‘We’ve not sacked Rohr as Super Eagles coach’ — NFF clears the air on Rohr’s status

By DENNIS EREZI

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) said Gernot Rohr is still the head coach of the Super Eagles amid reports that the German gaffer was sacked on Thursday.

NFF spokesman Ademola Olajire said he is “not aware of Rohr’s sack because there are procedures for doing things at the federation.”

“Before such a decision could be taken, there will be a meeting of the NFF board and a release issued to the public,” Olajire told Tribune.

“As for now, I’m not aware of the sack. The online platform you claimed reported the story cannot announce his sack without confirmation from the NFF.”

A number of outlets Thursday reported that Rohr was sacked two days after he qualified the Nigeria Super Eagles team for the Qatar 2022 World Cup playoffs.

Nigerian sports journalist Collin Udoh and BBC’s Oluwashina Okeleji said Rohr was advised to resign his position as the Nigerian senior national team coach.

“[Rohr] has been told to consider resignation due to the toxic environment created by team’s performance,” Okeleji tweeted on Thursday.

If the German chooses to go the mutual agreement route, he may pocket $60,000 severance pay.

Our correspondent gathered that an NFF executive meeting was held on Wednesday with a majority of the members calling for Rohr’s sack but did not get the unifying support from all members of Nigeria football highest decision-making body.

Nigeria finished the African World Cup qualifying series top of Group C that had Cape Verde, Liberia, and the Central African Republic.

Super Eagles qualified for the World Cup playoffs through their skin after being held 1-1 by Cape Verde in Lagos on Tuesday.

The German gaffer has been widely criticised by Nigerians and the media for failing to create a playing identity for the Super Eagles, with many former internationals questioning his capacity to help win silverware.

Rohr was appointed head coach of the Super Eagles in August 2016 and led the team to a third-place finish at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

He led the Nigerian team to a group-stage ouster at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

He is Nigeria’s longest-serving coach on the senior national team after five years in charge. (The Guardian)