HomeNigeria National Teams

Rohr: Abraham, Tomori Are Not In My Plans For Now

Rohr: Abraham, Tomori Are  Not  In My Plans  For Now

Super Eagles head coach, Gernot Rohr has declared that Chelsea players Tammy Abraham and Fikayo Tomori are not currently part of his plans.

Abraham, 21, is eligible for Nigeria through his father and has been capped twice by England in friendlies and at youth levels.

Tomori who is also 21, has 15 caps for the England Under-21 team but has previously said he could play for Nigeria as he is eligible through his parents.

“They are both interesting players, but we have made our immediate plans without Tammy Abraham and Fikayo Tomori,” Rohr told BBC Sport.

“They are not interested in discussing their international options at the moment and we need to respect that.”

England are due to face the Czech Republic and Bulgaria in World Cup qualifiers this month. Should either player take to the field in one of the competitive fixtures they will no longer have the option of changing their allegiance.

“It is also significant to note that Abraham has been assured that he will be in the England squad,” Rohr added.

“Tomori is a very good friend of our player Ola Aina (ex-Chelsea and England youth international) and he said he does not want to discuss this for now.

“We have to focus on what we have and not lose focus about what people say all the time.”

Nigeria, three-time African champions have previously succeeded in convincing former England youth players like Aina, Victor Moses, Alex Iwobi and Sone Aluko to represent them.

Another English-born player, Joe Aribo who plays for Scottish outfit, Glasgow Rangers made his debut in the 2-2 draw against Ukraine in September.

Aribo’s Rangers teammate and England U-20 World Cup winner Sheyi Ojo is also ready to switch allegiance and represent Nigeria at senior level.

And last week another former England youth international, Chuba Akpom, revealed he has now pledged his international allegiance to the country of his parents.


Copyright © 2024 Completesports.com All rights reserved. The information contained in Completesports.com may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the prior written authority of Completesports.com.

COMMENTS

WORDPRESS: 30
  • Well said coach,u are a real man,since they said that they are not ready no need to put them in our plans,i really wnt England to cap this Abraham this coming weeks so that all this Abraham this Abraham that will stop,we have quality strikers already and Man are still coming,abraham is not good in big matches,but we saw olayinka vs Milan Denis vs real Madrid,onuachu vs Egypt,great Osimhen vs Ukraine,up super eagles

  • Mark O. 4 years ago

    Noted @ coach Gernot Rohr. Nigeria is a great footballing nation that has the arsenal to fire on all cylinders with or without them.

  • Good position, Rohr. I’ve always suspected these 2 are playing hide and seek and in truth waiting on Southgate. Rohr always have first information and knows what we don’t. Tammy and Tomori believe they are too good for Nigeria and good enough for England. After all, they are Chelsea FC players. Good for them. With Raheem Sterling, Fabian Delph, Danny Rose and Joe Gomez (4 black Three Lions players), Tammy and Tomori think they have so many chances. England can never have more than 2 black players on the field at once. They are not France or Belgium. Some countries have unwritten codes about these things. Is it not a wonder Brazil and Argentina are neighbours, but no one has ever seen a black Argentine?

    • mr Hush 4 years ago

      @Kel
      I see where u are driving at with the race card; but I have to say,the reason Argentina hasn’t really capped a black player is simply because there aren’t many Argentine with Afro ancestry; even if they were neighbours with Brazil.
      It really has nothing to do with race with argentina.
      On the contrary,Brazil has been known to select base on race,it took a while before the Brazilian public could embrace a black player wearing the Samba jersey.even with the high level of Blacks in Brazil,they face discrimination delay.and there a lot of evidence to prove that.even in the sporting world.

      The thing about race is,it all depends on your quality. I assure you,quality beats Race anytime. No one can keep quality down; the colour of your skin doesn’t matter when you can achieve. And that goes for England;and Europeans in general.
      Yes; they might be go first for their ‘son'(in the sense the White skin) in a position,but if a black player is far better,i assure you,they would always pick the black player first. The Europeans care only about getting results and don’t mind who gets it for them.
      The English are no more racist than the Spanish,Italians,Germans and Russians; but we can see how their national team these days are set up.
      Spain has gone as far as given citizenship to a young Fati from Guinea bissua,just to tie him down. And Russia are capping black Brazilians not minding the public outcry.
       For Tammy and Tomori,if they are really good enough and prove it on the pitch,they would break through into the English team like dele Ali.it is all about their quality. But I doubt they would be an integral part for long,since there are lot of competitions in their positions.
      As it concerns Nigeria;i think we are good without them.if I ever wanted one from the duo,it would have been Tomori to bolster our defence;but since he made his choice. We got good quality in their positions,that would come good for us.Nigeria is all good without them.

      • mr Hush 4 years ago

        Discrimination *daily*

        • Thanks, Mr Hush. But on this same matter, it will be nice to know your assessment of Alex Ferguson and his time at Manchester United. Do you think he didn’t have a bias and an unwritten code about players and nationalities/origins? I think coaches (and most top coaches) have. Besides Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole (and maybe one or 2 more in later years), Ferguson was known to be a closet racist coach. It was Mourinho that kind of broke that barrier and opened the floodgate in the EPL when he took over the reins at Chelsea with players like Drogba, Malouda, Essien and co. And it’s partly the reason the team is the most supported in Nigeria.

          Maybe the orientation is changing now, but the chances of a skilled Caucasian making the 3 Lions team compared to his Negroid counterpart wasn’t on the same scale.

          • Dr. Drey 4 years ago

            I vehemently disagree with you on Ferguson being a racist. During his time, the likes of Quiton Fortune and Djemba Djemba played for Man U. Our own Mikel Obi was also signed up by this same Ferguson as a long term replacement for a homeboy like Paul Scholes before the whole drama about the transfer burst into the open. Even Rio Ferdinand cant be outright called a ‘white’man.

            The AFCON taking place in January (when the direction the title will go is usually decided) was always a huge turn off for Ferguson and he never hid his displeasure at that fact that key players may need to leave for the AFCON at such crucial time of the season and return in very horrible shapes afterwards. This he highlighted severally as the major reason he thinks twice before signing up African players.

          • Dr. Drey 4 years ago

            ….you can also add anderson and nani into your list of black players that featured under the Scot during his time.

  • I really wanted tomori to be with us as a chelsea fan i dont feel comfortable supporting a club without an eagle in my club. Please tomori try and understand now we need u morethan the English ppl remember you are an african and africa is yet to win a worldcup bronze. That should be ur first prio

  • Tank you GR go ahead wiath what you have nigeria have players better than abraham and tomori we should stop talking about them they are not nigerians and they dont like nigeria. We have osimen. Akpom.onuachu. Simmy.okereke.iheanacho. We dont need abraham.

  • Bomboy 4 years ago

    Chuba Akpom wants to play for Nigeria now. Someone please correct me if I am wrong: was he not saying sometime ago that he would prefer England?

    First, he said he could play for Nigeria. Then, when he thought he was breaking into the first team of Liverpool (or was it Arsenal? My football brains are fried), he changed his mind and said he preferred England. Now that he has ended up in a less fancied team and forgotten by England, he wants to play for Nigeria.

    Mark my words: not too far into the future, players like these would be wishing that had swished to Naija. I have a feeling the Super Eagles will outperform England in the next World Cup.

    • mr Hush 4 years ago

      I assure you,the choices(or not) made by these foreign born Nigerians go beyond just footballing reasons; if it were that, though England created the football game,arguably in term of trophies and honours,they can’t be said to have outperformed Nigeria; the last major trophy they won was in 1966;till the last double triumph in both U-17 and U-20 worldcups.. with all due respect; Nigeria’s trophy cabinet is as filled like those of England,even not more. 
      That said,the choices made by these guys is basically due to background upbringing and the thought of simply choosing a developed nation over a less developed one. It is more economical,organisational and social reasons that enable them chose,rather than really sporting. Everyone likes the limelight;and in their minds,they feel England has a spectacle Nigeria don’t. 
      Who can blame them!
      For me,i think we should keep sticking to those willing to play for us.and let’s keep creating glory.glory always brings all the men to the yard. With the boys we have now,it can only get better.

      • Bomboy 4 years ago

        Thanks Mr. Hush. Hopefully, the players we have at present, and the new ones coming up, will make us proud.

        • mr Hush 4 years ago

          @Bomboy

          I am certain they will make us proud.
          Besides the young talent springing up left right and centre; there is this will and passion amongst them to play for Nigeria. You can see the unity of purpose amongst them and the zeal to succeed is written in all of them.
          That’s what has been missing for a while now as regards Nigerian players since the class of westerhof and the Atlanta 96 team left the scene; 
          We always brought out talent,but they never had the passion or will to be the best at what they do; and never had the will to play for the Eagles. It was all about selfish interest and the paycheck then.
          Now it is different;the boys want to succeed in all aspects; in the  game,for the national team and for themselves.I am not a big fan of Rohr’s tactics; but he must given the rightful acknowledgement for making the camp right to build this kind of mentality and purpose within the boys.
          With the right tactics; I assure you,with these set of players,we are seeing a group of boys that can give us glory in the international stage like 96 and 94 did.
          And I am not bragging.just my premonition on what I see on ground.

  • Oakfield 4 years ago

    Tammy Abraham’s bluff has really gotten on my nerves. Thank u Mr Rohr for putting him where he should be. You’re are a real German, and Germans are known for their pride. No need for chasing a flash in the pan striker. We shall see how far he’ll go with the English national team and how far he’ll go with his club Chelsea this season.We’ll see if he’d still remain at the pecking order when he season reaches its climax, that’s when boys are separated from men. England, pls, cap him ASAP, we don’t need him!

    • Tgrace 4 years ago

      That was what happened to him at Swansea city in 2017 that he rock the championship like a sun amidst stars but go down the picking oder. I stop now wanting this boy to come to my Father land again.
      I see him playing two more games for England and end his career in regret like others who choose England over Nigeria. No room for this boy here again.

      Tomori, think twice and come and seal your place in super eagles defence

      • Tgrace I hear you bro. You remember Sydney Sam who chose Germany ahead of Nigeria?

        Five senior caps for Germany were the reward for his allegiance.

        Tammy Abraham will be lucky to get 5 caps for England ; yet again, I could be wrong.

      • Oakfield 4 years ago

        No mind am @Tgrace and deo. All these small boys never see life, I don’t blame them but they should be wise to learn from history.

    • Dr. Drey 4 years ago

      Oga…..Tammy isnt a flash in the pan…..at all at all.

      Sentiments apart, the dude is currently the best no 9 with Nigerian blood anywhere in the world. Even though I will never beg him to play for us, having him play for the SE will take our overall quality a notch higher. Unless we wanna lie to ourselves
      16 EPL goals and about 50 Championship goals in only 3 seasons of Senior football is no joke.
      The kid has made his decision, thus lets respect it and move on. He’s not the first and wont be the last….. Dennis Aogo, Patrick Owomoyela, Sidney Sam, Carlton Cole, Shola Ameobi, Gabby Agbonlahor, Nedum Onuoha, Stefano Okaka….dem many wey don use us do shakara b4. Nor be today.

      But truth be said. The boy is good…!

  • Mark O. 4 years ago

    I totally agree with your submission @ kel. These English-born Nigerian lads don’t seem to learn from the ugly experience of their predecessors in the hands of the FA.
    It beats my imagination to see these players keep yearning to be used and dumped by England when they could have easily stake a claim for Super Eagles shirts and get themselves established internationally.
    Funny enough, our darling national team ( Super Eagles) is currently brimming with interesting talents who can give them a good run for their money if they decide to switch allegiance to Nigeria.
    It should be known that with or without Tammy and co, Super Eagles will keep soaring beyond limits under the tutelage of the ‘old fox’, coach Gernot Rohr!
    Finally, @ completesports, why was my initial comment omitted? Or did I make use of any vulgar word?

  • I am glad Rohr is not thinking of either Abraham or Tomori at the moment.

    That leaves him to focus on the abundant talents already at his disposal.

    This is encapsulated in the statement of the German tactician when he said: “We have to focus on what we have and not lose focus about what people say all the time”.

    This person pledging allegiance to Nigeria, that person pledging allegiance to Nigeria is starting to become a distraction to me…..

  • Glory 4 years ago

    Good one from Rohr. They have refused to commit to Nigeria. Why CSN still sell their news to Nigerian fans is what I don’t get. But for those that have committed n others willing to commit, God bless them n they are 100% welcome. Competition brings out the best in any field of endeavour. No chance to think I have arrived cos someone is breathing down your neck. Gone are the days when players used to hold the national teams to ransom. Rohr, you doing a fantastic job. Keep bringing in good commited players as you weed away those not good enough.

  • alima marcus 4 years ago

    Thank GR, Nigeria has abundant talented players. there is no need for us to beg any Nigerian both at home and diaspora to play for us. As for now we don’t need the Young man Tammy. since he seen himself as black oyibo. then we obey his decision and wish him the way he wish himself. i rest my opinion here.

  • Omo9ja 4 years ago

    I am so happy with this news. This is what I have been saying about coach Rohr. He have to change his mentality.

    You have to know your value and people will respect you. He have to stay like that if he really want to achieve something meaningful for Nigeria.

    He should use coach Dennerby as an example. Fashanu and co are regretting for not playing for Nigeria. Let’s leave them alone because without Abraham and the rest, Super Eagles can cope. Well spoken Oga Rohr. Ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!

    • Oakfield 4 years ago

      Oga, what u have been saying since u surfaced on this forum like a crab has been garbage. So,dont try to elevate ursef to a level u dont belong.

      • Omo9ja 4 years ago

        What else can I do to satisfy you Nigerians? I say things the way I see it.

        Just tell what can I do or say to make you people happy. But chai, what is really important to me is Nigeria. If you like, don’t like what I’m saying. No wahala. God bless Nigeria!!!

    • Dr. Drey 4 years ago

      Hehehehehe….Rohr should use Dennerby example….? Which example if I may ask….? His ‘ben johnson’ example…???

  • OMO ELUKU 4 years ago

    @glory, at least spoke a bit senses today but spoilt it eventually 
    by saying “why is CSN selling their news to Nigerians”
    O boy, do some thinking stuff before writing ok

Update cookies preferences