Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr has disclosed that he’s yet to decide his number one goalkeeper between Francis Uzoho and Maduka Okoye for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Benin and Lesotho.
Recall that Okoye manned the posts when Nigeria threw away a four-goal lead to draw 4-4 against Sierra Leone in Benin City last November. He then kept a clean sheet during the second leg which ended 0-0 four days later in Freetown.
On the other hand, Uzoho was also Nigeria’s number one goalkeeper at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, where the team crashed out in the Group Stages. However, injury kept him out of action for many months, thereby paving way for Okoye and some other goalkeepers.
Reacting to this development, Rohr stated that either Okoye or Uzoho will start against the Squirrels in Porto Novo.
“Let us narrow it down to two goalkeepers in Uzoho and Okoye.
“They are both doing well in training at the moment and we will decide on the eve of the game.
“The best among them will be in goal,” Rohr told reporters.
By Augustine Akhilomen
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COMMENTS
Not to take away the good work that the gaffer is doing with the team, but this isn’t too good for a National side— Like how can you still be undecided about who should be your top priority manning the sticks for you? That’s so wrong, long before now, not a few people would expect that that the issues and controversies concerning that position should be dead and buried, done and dusted!! All these “tumbom-tumbom” on goalkeeper selection should STOP already, like c’mon!!! You have two major tournaments right ahead of you, and you’re still this shaky at the back???
Like I have said, I have nothing against Monsieur Rohr and his technical staff….but this shouldn’t be coming from his quarters. He and his team should sit up and be more DECISIVE!
Don’t mind the coach.. So what is Noble doing there if he is not to considered as a third goalkeeper in the team.. It’s possible he perform better as both other goalkeeper’s
Not taking Okoye for a lightweight, l like the generalissimo attitude of Uzoho who barks orders at his defenders to close potential leaks. Split the task between them: Uzoho , Benin; Okoye, Lesotho.
@Richie I assure you the gaffer knows exactly what he is doing.. he is trying to make every department compitative .. He initially said Okoye was his No ONE. Now it’s up to Okoye to make that position his own.. aside Indidi, no player in this current SE has an automatic shirt ooo.
The second training session the SE had, team B actually won team A this shows that there’s no room for complacency..
Hmmm. Okay oh
If I’m talking now they will say I can’t do without complaining about the coach.
For me, we don’t have a coach yet.
Oga Rohr have disorganized the team already and most especially the goalkeeping department.
Ask me why then I will explain to you how.
He, Oga Rohr made a big mistake by calling Okoye no1 when Uzoho was injured.
Now that the real no1 have returned, is it possible to have two no1 in that department?
Who is going to be in goal, they have no answer to that and the match is tomorrow. This should be a big concern for we the fans of the Super Eagles.
For sure, he will bench Uzoho for Okoye, that is very guaranteed but why?
The current form should determine who will be in goal post but we saw what he did to Ola Aina, Ebuehi and Awaziem against Sierra Leone if I’m not mistaken by playing Akpoguma over these three players.
Now, tell me my people, should we fold our arms and keep looking at the gaffer as if we don’t see what is going on?
The team that should be hard for any team to beat but the coaches are not convincing and they are not sound technically and tactically.
Oga Rohr is very good at scouting players but in terms of selecting the best players based on his opponents and the right tactics is another issue.
His followers will come out to give excuses now and twisting everything.
However, I love Okoye too much and he’s at his very best but Uzoho is the no1 and if Uzoho is fit and hundred percent ready for Benin match, he should be in goal post period.
Here in Lagos at the final match of the Afcon qualifiers against Lesotho, Okoye and the third goalie should share 45 minutes each.
I see no problem at all in this but this is what we get when the head of any company or any department is shaking. From NFF to Mr. GR.
The coaches are the main problem of the Super Eagles.
Wether you agree with me or not, they will continue having fantastic players but to build a winning team that will rule the world can’t be possible under Oga Rohr and Oga Agu.
Late Amodu and Keshi had Enyeama and Ejide, Super Eagles goal keeping department wasn’t a problem then.
Why now that a foreign coach is in charge that mixing things like this that should be much easier and simple to do?
Anybody that is saying the truth is a hater of the gaffers of the Super Eagles.
Truth is bitter but we have to be optimistic with ourselves.
We can only pray for Super Eagles and I will advice you all to limit your expectations over Oga Rohr Super Eagles team.
This is not about hate but over the past five years of Oga Rohr, here we are.
Another story to talk about after the Afcon qualifiers.
This is quite interesting. Less than 24 hours to the match, the coaching crew still don’t know the no1 goalie? NFF, I’m so sorry for you.
Coach Rohr fans, how market over there?
Shall we continue this way ba? The time will tell. Anyway, good luck to Super Eagles. Ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!
Uzoho is simply far better than Okoye… no comparison at all. Everyone who is not lying to himself knows this. Rohr loves to favour players with German heritage… Left for me, I will never start Akpoguma having seen how he fared against Algeria and Tunisia where he almost fainted and was gasping for air after coming against fast and strong African wingers and attackers… After all his shakara, he is just average… That’s why he never got a look-in from Germany. He does not compare Tosin, neither Balogun or Torunarigha. If Okoye is started in goal ahead of Uzoho against Benin Republic… he won’t withstand the fire he comes under! Uzoho should man the post. I do not even think Okoye is better than John Noble…
Oga get ur facts right and no d talk make we hear say u talk
Which Uzoho better pass Okoye
Abi na because say him don d super eagles b4 Okoye come and so should continue
Bros go take ur malaria drugs plz
Is obvious u no like good things when thrown to u
Go check there statistic
And plz how many of this boys are from Germany if i may ask
Besides he is the coach if he feel German players will get him d result how is that ur business
If him no succeed now na still u go still cast him stone say make him go.
Bro Okoye is better than Uzoho plz go and check ur statistics first b4 coming here to argue
When last u watch the 2 of them by the way ?
Were do they play
So plz judge with sense
Prince Chika… Is it by where they play alone you are basing your judgement? Okoye is suspect with crosses… Even the coach is being skeptical about his earlier pronouncement… Besides your tone appear like I am asking your woman out… Intemperance too much for your tone. You trust Okoye, I trust Uzoho… It’s called choices!
The last time Rohr played what appeared as
an unfit and inappropriate Akpoguma ahead of Ebuehi and Ola Aina.
Are you daft? how can you say Uzoho is playing better than Okoye at the moment? i don’t think you’ve watched a Sparta Rotterdam match this season? Okoye is one of the best goal keepers in Holland right now, he has been so impressive that Ajax are considering signing him…..im a big fan of Uzoho but i don’t think he has played up to 10 games this season….it would be criminal to start Uzoho ahead of Okoye…Okoye has been fantastic this season
@omo 9ja, it’s not because Rohr is clueless about who should be in goal tomorrow but simply that both goalkeepers are performing excellently in training, this is a very good development considering the fact that this department has always been a source of worry in the past since Ikeme’s illness. So rather than blame GR as usual by Omo9ja, you should rather applaud him for giving us 2 good goalkeepers we can count on.
For me personally, Okoye will get the nod to be in goal ahead of Uzoho for 2 reasons: 1. For sake of continuity and to gather more experience and confidence; 2. Okoye has been quite regular and consistent with a decent team in Netherlands top division (a better league than Cyprus). But whoever the Gaffer give the nod to, I am comfortable. Noble is not a contender at the moment, I watch his match (Enyimba) live on TV in SA against Orlando Pirates and I wasn’t impressed at all
Hahahaha,,,,God don dey catch devil small small….LMAO. I thought you always rant here that rohr has not discovered a goalkeeper in 5 years…??? LMAO. Where did you get names like Francis Uzoho and Maduka Okoye…?? LMAOOOooooo….are they not ball boys…??? Have they suddenly become goalkeepers….???
Their lies are beginning to catch up with them. The same people who always rant lies that we dont have a goalkeeper after 5 years of Rohr being in charge are weeping now that we have 2 young GKs (who can both last another 10yrs) who can start and no shaking at all at all….LMAO
Ever since Ikeme left SE, the number one position has neither been stabilized or settled. In our search for stability in that department, we have rotated the position between five goalkeepers or thereabout. Akpeyi, Ezenwa, Alampasu, Uzoho, Okoye etc. and none of them has been able to grab the position for keeps.
Okoye who is the last to audition for the position, showcased his talents in four full debuts. He did so well in three but fumbled in one. However, his last performance for the SE was very encouraging. On the strength of that and for the sake of continuity, he deserves to continue…….unless Uzoho is in a better form than him currently. Otherwise, he has to continue.
We really need stability in that position. The earlier the better. The idea of changing goalkeepers like clothes for every match would never help the SE. We need to pick one of the goalkeepers and support him through thick and thin. Rufai, Enyeama etc were great for SE because they got the neccessary support
The same coach who gleefully declared his new number 1 is Maduka Okoye? Now he has seen the form of Uzoho with world cup experience in camp now, his judgement is in doubt. How he declared a largely still inexperienced Okoye number 1, without any need to do that when he did it really beats me… Just because Uzoho was out injured a long time.
I thought you claimed he is a rigid coach….LMAO. So a man cannot change his mind again…..???…LMAO…I want to go to the Bahamas for holidays…ok..im not going to the Bahamas again, I’m going to Seychelles…..pls how is that your life problem….??? LMAO.
Haters must talk, if them nor talk dem go die
He is becoming more flexible… The committee will need to observe him in the next two games and decide if the critique committee removes RIGID from his to title… Lol. He needs to make substitutions timely as one of the conditions by the way.
Remember to tell the committee to include the title “CONFUSED” in their own name. i.e. Confused Critics Committee
@jimmyball, you’re supposed to bury your head in shame for saying that Okoye is inexperienced. A goalkeeper who turns out for Sparta Rot. weekly in Holland is inexperienced. How do you mean?
I dont think rohr is undecided about who to pick, I just feel he is weighing one option against another. Uzoho is more experienced having played in the world cup, but okoye has been playing regularly and he plays in a better league. Uzoho hasn’t really featured in the Super Eagles since recovering from injury so it may be difficult to play him in an important match like this but if the coach feels he has done enough in training then why not, personally I feel if all things are equal uzoho is better than okoye. But the coach I feel will use okoye in benin and if the team does well he may probably give uzoho a chance against Lesotho. It will be good if both goalies get a chance to play and add more experience to their games. This will ensure that we are giving our two goalies opportunities in the team. And ultimately it will ensure that we have two good goalies in the team.
Make una no worry one day this man will go then we can bring all those our African Guadiolas with A1 in coaching to come and develope the SE boys for us since they are raw talent and u know better than the person with them in the camp….As for u @Omon9ja i cant wait to see u take over as the coach of this dear Nation so u can deliver all this ur writeup and put it into practice and get us 10 gold medals in 3yrs
U cant keep quiet even when u have nothing meaningful to say …must u comment if i may ask?
Is obvious u be enemy of progress
No wonder everybody d attack u here like small pikin since u talk as one
U know nothing absolutely nothing about football.Have followed ur comments for a while now all na rubbish .
Plz allow this man do his job.
We prefer him like that
If they allow u now u will pick Uzoho ahead of Okoye…thats the level of una senselessness ….crippled Okoye 2moro is better than ur inform Uzoho today
Abeg shift make i see road..u wan talk make them hear u.
As for the 2 matches Okoye will start and plz if he does abeg scatter ur tv/phone .
When last did u watch Uzoho and Okoye play for there various clubs
Get ur statistics right b4 coming here to spew rubbish
No wonder u gave us gabage last time as lineup and still d claim right on top again
Bros u no get shame aswear
Tnx
At a time when we are supposed to be rejoicing we now have 2 very good young goalkeepers both based in Europe to man our posts, without any panic from fans whoever gets chosen, just like the days of Enyeama and Ejide in the 2000’s, people who were conceived, born and raised in hatred and jealousy are here gnashing their teeth….LMAO.
The drunkard who always praises Westerhoff all the time has forgotten that westerhoff used close to 7 GKs (if not more) during his 5 years…from Alloy Agu, To late Agonavbare, to Segun Oguns (who used to be no 1 at Leventis or NNB or so), Nghodiga, Peter Rufai, Willy Okpara and not forgetting young Ike Shorunmu at that time….and anyone could start in goal at anytime then and heavens will not fall. Rohr does the same thing, consistently having a trio of Ezenwa, Akpeyi, Uzoho and of late Okoye and the we must all cover ourselves in ashes and wear sacked clothes….LMAO.
At a time when we are supposed to be rejoicing we now have 2 very good young goalkeepers both based in Europe to man our posts, just like the days of Enyeama and Ejide in the 2000’s, people who were conceived, born and raised in hatred and jealousy are here gnashing their teeth….LMAO.
The drunkard who always praises Westerhoff all the time has forgotten that westerhoff used close to 7 GKs (if not more) during his 5 years…from Alloy Agu, To late Agonavbare, to Segun Oguns (who used to be no 1 at Leventis or NNB or so), Nghodiga, Peter Rufai, Willy Okpara and not forgetting young Ike Shorunmu at that time….and anyone could start in goal at anytime then and heavens will not fall. Rohr does the same thing, consistently having a trio of Ezenwa, Akpeyi, Uzoho and of late Okoye and the we must all cover ourselves in ashes and wear sacked clothes….LMAO.
Nigerians have a fetish for mixed/biracial players and they don’t even know it. Francis Uzoho has more experience and the body for the goal keeper position. Okoye made four appearance, Uzoho has over 15 appearance including world cup and cup of nations experience. Only se will have a bunch of goal keepers 8 to be exact and not know who the main one should be. The unnecessary amount of goal keepers and to put a inexperienced mixed player ahead of an home grown experienced player is down right wrong.
Omo9ja I can’t wait to see you as SE coach so you can tow the line of your loquacious idols onigbinde and oliseh both of whom failed woefully when they were giving the Job after perfectly coaching on the pages of dailies and tv studios… Onye ara
Sometimes it is not by big names remember akpoborie played so well in his club but never scored in the SE,onuachu scored more goals than osimehen but the prefer victor in SE,yekini never played in big clubs but he was our best striker then.its not by big club but by your performance as at when the coach sees it but I’m very glad we have 2 good keepers to chose from.