Gernot Rohr: 7 things Super Eagles boss said in his latest interview

Gernot Rohr had an interview with L’Equipe in French and these are seven things he said.

Super Eagles boss Gernot Rohr has his mind very focus on the 2018 FIFA World Cup after leading Nigeria to qualification.

Rohr is a happy man after achieving his first task as Super Eagles which is to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

After the 1-0 win over Zambia on Saturday, October 7, the Franco-German is holidaying in Bordeaux before his next task which is the dead rubber FIFA World Cup qualifier against Algeria and the friendly game against Argentina in Russia, all in November 2017.

He had an interview with L’Equipe in French and these are seven things he said.

1. New two-year-contract

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Rohr revealed in the interview that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) will give him a new two-year contract before the current one expires.

Rohr’s contract runs through to July 2018 which is after the World Cup. “The president has already announced to me that it will be extended for two years, before the World cup,” Rohr said. 

 2. Satisfaction from Super Eagles qualification for the World Cup

Rohr said Nigeria’s qualification to the FIFA World Cup gave him lots of joy and satisfaction.

"It’s a new challenge, a new adventure that’s coming. Participating in the most important tournament in the world, with the best teams, is something every player and coach dreams about,” he said.

3. Quality of players made qualification to the World Cup possible

 

Rohr gave credit to the Super Eagles player for the achievement of qualifying for the World Cup.

“It’s thanks to the quality of the players. There are some exceptional players. We found the right cocktail, the good mix between youth and experience,” he said.

4. Super Eagles players followed his instructions

Gernot Rohr believes he and his players had the same vision for the team and they followed his instructions.

“It was quite exceptional. We worked a lot with local players. It was not a long calm river. It had to be vigilant, find solutions to difficult situations and last minute packages,” the coach said.

5. Pressure from Nigerian media

 

Rohr enjoyed a winning start to his stint as coach of the Super Eagles which he believes gave him a free hand to do his job without much interference from the media.

He however also thinks that the pressure from the Nigerian media is immense.

“But the media pressure is immense there, the press is omnipresent. At first, I was careful not to fall in the cracks of the media. After, I had no problem,” he said.

6. Unrealistic expectations for Super Eagles

When asked about the target for the Super Eagles at the World Cup, Rohr hinted that the expectations of Nigerians are a bit unrealistic for the Super Eagles.

“They have qualified from the group stage in the past and getting to the round of 16, especially in 2014 when they faced the French team,” Rohr said. 

“We will try to do as well. Unfortunately, here, the ambitions are a little more excessive: the team must get to at least the semi-finals.”

7. Relationship with NFF

In the interview, Rohr also hinted that he has a good relationship with the president of the NFF Amaju Pinnick but not with other officials of the Federation.

“Even if I get along very well with the president (Amaju Pinnick), who came to get me. There are many people at the Federation (NFF). As in all African countries, it’s never easy. But for now, it’s going very well,” Rohr said.