Super Eagles head coach, Gernot Rohr has stated that some of the
invited domestic league players will have their chance either in the AFCON
qualifier against the Pirates of Seychelles or in the international friendly
with the Pharaohs of Egypt.
Rohr also pointed out that Midtjylland of Denmark striker, Paul
Onuachu will be given a run-in in either of the matches to ascertain if he will
live up to the information they got on him.
Rohr who claimed he
has used 22 domestic league players who mostly have gone ahead to move out of
the Nigerian league to Europe said that he and his assistant, Imama Amapakabo
have picked players who they feel will fit into the team for the upcoming
games.
The German also
defended his choice for his regular players for the game with Seychelles
stating that there are no minnows again in football and that the two games will
present him the opportunity to look at his players again before the camping for
the AFCON begins.
“It is like a
strong match because today it is not easy to win a game,” Rohr told the media.
“There are no small
teams anymore. We had to be fully concentrated to beat them in Seychelles and
they held South Africa in the qualifiers
also. They are able to play well and they have been in camp since the beginning
of March.
“We are already
preparing for the AFCON but this is the last game of the qualifiers so it is a
very important game. I want to see who can
come to our team. We now have four local players; Ndifreke Effiong from Akwa
United and Ikouwem Udo, the captain of the Under 20
team who played very well in Niamey in the last AFCON of the Under 20.
“We also have Ikechukwu
Ezenwa and Valentine Ozornwafor, who is a tall left-footed defender. So it will
be interesting to see the new
players in at least one of the two games. So it is already a competition for
our list for the AFCON.”
“We have
possibilities to see everybody because we have two games,” Rohr continued.
“We hope to see the Under 23 also in Asaba because they have a game before our
second game with Egypt. We have Paul Onuachu who will play
like 45 minutes also or even more. We have accepted him in the players’ profile
that we will use him.
“We have Ighalo
already and we are satisfied with that he is doing since the World Cup in
Russia and we have this Paul Onuachu to also consider and it will be good to
see him play with Ahmed Musa, Iwobi, Simon and the rest of the players. I hope
he can give us the satisfaction we hope for.”
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