Nigerian national team manager, Gernot Rohr has urged the Super Eagles to make sure that they continue to always be the best ahead of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers in June.
The Super Eagles ended the 2022 African Cup of Nations qualifying campaign unbeaten, recording four wins and two draws to finish top of the Group L table.
They also qualified for the biennial tournament with two games to spare after Lesotho and Sierra Leone played out a draw on match-day five before the three-time African champions faced the Republic of Benin.
Thereafter, they had a dead-rubber outing against Lesotho in their last qualifying game in Lagos. Rohr has expressed his satisfaction with the displays from his side during the campaign and promised fans they will see the Super Eagles play more good football.
“The result of our last match against Lesotho was a good result. To win 3-0 is always a good result, without conceding a goal, we wanted to become more solid after our two games in November.
“And now, we could do two clean sheets which is very interesting for the stability of the team and the balance of the team. And scoring three goals without any set-pieces is also very interesting.”
On goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye’s absence against Lesotho, Rohr said: “Maduka Okoye was sick, in the last moment he had stomach problems, he could not play and had to stay back in the hotel but he is much better now and he could leave Lagos.
“So we had to change four or five players, the goalkeeper with Ola Aina who was still a little bit injured and tired from the Benin game and of course, Alex Iwobi was coming in for Henry Onyekuru and also, Joe Aribo who was sick just like Okoye’s stomach problem and was replaced by Etebo.
“And it’s never easy to come in in the last moment without any training session. On Sunday, we came back from Benin and stopped at Nigerian Breweries beach house in Lagos to celebrate our President’s election into the FIFA council, so we could not train on Sunday.
“On Monday, it was a short training session and not at all for Iwobi who had authorization to play only few hours before the second game. And he had been isolated and was in quarantine since the morning of the match in Cotonou.”
Enyimba duo of John Noble and Anayo Iwuala and Abia Warriors defender, Adekunle Adeleke made Rohr’s team against Benin and Lesotho. The 67-year-old has now revealed his satisfaction with the Nigerian Professional Football League stars.
“Iwuala is a good player, he played two games. In his first game, a lot of people were surprised by his performance. Noble and Adeleke also gave a good impression in training,” he continued.
“Normally, we must have a CHAN team with the best local players. It’s very difficult for them to come into our A team. But now, there is a special circumstance because of travelling restrictions.
“These three players are interesting from the CHAN team, and I think we will have soon somebody, a coach who will prepare the next CHAN team for the CHAN competition.
“Everybody wants to see the local players but they have to show something before in the CHAN team. But it is very important that we can have these young players from the CHAN team, to see the best ones and to give them eventually the chance.”
On why Ahmed Musa eventually got to play against Lesotho, the German tactician said: “We are missing so many wingers – Samuel Kalu, Moses Simon, Iwobi in the first game and Ahmed Musa not playing in the club but finally, Musa could play because we had only 21 players and with Musa 22.
“So, he could come in, he was there, he was fit, he made the physical test, Musa is in good fitness, there was no reason not to allow him to come in. He is the captain of the team and he needs to be captain on the pitch. We also wanted to help him to find a good club now.”
On the 2022 World Cup qualifiers starting in June, Rohr said: “The World Cup qualifiers will start soon and I think we will be able to do well. We should expect good footall again on a good pitch, I hope.
“Lagos did very well but still have to improve, not easy because of the traffic. And we cannot try new players now, it’s too late. Now, it’s becoming very serious World Cup qualification.
“The record of our results is very good and I know we are unbeaten in all our away games during the qualifiers which is wonderful. It’s a record and a nice one. We have to continue to always be the best.
“But sometimes, the other ones also can make the result. And you can not always win all your matches,” Rohr concluded.