A number of key Super Eagles players have pulled out of Friday’s friendly against the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon putting the game in peril, reports Completesports.com.
The highly anticipated friendly is expected to take place at Stadion Weiner Neustadt.
“We had nine defenders in list. Six now are out,”head coach of the team Gernot Rohr told ESPN.
“They said they had some injuries and the doctors from the clubs said they need to rest because they have some pains. So we got some medical attestations from the teams.
“Ola Aina told me yesterday that his ankle is painful and he cannot make it and the club physio said he cannot play. Then we have (Kevin) Akpoguma, we knew already he is injured and cannot play.
“Victor Osimhen is injured. He send us an attestation. The meniscus in his knee is painful.
“(Zaidu) Sanusi is injured. He was in Paris to see a doctor, for surgery perhaps but not for the moment. (Tyronne) Ebuehi sent us a message with a medical attestation that he cannot make it. And Semi Ajayi also says he has problems with his back and the Physio says he needs two weeks of rest.
“Simy Nwankwo also, they send us attestation from his club that he cannot make it because he is injured.”
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But that is not even as bad as it gets for Rohr. To make up for the absentee players, Rohr called up some fresh ones as replacements. Valentine Ozornwafor from Galatasaray, Samson Tijani from RB Salzburg and Frank Onyeka from Midtylland, among others.
But even that failed to resolve the situation as players that he called up to replace the injured players, also ended up pulling out.
“I invited the player Tijani from Salzburg who has told me that he is injured in training yesterday… hamstring. And Frank Onyeka from Midjtylland, I called him but he cannot come either,” Rohr said.
Because the withdrawals came so late in the day, there is no chance of getting players from Nigeria’s domestic league to compensate for the personnel deficits, as they would require at least 10 days to secure entry visas.
The situation has left Rohr concerned about the fate of the game: “I don’t know if they can cancel, I only know that I have maximum 18 players. If the players from England, William (Troost-Ekong), Kelechi, Ndidi and Iwobi can come, then maybe we play but I have no substitutes and there is no chance to get other players.
“But if they cannot play because they have to go into quarantine, then we cannot make it.
“I think they made this friendly in Austria to give us a good condition for preparation, but I see that it is difficult to motivate the players to come to Europe because some of the players are in Nigeria already. And they have to come back to Europe to play.
“My problem now is that I hope that we will have 18 players to arrive.”
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COMMENTS
Hmmm… Quite sad… Maybe no friendlies after all… Let’s see what happens!
Wow… This is complete disorganisation. Hope they resolve it
I pray simy gets another invitation, why change of mind in the last minute I pray the friendly still hold
I pray simy gets another invitation, why change of mind in the last minute
stupids players why are they now sending medical report? the list is almost out since 3 weeks.and moost of them play last game for the clubs. do they think they can just turn up and beat cape verde ,liberia etc when world cup proper qualifier is on with no preperation lol in there dream!!
It’s opportunity for Rohr to test more players, Azubuike Okechukwu, dessers, Viv Otabor.
Guys, I think the question we should be asking is why take this long to let the gaffer know you won’t be showing up for tge game so he has time to make alternate arrangements? It is not that they just got their invitation a few days ago. I don’t want to believe GR just found out about this just recently as I want to believe he must have been communicated with concerning player withdrawal well in advance if this news is even real, afterall these guys are professionals. I doubt if they were playing for England, France, Spain or Germany, they will wait till 3-4 days to an international friendly b4 alerting the coach of withdrawal due to injury. Having said that, we still have the fire power to still have a very good outing against cameroon. The only position that we should worry is the RB cos Aina and Ebuehi but Awaziem can easily be deployed here. I understand it might be too late to invite players but Tijani is in Austria and should be contacted to take Onyeka’s position. Again if this news is accurate (its also on owngoal.com), I believe the gaffer would have known in advance and may have already penciled down alternates or even decided that he has enough fire power with the remaining 18 players to execute the game, afterall you only need a total of 16 players (11 plus 5 subs) to execute a match. Just my take
@Proudly 9ja … “I invited the player Tijani from Salzburg who has told me that he is injured in training yesterday… hamstring ‘
How can you invite an injured player ?
Na wa for peeps on this blog
Na me talk am, good observation and thanks for pointing that out. But that doesn’t negate the fact that Shehu will be there, so the presence or absence of onyeka won’t affect the team. Like I said it may be too late to start inviting players now atleast for the 1st match but u can still call up players for the 2nd match which is a week later if am not mistaken if invitations are sent now. Again it might be too late as some teams will be planning their vacation but i still believe its possible to get some viable replacement in Europe to execute the match. The ex flying eagles midfielder (#4) that now plays for Genk in Belgium can be drafted as replacement for Onyeka if needed, there is still Nnamdi Oforboh that now plays for Rangers if am not mistaken can be called. Ejuke can be called up as well, he is known to the coach also. Even young Amoo can be drafted if need be, he has played quite alot of games for Hannerby. I am sure even Nwobodo that some people are clamoring for will jump at the opportunity to join up with the SE. Same with Nwakali. Again like I said it might be too late for the 1st friendly match but definitely enough time for the 2nd leg if action is taken now.
I understand some people here are advocating for cancelation of the match which makes sense but the reason for canceling shouldn’t be for fear of losing to cameroon. There is no guarantee that with our full compliment of players we won’t lose to the same cameroon. Although the chances of losing to them is less when we have our main team no doubt. But what is the essence of a friendly match, even the gaffer said the result of the match doesn’t matter but that he wanted to see how the new guys might fit into his team. I do understand our apprehension concerning FIFA ranking and the possibility of pitting us against a strong country in the final round of WC qualifier but we can’t be afraid to lose bcos of that. you learn more after a loss than a win. Also we will be the ones to complain if the gaffer fields his regular players and say he doesn’t try new players. Friendly matches are the time to see if new players can make the main team, u never know who u might discover. Also as per the issue of etebo and ozonwafor being in 9ja would pose a problem as regards having to quarantine, but the same issue would apply with Iwuala and Noble (GK). As a suggestion, can thesame thing that was done for the Champions league finals where fans from both teams coming from the UK to Portugal be arranged, where a fan has to show a negative result b4 entering the country and a negative result when leaving? like how the Portuguese government did. Just my opinion
cancel the match. It’s better to cancel the match than to play Cameroon with players that we are not sure of. It will be in record that they beat us and will surely affect our fifa ranking.
Cameroon players already in camp…how can they cancel?
Cancel the match… please.
Oga Rhor from up to now must put plan (B) which regards with formation of tow teams in any official match or championship in order to avert Super Eagles from critical position like this is happening now,so Rhor must throw his sight on this question.Now on the match against Cameroon Rhor can recall Dessers,Azubuike Okechukwu, Godfry Oboabona as soon as possible to cover the shortage of injured players; or to cancel the match then NFF must pay a compensation to indomnoble lion cause of cancelling the match…
At this rate, I think we should cancel all the friendlies. I especially would hate to see us collect a basketful against Mexico. These guys are ruthless, and will not relent if we come against them with a weak side. They will humiliate the hell out of us.
It would have been nice to play some friendlies, but na condition make crayfish bend. As the situation is, I strongly advise that we cancel all planned friendlies.
Two strikers out. Then it only makes sense to invite DESSERS if possible. He plays with Onuachu at club level, so this provides the opportunity to try out that partnership. Friendlies are to try out new options both player wise and tactics, and getting friendlies is never easy. So I honestly don’t subscribe to cancelling these friendlies. We should rather use it to try out lots of new players. Again this must serve as a serious warning sign to Rohr/NFF, that need to have a really huge pool of players to call upon at any time, as we can’t rule out situations like this happening during important matches. IF NOT FOR CAF SHIFTING THESE WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS, WE COULD HAVE BEEN PLAYING OUR FIRST MATCH THIS SAME PERIOD.
_Are Nigerian Players Protesting?_
Just as we Super Eagles fans were waiting eagerly for the back-to-back friendlies against the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon in the first 2 weeks in June to then be followed by another high profile one against Mexico in July, mass withdrawals of Super Eagles players due to injuries (and other factors) is threatening to put a spanner in the works.
Of the trimmed down list of 23 players, Complete Sports Nigeria has now reported that 5 of them have withdrawn due to injuries. These are: Osimhen, Simy,Onyeka, Ebuehi and Aina.
From the original list of 31, five players pulled out voluntarily – citing injuries and other factors. These included: Sanusi, Aribo, Akpoguma, Ajayi and Onyekuru.
Even late call-up Samson Tijani has also reportedly ruled himself out, making it no less than 11 players ruling themselves out of international assignments for Nigeria.
When I thought about it, I have to admit, I have never witnessed this much flood of players pull out of matches for Nigeria in contemporary times. We all know players at times play through the pain barrier as they tend to nurse minor injuries every now and then.
It then got me thinking whether the issue of non-payment of players’ bonuses might have something to do with it.
An article ran by Espn appears to feed into my suspicion.
“The players are not happy,” a source, who is one of the players who withdrew from the game, purportedly alleged to ESPN.
“They have not paid bonuses and allowances, nothing at all for the entire [2021] Afcon qualifiers.” He said.
“We have sacrificed by playing throughout the qualifiers without being paid. I think now, with all the injuries, it is hard for many of us to make the sacrifice to come and play a meaningless friendly when the outstanding bonuses have not been paid.
It is better for us to stay away, recover properly, rest and get ready for the new season and the World Cup qualifiers.” He concluded.
This is bad.
At a time we are celebrating everything good about the Super Eagles, this is an own-goal by the NFF.
My prayer is for the friendlies to somehow go ahead. Thereafter, the NFF should settle all outstanding payments to the coaching crew and players without delay.
If not, they risk jeopardising Nigeria’s world cup and Afcon qualifying campaigns.
And this will be unforgivable!
@Deo, this is all the fault of the NFF, a lack of planning as well as a refusal to pay the players their entitlements.
Lack of planning: Once the initial list was out and players started pulling out, they should have stepped up players on standby and then put others on notice that they might be required. also a failure to maintain contact with viable options over the years means that there is no goodwill collateral.
As it stands there is one player in camp right now, William Troost-Ekong from Watford, he has rested as Watford ended their season week ago. However, there are 3 other Nigerian players in that Squad, two of whom have featured for Nigeria on the international stage at different levels.
Onuachu called from Genk, however there is another player with the same club who is gagging for a chance.
The Turkish league ended over a week ago, there are several players that warrant a closer look: Obinna Nwobodo in the severely depleted midfield, also Azubuike Okechukwu and Olanrewaju Kayode in attack.
In Sweden, Alhassan Yusuf has been consistently been over looked and another midfield option. Igoh Ogbu with Lillestroem is a defensive Centre back, Tosin Kehinde in Denmark, a lot of people who may have been available if they were contacted on time.
With the issue of allowances and bonusses, this is a classic own goal. Rohr not paid at all this year, however, he is expected to pay his backroom staff from nothing. Players are called up and their expenses not paid. There is no wonder that players are reluctant to put themselves forward when they have to look after their club careers
This is quite destabilising for the team but not irredeemable.
Per this report, the players that have withdrawn from the final list of 23 include,Victor Osimhen, Simy Nwankwo, Frank Onyeka, Tyrone Ebuehi, Ola Aina. These players can easily be replaced with some fringe Super Eagles players located in Europe, if such fringe players are not injured also, and their clubs are willing to release them (which shouldn’t be difficult as it’s already end of the season). The main challenge is in the defence where we don’t seem to have many quality options, however the replacements doesn’t have to be exactly like for like.
As replacements, we can have Cyril Dessers, Josh Maja or Taiwo Awoniyi in place of Osimhen and Simy. For Frank Onyeka, we can have Azubuike Okechukwu (if fit), Kelechi Nwakali or even Obinna Nwobodo. In place of Ola Aina and Ebuehi we can bring in Kingsley Ehizubie (if he has really committed to Nigeria and has obtain Nigerian passport) and Igoh Ogbu who partnered Valentine Ozornwafor in the defence during their U-21 days.
It is also an opportunity for the Super Eagles scouts to prove their mettle. If am not wrong, we understand that there is a pool of about 50 players for Super Eagles. Now is the time to activate that pool.
The main challenge we could have is that apart from unfamiliarity with the current Eagles setup, any player invited at this time would not be psychologically prepared for the games. Some may have already activated their summer vacation plans.
But this is also the kind of situations that some players grab with both hands and never look back. Hopefully we have that situation this time.
Activate pool and get players down to the camp in Austria within 3 days…..like seriously…?! You think player call-ups are via whatsapp messages….?! Any call-ups not sent to clubs before Last Friday (1 week to the game) is already null & void. Unless the 1st leg of the friendly game scheduled for Friday will be cancelled and attention shifted to the 2nd leg for next week
Hehehehehe….we never consult arusi, arusi don begin speak.
This is just 2 weeks or there-about into the off-season, yet we are getting all sorts of excuses ranging from backache to toothache from players we all saw willing to die in fights for European places or in relegation battles with their clubs. From a list of 31, now we can hardly put together an 18-man squad. Imagine if it were the one happening in another 5 weeks, deep into the holidays, on a Non-FIFA window.
Unless we dont know better….players dont joke with their holidays…LMAO…and clubs will do anything to help them avoid taking-on extra responsibilities during the off season. Unfortunately the withdrawals are coming at such untimely proximity to the game that makes inviting new plays practically impossible…..securing visas, covid protocols and all that.
My take…..if we cant raise a functional team for at least 1 of the 2 legs of the Cameroon game…..CALL IT OFF…..! QED
We cant be prosecuting a double header with just 3 defenders in camp. It will end up being disastrous.
Dr Drey, well said.
Friendlies are not friendly. National pride and FIFA ranking points are at stake!
If we don’t have a team that can compete, we should CANCEL the friendlies.
If we must play a friendly, then we should play one game against Cameroon, not a double header. However, the Mexico game must be called off. Otherwise, we will not be able to live down the disgrace and embarrassment.
CANCEL THE FRIENDLIES.
This is why Nigeria missed out on 2006 WC
Deo, lovely article. I suspected there was an issue with al the random withdrawals. Your article confirms my suspicions!
This is what we have been saying for a while now. The good book says a worker deserves his wages. Apparently, NIGERIA FOOTBALL FIASCO did not get that memo. Owing the coach, owing the players, owing up and down. You name it, NFF will owe that person or thing. NFF CAN OWE DIE.
It has become the joke of the decade, if not the century. If you render any services to the NFF, forget about payment! What kind of nonsense is this?
We applauded them for their ability to organize quality friendlies. Why is the disbursement of funds such a big problem for the NFF?
We have gotten to a point where perhaps the best thing to do now is to have an independent 3rd party handle and disburse NFF funds. NFF will administer, but actual funds disbursement will be done by a 3rd party, who’s books will be audited annually.
It is time we bring this perennial embarrassment to a halt! NO FUTURE FOCUS NIGERIA FOOTBALL FIASCO have been doing this and getting away with it for too long.
When it comes to making demands, they will demand heaven and earth. Win Afcon, win world cup. But provide the basic needs of players, pay their entitlements, even provide a proper pitch for them to play matches on, for where?
I’ve never seen this happen anywhere else in the world, where a football body is so demanding, yet is not willing to fulfill their obligations or invest anything towards the realization of organizational goals. It’s mind boggling. Maybe that is why officials went to training with the boys the other day. They themselves know that one day, the players will refuse to play for nothing. Then it will be up to the officials to enter the pitch with their pot bellies and play the matches.
Nsogbu Dikwa!
@Deo all u have said are very valid points but some of the players who recently withdrew aren’t owed a kobo, I mean players like Simy and Onyeka as they’ve not played any match for the SE except the friendly against algeria that onyeka played 45 mins. Personally I think some of the players withdrawing from the team are doing so with tge view of securing transfer to other clubs, for example simy is hoping to get a transfer to a new club so doesn’t want to risk injuring himself and possibly ending clubs interest in him. I also read somewhere that newly promoted Brentford are looking at signing Onyeka (not confirmed) from midjitland (majority share older of both teams is the same person just like udinese and watford) and thus won’t risk injuring himself b4 the transfer is complete. These are the only logical explanation I can come up with for those 2 players. Serial A, Eredivisie, danish league, premier league etc seasons are done so where did they pick up the injuries from? Are they still training with their teams? We saw osimen play napoli’s last game, Aina was on d bench for fulham for dia last season game if am not mistaken, same with Simy if am not mistaken, so when did they get injured? I understand if they’ve already made holiday plans or looking at getting new clubs which is very understandable but y wait till 3-4 days b4 a friendly to let the coach know? making it virtually impossible to call up another player, that to me is selfishness. If u know u can’t make it, immediately the list came out and u knew u were “injure” then immediately ask to be left out, so someone can quickly be called up. If the guys who are now withdrawing last minute had told the gaffer about their injuries when d list came out, then alternate plans would have been made. I understand the lack of payment of bonuses may have played a role but I doubt if it were France, England, Spain, Germany, Brazil that called these guys they will wait till a few days b4 a friendly to say they are “injured”. I could be wrong ooo but it just wreaks of selfishness to me Just my take
These are the things i used to say from the beginning.I remembered those years when shuaib amodu was in charge,he will mux the foreign pros with home based players should there be any emergency backout of the foreign pros.My people Rohr has no excuse not to honour that friendly match!!! Please guys am not comfortable with Rohr pattern of 100 percent foreign pro.Please he should have mix them up haba !!! We have boys in our league and they will never disappoint whenever they put on the national team jersey.To me Rohr is killing our football locally.Late amodu will select boys from our league and will never loose to cameroon same late keshi.Please lets reason it We have boys.I travel alot around different states to watch our local league and i can challenge anybody anytime on this issue
It’s funny all these players suddenly have injuries but are partying and putting it up on social media. If the nations cup wasn’t postponed, most of these players will actually be required to report for camping…
With the latest developments, there should be room for improvisation. Let them call Dessers, Nnwankali and any other player capable of playing as well as performing well in the 2 legged friendly match.
I also wonder how is it that this kind of issue was not addressed earlier so that the football body can do something about it. Infact , it shows low communication from players to the football body. There’s need for improvement.
Olusegun.B .. It’s impossible to secure players within 3-4 days for a friendly match anywhere in the world . NFF must first contact their club side , So the 1st leg friendly match can be cancelled and perhaps , NFF find solution for the 2nd friendly match .
Cancel the 1st match ( June 4 ) and proceed with the second friendly match is the only solution .
…funny how lots of the players have to pullout only days to the game. The more reson we say give everyone level playing ground… imagine if the likes of Junior Ajayi, Nwakali, Atiemwen, Ike Ugbo, Musa Mohammed were named to the initial squad, atleast camp for still get up to 23players atleast. Well, anyhow them wan do am… we own na to watch and assess players performance…
Well said Brodaman. I and I have always believed in Junior Ajayi and other deserving SE Players. Gwerere Gwerere Gwerere!! Everyone is injured but we can’t call on others…..
Sorry sir, next time we will name a 65-man provisional squad for a friendly. The 31 we named initially apparently wasn’t a level playing ground enough. LMAO.
The issue on ground isn’t the number on the list of callups, the issue is the players pulling out in droves with days left. We could as well have named those guys and they’ld also pull out for the same reasons others have pulled out. Even the likes of Tijani, Onyeka and Simy who have every reason to be part of this game have pulled out for reasons best known to them despite being fit and playing till when their leagues ended.
What Rohr needs is one more central defender and possibly another defensive midfielder. I hope he learns his lessons here. And NFF needs to also avoid this thing of playing overseas rather than at home.
I just heard that the number of players that have withdrawn from this friendly match have increased to 9
Perhaps they should cancel it for it won’t be ideal if our best players failed to show up
This is just administrative harakiri. Why don’t Pinnick and his journeymen always think things through before shoving it in the face of Nigerians? Cos their focus is on the loot and how much they can add to it from the venue, time and teams carefully selected on that motive?
The European league has ended and most of the players are naturally back home with their families for a deserved hol and you want them to fly back to Europe to play who? A fellow African country? Of course, everyone will manufacture an injury story
from the air with medical attestation to boot.
Please don’t play Cameroun with a depleted team cos it will be more than a game. It will be in the records, a bragging right for them and a psychological advantage if we meet in the real thing in their country next year.
Rohr is becoming more Nigerian than even crooked Nigerian administrators. He seems to play along with everything thrown at him, unlike Westerhof in those days that had a largely cat and mouse relationship with them and remains the most successful foreign coach till date.
“….They have not paid bonuses and allowances, nothing at all for the entire (2021) AFCON qualifiers. We have sacrificed by playing throughout the qualifiers without being paid…”
“….it is hard for many of us to make the sacrifice to come and play a meaningless friendly when the outstanding bonuses have not been paid….”
If we have people who think in the NFF boardroom, those quotes above are serious warning signals. You dont push even animals to the wall and not expect a reaction. Even a donkey will react if you overburden it.
He who has hears let them hear…!
When Rohr started making alternative arrangements for the Mexico game, people who know nothing from the comfort of their armchairs were calling him names. He who wears the shoes knows where it pinches. The matter don dey clear for we eyes small small now.
I can fill in the gap cos I’m in Europe at the moment.
Am playing in( kreisliga A) Cameroon will not be a problem for me cos I’m physically fit and strong
Good luck super eagles
I can fill in the gap cos I’m in Europe at the moment.
Am playing in= kreisliga A): Cameroon will not be a problem for me cos I’m physically fit and strong
Good luck super eagles