Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr is happy with the contribution of Leon Balogun and Joe Aribo at Rangers this season, reports Completesports.com.
Rohr has also told young defender Calvin Bassey and incoming signing Nnamdi Oforboh that they are in his sights and can join the duo in his squad.
Aribo and Balogun have been key figures for Rangers this season and, after helping them reach the Europa League last-16.
They can also help put Steven Gerrard’s side within touching distance of an historic title when they face Livingston in a Scottish Premiership clash on Wednesday.
Oforboh, who will join Rangers this summer after signing a four-year pre-contract agreement with the Scottish club has represented Nigeria at the U-20 level.
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Bassey, 21, was born in Italy but is eligible to represent Nigeria at international level.
“It would be great for our players – Balogun and Aribo – if Rangers won the title,”Rohr told the Daily Record.
“We have been watching Rangers a lot and scouting all their games and there’s also Calvin Bassey and Nnamdi Ofoborh who is an Under-20 international who both have Nigerian roots so the challenge is there for them to join them.
It is great that they are getting so much exposure and success at a club the size of Rangers and, as well as domestically, they have played at a very high level in Europe.
“I played a friendly in Glasgow with Bordeaux and it was a full house – even for a friendly game – so I have good memories and I’m delighted they are getting to experience that, although Leon hasn’t yet had the chance to play in front of the fans.
“I have known Balogun for a very long time. He has a German mentality and has good speed which is very important for a central defender or full back as he can play both positions.
“There is no difference for Leon Balogun playing at right back for Rangers just now because he’s played there before, for Nigeria and in Germany sometimes.
“He’s quick and intelligent and can change his position very quickly. For me, he’s strong enough to play either position. In the 2018 World Cup he played at the right of a three-man central defence so not quite a right back.
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“I watched him playing in Germany for Mainz before I joined the Nigerian national team so I knew all about the boy. He was born in Germany and speaks German so we have a good relationship.
“Leon has a very good character and self confidence and I was happy when he moved to Glasgow Rangers because he didn’t play enough in England.
Leon is one of the leaders in my group and I’m happy he has had success in European competition with Rangers. He is also one of my vice captains, we have a young team in Nigeria and he is an experienced player which is vital.”
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COMMENTS
Ndi “Rohr doesn’t use players at their natural position” over to u…
No mind them jare @UBFE
Bassey will be a good addition to the team in the near future. He can be groomed to play as a left footed centre back which the team really needs. That is if he decides to play for the Super Eagles and if he’s game improves.
Nigeria never has enough players in problem areas Right now we have msny excellent defenders and attackers. The problem is the midfield. There are just 3 quality midfied players and that’s not enough.
We have enough midfieldeers,but Rohr likes fielding/listing mad midfieldeers,his scouts have all done a bad job when it comes to midfieldeers. Okechukwu Azubuike,is one, this past under 17 duo of Samson Tijani and Akinkunmi Amoo, these two guise are midfield genius, with what they are doing in their European clubs presently even at 18 years of age,they will bench any of our current midfieldeers with the exception of Ndidi & Iwobi. We don’t need to wait until this guys are 24 or when they start playing with Man utd.
There is an English philosophy that says, If you are good enough you are old enough,Mbape was 18 when he became a star in France,Even our own chukwueze was 19,do you know that at USA 94 Okocha was 20,and Oliseh was 20 yet our midfieldeers dazzled the World
We have enough midfieldeers,but Rohr likes fielding/listing bad midfieldeers,his scouts have all done a bad job when it comes to midfieldeers. Okechukwu Azubuike,is one, this past under 17 duo of Samson Tijani and Akinkunmi Amoo, these two guise are midfield genius, with what they are doing in their European clubs presently even at 18 years of age,they will bench any of our current midfieldeers with the exception of Ndidi & Iwobi. We don’t need to wait until this guys are 24 or when they start playing with Man utd.
There is an English philosophy that says, If you are good enough you are old enough,Mbape was 18 when he became a star in France,Even our own chukwueze was 19,do you know that at USA 94 Okocha was 20,and Oliseh was 20 yet our midfieldeers dazzled the World