Former Nigerian midfielder, Seyi Olofinjana, has revealed that the Super Eagles lacked true identity under the tutelage of Gernot Rohr.
Olofinjana, who represented Nigeria 48 times between 2002 and 2011, made this known in an interview with ‘The Punch’.
He said that the Super Eagles under the German tactician does not have a true pattern of play despite the array of talents at his disposal.
“I am very concerned and at the same time I can understand why I spoke about having an identity and playing philosophy.
“There must be some sort of identity. We must win or lose as a result of a particular system that the technical staff must have built over time.
“Until we have that (philosophy), we would continue to lose games and win the odd ones.
“These days, football goes beyond just putting 11 talented players on the field, they need to know what they’re doing.
“A country of Nigeria’s status should have a playing philosophy, a playing style that explains when you win games. What form did it take and why do you lose games? There needs to be an identity and I feel it should go beyond Gernot (Rohr). It should be from all our age-grade teams to the Super Eagles,” he added.
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COMMENTS
I think it may be wise to query the playing pitches on which the Eagles play at home and across Africa, before we criticize the coaches.
For good or bad, the coaches have ready excuses for why they play to win, and not for entertainment.
I think olofinjana is spot on .The pitches werent that excellent during the era of westerhoff,yet our soccer and national team had a pattern that was a delight to watch.Rohr looks like he wouldnt go past this level.
Yes the pitch is a problem but it is housing the two teams, Manu Garba played total tiki taka football and Amunuke played robust wing football but oga Rohr na kick and follow anywhere belle face hoping to win something from that trash football. Seyi Olofijana is very well educated and people of his caliber can detect bad organization unlike Udeze and co that doesn’t have the IQ to judge properly.
This is so glaring unless u are one of the pretenders that claim to love the super eagles, those of us that are truly eagles fans are worried about this dangerous situation.
Everything about Rohr and Amaju sucks me
When a man who knows… have been there and done that… talks, what you feel is deafening silence! Man wey sabi… no long talk!
I totally agree with Mr. Seyi. He is saying from experience..
I think Mr Rohr experience is basically outdated. Nigeria need a fresh coach who have seen it all…
Also I equally think that the Super Eagle of Nigeria is bigger than any of our indigenous coach’s.
But, that doesn’t mean we should not promote our own. So I believe is also a high time the glass gamble again. Bcus as long I’m concerned Gernot Rohr appointment was a gamble. This time let’s gamble with one of our own who have seen it all.
We can borrow a lift from the likes of England with Southgate who was appointed national team coach in 2016 at the age of 46, Didier Deschamps in 2012 at the age of 44, Aliou cisse of Senegal in 2016 at the age of 39.
So the glass house should gamble with one of our own who understands the game.
Football globally is evolving and many countries are also building/assembling their teams, but that’s no to be said of our darling team Super Eagle.
For God sake we have all the arsenals ( players ) that can face anything in the world without fear if properly assemble.
The glass house gambled with our own and we missed 3 out of 4 consecutive AFCONs and were ranked our lowest ever. Rohr was not a gamble…..it was intentional…he came highly recommended by a certain Arsene Wenger and he has achieved in 3 years what world class coaches (like Paul le Guen) claimed was impossible for a team ranked 70th in the world.
Coach Rohr was a mistake from the start. Nigeria should look for a new coach that knows the game in and out. Not Rohr.
Shay e-rats and e-diots have not seen this post nii?
Where are those ones that have sold their rights for a plate of porridge to come on here and disgrace their ancestors?
When you have a certified fraud as an administrator and a PE instructor as national technical adviser, wettin we no go see?
Pinick and Rohr have seriously dealt with our football.
Mumu, go back and read the write up. What concerns Pinnick? You come out everyday looking to tarnish our officials, that is too bad. Have you asked yourself what Olofijana has been doing since he hung his boot? Married women, alcoh, streets. My brother find somewhere pack the noise. Rohr needs concentration. I am waiting to hear from Jj Okocha.
Oh yeah, u’re exactly one of them otherwise I see no reason why u should be impersonating another person. You are a fake person both here and in real life. It is you who has sold his conscience and self worth for a penny. So shameless and stupid. I really wonder how u feel comfortable posting stuff hiding under another person’s shadow but something tells me you’re are one of those regressives whose brains have been short changed with that of a rat. Your signature in writing is indelible and very soon, I go expose you.
Hahahahaha…e-fool, e-fraud……the attention you crave on this site you will never get it…..LMAOOooo. If you like impersonate Dr.Drey till thy kingdom come. If you like lie till heaven and earth pass away that you played football to the HIGHEST LEVEL (yet your name cannot be found on the roll of any of the teams you lied you played for)…..LMAOOoooo….If you like post all your personal details including your bank account number on CSN for all to see……THE ATTENTION AND CLOUT you crave so much with your dear life that has turned you to a cheap fraud and impersonator…..you will NEVER get……LMAOOoooo
Na waoo, these ex eagles self. You want the super eagles to win the World Cup before you know Rohr has an identity? Allow him to do his work and it’s not even time for distractions.
Thank you my ex olofijana who knows football you see when i said eagles does not play pattern football some time ago some people came here and started defining the word for me but here comes an ex player who is saying the same thing abeg leave this sentimental people wan nor knw wetin they actually want na e make our leaders dey decieve us dey by dey.
It is allowed, we are not in lecture hall. What pathern do you want the eagles to play?
I mean day by day
“These days, football goes beyond just putting 11 talented players on the field, they need to know what they’re doing.
“A country of Nigeria’s status should have a playing philosophy, a playing style that explains when you win games. What form did it take and why do you lose games? There needs to be an identity and I feel it should go beyond Gernot (Rohr). It should be from all our age-grade teams to the Super Eagles,” he added”.
This man Olofinjana doesn’t talk just any how and for him talking like this, things are getting out of hand.
I hope they won’t call your names though because most of us Nigerians doesn’t like the truth but for me, I omo9ja, I love saying the truth no matter what.
Hmmm. Over the five years of Mr. Gernot Rohr bn the manager of the Super Eagles, Eagles has no identity. No encouragement from the gaffer to the team. Always said my team is young, my team is young.
We shouldn’t forget that young team won France the last world cup if am not mistaken.
No game plan and ideas to win matches, all I am seeing is to put 11 players on the pitch and luckily, we won some and we lost some.
Shall we continue like this when we have our own and one of them are speaking now and we still have many of them available to build us a team you and I can be proud of but the selfishness of NFF and also, many of us have bn brainwashed, good or bad, they will follow NFF and Oga Rohr.
Kai, you won my heart today Mr. Olofinjana.
You, Olofinjana, Ikpeba and Akpoborie are not like Daniel Amokachi and Eguavoen who are working for the Nigeria Football Federation.
This is why I will continue saying that Nigerians are the problem of Nigeria.
If Nigerians are honest with Nigeria, Amaju and Oga Rohr won’t be in charge of our football today but Nigerians love to celebrate their oppressors. So, stop complaining Nigerians, fight for your right. Shekena. Ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!
Omo9ja, have the super eagles made progress since Rohr was appointed? Please give me the rankings before he took charge. How many competitions have we failed to qualify under him? What is his winning percentage? What’s our current ranking? I’ll wait for your response
@Dennis, sorry for late response. Thank you for asking me those questions sir.
“have the super eagles made progress since Rohr was appointed”?
NFF deserve to answer the because in those days, Super Eagles were treated brutally and yes they did make progress by making it to the world cup and Afcon, to my surprise, those players then won silver, Bronze and at last, they won Afcon trophy in South Africa with our local coach/boys and few foriegn based players.
“Please give me the rankings before he took charge”.
Lovely question. Look gentleman, again, NFF is responsible for this question because they dominated the team back then and they are still dominating the Super Eagles till today but I can tell you that Nigerians seems not to be bothered about the FIFA ranking as long as we are winning and playing beautiful football.
FIFA ranking or not, Eagles won Mandela Cup, Afcon trophy and Eagles managed to qualify to the second round with less quality team.
So, FIFA ranking shouldn’t have bn part of the question sir.
“competitions have we failed to qualify under him? What is his winning percentage? What’s our current ranking? I’ll wait for your response”
Hmmm. You don’t get the point here gentleman.
You see gentleman, with the help of Mikel, Victor Moses, Ighalo and Musa, Nigeria qualified to tournaments with ease but as you can see now, the gaffer is struggling to qualify to tournaments because we don’t have those experienced players anymore except for Musa and that is why he called Ighalo back into the Super Eagles but this is beyond Ighalo.
Eagles needed a creative midfielder and if the gaffer failed to get a creative midfielder, his team will be exposed. That is for sure.
Yes, we are topping the group but is it guarantee that we will make it to the final round of the world cup qualifiers?
A team that failed to beat CAR?
Why are we like this kę?
Are you telling me that the coach deserve to remain in that position till this morning?
With the array of star players we have now, we shouldn’t be struggling like this kę.
We the caliber of players we had at the last Afcon in Egypt, Nigeria managed to win the Bronze medals with Oga Rohr.
So, what is the point of foreign having a coach?
Hmmm. It is well. God bless Nigeria!!!
He asked u questions that u were supposed to answer straight away but u deflected it to the nff. Simply answer his questions you are here speaking ajegunle English to defend yourself. You knew ur answers would contradict your sinister views hence u decided not to provide them.
If we are to look at it from statistical point of view, Olofijana is wrong to have said that Super Eagles under Coach Rohr has no identity. I am still expecting one or two person on the forum to think out of the box.
Rohr’s SE has played 62 matches within a spate of 5years. Enough time to assess and get an idea of how the tactician has fared. Out of the 68 matches, he won 34 and lost 13. The rest ended in draws. Not a poor result by any reconning. So where is Olofijana getting his facts from? Or he just decided to communicate with no material substance?
The SE under Rohr won bronze in the last AFCON, this was after he had qualified the Eagles for the tournament with 2 games to spare. And also qualified the SE for the last World Cup.
Under Rohr, SE defence remains one of the best in the continent with fearless collabo of our Oyinbo wall, Omerua, Aina, Awaizen to mention but a few. Quite clearly, he hasn’t done much in the mid field though there exist a semblance of work in progress. Iwobi, Etebo, Aribo, Ejuke are charges Rohr is working on. In attack, SE is not only feared in Africa but in the World. Osimhen, Iheanacho, Awoniyi, Ighalo and if we are to add the wingers to the fray; Chukwueze, Moses Simon, Kalu, etc.
Rohr needs time on his hands and has got a whole lot to do at this time.
Thinking out of the box, @Oseodion, you have raised the bar and pls keep it up. Your 29mins ago comment is a stellar, obviously, we are toeing your steps and the forum will be idea driven. Gernot Rohr even with some elements of distractions has done very well. I am waiting for him to release his first eleven for next week.
Charles, thanks too. You see, being objective goes along way to benefit everyone on and off the forum. We are on a public domain where we are read all over the globe.
The German tactician is not necessarily reinventing the wheel or incorporating anything new but he keyed into what late Stephen Keshi left behind though with a bit of modernization. It is a fact that one of his philosophies is to have a transitional play from the defence that see defenders cutting through the flanks and scoring goals. Today in the SE, even the defenders has proven that philosophy to be true.
SE now has a 21st century basic tactics and techniques of defeating their opponents successfully. The lost to CAR in Lagos is understandable and Rohr and his charges can’t be faulted. That was purely infrastructural shortfall. There is a philosophy but we need to give Rohr more time. Concerning the list, fingers crossed while we wait for few days
For me @Oseodion,I think you got Mr. Seyi totally wrong or you’re actually speaking off the context.
Seyi is not saying Super Eagles under Rohr can’t boast of best Defender or Attackers. He’s saying putting loads of this talents on the field without a definitive pattern of play for over 5 years is catastrophic! And that is what Rohr’s style of play clearly says. Super Eagles under Rohr have no philosophy, no pattern of play. Looks more like kick and follow. When you mention the German team, you know the kinda football to expect and it’s working for them same with Brazil, Spain, Italy and even England. Under Westerhoff, we were known for entertaining,fast wing play etc. But Rohr just keeps amassing talents, without knowing what to do with them. Recently I observed it’s just the individual talents of this boys that have been helping us not teamplay.
And you also bringing statistics of matches won and lost, shows you missed the point Seyi was insinuating clearly. He clearly stated, whether we win or lose, we should have a definitive pattern of play that can be easily questioned on the drawing board. Like “Oh yeah, we won today. I think we improved on this philosophy of play and we can add this to it to make it better next time” or when we loose we go back and say ” What did the players not do right, where did we miss it compared to the last time we won with this same trick”. Instead of just kick and follow. The players have been winning this matches for me based on pure individual talent, luck and kick and follow which will never take us to where Nigeria should rightfully be on the football map.
Like seriously. Well, I appreciate the fact that there is a need to raise the bar. Exactly what my post is set to achieve. There is that need to turn this forum to where people meet for a rubost conversation, then interrogate the process.
Importantly, I do not communicate without material substances, of course I will excuse your little understanding of the statistical aspect of my post.
You see, achievements are important as they build up self esteem or feelings of self efficacy. We would not look toward greater challenges without the confidence we gain from the little achievements. Without a philosophy, you can’t even achieve anything.
Granted that, I reeled out coach Rohr’s achievements to buttress the fact that there is a philosophy. That is not saying our football development or pattern of play does not require an improvement. I am an advocate of grassroots development – I deliberately didn’t to go into that.
If you had taken your time to read the subsequent comments before my post, you would have realised a certain pattern that needed to be putting aright but I could see you left all that and only responded to my post, that’s also okay.
Now, let’s put it this way, life would be very dull, as questions wouldn’t be asked about subject matter, people’s opinions and ideas will be silenced, and therefore everyone will be forced to be the same. That isn’t my philosophy, Shee u get?
We must cure ourselves of the diseases of perfectionist and competitiveness and in their places, stand for opinionated, constructive and healthy criticisms.
Seyi whom I know will not begrudge my stance as I hope he would write a rejoinder and attention might just come off Pinnick and Coach Rohr’s shoulders.
THE FACT THAT EAGLES ARE WINNING MATCHES DO NOT MEAN THEY HAVE IDENTITY ON THE FIELD OF PLAY . OUR GAME NOWADAYS IS JUST KICK AND FOLLOW . DULL FOOTBALLING, NO SPARKLING,NO CREATIVITY . NFF SHOULD ALWAYS LOOK AT THE CREDENTIALS OF COACHES BEFORE EMPLOYING THEM, A GERMAN COACH’S MENTALITY IS DIFFERENT FROM PATTERN OF PLAY NIGERIANS ARE KNOWN FOR,FREE FLOW WING PLAY FOOTBALL. ALL THE SAME I WISH HIM GOOD LUCK. DID ANYBODY NOTICE THE SPARKS WE ARE MISSING IN VICTOR MOSES TODAY ,THESEA ARE THE KIND OF PLAYERS WE NEED IN EAGLES.
There is nowhere Olofinjana refer to Rohr eagle has not having identity in this article just that completesports try to confuse people with the headline. Infact The last paragraph summarised what Olofinjana was trying to say. I know Rohr haters will jump to comments section and start spewing their trash as usual. People like omo9ja,Ugo,bright etc headlines like this makes them happy no surprise at their comments at all.@completesports writer be the agent of change is like you people occasionally pushed some things to front page to hit up the polity..
He seems to be changing the discourse. @OseOdion, that’s is a lifeline. We also have good keepers like Akpeyi, Okoye and Uzoho who are doing well under Rohr tutelage. I think you did not remember Ndidi for MDF. Thanks for the statistics.
Even if he says that cos is like his last paragraph was trying to counter his earlier submission by trying to talk about the age grade team as well. Just like Oseodion rightly said aboved what is the basis for Olofinjana submission on not having pattern? Which pattern is he talking about? He should have been bold enough to point out those patterns he is referring to if he knows any. The day all these ex footballer can put head together and come up with an idea of how our football can move forward the better rather than all this hatred some of them have for the coach all because of his colour of skin or because some of them are unable to have their way for shady deals..
Olofinjana was on philosophy and might have lensed it from pessimistic point of view. Like I earlier mentioned, today in the SE, even the defenders have proven the philosophy of scoring goals to be true. That’s Coach Rohr.
Hehehehehe….it seems Rohr’s critics need to gather for a conference and really harmonize their claims so that they can stop confusing us…..LMAOOoo.
The same people that will say Rohr’s SE is PREDICTABLE will turn around and claim again that the team has NO IDENTITY……LMAOOoOOo…how something which has no identity becomes predictable beats common sense….LMAOoooo
The same people that will say Rohr’s SE has NO DISCERNIBLE PATTERN will turn around 2 seconds latter and still say that the team is CONSERVATIVE AND RELIES ON WING PLAY…….LMaaooOO…..how they got to DISCERN that the team plays “conservative wing play” beats even the reasoning of a goat….LMAOOOoooo. How and when wing play suffered a ghastly motor accident and stopped becoming a “pattern” in the game of football can only be explained by their confused lot…..LMAOOoooo
The same people that will say Rohr’s SE has NO CONSISTENT LINE UP (that they cant name 15 regulars in the SE) will turn around like drunkards to complain that Rohr is LOYAL TO HIS PLAYERS AND DOES NOT CREATE COMPETITION BY INVITING 10 CFs, 4 RBs, 4 LBs, 8 DMs AND 6 CMs TO THE TEAM EVERY INTERNATIONAL WINDOW…….LMaaooOO…..How a team will have a consistent line up and team chemistry when a new sets of players are lined up every month after 1 or 2 full training session beats imbecility…..LMAOOOOo.
Rohrs Haters, you people should stop confusing us…..LMAOOoooo. A kingdom divided against itself will fall. Your kingdom of darkness and failure is divided against itself, that is why all your plans and prayers for him to fail have REFUSED to be successful. The more your gang ups, the bigger his victories……y’all can do nada till the man walks away at the end of his contract…..LMAOOooo
Rohr SE does not have Identity….LMAoooo…Pls tell us the identity of Sunday Oliseh’s SE….? Tell us the identity of Keshi’s SE…? Tell us the Identity of Eguavoen, Siasia, Amodu, Lagerback, Vogts, Christian Chukwu or Onigbinde’s SE….LMAOooooo. Pls what is the identity of the U17, U20, U23 and our CHAN teams…? What is the Identity of our NPFL teams…? What is the identity or brand of football that is played at the grassroots and academies all around the country……..LMAOOooo???
It is the 1-2 days of full training every month with new sets of players coming from different clubs in different leagues in different countries with different footballing styles and philosophies every fifa window, in preparation for a competitive qualifier, that the SE eagles will use to build identity….LMAOOooo. National Footballing Identities are built from the Senior National Team…..the same way houses are built from the roof in their villages…..LMAOOoooo. And the chronic liars amongst them will claim they played football to the highest level……LMAOOOooo
When you all are ready to win this your battle against Rohr, you will all convoke a conference and harmonize your criticisms and critically look into your collective prejudices……LMAOOOoooo.
Unfortunately for some sheepish scavengers who do not have shame and have no where to stand, any and every comment against Rohr has their backing….LMAOOoo…..no matter how contradictory…..LMAOOOo. Say A against Rohr today they will fall to their knees and worship you….switch it to the opposite of A 3 seconds later they will make a bronze-serpent in your honour…..LMAOOoooo. Even when the article was in NO WAY A DIRECT REFERENCE TO GERNOT ROHR’SE but addressing Nigerian football IN GENERAL……their inability to read and understand simple grammar coupled with the pre-natal hatred they were born with made them jump up and down like monkeys on heat, thinking Olofin was referring to and berating Gernot Rohr…….LMAOOooooo.
Men who stand for nothing fall for nothing. LMAOOoooooo
BUNCH OF RUBBISH TALK!!!!!!! GO AND LICK ROHR NYASH! IN YOUR HOTEL ROOM. WE NO SEND YOUR GERMAN MUGU AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!
…the way you go around the streets licking the yansh of lunatics like you right…???. Fool.
In your stupidity, it is a national team coach that develops football identity for the nation…not the technical department of the FA and the country’s guild of coaches…..LMAOOooo.
Your problem is not only that you lack home training and that you are an incurable drug addict, not having common sense just adds salt to your injury by making it all worse……LMAOooooo
Olofinjana blame NFF not Rohr. We have corupt NFF. Alot of world class coach’s but can NNF afford it? Even though they have the money to emplore world class coach but can they be consistently paying his salary? Rohr is a good coach and cheaper , he understands Africa corupt mind. NFF have employed Bati votes, Las lagabak from sweeden but they can’t hold on to those coach’s. The problem is nff not coach’s, look at how they killed kish
All these people saying Rhor is not performing because he has spent 5 years with a bronze should just shut Up. I am only against Rhor’s inclusion of Ighalo rather than a Victor Moses. But Rhor is the gaffer not me. By the way, building a pattern in National team football takes times as opposed to club football. Let me give you some stats to think about – It has taken 15 years for Italy to make another appearance at the European stage, this is between the team of Materazzi and now Jorginho. Thats is a big difference, for the French team, that’s roughly 10 – 12 years, between the team of Thierry Henry, Pires, Lizarazu and now Ngolo Kante, Blaise Matuidi and Paul Pogba. For the England National team – that’s even longer. In general, a World dominating football team cannot be built in 5 years from the facts, I have presented above. I pray Rhor’s inclusion of Ighalo doesn’t backfire on him. But at the end, he is the gaffer in charge.
Best coaches in the world still have strong critiques likewise those at the centre. Rhor, is one of the best coaches Nigeria has ever had. Read and critically analyze his achievement as the coach of S/Eagles. I don’t just want to get angry with the critiques. I urge NFF to build much more ground on Rhor to continuing keeping the pace.
If you have time and data, please watch this podcast I did speaking on the super eagles matter and a host of other worldwide sports related topics. Scroll to the 7:45 mark to begin the super eagle discussion.
https://youtu.be/VZW9WOE_Acg
Please, kindly ask your guests to eat before coming on air? Eating during the interview makes the programme look tacky and it greatly diminishes the experience and quality of the podcast.
Also, I think personal opinion should be buttressed with raw data, statistics and acknowledgement of potential opposing views so as to lend it more credibility.
Thanks for sharing this all the same.
This Michael guy on the right know his football…