Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr is not happy with the tight scheduling of his side’s 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying double header against Benin and Lesotho.
The Super Eagles open their Group L campaign against West African neighbours Benin Republic at home on 13 November before travelling to face Lesotho four days later.
“Our players from Europe will only get to us a day or two before the first game, so there is no time for adaptation to the African conditions,” Rohr told BBC Sport.
“After that game on Thursday we travel to Lesotho away on Friday to play on an artificial surface on Sunday. This is not ideal and proper for any team.
Also Read: Eagles Open Refurbished Ogbemudia Stadium Against Benin In 2021 AFCON Qualifier
“We’ve spoken to CAF about this but nothing has been done.”
Rohr on Wednesday released his 23-man list for both games, with Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi, who was left out of the elast two friendly matches and captain Ahmed Musa, who had been absent since the Nations Cup finals in Egypt making a return to the squad.
Experienced defender Kenneth Omeruo, Italy-based Ola Aina and Samuel Kalu are returning after withdrawing from the recent friendly against Brazil because of injury.
3 Comments
I don’t know how Life in Europe may have affected our players adaptation to the rigours of the African terrains, but the best way to countering any aforementioned tough conditions on match day is to line up an experienced and mentally tough squad; as in
Ezenwa
Awaziem
Omeruo
Shehu
Collins
Agu
Azzeez
Ndidi
M.Simon
Osimhen
Musa
I think this line up can weather any storm as a result of the time of arrival before the match day of the first game.
These are fully Home Grown ‘made it outta the woods’ die hard ballers.
Nff should do something about this! This is an administrative issue.
Do these wretched African countries that only have superficial interest in soccer keep artificial turfs as a scare tactic and to injure other nationals? Why can’t CAF ban the use of these stadia?