Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr says Ahmed Musa won’t feature in the side’s upcoming 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Benin and Lesotho and was only given an honorary place in the squad, reports Completesports.com.
Musa’s selection has generated controversy as he has been without a club since October.
The speculation has forced Rohr to clarify and defend Musa’s non-playing role as the 24th player.
“It’s important to clarify that Musa is not in the competitive list of 23 players for our game against Benin and Lesotho,” Rohr told BBC Sport Africa.
“We’ve invited Musa as the captain by making him the 24th player, but he is not as part of the 23 on the list that will play our two matches.
Read Also: Amuneke Faults Rohr On Musa’s Invitation For AFCON Qualifiers
“What is important now is to focus on the games ahead and not to be distracted by anything else. We hope for all our players to be fit and travel down safely for the matches.”
The Super Eagles need a point to qualify for the 2021 AFCON.
The three-time African champions lead Group L with eight points after four rounds of matches.
Rohr’s men face Benin in Porto-Novo on March 27 and then welcome Lesotho to Lagos three days later to round up their qualifying campaign.
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COMMENTS
I hope this settle it for those who are extremely angry over musa inclusion.
Confused coach will result in a confused bunch of players.
Pls don’t do this again,u have built a reputation over the years,don’t spoil it with non playing captain bullshit.invite players that are doing well and thise that are out of form or clubless should wait till they regain form or club.the motive is to win the nation’s cup and do better than we have done before in the world cup,it seems u are no longer interested in those things as ur invitations of lower league players ahead of those in first division clubs , playing champions and Europa league football says it all.dont loose focus,forget about favouritism,many players in that team need not be there any longer,they have paid thier dues,we must make the national team a serious business ,not a Micky mouse thing.
Please could you name the players on the list that shouldn’t be there?
You know them.
…hahahaha. I laugh in German. Why are they now changing the narrative. Some internet analyst yesterday were still capering up and down applauding the fraud of inviting a non-active player. Where has it ever been done in this modern age. Sports is no politics… professionalism and fairness must never be sacrificed on the alter of fraud. We know Musa can play football, but he is not the only one out of lots of Nigeria’s professional footballers who can do that… what example were they intending to set with that hypocrisy? No Rohr make you let politicians use you even though you don cancel plenty calender and suppose get sense as a grandpa wey you be… no, Musa must be fielded and play 90 minutes… you can even call back Odion Ighalo to start ahead of Osimheen as without Musa and Odion, we no go see road. Place Peter Olayinka on standby… I rate that guy better than Moses Simon, even though, Simon is my language man… he plays in Champions League and Europa League, which to me are at a higher standard than qualifiers versus Benin Republic and Lesotho, and has shown enough! They are now making a U-turn because sensible Nigerians are coming out to shred and rubbish that sentimentally third-world decision to invite an inactive player… they are just trying to please Buhari that is all… but even good-intentioned Northerners know inviting Musa in his condition is shameful for Nigeria as Nation…
Hahahahaha….just admit you jumped the gun and ranted out order over what wasn’t existing….the same you ranted about Ighalo being invited for these qualifiers when there was no indication of that whatsoever.
This information is not strange….majority already had the inkling from their comments from yesterday that Musa was likely just invited to come and fulfil is role as captain at such crucial time. There’s no need changing the narrative that Rohr is changing his mind bcos of you, just because you want to save face. Rohr has never been listening or listened to your dictates. You should make yourself bigger than such pettiness by just being manly and admit you goofed and was faster than your shadow in making mountain out of a molehill without hearing from the horse’s mouth. But it’s not your fault anyways….in organised climes sqaudlists are released in front of worldwide press so all grey areas can be shed light upon. But in Nigeria it spends 2 whole weeks with the NFF being “oversighted” before it is flinged to the press.
I hope this is not how you are hastily judgemental in real life…. otherwise you go dey many people before you even allow them to talk wetin happen o……LMAO
@Dr.Drey… what is good for the goose is also good for the gander! Infact… Ezenwa also needs to be included as a 25th non-playing squad member. The goalkeepers will need his wealth of experience, encouragement and moral support also. Yes… that is what we need to do since he is also a respected squad member. If you do for Musa, make you also do for Okoro… hahaha. I think my friend is still hiding under a crack in the rocks at the foot of Mambilla mountains… @Dr.Drey… I will not hurt you, neither will I call you out anymore for setting fraudulent guidelines for Nigeria’s football players… “Mr. A, must play in a top 5 league before he gets invited to Super Eagles, even though Mr. A, plays for a regular champions league team and doing a yeoman’s job each time… while Mr. B, must not have any club”! Hahaha. Please leave Mambilla where you are hiding before the primitive Mumuye tribe find you o… Lol.
Dr Dre is a hypocrite and a fool who thinks he’s the smartest soccer analyst ever. Not here for no back and forth if u like argue with your your soul. This is my one time.Mumu!
You forgot to mention those playing in division 2 and Cypriot league. Please is Scottish league among the Top 5 leagues he keeps screaming about.
Hahahahahah….pls what experience does Ezenwa have that Uzoho does not have x3…?? LMAO. The last time I checked Ezenwa was nt anywhere close to being the captain of the squad….sorry your comparison isnt rational. I am not ready for your tribal hatred here…..i am not one to whip tribal or racial sentiments…its way beneath me.
Read whatever tribal connotations you want to read to it. The powers that be have spoken and is so sad you cannot do JACK ABOUT IT…..LMAO.
So because we dont have a goalkeeper in the top 5 leagues we should leave our goal post empty..??? Or because we dont have a left back in the top 5 leagues we shouldnt fill up the 2nd slot for a reserve left back…?? Or because we have jst 2 midfielders playing in the top 5 leagues we should leave the remaining midfield slots empty…?? or what exactly is your point…?? LMAO.
Whether you all like it or not…Top 5 league rule stands. Top 5 league players get priority invitation in their positions finis and klaar. Even the Spanish 2nd division where Umar plays strong pass Belgian league 1st division….lmao. Anybody wey e pain make e open Microsoft word type invitation letter give in own favored players…..LMAO…or tell your boys to go and play in places where MEN play football. The choice is yours.
This top 20 ranking table of leagues in Europe obtained from calculation of some IFFHS coefficients may not be verified yet but it sure looks very rational and any avid follower of European football wouldn’t debate it.
1. Spain La Liga
2. England EPL
3, Germany Bundesliga
4. Italy Serie A
5. France Ligue 1
6. Spain Segunda
7. Russia Premier League
8. .Portugal Primeira Liga
9. Ukraine Premier League
10. Switzerland Super League
11. Austria Bundesliga
12. Turkey Super Lig
13. England Championship
14. Germany Bundesliga Two
15. Belgium Pro League
16. Netherlands Eredivisie
17. Italy Serie B
18. Czech First League
19. Greece Super League
19 France Ligue Two
Ewoo…road still far for somebody boy sha. E still dey pain some people say their clients never smell SE. And if you like cry till tomorrow, if status quo remains, standby-list will be the closest your boys will come near this national team
@Dr.Drey… hahaha! Really? Where did you get the cataclismic misinformation you just posted listing Segunda Division Spain as no.6, English Championship as no.13, Italian Serie B as no.17, France Ligue 2 as no.19 ranked same as Greek Super League? Man… abeg, some of us get 24hours internet connection also make you suffry the throway confusion inside this forum just to win argument… guys, make I prove to una say even the self-acclaimed football oracle himself the contribute to bogus misinformation here also just to skew and be seen to win arguments… guyman, you are hereby busted. Folks check the latest link from eufa.com:
https://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/uefarankings/country/#/yr/2021
check and see for yourselves… chai Nwanne @dr.Drey… this your misinformation is so sophisticated! Hahahaha… Mind you, the ranking is not only based on strength of the leagues and individual clubs but also on commercials and revenues for the most parts… so my argument is that, even the listings is not entirely based on footballing strengths of the participating clubs alone… so please oga Dr.Drey… just mellow with the baseless jaundiced criterion based on the position alone of the countries where our players play on this list. The listing can at best be argued mostly for 65% strength and 35% commercials… now learn!
Facts:
1.Spain
2.England
3.Germany
4.Italy
5.France
6.Portugal
7.Russia
8.Netherlands
9.Belgium
10.Austria
11.Scotland
12.Ukraine
13.Turkey
14.Denmark
15.Cyprus
16.Serbia
17.Switzerland
18.Croatia
19.Czech
20.Greece
This tells you that even Netherlands Eredivisie and Belgium Jupiler Liger no dey too far, Meanwhile… sleepwell Freund!
Hahahaha….If you cant spot the difference between the STRENGHT OF INDIVIDUAL LEAGUES I posted above and UEFA coefficients rankings for MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS, then I give up on you….LMAO. You be true ex-footballer. You yourself even affirmed that the UEFA “Member associations” rankings you posted “…is not only based on strength of the leagues and individual clubs but also on commercials and revenues for the most parts…”. So why you choose to raise dust over nothing (as you always do) is quite laughable….LMAO. The Member Association ranking which you have posted is the “collective/cumulative ranking of all body of football offered by each member association, from amateur to professional”. The IFFHS rankings is the ranking of the strengths of “individual leagues” irrespective of if they belong in the same member association…and that is why you can even see the 2nd divisions of some countries too on it. Open your eyes and open your mind Mr…LMAO…CSN nor dey give anybody prize say e carry first….LMAO.
Just like I said earlier, the leagues strength rankings above obtained from an IFFHS study is subject to debate, but anyone who follows European league football very well (not those like you who only check livescores.com…LMAO) wouldn’t even agree any less with that order.
My brother it is one thing to have 24hrs internet, its another thing to know what to do with it and what information you want to get from it. Lolz. Read wide freund….Read wide.
At this point, i won’t be surprised if this guy is playing out a script made popular by our politicians. Who knows may be he has registered with PDP/APC.
Why waste a spot that could have been alloted to players who are playing regularly in European competitions. Why placed any of Moffi, Olayinka and Onwuachu on standby for Musa ?
Mr. Political coach, the issue is not about Musa’s invitation/role rather it is about waste of space. Stop using Musa to curry favor from the Ogas at the top. Belmadi’s boy, if you fail, Musa will not help save your job..
Oga, it was written in crystal clear English now. Squad list is 23 players. 24th player (Musa) is just on the train for moral boosting. Did anyone see the UCL game Juv vs Porto last night, even after Bonnucci was subbed off, as the Captain, he was still urging his guys on from the sides telling us how critical leadership is. Please, let us just put this to bed once and for all please.
ps: can anyone point us to any video material on this Anayo dude (Enyimba). There is so much accolades for that guy already and wish to see what stuff he’s been producing. Thanks in advance
That guy is better than most of the wingers in that team,maybe apart from chukwueze,no one comes close but u know he plays for enyimba,and rohr doesn’t rate home based players
So why is Musa not on the standby list
Rohr is a tortoise. He added one more player at the back and people no no. Until he came out to tell them that the list is 24 and not 23 . 23 are real guys while one at the back is must. Lol
Rohr did it the naija way!
Just like a saying ” 6 Yoruba men plus 1 Egun man”
Non playing captain is now a title in the Super Eagles team. I thought every player invited should be there to play. So is he going to captain the team from tbe bench, the training pitch or the dressing room. Where will his years of experience be applied if he isnt playing. Na wa o. If Musa has been invited to encourage the players and motivate them, the coach should just say so. Stop this he is my non playing captain stuff. Does the team need a non playing captain when they are on the field of play?
@sportfan Thank you Gbam… Tell this Rohr trialist.. Frankly Rohr is not the man to lead our beloved Super Eagles he is too easily influenced by Corrupt Politicians and Nff Crone’s Amaju Pinnick and co
Since when did Nigeria start appointing football “non-playing” captains which is the global practice in Davis Cup Tennis and golf? Does that not create confusion of authority? Gernot Rohr is not a good manager of human resources.
Anyway Benin vs Nigeria
1 15min
2 24mins
3 35mins
4 56 min’s
1 58mins
2 67mins
3 69min
4 88mins
4 : 4 f/ scores
So who approved allowances for non-playing captains when Amaju Pinnick was on TV the other day crying that the NFF was broke?
Just what I said yesterday. Musa was only invited based on what happened against SL in Benin.
I will like to ask Rohr and NFF. With the amount of talents that are coming out daily in football, what plans do they have for the team and these players?
Gernot Rohr is being manipulated by politics and the Ministry of Sports to use Ahmed Musa as a symbol of geopolitical domination in Nigeria. Let’s face facts and stop beating about the bush.
Why was lookman of Fulham not invited, this young lookman is far better than must.
One question that should be asked from Oga is this, is Musa on standby list or his part of the main list?
I’m happy that the gaffer gave Musa the opportunity to be part of the team.
We need Musa in this team. This is not the first time this has happened.
Something similar to this has happened during Keshi’s era. Kashi was not fully fit but coach Westerhof took him to the world cup.
Did he play in Tunisia 94? Still, he made the squad. Coach Amunike should remember this now.
Also at the Afcon 2000, Daniel Amokachi made the final squad but he didn’t play in that tournament.
Whenever something like this occurs, the coach have no choice but to include the player because of his role that is going to play as a leader in the team and also his experience is much needed for the young players.
This is not about politics. Kudos to Oga on this. God bless Nigeria!!!
The very first time you reasoned like a human being…. I go mark this remarkable date in history..
This is the very first time i see you displaying your immaturity skills. So disappointed in you. Can’t you comment without dehumanizing anyone?
Nawa o.
Hahahahahahahahaha…
Thid got me
@Omo9ja I used to like your comments but it is like you are not the real Omo9ja you are now making statements to please our left wing Counterparts on this forum. Abeg Be the real Omo9ja and stop trying to please people on this Forum Abeg. How many times have I said Abeg???
Tell the truth and shame the devil Musa is a waste of Space.. With Balogun, Ndidi, Ekong there is enough leaders in that team already. and with Osimhen Iheanacho and co. There is examples for aspiring youngsters to look up to. Musa is a waste of space in that team. Truth be told no need for him in that team. if thats the case why not bring back Enyeama moreover Yobo is there a captain with higher esteem and Pedigree than Musa. Yobo has a alot more experience to share than Musa. This non Playing Captain Rohr is talking is a slap in the face for a Upcoming Leader like Ndidi and Co. in that team
@Ugo Iwunze, thanks for liking my comments but this is not about me or my comments but it’s all about Nigeria.
More so, I’m not trying to please anyone.
It’s not about Oga Rohr and his deciples but Super Eagles need Musa.
Oga Rohr made a mistake by not placing Musa on standby list. Although, the gaffer still have time to do so.
We have to be sincere with ourselves on this issue of Musa.
@Oakfield, the very first time you reasoned like a human being…. I go mark this remarkable date in history”.
Because my comment favoured you does that mean I’m part of you and your company @Oakfield?
I’m sorry, I don’t have friends when it comes to the national team of ours.
For you and your colleague, Dr.Drey to be my pikins again, both of you have to distancing yourselves from fat lies and abusive words.
Even, I’m still begging Edoman to forgive Oga Rohr.
Sean, Sunnyb and Chairmanfemi are still angry with the gaffer and I’m still trying my very best to put smile
on their faces.
For you Dr. Drey, you will run away as usual but this time around, you, Oakfield and all the Oga Rohr Nigeria limited have no place to hide.
You people ran away during the Madagascar and Sierra Leone but this is 2021.
In conclusion, I will continue saying the truth no matter what. I don’t rely on Oga Rohr tactics but instead, let’s pray for the team 9ja.
God bless Nigeria!!!
Non-playing captain. Hmmm. Another new word has been added to my football vocab.
Question – is non-playing captain entitled to match bonus?
The answer for me is yes. Anybody that is a part of the team is entitled. So playing or non-playing should not be an issue.
My opinion, I would have preferred for all invited players to be available for selection on match day. However, since Rohr has chosen to invite a player who is not available for selection, he must have his reasons. Let’s hope his decision is vindicated by the results.
People seems not understand Nigerian system, the two times Nigeria won nations cup, we had non playing captains, a figure like Musa may have helping Rohr out with the politics behind the scene, leave the coach to do what works for him, the end justifies the means
What do you mean non-playing captains. 1994, Keshi was a playing captain. Just couldn’t play full match. Yoni was a playing captain in 2013. He played actively for club, but wasn’t starting for tactical reasons.
In this case, Musa is currently not playing active football. He’s been clueless for five months. By the way,point of correction, Nigeria has three AFCONs.
@DoubleD no need explaining to people wey no sabi wettin de sup. Na you just dey waste your breath most people on this forum support blindly then act so surprised why Nigeria never gets over the hurdle and always shoots herself in the foot in most cases not just football
That was why I said Nigerian system, am not talking about the activities on the field, I said outside of football, Nigerian system demands a person that can negotiate on behalf of the coach.
With Balogun, Ndidi and Ekong even Etebo there is enough leaders in that team already playing well regularly and stting examples of how to be a true professional Moreover these guys didn’t choose Money in a Lowly Saudi leagues over a decorated career in Europe.
Also with Osimhen Iheanacho and co. There is examples for aspiring youngsters to look up to. Musa is a waste of space in that team. Truth be told no need for him in that team. if thats the case why not bring back Enyeama moreover Yobo is there a captain with higher esteem and Pedigree than Musa. Yobo has a alot more experience to share than Musa. This non Playing Captain Rohr is talking is a slap in the face for a Upcoming Leader like Ndidi and Co. in that team
Musa Went on trial in West Brom West Brom and Failed Woefully hence they pulled away from Signing him. thats the truth not what Rohr and Musa’s Quarter is letting out to the Media. Lets not forget this is the same Musa that embarrassed Nigeria by being relegated to Leicester city Under 23 squad as a captain of SE at the time, what a shame.
An Embarrassment that Ndidi and Iheanacho are Rectifying with their performances for the same Leicester City.
This Biased treatment of Musa should stop because our players and Human Beings and are not stupid.. This will cause eyebrows to raise in the squad. Watch and see
People seems not to understand Nigerian system, the two last times Nigeria won nations cup, we had non playing captains, a figure like Musa may be helping Rohr out with the politics behind the scenes, leave the coach to do what works for him, the end justifies the means
In as much I feel it is wrong for inviting Musa,based on past and future precedence; I fairly understand why the coach did.
Methinks , this decision isn’t made by Rohr alone. The FA is into this as well. Simply put; Nigeria is just helping a loyal servant get back to his feet.
It is quite clear Musa needs Nigeria now more than ever. He is currently clubless and an invitation to the national team shows that he is still valuable and marketable; in the other sense, he can actually find a club.
If he can still be invited to a national team like Nigeria, it means he still have the goods to offer clubsides.
We all know the national team aids in reviving a lot of careers. Musa in this case is no exception.
On the other hand; Musa has been there from the start of this campaign and an integral part of it,not just as captain but a partaker; on just ground , it is only fair he sees the end of it.even if he isn’t going to play.( expectedly so).
No matter the reason is for inviting Musa, it isn’t justifiable on rational ground (merit) , as I said, for precedence sake.
But on moral ground, it is fairly understandable.
It is just a shame that football doesn’t bend to morality. Football is played on form rather than compassion.
Rubbish