday.
I watched the highlights of the Ghana vs Qatar match on YouTube and I realized that our team needed to be serious, focus and rootless for the entire durations of 90 minutes whenever they are representing Nigeria.
NFF should bring back our ex players.
Then, treat them as foriegn managers and I believe they will delivered.
None of our local coaches has enjoyed themselves as Super Eagles managers because you NFF treated them so badly.
It’s time to change your mentality against our ex players. Egbo is available to take over from Oga Rohr because he has bn fired.
Amunike, Aguavon and Manu Garba are also there too. They are all ready to work. Oga Agu should follow coach Rohr. We are done with you people. NFF president, Oga GR and goalkeeper trainer Mr. Agu, three of you should vacate sharp sharp.
My advice to our ex players and local coaches, do not allow NFF to use you.
They selected players for Manu Garba, the coach were chasing away our good players including Lateef Omidiji that came from abroad to represents his fatherland. They frustrated the young boy. In the end, Mr. Manu Garba went to the Under17 world cup and tarnished his image and his fine record.
Today, we are calling Manu Garba’s name as a bad coach and worst under17 team that ever RPT our country forgetting that NFF were the green snakes under the green grass.
Long story short, impossible is nothing but I don’t think Nigeria can win in Freetown. All the best Eagles.
This is not the time to complain. Take action NFF. Ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!
@King S, I will do as you said sir. I will keep my mouth shut now.
Mind you sir, instead of putting your anger on our world class coach Oga Rohr, you are putting your anger on me for no reasons. That is unfair. There’s God ooo.
I will forgive you but don’t do that anymore. God bless Nigeria!!!
do you know God? if you have this kind of mind set go and sit down and be positive in your thinking
you re bunch of disappointment you were waiting for Your country to fail and start rating like a mad dog you re disgrace to humanity foolish guy.
I forsee disaster coming seriously to our football.NFF should meet the FG and kick start our League.So many things wrong in our football.Let me explain a little:
1.Our best goalkeeper is in our NPL here in nigeria.We missed it when we left Dele ajiboye,alampasu,afelokhai and ezenwa for foreign bred.Maduka okoye is not yet ripe to man our posts.We have more abled guys that have transited from U17 to U21 that can do better.Maduka Okoye time will definately come but not now.
2.Some players dont have business in that team !!! NFF is to blame because they know what they are doing.Our failure started when we failed to qualify for U23 Olympic by allowing imamakpabo to handle that team.A good coach and a team from that U23 team would have produced some of our best players.
3.Genot Rohr should be disengage immediately and Emmanuel Amunike with Manu garba and peter rufai should be allow to tutor the team.
Genot Rohr will still hurt us more as the team continues their games
you dont know what you saying
@frank please tell me what i dont know