Nigeria coach Rohr ignores home-based players for next month's friendlies

The Nigeria Football Federation’s (NFF) technical committee will not question Super Eagles’ manager, Gernot Rohr’s selection of players for the international friendly games against Senegal and Burkina Faso despite the exclusion of home-based stars from the list for the matches.

Rohr listed 25 players for the matches slated for this month with only goalkeeper, Ikechukwu Ezenwa of FC IfeanyiUbah the only star of the local league in the squad.

Reacting to the controversy surrounding the list, NFF technical committee member, Mutiu Adepoju, said Rohr has the free hand to select any player he feels can deliver the goods for him, adding that the coach considered every player’s club form when making his choice.

Adepoju said Super Eagles’ quest to qualify for the 2019 AFCON after missing out from the last edition of the championship, as well as the crucial 2018 World Cup qualifier against Cameroun this year informed the coach’s decision on players.

The former Racing Santander of Spain star urged the home-based players to continue working hard if they desired to remain relevant in the senior national, adding that every Nigerian player has the right to aspire to represent the nation in any championship.

“The technical committee supports Rohr’s choice of players for the two friendly games. The coach has to select the best and if he feels no domestic player meets the standard he is looking for, he has no other option than to go for foreign–based players to give him the result.

“I don’t think Rohr deliberately snubbed the domestic players… it might be that he has not seen a player that can deliver in the AFCON qualifier against South Africa and the World Cup qualifier against Cameroun.

“These games are crucial matches that needs experience and committed players. The coach knows the players that would give him the result he wants,’’ he said