Former Nigerian winger, Tijani Babaginda has criticized Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr for not creating a pattern of play with the senior national team.
Babaginda made this known in a chat with Punch, where he queried Rohr’s football style and said he can’t be compared to Clemens Westerhof.
Rohr, who qualified Nigeria for the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon unbeaten, has come under heavy criticisms from a section of ex-internationals.
The former Ajax star opined that the German tactician despite having an array of talents at his disposal, still don’t have a true identity of play for the team
“What is our identity? We don’t even have one despite the bunch of talented players we have in the team,” Babangida, who was capped 40 times and scored five goals for the Eagles, said.
“When we were playing, we had a style of play because Clemens Westerhof at that time brought the Dutch football style to the country and the players imbibed it. That was how we played.
“It helped us a lot even when he left the team, but now we don’t even know which style the team plays.”
By Augustine Akhilomen
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COMMENTS
AHHHH!!! They’re back ladies and gentlemen….
Haha not only identity but na nonentity
Oh yes, when we had a style of play we painfully missed out on 2 afcons and a world cup. Yes, that’s how far our known style of play took us. If playing without a style of play and identity gets us desired results as experienced now, pls leave us like like that abeg. We like am like that. You have forgotten to first congratulate the team before yabbing rubbish. I wonder what u people played at the time that made u feel so special. As far as I can remember, u never qualified for tournies with games to spare and without losing a match. Like greenturf said, return matches in lagos was the only way we could redeem ourselves during qualifiers during your days. Compare that to what we have now and you’d see that this present crop of eagles and team in general are way better than what we had in the past when u consider facts and figures.
As long as we win matches we don’t care about your so called style of play. Well done Rohr continue your good job we are strongly encourage you
Why can’t they keep quiet and face their business for once
Rohr team did this Rohr team did that everyday.
As long as we win matches we don’t care much about that just win all your matches coach and bring us the trophy that’s all . We are strongly encourage you Rohr Well done and continue your good job thanks
Hahaha my brother is only in Nigeria that you will see this just because they are after their pockets,i am still wondering where this people went to when we failed to qualify for afcon back to back non of them has come out to criticise the managers then.now is rohr this rohr that Oga Tijani please we are comfortable with his poor style of play at least we are no more watching our games with calculators anymore and be praying for Tanzania to beat Cameroon and we can draw with Mauritius.this is how we do during ur time bro
Dey don hide finish.
BHuahahaha.
Okay, under our quardiolas i think we were world class right?
LOL.
This their so call ex shame dey shame me sometimes.
How’ll u know the style of play of the current SE when u have perjuries in your heart against them?
Our real legends that made us proud both in africa & the world at large, they played soccer to the highest level & were recorgnised by FIFA, CAF during awards & even become legends in elite clubs like ARSENAL, PSG, BOLTON will always see the good of our boys & the team.
These’re real EX that cannot say evil of SE players bcos of money.
They’re in the same page with the world greats like BECHKAM, OWEN, ZIDANE, HENRY, VIERA, BALLAK, RONALDO DE LIMA, RONALDINHO etc. that speak good of their national teams even when they’re down.
All these mediocre club & one season wonder club players will come here & run down our dear SE as if they were better than our current crop of players during their playing days.
As good & self-acclaim world class as u pple were, when your mates from Ghana, Cameroun, Egypt were painting the continent with afcon trophies, where were u pple?
Proud of nothing set of 94…
GHANA, CAMEROUN, SENEGAL make it to Q/finals, our world class set of 94 can only manage R16 yet they’ll not allow us hear word…
Lubbish….
Is there a pattern of play modern coaches stick to. When many World class managers in one game will change the game pattern 2 or 3 times, just to confuse their opponents. These one’s are expecting a pattern of play. If no one noticed, Gernot Rohr did change his pattern of play in our last 2 qualifiers to what Thomas Tuchel plays in Chelsea. Yet they won’t notice that one. Its to open their mouth and “Waaa” anything that flies out, na reason.
I think we have done well under Rohr.
Our ex internationals have this stereotypes that they were a lot better in there playing days even as a team and pedigree than the current super eagles.I think it’s debatable because there are obvious achievements we have had under Rohr which the past super eagles struggled with in their time.
The present day eagles win away from home which makes qualifications easy but the eagles of the past play for a draw or slim loss away and hope to take advantage of playing at home to scale through.Most times it worked but a few times it cost us qualifications.
Under Rohr there’s discipline on and off the pitch and players and coaching crew have less egos.
Rohr has set a standard and if you do not meet this standards your chances are slim getting a chance with his team so players are making the right moves and this has enhanced the strength of the super eagles with majority of players in the elite leagues whearas in the past Belgium host most of our players.Some where based in Denmark the like of Uche Okechukwu.Playing for Anderlecht then was huge but an Anderlecht player would have a little chance of playing for Rohr’s super eagles.
Back in the day we lost friendly games to the likes of Sweden drew the likes of Jamaica.
It wasn’t great as the ex internationals are making it to be though they were decent.
Some of this useless ex international’s wey no get work the talk rubbish if rhor no win them go say e no good rhor win them the talk of style of play as if they were better in their own time go and coach nigerian clubside and stop criticising rhor
Jobless ex international..
_ Off the Cuff ; Out of Sync _
The Super Eagles of Nigeria have shown no discernable style of play and more so lack a distinct identity under German coach Gernot Rohr according to Ex-Super Eagles Speed Demon Tijani Babangida.
This statement comes 7 weeks and 1 day until Nigeria face Liberia in their 2022 world cup qualifier curtain raiser in June.
Gernot Rohr’s identity-less Super Eagles (according to Babangida) only last month qualified for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations with games to spare in a “style” fans have now been spoilt with under the German tactician.
It would seem counterintuitive for a team that qualifies for tournaments – in style – with games to spare to be lacking in style.
Yes, I understand that Babangida was referring to formation, tactics and approach to games but, even at that, isn’t it a combination of these same elements that won the games that qualified Nigeria for those tournaments, near effortlessly?
What I find is that some observers and some ex-internationals make comments off-the-cuff. And when this happens, it hard to take such a statement seriously.
“What is our identity?” asks Babangida. “We don’t even have one despite the bunch of talented players we have in the team.”
Well, for one, Rohr’s Super Eagles of Nigeria are a tough proposition for the best teams on the planet to overcome. They are resolved, resolute and are currently punching their weight in world football – that is an identity.
As for style, they explore speed from the flanks, push full backs forward and for the most part, play counter-attacking football. In Osimhen, they have a complete centre forward who can exploit spaces and also work the channels.
A team devoid of style and identity would neither climb high on the ladder of Fifa rankings nor qualify for tournaments with flagrant disrespect for the oppositions.
Even for those who criticise Rohr, like myself, it helps to add substance to any pillory directed at the German,then it can be taken more seriously.
Off-the-cuff statements like the one made by Babangida about Rohr’s Eagles lacking identity and style should be taken with a pinch of salt.
Perhaps, even taking it with a pinch of salt is a waste of salt!
The quintessential pen pusher with so much class!
Always addressing the issue devoid of peraonal bringandage and gutterism.
Love you loads @Deo…much respect always
Uhmmm,it has really become obvious to me after a long thought that most of this 1994 ex super eagle players are out of tune with modern football tactics and system and only after what they will put in their mouth….I don’t respect again….
@Deos, you’ve done justice to Babangida’s gibberish. You’re too much joor.
Don’t worry, I will be you gala and fanta..
@Deo, I would rather play “without style or identity” and win, than have a playing DNA that our opponents can predict and mitigate against us.
Its far better to win “ugly” than play the game beautifully and struggle to qualify for tournaments. Our style and identity as you have rightly pointed out is “to qualify for tournaments with a game to spare, without losing a game and being tough to defeat at tournaments”.
No African team above us in the FIFA rankings or even below us see us as a pushover and being consistently being one of the top 5 teams in Africa for 3 years running is no mean feat.
Oh yes, when we had a style of play we painfully missed out on 2 afcons and a world cup. Yes, that’s how far our known style of play took us. If playing without a style of play and identity gets us desired results as experienced now, pls leave us like like that abeg. We like am like that. You have forgotten to first congratulate the team before yabbing rubbish. I wonder what u people played at the time that made u feel so special. As far as I can remember, u never qualified for tournies with games to spare and without losing a match. Like greenturf said, return matches in lagos was the only way we could redeem ourselves during qualifiers during your days. Compare that to what we have now and you’d see that this present crop of eagles and team in general are way better than what we had in the past when u consider facts and figures.
Don’t mind him…
Sometimes the talk as if they were that special….
For the past 5 or 6 years in africa we only lost to MADAGASCAR, S.AFRICA, ALGERIA despite facing SENEGAL, CAMEROUN, TUNISIA, EGYPT, ZAMBIA.
Only the Algerian game was important.
Compare to when we’ll loose 2 or 3 matchese in less than 2years.
Do they think if it was this crop of SE cameroun can come into Nigeria and walk away with afcon trophy?
It can’t happen with this present coach and this crop of players…
They’ll shed blood for you there.
They should just keep quiet o else we’ll start digging their files now and open their nyash.
How can Cameroun come into Nigeria and walk away with a major trophy and hell did not loose but today they keep telling us they were the best…
BEST MY NYASH.
Everybody knows how this team was and where we were pre Rohr’s reign.
Compare the team now and spot the difference their hatred against rohr will never allow them to see the improvement.
We’ve beaten (POLAND, ARGENTINA friendlies), ICELAND(WC).
Pull draw against BRAZIL, UKRAIN in friendlies.
Lost in friendlies to CZECH, SERBIA, ENGLAND.
(WC: CROATIA, ARGENTINA).
WHAT CRIME HAS ROHR COMMITTED USING THE RESULT ABOVE COMPARE TO WHEN CAMEROUN WALKED INTO THE COUNTRY AND WENT AWAY WITH AFCON TROPHY STRESSLESSLY?
ALL THESE ONE HELL DID NOT LOOSE.
WATCH YOUR WAYS….
While I will always respect what some of these ex internationals did on the pitch, I find their very unguarded statements about SE/ Rohr utterly disgusting. Tijani Babangida is by every interview he grants, showing how bereft he is in the knowledge of the game of football. He should just find some solitary place in the north to hide his face, just so football fans can atleast continue to appreciate his little contribution on the field of play.
Qualifying for tournaments with games to spare….that one too is an identity, abi no be so?
As Oliver De Coque would say, our present team is playing with MONEY MONEY IDENTITY.
Rohr no dey make yanga. He’s a simple man by nature. E no dey promise anything wey em power no reach. He cuts his coat according to his size. He delivers outstanding results!
Rohr oooo, money money identity. Rohr oooooo, money money identity!
Some of our ex internationals, FUNNY FUNNY IDENTITY. Yes oooo, FUNNY FUNNY identity!
Dem go dey yarn anyhow for press. Guys, make una park well abeg.
Off the cuff comments are to be expected when the source is ill prepared, biased and even ignorant. And the situation is worsened when there is a self serving agenda.
As Deo mentioned, taking this one with a pinch of salt is a colossal waste of salt.
These are the “ex-internationals” some benighted backward-thinking educated illiterates (if at all they were educated) want us to fall down on our knees and exalt when they make asinine and nonsensical comments like these in the press…..LMAO. Rohr’s team does not have an identity indeed.
The other day it was one drunken muntulla claiming he cannot name 15 players in the current SE….LMAO. One was telling us last year to hire a player who has never trained or worked as a coach 6 whole years after retirement as the immediate replacement for Rohr.
It seems some of these guys hang their brains alongside their boots when they retire from football….that’s how ridiculous their comments get these days. Especially when its time to malign Gernot Rohr.
Even our opponents know (according to the words of Michel Dussuyer) that no sane team in the world today can go all out attack against Rohr’s team. If that isn’t identity enough, I wonder what else is.
@Deo don finish talk…taking Babangida’s comment with a pinch of salt is a colossal and mortally unforgiveable waste of salt.
Someone should pls buy a 65 inch UHDD TV and a pair of Binoculars for Mr Babangida…he needs to watch these SE from a clearer TV as from our next match.
@Dr.Drey… I hope you are not pretending not to know what is necessary for you to do? You want me to remind you to thank me? Yes… thank me for the wonderful advice I gave to Ahmed Musa free of charge… Lol. When I was saying he should sign short term contract with an NPFL side probably with Kano Pillars or Plateau United to justify any further national team invites… You all would rather have it that it’s not that important judging what he has already been know for… how is it now that my advice has elevated the man to even become more loved and respected by the generality of Nigeria’s football community… encomiums pouring from Finidi, Shorunmu, pinnick, Ugbade and the “who is who” of Nigeria football… all of a sudden instead of castigatation he is now seen as an icon, ambassador, and the face of the Nigeria local game… folks are waiting for the chance to see him grace football stadia all over Nigeria. I am not going to let it slide… no, I won’t… @Dr.Drey, @Ayphillydegreat and @UBFE, I MUST get my apology and thank you SENIOR choruses to me on this very forum by the three of you… If I tell una say “Ball Know im Peole” una go think say that slogan na for play… I earn am for football pitch for Makurdi. One love guys…
Mr Babangida appears to be taking courses in English. So now he wants to show us what “identity” means. Let us celebrate him.
I can only say this statement as credited to Babangida may have been twisted out of context… No sane individual be he fan, ex-player or coach will make a blanket comment like this. I have a feeling CSN pushed this to blast traffic… However, if Babangida said this then it’s really unfortunate as Rohr has stabilized the team a great deal. It’s never easy to coach Nigeria 5 years and still remain sane, because the average fan is a mourinho or Guardiola. Rohr has earned his wages… and deservingly so. Some of us will still be critics for some slightly inordinate situations about the SE team and some invitations or lack of it that begs reason… Overall, Rohr has done well as Nigeria is clearly on the ascendancy. One love… I hope my friend… @Dr. Drey will like this one comment atleast! Lol…
The truth is always bitter. Only few people will understand Babangida.
As I said last week, Oga Rohr is not perfect but he is very manageable.
Now, nobody can not say we don’t have a team that we can be proud of but what we are saying here is that, Eagles can not compete with the best also, we must have a pattern.
I have said it on here long time ago but again, Oga Rohr deciples said I hate Oga Rohr.
Oga Gernot Rohr should please adopt Manu Garba under 17 that won the under 17 trophy in UAE 2013.
The style of that team will will be perfectly great forthe Super Eagles system.
No doubt, the gaffer need our assistance and what we can to is to bring in our own ideas.
What is really baffled me most is Oga Rohr supporters. They don’t want anybody to talk.
Whatever Oga say or do is the best in front of them but they can’t continue like that because Super Eagles is belong to all of us and we also have our own right to talk.
Nobody hates nobody. We all want the best for Super Eagles. Babangida doesn’t talk any how. He’s an ex player and he deserves some respect from us all. That is it for today. Ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!
@ jimmy abeg no comment to please am ooh .
Continue on the side of truth we are known for.
Nice comments though!
@Goal baba! You see how our truth don make some people swear and sign armageddon on us for this forum… Lol. We must say the truth and go to heaven parley! No shaking… interesting days are ahead mate! Cheers to you and one love…
All the noise about he gets into competition in style is just laughable and please what is the end result of your winning group matches with games to spare, or missing 2 Afcon that we not even sure we would win. Or World cup that i definitely now we will not win. Until this man wins a tournament, then you can all talk, if not just be silent with all your win win is style with games to spare.
A fatalist’s and underachiever’s mentality: My child will never get a first class degree, so why waste money and time to send him to the university?
This site is filled up with negative people, indeed. Those who have not kicked an orange in their lives go foaming in the mouth underrating their coach.
Great coaches have identities and one of their identities is winning trophies. A trophyless coach can not be compared to winners like Westerhof, Bonfere Jo, and Keshi.
My understanding is that the coach needs to satisfy tye clauses in his current contract to stay on the job. The coach signed the contract because he believes he is capable. For GR critics like me, i hope he proves me wrong by winning the next AFCON. Perhaps, the WC qualifier will be completed before AFCKN.
TO GR die-hard fans, based on the tones and expressions made by some of you when your man dropped the ball,I have no doubts that we all agree that the conditions on the contract of GR must be satisfied for him to continue.
@Larry and Frank well said . You see my men, Nigeria is the only country on earth that doesn’t value its reputation.
This our country will be among the great nations if we do things accordingly.
Other African countries are developing and improving every year while our politicians are looting still, we keep celebrating them because we don’t know our right and we bn brainwashed to the extent that we believe it is normal. Mba, it isn’t.
That is an example of Oga Rohr’s team. Some of us believe that the gaffer is the best for the job but wait a minute, how long did it take Algerian coach to rebuild and win the Afcon trophy?
How long did it take late Keshi to win that Afcon trophy?
Then, what is the meaning of having the best team in Africa and qualifying to major tournaments without making an impact in the tournament?
We always celebrating the FIFA ranking while other African countries are celebrating Afcon trophy. Is it not funny?
Nonetheless, Oga Rohr is untouchable because he is always qualifying Nigeria to Afcon and world cup with games to spare. Really? Is that enough ba?
This is why Nigerians are the problem of Nigeria period.
I love Oga Rohr and I will never denied that but that doesn’t mean he is the best but we deserved the best.
Winning the next Afcon in Cameroon is not negotiable.
I am tired of hearing this “Oga Rohr have qualified Nigeria with games to spare and Nigeria didn’t qualify to two to three Afcon tournaments”.
Just ask yourselves why Nigeria failed to qualify in those years.
What did the NFF do wrong and why Nigeria have failed to qualify to Afcon tournament.
I will keep telling them the truth. Hopefully, they will change.
Everybody is hate Oga Rohr because we are not in support of average result.
That means Nigerians are the haters of Mr. Gernot Rohr? Come on my people.
Mba, I won’t be deceived anymore. Anything less than Winning the Afcon trophy is a failure.
Super Eagles must have a pattern of play and winning mentality in every tournament.
Oga Rohr should tap from Marnu Gerba and Amunike’ styles if he doesn’t have any.
We are all ready to help him become we have the players to finish the job.
Super Eagles used to beat Spain, Bulgari and other top teams in the 90s without fear and why now that we have young and talented players that we can not compete with the likes of Algeria, Madagascar, Sierra Leone, Croatia?
Oga Rohr were in charge when we beat Cameroon and Algeria before now but why we are not seeing the same spirit in this current team?
Is it necessary to bring back Mikel, Moses and Ighalo before his team can be a fear factor again? I don’t think so.
As I said before, the gaffer needs an expert. That is the only solution.
Hmm. Ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!
@omo9ja
u claim to love SE but U, ur bathalion, self-acclaim stars(i.e ur EX) never for once congratulated this lads when they have victories.
After playing against BENIN REP.& LESOTHO they came out unscathed yet we never hear anything from u guys & u pple want us to believe that u & ur ex are part of this current SE.
The truth is; U pple are just “enemy within” ASAP.
U ARE IN THE FOLD FIGHTING AGAINST THE FLOCK.
SE WIN U PPLE QUARREL.
SE DRAW U PPLE COMPLAIN.
SE LOOSE U PPLE WANT TO COMMIT SUICIDE.
HABA MY PPLE; WHICH WAY :O?
Self-acclaim stars(EX) says THEY CAN’T NAME 15 PLAYERS IN THE SE;
YET EVEN ROHR’S ADENT CRITICS KNOWS ROHR’S REGULARS.
THEY SAY WE HAVE NO STYLE;
BUT I WONDER IF THEY ACTUALLY WATCHED OUR GAMES.
SE SWITCH STYLES, FORMATION, PATTERN, TACTICS AT WILL.
ROHR’S CRITICS ON THIS FORUM KNOWS THIS.
THE TEAM DOESN’T KNOW HOW TO MANAGE GAME & WINNING MENTALLITY.
“BUT ONLY 3 TEAMS FROM AFRICA CAN BOAST OF BEATING SE UNDER ROHR FOR 5 GOOD YEARS.”
hmmmnn
::: OMO9JA WATCH YOUR WAYS:::
There are difference between Duch style of play and German Manchaaft ,Rhor has German-France mentality and philosophy style of playing; Rhor plays with counter-attact style, pace football, ball percision,ball positioning for strikers so they score so many goal see Osimhen or Iwobi or Ahmed Musa or Onauchu all they perform this style so excellently.But Rhor dose not make or depend on pressing,fierceness of defensive style and also does not fill the gaps in back line and does not make arsenal wall in the deep of midfield,so the recoveries of the rival are not so proper ,then the rival can penetrate the defence and score goal.I recommend Rhor to overhaul Super Eagles midfield and defence with good,proper style by giving insturctions to holding midfielders and defenders to be still on thier functions,move simply around back line and around the circle of the midfield.For strikers he must give instructions to the wingers to play crossing balls to the head of strikers or ground crossings to the foot of strikers or to play through ball from the deep center by Iwobi or Iheanchu or Aribo or Ndidi,this style of playing is a modern one which SE can win any match even if great team like Senegal,Algeria,Morocco,Egypt and so on.Style of playing at Babangida and Rhor are deferent as I had said before.No doubt Rhor has chanaged Super Eagles face since he has received his task as a technical manager,SE have been playing pace, counter-attact, proper and quick deployment, ball precision , proper goalscoring by strikers,playing from deep center to forward as Iwobi,Aribo,Iheanvhu are doing this style.We need from Rhor to practice proper recoveries with pressing versus the rival this task can be done by Ndidi,Aribo,Shehu,Balogun,William Troost or other players ypu choose.
Omo9ja,
Oma lagidi! Iru Omo wo leleyi! Which kain pikin you be?
You conveniently forgot to mention the following:
Rohr played 1-1 with Brazil (their A team).
Rohr beat Poland 1 nil at home (Lewandowski played 90 mins).
Rohr spanked Argentina 4-2 (A Messi-less Argentina, but everybody else that is somebody in Argentine football was there).
Are these average results?
The fact is, in sports, you win some, you lose some. End of story.
Omo9ja and your cronies, your problem is that you want to win ALL THE TIME. Not a bad thing, if you are ready to invest what it takes to achieve that.
But let’s tell ourselves the truth. How can we expect to win all the time, with coaches going unpaid, player bonuses going unpaid, league not functioning properly, poor pitches, poor administration, etc?
We don’t invest in player development, but when England don finish work, we go come with hats in hand, trying to convince English boys to come and play for Nigeria.
In spite of all these issues, Rohr has qualified us for 3 major tournaments with games to spare! He has not won a trophy yet, but in football, not winning a trophy does not mean you’re not great.
In my opinion, if he qualifies us for the next world cup, and gets us a medal at the Afcon, I would consider him to be a great. Just my opinion.
And who knows, Rohr might finally silence you haters by winning Afcon next year.
Even if he wins the Afcon, Omo yi and co will still find something to complain about.
Omo9ja, you say you love Rohr, but you only see the negatives in him. That is the opposite of love.
One thing this their EX MONKEY-POST PLAYERS should understand is that football is not stagnant, it changes.
Is SPAIN still playing their TIKKI-TAKKA?
Is ENGLAND still playing their longballs as compared to the days of GERARD-LAMPARD-SCHOLES in midfield?
Is BRAZIL still playing their SAMBA-SAMBA pattern of game?
Is ARGENTINA still playing that their short passes?
The GERMAN team were known for much running(HENCE GERMAN MACHINE), do we still see that again?
ITALY were known for defending(hence ITALIAN WALL), is it happening again?
FRANCE during the days of HENRY, VIERA, GALAS, MAKALELE, WILTORD, PETIT etc were known for fast football, but are they still playing that today considering 2018 WC even with the wealth of stars at their disposal were depending on counter attack. E.g against, ARGENTINA, BELGIUM.
FOOTBALL CHANGES WHEN A PARTICULAR GENERATION OF PLAYERS DEPART.
SE WERE KNOWN FOR “SEXY FOOTBALL” during the days of KANU, OKOCHA, ADEPOJU etc.
THAT PATTERN OF GAME ENDED LONG AGO.
NOW SE PLAY FAST GAME COUPLE WITH MUCH RUNNING WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASON ONUACHU STRUGGLED TO COPE WITH.
LET’S STOP ALL THIS AIMLESS TALKS JUST BCOS ROHR REFUSE TO INVITE YOUR PLAYER BIKO.
::SHALOM::