Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr is happy his side won’t face hosts Egypt in the group stages of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, Completesports.com reports.
The three-time African kings are among the six seeded teams in Pot A following the release of the draw procedures by the Confederation of African Football on Thursday.
That rules out the possibility of the Super Eagles coming up against some of the continent’s big guns in the early stage of the tournament, like Egypt, Senegal, Tunisia, Morocco and Senegal who are also in the same pot.
Rohr is however not expecting an easy draw especially with former winners Algeria, Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana all placed in Pot B
“We are in the same pot, so we cannot meet Egypt. Because when you play the host country, it’s always very difficult,” Rohr stated in a short video interview posted on the Confederation of African Football’s Twitter handle.
“It becomes more difficult when you have a team like the one you have here in Egypt.
“But when you see in the Pot 2 all the teams can win it. You have Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Cote d’Ivoire. ..all big teams.
“Even in the third pot you have South Africa and some other teams like that who can be able to win it.
“So really, you have in this tournament the best teams in Africa.”
The draw ceremony which will hold at Giza, near Cairo will kick-off at 7 pm Nigerian time tonight (Friday).
By Adeboye Amosu
16 Comments
Let these your mind game not translate to failure, you better prepare for the worst, though being humble is good.
It is better to meet one heavy weight in the group stage because if we do, we are certain not to meet them again until the finals if we are able to get there. But as it stands now, we may meet any of them (Senegal, Egypt, Morocco) early in the knockout stages and that won’t be good for us (because “you know we have a young team”, lol).
You are so right Bomboy.
Very well said.
What else can I say now. As a coach you don’t have to be scared of any opponent or talking like this. You are discouraging your team. Instead of speaking like this, you should be thinking on how to getting the job done in Egypt.
You still have two months to prepare your team and you can still invite few players if you think you are in doubt over some of the players you have in your team.
I like you coach Rohr and I want the best for you because you have tried that is why I am pointing out where it’s needed improvement in your team before the kickoff but you just have to keep it up and keep listening to us Super Eagles fans like you did when we called Onuachu name for you because we know more than you think. Oga Rohr please listen o. God bless Nigeria!!!
“I like you coach Rohr and I want the best for you”.
Fat lie….Lie of the decade. The same you who called for his sack immediately after qualifying us for afcon (since 2013) with a game to spare….? The same you who has said severally that the coach who took us from 14th place in Africa to 3rd place is not a good coach….??? I’m really shocked at how easy it is for people to tell lies on this forum.
.
“keep listening to us Super Eagles fans like you did when we called Onuachu name for you because we know more than you think”
Please why then didn’t you apply for the job when it was vacant…? Some people really think it is them that the coach listens to….??? LMAO. A poor man thinks he taught the rich man how he (the rich man) made his millions….the question is, why then is he still poor…? Lol.
Tell him my brother I have been avoiding reading his post cos he’s not in touch with realities. I don’t like hypocrites
Unfortunately we have fans in this forum whose speeches come out differently depending on which side of their mouths the words jump out. Today,”he is good”; tomorrow, “let’s sack him, bad coach!”.
Well, this is the season for such discordant speech. This hate speech will end when Nigeria lifts her 4th AFCON, by God’s grace.
Omo9ja ma friend,pls stop exposing ur self to unnecessary criticism.Pls sir,let’s be real Wat again has the coach said wrong above that has become a form of discouragement to his players.Pls let’s support this coach he’s the best we have heard in recent time.
can rohr invite player of onuahu such without clamouring of fans?? i didnt support in inviting onuachu but i hv seen people crying for the intitation of onuach for past 2 to 3 years….”even now i still dont believe in onuachu”. u think rohr go carry invite players like ikuem udoh, valentine, ezenwa, the homebasee without the influenced of fans, not just fans influenced, but with relentless crying in 2yrs time… if u dont know rohr gernot “i know him”. go twitter there is crying. go infact everywhere clamouring certain player is there.
Hahahahah…town crier..!
Was it your cry that brought uzoho, ebuehi, musa muhammed, sam kalu, sam chukueze, victor osimhem, ola aina, brian idowu, jamilu collins, onyekuru etc into the national team..? LOLZ.
Some people think the coaches are blind sha…they think they dont watch and follow football the way fans also follow football…they think they dont hear of certain players in certain places the way fans also hear of them….they think they dont know how to use internet the way fans know how to. They think it is only when they mention the name of a player that the coach goes to google and start looking for whoever bears that name…! People can be really funny.
Dr Drey, you’ve just saved him my anger, don’t mind the town cried.
My guess:
1) Egypt, Guinea, Mauritania, Zimbabwe;
2) Cameroon, Mali, Madagascar, Guinea Bissau;
3) Senegal, DR Congo, Benin, Namibia;
4) Tunisia, CIV, Uganda, Burundi;
5) Nigeria, Algeria, South Africa, Angola;
6) Morocco, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania.
We fear no for for we are all brothers.
It’s finally out,Nigeria in group B with Guine,Burundi and Madagascar
The draw is out:
A – Egypt, DR congo, Uganda, Zimbabwe.
B – Nigeria, Guinea, madagascar, Burundi.
C – Senegal, Algeria, Kenya, Tanzania
D – Morocco, Cot’D’ivore, South Africa, Namibia.
E – Tunisia, Mali, Muaritania,Angola.
F – Cameroun, Ghana, Benin, Guinea bissau.
Egypt and Zimbabwe will play the opening game.
Very balanced draw, good draw for the super Eagles, but they must not underestimate any team.
Dr Drey,I don laugh tire for here ooolo,the town crier debacle.We really need to protect this platform from funny feeds may God help us.This people should know that coaches all over the world don’t pick players base on wat people say, even if u r a coach another coach cannot pick another player based on ur recommendation if u r either not the coaches assistant or his scout.So don’t come here and attempt to teach the coach his job even when ur voice does not count.Pls u people don’t know anything about wat criteria is used to pick players it’s not by crying ooo.