Super Eagles’ Coach, Gernot Rohr, yesterday confirmed that he would begin Nigeria’s preparation for the Russia 2018 World Cup qualifiers against Cameroun and Algeria in Gabon, venue of the Afriacn Nations Cup, which begins this month.
Speaking in Lagos yesterday, Rohr boasted that he has a better team than Cameroun and Algeria, said his presence in Gabon would give him the opportunity to fine-tune his strategies before the qualifiers resume later this year.
He also believes the trip would also give him the chance to arrange for friendly games for the country, as well as monitor Nigeria’s possible opponents in the 2019 African Nations Cup, which qualifiers also begin this year.
‘’I am very optimistic that Nigeria will qualify for the World cup from our group’’, he said as took questions from journalists at the Teslim Balogun Stadium.After the break from the qualifiers after Nigeria took a commanding lead in the group, the Indomitable Lions of Cameroun, would come knocking at the Nest of Champions in Uyo in August and Rohr said that not even Jupiter would save them from falling.
Though he admitted that the matches would be tough, Rohr however dismissed Cameroun when a Journalist reminded him that the Camerounians have sworn to upset Nigeria at home. ‘’We have a better team than Cameroun. That is why we won away in Zambia where Cameroun was beaten. There is also this family spirit in the team that no team can break now. I know that the Camerounians are good but we are better. We also have the advantage of playing at home. The support is going to be magnificent and I urge all Nigerians to come out and support their team’’, he said.
Rohr has advised cash-strapped Nigeria Football Federation to get ready to splash big bonuses on the Eagles in their remaining qualifying matches for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
“You must encourage the players with their bonus. We must progress if not, we’ll regress,” the coach said as a matter of fact.He had earlier dismissed fears that the Super Eagles might go the way of the Super Falcons before they can get paid for their bonuses. ‘’I do not hope so’’, he shot back to the question but noted that the team apart from bonuses were proud to play for their fatherland.
“We have a young team who are more interested to play for their nation. We must encourage them. There is nothing wrong in some of the players buying tickets to honour call-ups so far as they are refunded. That also shows loyalty and patrotism. But, we must be ready to pay bonuses for the team. They are ready to win all their remaining matches and need to be paid for their hardwork,” he stated.
