Sacked Super Eagles Coach Gernot Rohr Reveals the Stage He Would Have Led Super Eagles to at AFCON 2022

Sacked Super Eagles Coach Gernot Rohr Reveals the Stage He Would Have Led Super Eagles to at AFCON 2022

Babajide Orevba
updated at April 12, 2023 at 7:51 PM
In this article:
CAF Africa Cup of Nations logo
CAF AFCON
Africa
  • Gernot Rohr was sacked as Super Eagles handler last Sunday and tactician as decried the timing of such decision
  • According to the 68-year-old, all targets set for him were met and he would have as well reached the final of the AFCON tournament
  • He lambasted what he described as fake news and comments of an uncertain situation, saying they were not professional

Ousted Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr seems to be upset the way he was fired by the hierarchy of the Nigerian Football Federation last weekend.

The Franco-German tactician was relieved of his duties as coach of the Nigerian national football team just weeks before the commencement of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) scheduled to kick off on January 9, in Cameroon.

The tactician was in charge of the Eagles for five years, four months and 10 days making him officially the longest-serving coach of the team.

Gernot Rohr
Gernot Rohr not impressed with his sacking before AFCON. Photo: Jamie Squire
Source: Getty Images

NFF president Amaju Pinnick disclosed that the 68-year-old was let go to avoid a ‘disaster that was about to happen.’

Rohr reacts to his sack

But in a chat with Nigerian journalist Colin Udoh via ESPN, Rohr decried the timing of his sack, claiming all targets were met and he would have led the team to the final of the AFCON tournament.

Rohr said:

“It was not necessary to do this so close to AFCON. After what the team did, and after what the team had achieved with [reaching] the targets... but it happened, and we are realistic people. We handled the situation but it was not necessary.
“All the fake news, all the comments of an uncertain situation, for the past month; this is not professional at all.
“The target in the AFCON was for me to reach the final. So if I don't get to the final in the AFCON, they could have a reason to sack me.
“I'm sure that I would have got to the final but of course it's not 100% sure. I believe we could have had a good AFCON and also prepare for the World Cup through these six or seven weeks where we are working together and the team can come closer and have more complicity, more harmony, and better football.”

Rohr claims NFF officials meddled in Eagles affairs

Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that former Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr has disclosed that he had to turn down advice and suggestions from Nigeria Football Federation officials because they too much.

According to Rohr, whenever it comes to players’ selection, he trusted his technical committee and he has no regret over his decision.

Rohr was relieved of his duties due to recent string of poor performances that almost cost the team a spot in the World Cup qualifying play-offs.

Authors
Babajide Orevba photo
Babajide Orevba
Babajide Orevba is a CAF accredited Nigerian journalist and HOD of the Local Desk with over 10 years of experience in media landscape.He studied NCE Political Science/Social Studies, AOCOED.
Tags
Nigeria