princesuko:


It seems you are new to the world of Comparison Pogba was compared to Viera even though their playing style differs. Kante Plays as a B2B midfielder just like Matuidi both of them are Like for Like midfielders. That is why he has more interceptions than the Like of stationary DMs in the mould of Busquets and wielg.

If you rewatch the match you will see that Onazi was roaming forward from His Half to the Opponents Half. Which is what a B2B does.

Mickael2:




it seems like you know football more than the coaches themselves. whoscored.com records that Kante had played as a DMF 7 times this season and only three times as a Cmf otherwise called the b2b and one of those games was against Arsenal where he was absolutely shocking. please next time, watch the full match not just the highlight, the mere fact that he made forward runs shows that he is not a log of wood, nothing else

Mickael2:


check this before ever talking rubbish in your life again before you embarrass yourself even further http://www.transfermarkt.com/ngolo-kante/profil/spieler/225083

Mickael2:



in fact if you have ever played football in a tactical level, the first thing they teach you is that once your team is in position. the centre backs should at least be inside the opponents half and that the DMF should be be at the top of their own arc of the centre circle. watch that game again, Onazi didn't cross that spot except the once that he went to take a shot, He only started crossing it after Esiti came on for God's sake

tbaba1234:
cc: icon4s, thegoodjoe, TheSuperNerd, lakesidepapa, safarigirl, Joseph1013, confun, goldfish80, Mickael2, forgiveness, chrisooblog, lexyman, amagunnerfan, zicky, HZwriters, bigblangston

VERY IMPRESSIVE INTERVIEW BY ROHR, MANY OF THE ISSUES RAISED ON THIS THREAD WERE ADDRESSED. talks about the RB and LB position, talks about how Musa Muhammad could not measure up in training, talks about Enyeama rejoining if we qualify for the WC..

Congratulations coach, it's two wins from two games for you as Super Eagles coach. What is the feeling like?

Rohr: I feel great starting my job as coach of the Super Eagles on a good note, winning two competitive games. The recent win in Zambia gives me the feeling that we are up to something great. It is nice to work with the players and officials of the team. The Nigeria Football Federation has also made my stay so far wonderful. I am enjoying my stay here now

After Zambia comes Algeria next month. How much do you know about the Algerians?

We know them very well because most of the players have been educated in France, played in France, come from the French academy. Some of them played for French junior teams before changing to playing for the Algerian national team. I have seen them play live and I know their setup. Of course, I know the players.

We will know more of the way they played against Cameroon when the video clips and reports get to us. I sent someone to watch the game and I await the details from him. I have also seen the match on television. We shall do an analysis of the video when we get it and then take it from there and we will know much more about them.

Riyad Mahrez and Islam Slimani are the Algerian team's star men. Will you pay special attention to the two?

There are big players and star men everywhere. In Zambia, we have Kalaba, Mbesuma and others. Perhaps these ones are at a higher level, we know that it will be very difficult to beat the Algerians, but we have confidence now and will be ready for them. We shall not pay special attention to Mahrez or Slimani. Now our team has high spirit and confidence. Collectively, we are not afraid of the Algerian team.

How did you restore the confidence and the feel good spirit in the Super Eagles?

There is no magic about that. I am a positive man and I know the talents are there in Nigeria. They need fatherly guidance to get going. They responded well to invitation to camp and their attitude has been wonderful. There were lots of communication between us and I demanded discipline on and off the field from them. Good ambience and work ethic have also helped in restoring confidence back in the team.

They made sacrifices for one week prior to the game in Zambia. They did not go out, did not see their families, they only worked. I kept them busy after training with videos and meetings. The spirit was good and we took it to Zambia and won. So they know the reward for hard work now, and we hope to continue to improve from there.

Is this spirit of the team good enough to see the Super Eagles grabbing the World Cup ticket ahead of Cameroon, Algeria and Zambia?

Yes, my players want to have the World Cup ticket. The ticket will be difficult, but everybody knows that we have the capacity to come first out of this group, but you know it requires a lot of hard work. We have already three points, I'm sure with 12 points we could be the team coming out of this group. We shall work very, very hard to ensure that we win all three of our home matches to get 12 points.

After the first game, we are on top, and we can say Cameroon did well to get a draw in Algeria and now it is in our hands to beat the Algerians in Uyo. I know that it will be difficult because they also don't want to lose in Uyo. But we want, absolutely, to win this game and remain on top of the group

Should Nigerians expect new players in the Super Eagles for the game against Algeria next month?

Yes, because all the injured players will be ready, you know who the players are. Four of them who missed the Zambian game will return, one of them had family problem, he will come back. There will be some changes and perhaps the local players will be handicapped because they will be on holidays and will find it difficult to have a rhythm. They don't train and they don't play at this period. It will be difficult for local players, but we shall see if we can organise something, may be a training for them to remain in shape. I don't know if I will open camp for them, but it will be pretty difficult for them to meet up now that they are on break.

Does that mean that the overseas-based players who do not play regular football in their respective clubs will not be invited?

It is good for players to play regular football in their respective clubs to keep in shape and have rhythm. The home-based might come to camp first for us to see how they cope before those abroad join. But I might have a few exceptions in inviting players who don't play regularly for their clubs. So I will need players who play every week for their clubs.

That is why Musa Mohammed who had not played even one minute football since after the Tanzania game was benched because he could not measure up and Mikel also has not played for Chelsea trained well and he gave me a good 90 minutes in Zambia. He did well, so he might return for Algeria on November 12. But they must all go and play games in their clubs. I have told them to go and fight for places in their respective clubs.

How will you monitor these players? Will you visit them in Europe?

Of course, we will go to see the players in their clubs, either me or my scouts. So we know who is playing and those who are not playing. The fittest players who prove themselves in their clubs will get invited.

What is your impression of Carl Ikeme's performance against Zambia in Ndola and so far under you as Nigeria coach?

I've known him before now. I have seen him in his club, Wolverhampton Wanderers a second division side in England. I like his approach to the game, his concentration, calmness, attitude to training and games. He is a good goalkeeper and I must commend him for his saves in Ndola. Carl kept us in the game by pulling at least three great saves. He was the man of the match against Zambia. Great guy.

With Carl's performance in goal, do the Super Eagles still need Vincent Enyeama?

Yes, I said it that I wanted Vincent Enyeama to return from retirement and I called him and we spoke with him. He will come back if we qualify for the World Cup. We need very good goalkeepers in the Eagles. We have two local goalkeepers whom I don't know if they will fit in if Carl sustains an injury, so I think we need two big goalkeepers. Of course for this moment, Carl is number one. We cannot change him, he will be number one for the next game.


Is the Super Eagles defence the weak link of your team?

Everybody knew before I arrived here that we need to build a new defence, and unfortunately there were injuries and we had to do two changes in that area of the team. In the game against Tanzania, we had a good defence; we did not concede a goal, they prevented them from scoring.

Leon Balogun got injured playing for his club and Mohammed Musa did not play at all for his club and that was why we made a change and brought in another player. Now we will watch some positions, we will watch what happen at right-back and left-back. We have a strong central defence, so no problem. We shall try and see if the same players will do well in their clubs to come back or we look for new ones.

Ahmed Musa came in as a late substitute in Zambia. Was it your strategy or he was not fit?

Ahmed Musa has not played for Leicester in their last few matches and so we had to watch his sharpness and decided to bring him in the last 20 minutes when Moses Simon was getting tired. That was what we did and he brought in a lot of speed and motivation. He also had one good shot at goal. I hope he will start playing again in Leicester because when he plays there, he can be able to start the next game for us.

Are Iwobi, Iheanacho and Mikel the most important players of your team?

Of course, you have seen what happened. They have scored, they played well, they are young players. I mean Kelechi and Iwobi are very young players who are driven by an experienced player in Mikel.

Our kind of playing is good football, the passing game. Technical football, not so many touches, we like to play directly, collectively bringing in the wings and the full-backs coming forward. They played accordingly in Ndola and I appreciated them very much. We shall try and get better with our style. It is too early to say if I would build the team around these three players.

You have bonded well with your players and home officials. But were you aware that one of the local coaches has yet to get a contract?

We have a strong bond as a team and we work hard to get results. We relate as a family, we try to be friends with the players and officials, and we respect each other. The assistants I brought in know we have to work closely with the Nigerian officials, likewise the other coaches, medical team, coordinator, media man and equipment manager. We did not come here to lecture but to help them grow and get the results for our team. We are one ‎happy family, I am satisfied with the co-operation I am getting from everyone.

On the contract of the Nigerian coach, I want to tell you that the federation president and I went to some places on Tuesday and what I got was positive. I have been assured that in the next few days Salisu Yusuf will sign his contract as chief coach of the Eagles and he would be paid his wages like us. The federation and the minister now have a strong solidarity and this is good for the team to succeed.

My joy now is that the minister and the federation are now working together for good and we need their solidarity to be able to go to the World Cup in Russia. A big country like Nigeria need all the political will and government's strong support to succeed because the talents are there to go to any length.

Can you confirm that the NFF has paid the Super Eagles bonuses and allowances?

Yes, the federation has paid the bonuses for the Tanzania game, including other allowances, as well as other outstandingly dues to the players and officials. They have also assured us that the bonus for the away victory against Zambia will be paid before the next game. We are okay with the federation and we appreciate the efforts of the president.

Do you feel disappointed that Nigeria will not be at the 2017 AFCON in Gabon?

I feel bad but the Super Eagles have been eliminated and there is nothing I can do about it but to focus on the World Cup. We have forgotten about it, but we have the possibility to watch Algeria and Cameroon to know what they do and how they play. We shall also use the period of AFCON to see other players, those we have not seen. You cannot use two games to see everybody. We must always be positive in every negative because in each negative there is the positive side.

After next month's game, the Super Eagles' next match will be in August 2017. What will the team be doing before then?

We look at the FIFA window and try to exploit it to play as many friendly games as possible. We talk to some notable countries in and outside Africa to prepare the Eagles. March and June give us the opportunity that will see the Eagles in action during the FIFA windows.

Your final word to Nigerians….

I want to say a big thank you to Nigerians, especially the Uyo fans, for the warm welcome and support they gave me in the game against Tanzania. I am happy to be working in Nigeria now and I feel like I am already a Nigerian. I hope that when we go back to Uyo, the pitch will be better than the last time and we need the supporters to be the 12th man to beat Algeria. We have to have our people behind us for 90 minutes of the game. We have to cheer our players whether good or bad and make things difficult for the Algerians


Read more at http://www.completesportsnigeria.com/rohr-%e2%80%8e-need-uyo-fans-12th-player-nigeria-algeria/#IHL70KVfXlA4tRcV.99

goldfish80:

The Algerians are considerably worried about these two guys and rightly so.
Buildings little partnerships in different areas of the pitch is the best way to build a solid team.

I read Alex Iwobi's interview. The young man seems to be having a time of his life for both Club and country. He is not regretting one bit choosing Nigeria over England.

I hope Tammy Abraham, Chuba, Odubanjo and Ovie reconsider their position and choose Ngr. I rate these 4guys above Some of the wishy-washy players like Dominic Solanke and ola Aina.

tbaba1234:
cc: icon4s, thegoodjoe, TheSuperNerd, lakesidepapa, safarigirl, Joseph1013, confun, goldfish80, Mickael2, forgiveness, chrisooblog, lexyman, amagunnerfan, zicky, HZwriters, bigblangston

VERY IMPRESSIVE INTERVIEW BY ROHR, MANY OF THE ISSUES RAISED ON THIS THREAD WERE ADDRESSED. talks about the RB and LB position, talks about how Musa Muhammad could not measure up in training, talks about Enyeama rejoining if we qualify for the WC..

Congratulations coach, it's two wins from two games for you as Super Eagles coach. What is the feeling like?

Rohr: I feel great starting my job as coach of the Super Eagles on a good note, winning two competitive games. The recent win in Zambia gives me the feeling that we are up to something great. It is nice to work with the players and officials of the team. The Nigeria Football Federation has also made my stay so far wonderful. I am enjoying my stay here now

After Zambia comes Algeria next month. How much do you know about the Algerians?

We know them very well because most of the players have been educated in France, played in France, come from the French academy. Some of them played for French junior teams before changing to playing for the Algerian national team. I have seen them play live and I know their setup. Of course, I know the players.

We will know more of the way they played against Cameroon when the video clips and reports get to us. I sent someone to watch the game and I await the details from him. I have also seen the match on television. We shall do an analysis of the video when we get it and then take it from there and we will know much more about them.

Riyad Mahrez and Islam Slimani are the Algerian team's star men. Will you pay special attention to the two?

There are big players and star men everywhere. In Zambia, we have Kalaba, Mbesuma and others. Perhaps these ones are at a higher level, we know that it will be very difficult to beat the Algerians, but we have confidence now and will be ready for them. We shall not pay special attention to Mahrez or Slimani. Now our team has high spirit and confidence. Collectively, we are not afraid of the Algerian team.

How did you restore the confidence and the feel good spirit in the Super Eagles?

There is no magic about that. I am a positive man and I know the talents are there in Nigeria. They need fatherly guidance to get going. They responded well to invitation to camp and their attitude has been wonderful. There were lots of communication between us and I demanded discipline on and off the field from them. Good ambience and work ethic have also helped in restoring confidence back in the team.

They made sacrifices for one week prior to the game in Zambia. They did not go out, did not see their families, they only worked. I kept them busy after training with videos and meetings. The spirit was good and we took it to Zambia and won. So they know the reward for hard work now, and we hope to continue to improve from there.

Is this spirit of the team good enough to see the Super Eagles grabbing the World Cup ticket ahead of Cameroon, Algeria and Zambia?

Yes, my players want to have the World Cup ticket. The ticket will be difficult, but everybody knows that we have the capacity to come first out of this group, but you know it requires a lot of hard work. We have already three points, I'm sure with 12 points we could be the team coming out of this group. We shall work very, very hard to ensure that we win all three of our home matches to get 12 points.

After the first game, we are on top, and we can say Cameroon did well to get a draw in Algeria and now it is in our hands to beat the Algerians in Uyo. I know that it will be difficult because they also don't want to lose in Uyo. But we want, absolutely, to win this game and remain on top of the group

Should Nigerians expect new players in the Super Eagles for the game against Algeria next month?

Yes, because all the injured players will be ready, you know who the players are. Four of them who missed the Zambian game will return, one of them had family problem, he will come back. There will be some changes and perhaps the local players will be handicapped because they will be on holidays and will find it difficult to have a rhythm. They don't train and they don't play at this period. It will be difficult for local players, but we shall see if we can organise something, may be a training for them to remain in shape. I don't know if I will open camp for them, but it will be pretty difficult for them to meet up now that they are on break.

Does that mean that the overseas-based players who do not play regular football in their respective clubs will not be invited?

It is good for players to play regular football in their respective clubs to keep in shape and have rhythm. The home-based might come to camp first for us to see how they cope before those abroad join. But I might have a few exceptions in inviting players who don't play regularly for their clubs. So I will need players who play every week for their clubs.

That is why Musa Mohammed who had not played even one minute football since after the Tanzania game was benched because he could not measure up and Mikel also has not played for Chelsea trained well and he gave me a good 90 minutes in Zambia. He did well, so he might return for Algeria on November 12. But they must all go and play games in their clubs. I have told them to go and fight for places in their respective clubs.

How will you monitor these players? Will you visit them in Europe?

Of course, we will go to see the players in their clubs, either me or my scouts. So we know who is playing and those who are not playing. The fittest players who prove themselves in their clubs will get invited.

What is your impression of Carl Ikeme's performance against Zambia in Ndola and so far under you as Nigeria coach?

I've known him before now. I have seen him in his club, Wolverhampton Wanderers a second division side in England. I like his approach to the game, his concentration, calmness, attitude to training and games. He is a good goalkeeper and I must commend him for his saves in Ndola. Carl kept us in the game by pulling at least three great saves. He was the man of the match against Zambia. Great guy.

With Carl's performance in goal, do the Super Eagles still need Vincent Enyeama?

Yes, I said it that I wanted Vincent Enyeama to return from retirement and I called him and we spoke with him. He will come back if we qualify for the World Cup. We need very good goalkeepers in the Eagles. We have two local goalkeepers whom I don't know if they will fit in if Carl sustains an injury, so I think we need two big goalkeepers. Of course for this moment, Carl is number one. We cannot change him, he will be number one for the next game.


Is the Super Eagles defence the weak link of your team?

Everybody knew before I arrived here that we need to build a new defence, and unfortunately there were injuries and we had to do two changes in that area of the team. In the game against Tanzania, we had a good defence; we did not concede a goal, they prevented them from scoring.

Leon Balogun got injured playing for his club and Mohammed Musa did not play at all for his club and that was why we made a change and brought in another player. Now we will watch some positions, we will watch what happen at right-back and left-back. We have a strong central defence, so no problem. We shall try and see if the same players will do well in their clubs to come back or we look for new ones.

Ahmed Musa came in as a late substitute in Zambia. Was it your strategy or he was not fit?

Ahmed Musa has not played for Leicester in their last few matches and so we had to watch his sharpness and decided to bring him in the last 20 minutes when Moses Simon was getting tired. That was what we did and he brought in a lot of speed and motivation. He also had one good shot at goal. I hope he will start playing again in Leicester because when he plays there, he can be able to start the next game for us.

Are Iwobi, Iheanacho and Mikel the most important players of your team?

Of course, you have seen what happened. They have scored, they played well, they are young players. I mean Kelechi and Iwobi are very young players who are driven by an experienced player in Mikel.

Our kind of playing is good football, the passing game. Technical football, not so many touches, we like to play directly, collectively bringing in the wings and the full-backs coming forward. They played accordingly in Ndola and I appreciated them very much. We shall try and get better with our style. It is too early to say if I would build the team around these three players.

You have bonded well with your players and home officials. But were you aware that one of the local coaches has yet to get a contract?

We have a strong bond as a team and we work hard to get results. We relate as a family, we try to be friends with the players and officials, and we respect each other. The assistants I brought in know we have to work closely with the Nigerian officials, likewise the other coaches, medical team, coordinator, media man and equipment manager. We did not come here to lecture but to help them grow and get the results for our team. We are one ‎happy family, I am satisfied with the co-operation I am getting from everyone.

On the contract of the Nigerian coach, I want to tell you that the federation president and I went to some places on Tuesday and what I got was positive. I have been assured that in the next few days Salisu Yusuf will sign his contract as chief coach of the Eagles and he would be paid his wages like us. The federation and the minister now have a strong solidarity and this is good for the team to succeed.

My joy now is that the minister and the federation are now working together for good and we need their solidarity to be able to go to the World Cup in Russia. A big country like Nigeria need all the political will and government's strong support to succeed because the talents are there to go to any length.

Can you confirm that the NFF has paid the Super Eagles bonuses and allowances?

Yes, the federation has paid the bonuses for the Tanzania game, including other allowances, as well as other outstandingly dues to the players and officials. They have also assured us that the bonus for the away victory against Zambia will be paid before the next game. We are okay with the federation and we appreciate the efforts of the president.

Do you feel disappointed that Nigeria will not be at the 2017 AFCON in Gabon?

I feel bad but the Super Eagles have been eliminated and there is nothing I can do about it but to focus on the World Cup. We have forgotten about it, but we have the possibility to watch Algeria and Cameroon to know what they do and how they play. We shall also use the period of AFCON to see other players, those we have not seen. You cannot use two games to see everybody. We must always be positive in every negative because in each negative there is the positive side.

After next month's game, the Super Eagles' next match will be in August 2017. What will the team be doing before then?

We look at the FIFA window and try to exploit it to play as many friendly games as possible. We talk to some notable countries in and outside Africa to prepare the Eagles. March and June give us the opportunity that will see the Eagles in action during the FIFA windows.

Your final word to Nigerians….

I want to say a big thank you to Nigerians, especially the Uyo fans, for the warm welcome and support they gave me in the game against Tanzania. I am happy to be working in Nigeria now and I feel like I am already a Nigerian. I hope that when we go back to Uyo, the pitch will be better than the last time and we need the supporters to be the 12th man to beat Algeria. We have to have our people behind us for 90 minutes of the game. We have to cheer our players whether good or bad and make things difficult for the Algerians


Read more at http://www.completesportsnigeria.com/rohr-%e2%80%8e-need-uyo-fans-12th-player-nigeria-algeria/#IHL70KVfXlA4tRcV.99

tbaba1234:
cc: icon4s, thegoodjoe, TheSuperNerd, lakesidepapa, safarigirl, Joseph1013, confun, goldfish80, Mickael2, forgiveness, chrisooblog, lexyman, amagunnerfan, zicky, HZwriters, bigblangston

VERY IMPRESSIVE INTERVIEW BY ROHR, MANY OF THE ISSUES RAISED ON THIS THREAD WERE ADDRESSED. talks about the RB and LB position, talks about how Musa Muhammad could not measure up in training, talks about Enyeama rejoining if we qualify for the WC..

Congratulations coach, it's two wins from two games for you as Super Eagles coach. What is the feeling like?

Rohr: I feel great starting my job as coach of the Super Eagles on a good note, winning two competitive games. The recent win in Zambia gives me the feeling that we are up to something great. It is nice to work with the players and officials of the team. The Nigeria Football Federation has also made my stay so far wonderful. I am enjoying my stay here now

After Zambia comes Algeria next month. How much do you know about the Algerians?

We know them very well because most of the players have been educated in France, played in France, come from the French academy. Some of them played for French junior teams before changing to playing for the Algerian national team. I have seen them play live and I know their setup. Of course, I know the players.

We will know more of the way they played against Cameroon when the video clips and reports get to us. I sent someone to watch the game and I await the details from him. I have also seen the match on television. We shall do an analysis of the video when we get it and then take it from there and we will know much more about them.

Riyad Mahrez and Islam Slimani are the Algerian team's star men. Will you pay special attention to the two?

There are big players and star men everywhere. In Zambia, we have Kalaba, Mbesuma and others. Perhaps these ones are at a higher level, we know that it will be very difficult to beat the Algerians, but we have confidence now and will be ready for them. We shall not pay special attention to Mahrez or Slimani. Now our team has high spirit and confidence. Collectively, we are not afraid of the Algerian team.

How did you restore the confidence and the feel good spirit in the Super Eagles?

There is no magic about that. I am a positive man and I know the talents are there in Nigeria. They need fatherly guidance to get going. They responded well to invitation to camp and their attitude has been wonderful. There were lots of communication between us and I demanded discipline on and off the field from them. Good ambience and work ethic have also helped in restoring confidence back in the team.

They made sacrifices for one week prior to the game in Zambia. They did not go out, did not see their families, they only worked. I kept them busy after training with videos and meetings. The spirit was good and we took it to Zambia and won. So they know the reward for hard work now, and we hope to continue to improve from there.

Is this spirit of the team good enough to see the Super Eagles grabbing the World Cup ticket ahead of Cameroon, Algeria and Zambia?

Yes, my players want to have the World Cup ticket. The ticket will be difficult, but everybody knows that we have the capacity to come first out of this group, but you know it requires a lot of hard work. We have already three points, I'm sure with 12 points we could be the team coming out of this group. We shall work very, very hard to ensure that we win all three of our home matches to get 12 points.

After the first game, we are on top, and we can say Cameroon did well to get a draw in Algeria and now it is in our hands to beat the Algerians in Uyo. I know that it will be difficult because they also don't want to lose in Uyo. But we want, absolutely, to win this game and remain on top of the group

Should Nigerians expect new players in the Super Eagles for the game against Algeria next month?

Yes, because all the injured players will be ready, you know who the players are. Four of them who missed the Zambian game will return, one of them had family problem, he will come back. There will be some changes and perhaps the local players will be handicapped because they will be on holidays and will find it difficult to have a rhythm. They don't train and they don't play at this period. It will be difficult for local players, but we shall see if we can organise something, may be a training for them to remain in shape. I don't know if I will open camp for them, but it will be pretty difficult for them to meet up now that they are on break.

Does that mean that the overseas-based players who do not play regular football in their respective clubs will not be invited?

It is good for players to play regular football in their respective clubs to keep in shape and have rhythm. The home-based might come to camp first for us to see how they cope before those abroad join. But I might have a few exceptions in inviting players who don't play regularly for their clubs. So I will need players who play every week for their clubs.

That is why Musa Mohammed who had not played even one minute football since after the Tanzania game was benched because he could not measure up and Mikel also has not played for Chelsea trained well and he gave me a good 90 minutes in Zambia. He did well, so he might return for Algeria on November 12. But they must all go and play games in their clubs. I have told them to go and fight for places in their respective clubs.

How will you monitor these players? Will you visit them in Europe?

Of course, we will go to see the players in their clubs, either me or my scouts. So we know who is playing and those who are not playing. The fittest players who prove themselves in their clubs will get invited.

What is your impression of Carl Ikeme's performance against Zambia in Ndola and so far under you as Nigeria coach?

I've known him before now. I have seen him in his club, Wolverhampton Wanderers a second division side in England. I like his approach to the game, his concentration, calmness, attitude to training and games. He is a good goalkeeper and I must commend him for his saves in Ndola. Carl kept us in the game by pulling at least three great saves. He was the man of the match against Zambia. Great guy.

With Carl's performance in goal, do the Super Eagles still need Vincent Enyeama?

Yes, I said it that I wanted Vincent Enyeama to return from retirement and I called him and we spoke with him. He will come back if we qualify for the World Cup. We need very good goalkeepers in the Eagles. We have two local goalkeepers whom I don't know if they will fit in if Carl sustains an injury, so I think we need two big goalkeepers. Of course for this moment, Carl is number one. We cannot change him, he will be number one for the next game.


Is the Super Eagles defence the weak link of your team?

Everybody knew before I arrived here that we need to build a new defence, and unfortunately there were injuries and we had to do two changes in that area of the team. In the game against Tanzania, we had a good defence; we did not concede a goal, they prevented them from scoring.

Leon Balogun got injured playing for his club and Mohammed Musa did not play at all for his club and that was why we made a change and brought in another player. Now we will watch some positions, we will watch what happen at right-back and left-back. We have a strong central defence, so no problem. We shall try and see if the same players will do well in their clubs to come back or we look for new ones.

Ahmed Musa came in as a late substitute in Zambia. Was it your strategy or he was not fit?

Ahmed Musa has not played for Leicester in their last few matches and so we had to watch his sharpness and decided to bring him in the last 20 minutes when Moses Simon was getting tired. That was what we did and he brought in a lot of speed and motivation. He also had one good shot at goal. I hope he will start playing again in Leicester because when he plays there, he can be able to start the next game for us.

Are Iwobi, Iheanacho and Mikel the most important players of your team?

Of course, you have seen what happened. They have scored, they played well, they are young players. I mean Kelechi and Iwobi are very young players who are driven by an experienced player in Mikel.

Our kind of playing is good football, the passing game. Technical football, not so many touches, we like to play directly, collectively bringing in the wings and the full-backs coming forward. They played accordingly in Ndola and I appreciated them very much. We shall try and get better with our style. It is too early to say if I would build the team around these three players.

You have bonded well with your players and home officials. But were you aware that one of the local coaches has yet to get a contract?

We have a strong bond as a team and we work hard to get results. We relate as a family, we try to be friends with the players and officials, and we respect each other. The assistants I brought in know we have to work closely with the Nigerian officials, likewise the other coaches, medical team, coordinator, media man and equipment manager. We did not come here to lecture but to help them grow and get the results for our team. We are one ‎happy family, I am satisfied with the co-operation I am getting from everyone.

On the contract of the Nigerian coach, I want to tell you that the federation president and I went to some places on Tuesday and what I got was positive. I have been assured that in the next few days Salisu Yusuf will sign his contract as chief coach of the Eagles and he would be paid his wages like us. The federation and the minister now have a strong solidarity and this is good for the team to succeed.

My joy now is that the minister and the federation are now working together for good and we need their solidarity to be able to go to the World Cup in Russia. A big country like Nigeria need all the political will and government's strong support to succeed because the talents are there to go to any length.

Can you confirm that the NFF has paid the Super Eagles bonuses and allowances?

Yes, the federation has paid the bonuses for the Tanzania game, including other allowances, as well as other outstandingly dues to the players and officials. They have also assured us that the bonus for the away victory against Zambia will be paid before the next game. We are okay with the federation and we appreciate the efforts of the president.

Do you feel disappointed that Nigeria will not be at the 2017 AFCON in Gabon?

I feel bad but the Super Eagles have been eliminated and there is nothing I can do about it but to focus on the World Cup. We have forgotten about it, but we have the possibility to watch Algeria and Cameroon to know what they do and how they play. We shall also use the period of AFCON to see other players, those we have not seen. You cannot use two games to see everybody. We must always be positive in every negative because in each negative there is the positive side.

After next month's game, the Super Eagles' next match will be in August 2017. What will the team be doing before then?

We look at the FIFA window and try to exploit it to play as many friendly games as possible. We talk to some notable countries in and outside Africa to prepare the Eagles. March and June give us the opportunity that will see the Eagles in action during the FIFA windows.

Your final word to Nigerians….

I want to say a big thank you to Nigerians, especially the Uyo fans, for the warm welcome and support they gave me in the game against Tanzania. I am happy to be working in Nigeria now and I feel like I am already a Nigerian. I hope that when we go back to Uyo, the pitch will be better than the last time and we need the supporters to be the 12th man to beat Algeria. We have to have our people behind us for 90 minutes of the game. We have to cheer our players whether good or bad and make things difficult for the Algerians


Read more at http://www.completesportsnigeria.com/rohr-%e2%80%8e-need-uyo-fans-12th-player-nigeria-algeria/#IHL70KVfXlA4tRcV.99

Mickael2:


Hahahahaha. Actually I am indifferent towards Mikel. I just believe that merit should determine it. The coach said no invitation for any bench warmer hence my points. And we can't decide if other players will be better than Mikel except if we give them a chance

forgiveness:


Dominic Solanke wishy-washy player?
Make I no talk.

forgiveness:



This is what I being talking about since 19 cridi, credibility.

No more bench warmers.

Musa Muhammad, bye bye! Shee you later.

Tyronne Ebuechi, welcomu!

Brain Idowu nko! Welucomu!

Mikel Obi! chai!

tbaba1234:
cc: icon4s, thegoodjoe, TheSuperNerd, lakesidepapa, safarigirl, Joseph1013, confun, goldfish80, Mickael2, forgiveness, chrisooblog, lexyman, amagunnerfan, zicky, HZwriters, bigblangston

VERY IMPRESSIVE INTERVIEW BY ROHR, MANY OF THE ISSUES RAISED ON THIS THREAD WERE ADDRESSED. talks about the RB and LB position, talks about how Musa Muhammad could not measure up in training, talks about Enyeama rejoining if we qualify for the WC..

Congratulations coach, it's two wins from two games for you as Super Eagles coach. What is the feeling like?

Rohr: I feel great starting my job as coach of the Super Eagles on a good note, winning two competitive games. The recent win in Zambia gives me the feeling that we are up to something great. It is nice to work with the players and officials of the team. The Nigeria Football Federation has also made my stay so far wonderful. I am enjoying my stay here now

After Zambia comes Algeria next month. How much do you know about the Algerians?

We know them very well because most of the players have been educated in France, played in France, come from the French academy. Some of them played for French junior teams before changing to playing for the Algerian national team. I have seen them play live and I know their setup. Of course, I know the players.

We will know more of the way they played against Cameroon when the video clips and reports get to us. I sent someone to watch the game and I await the details from him. I have also seen the match on television. We shall do an analysis of the video when we get it and then take it from there and we will know much more about them.

Riyad Mahrez and Islam Slimani are the Algerian team's star men. Will you pay special attention to the two?

There are big players and star men everywhere. In Zambia, we have Kalaba, Mbesuma and others. Perhaps these ones are at a higher level, we know that it will be very difficult to beat the Algerians, but we have confidence now and will be ready for them. We shall not pay special attention to Mahrez or Slimani. Now our team has high spirit and confidence. Collectively, we are not afraid of the Algerian team.

How did you restore the confidence and the feel good spirit in the Super Eagles?

There is no magic about that. I am a positive man and I know the talents are there in Nigeria. They need fatherly guidance to get going. They responded well to invitation to camp and their attitude has been wonderful. There were lots of communication between us and I demanded discipline on and off the field from them. Good ambience and work ethic have also helped in restoring confidence back in the team.

They made sacrifices for one week prior to the game in Zambia. They did not go out, did not see their families, they only worked. I kept them busy after training with videos and meetings. The spirit was good and we took it to Zambia and won. So they know the reward for hard work now, and we hope to continue to improve from there.

Is this spirit of the team good enough to see the Super Eagles grabbing the World Cup ticket ahead of Cameroon, Algeria and Zambia?

Yes, my players want to have the World Cup ticket. The ticket will be difficult, but everybody knows that we have the capacity to come first out of this group, but you know it requires a lot of hard work. We have already three points, I'm sure with 12 points we could be the team coming out of this group. We shall work very, very hard to ensure that we win all three of our home matches to get 12 points.

After the first game, we are on top, and we can say Cameroon did well to get a draw in Algeria and now it is in our hands to beat the Algerians in Uyo. I know that it will be difficult because they also don't want to lose in Uyo. But we want, absolutely, to win this game and remain on top of the group

Should Nigerians expect new players in the Super Eagles for the game against Algeria next month?

Yes, because all the injured players will be ready, you know who the players are. Four of them who missed the Zambian game will return, one of them had family problem, he will come back. There will be some changes and perhaps the local players will be handicapped because they will be on holidays and will find it difficult to have a rhythm. They don't train and they don't play at this period. It will be difficult for local players, but we shall see if we can organise something, may be a training for them to remain in shape. I don't know if I will open camp for them, but it will be pretty difficult for them to meet up now that they are on break.

Does that mean that the overseas-based players who do not play regular football in their respective clubs will not be invited?

It is good for players to play regular football in their respective clubs to keep in shape and have rhythm. The home-based might come to camp first for us to see how they cope before those abroad join. But I might have a few exceptions in inviting players who don't play regularly for their clubs. So I will need players who play every week for their clubs.

That is why Musa Mohammed who had not played even one minute football since after the Tanzania game was benched because he could not measure up and Mikel also has not played for Chelsea trained well and he gave me a good 90 minutes in Zambia. He did well, so he might return for Algeria on November 12. But they must all go and play games in their clubs. I have told them to go and fight for places in their respective clubs.

How will you monitor these players? Will you visit them in Europe?

Of course, we will go to see the players in their clubs, either me or my scouts. So we know who is playing and those who are not playing. The fittest players who prove themselves in their clubs will get invited.

What is your impression of Carl Ikeme's performance against Zambia in Ndola and so far under you as Nigeria coach?

I've known him before now. I have seen him in his club, Wolverhampton Wanderers a second division side in England. I like his approach to the game, his concentration, calmness, attitude to training and games. He is a good goalkeeper and I must commend him for his saves in Ndola. Carl kept us in the game by pulling at least three great saves. He was the man of the match against Zambia. Great guy.

With Carl's performance in goal, do the Super Eagles still need Vincent Enyeama?

Yes, I said it that I wanted Vincent Enyeama to return from retirement and I called him and we spoke with him. He will come back if we qualify for the World Cup. We need very good goalkeepers in the Eagles. We have two local goalkeepers whom I don't know if they will fit in if Carl sustains an injury, so I think we need two big goalkeepers. Of course for this moment, Carl is number one. We cannot change him, he will be number one for the next game.


Is the Super Eagles defence the weak link of your team?

Everybody knew before I arrived here that we need to build a new defence, and unfortunately there were injuries and we had to do two changes in that area of the team. In the game against Tanzania, we had a good defence; we did not concede a goal, they prevented them from scoring.

Leon Balogun got injured playing for his club and Mohammed Musa did not play at all for his club and that was why we made a change and brought in another player. Now we will watch some positions, we will watch what happen at right-back and left-back. We have a strong central defence, so no problem. We shall try and see if the same players will do well in their clubs to come back or we look for new ones.

Ahmed Musa came in as a late substitute in Zambia. Was it your strategy or he was not fit?

Ahmed Musa has not played for Leicester in their last few matches and so we had to watch his sharpness and decided to bring him in the last 20 minutes when Moses Simon was getting tired. That was what we did and he brought in a lot of speed and motivation. He also had one good shot at goal. I hope he will start playing again in Leicester because when he plays there, he can be able to start the next game for us.

Are Iwobi, Iheanacho and Mikel the most important players of your team?

Of course, you have seen what happened. They have scored, they played well, they are young players. I mean Kelechi and Iwobi are very young players who are driven by an experienced player in Mikel.

Our kind of playing is good football, the passing game. Technical football, not so many touches, we like to play directly, collectively bringing in the wings and the full-backs coming forward. They played accordingly in Ndola and I appreciated them very much. We shall try and get better with our style. It is too early to say if I would build the team around these three players.

You have bonded well with your players and home officials. But were you aware that one of the local coaches has yet to get a contract?

We have a strong bond as a team and we work hard to get results. We relate as a family, we try to be friends with the players and officials, and we respect each other. The assistants I brought in know we have to work closely with the Nigerian officials, likewise the other coaches, medical team, coordinator, media man and equipment manager. We did not come here to lecture but to help them grow and get the results for our team. We are one ‎happy family, I am satisfied with the co-operation I am getting from everyone.

On the contract of the Nigerian coach, I want to tell you that the federation president and I went to some places on Tuesday and what I got was positive. I have been assured that in the next few days Salisu Yusuf will sign his contract as chief coach of the Eagles and he would be paid his wages like us. The federation and the minister now have a strong solidarity and this is good for the team to succeed.

My joy now is that the minister and the federation are now working together for good and we need their solidarity to be able to go to the World Cup in Russia. A big country like Nigeria need all the political will and government's strong support to succeed because the talents are there to go to any length.

Can you confirm that the NFF has paid the Super Eagles bonuses and allowances?

Yes, the federation has paid the bonuses for the Tanzania game, including other allowances, as well as other outstandingly dues to the players and officials. They have also assured us that the bonus for the away victory against Zambia will be paid before the next game. We are okay with the federation and we appreciate the efforts of the president.

Do you feel disappointed that Nigeria will not be at the 2017 AFCON in Gabon?

I feel bad but the Super Eagles have been eliminated and there is nothing I can do about it but to focus on the World Cup. We have forgotten about it, but we have the possibility to watch Algeria and Cameroon to know what they do and how they play. We shall also use the period of AFCON to see other players, those we have not seen. You cannot use two games to see everybody. We must always be positive in every negative because in each negative there is the positive side.

After next month's game, the Super Eagles' next match will be in August 2017. What will the team be doing before then?

We look at the FIFA window and try to exploit it to play as many friendly games as possible. We talk to some notable countries in and outside Africa to prepare the Eagles. March and June give us the opportunity that will see the Eagles in action during the FIFA windows.

Your final word to Nigerians….

I want to say a big thank you to Nigerians, especially the Uyo fans, for the warm welcome and support they gave me in the game against Tanzania. I am happy to be working in Nigeria now and I feel like I am already a Nigerian. I hope that when we go back to Uyo, the pitch will be better than the last time and we need the supporters to be the 12th man to beat Algeria. We have to have our people behind us for 90 minutes of the game. We have to cheer our players whether good or bad and make things difficult for the Algerians


Read more at http://www.completesportsnigeria.com/rohr-%e2%80%8e-need-uyo-fans-12th-player-nigeria-algeria/#IHL70KVfXlA4tRcV.99

forgiveness:



Dominic Solanke wishy-washy player?

Make I no talk.

tbaba1234:
cc: icon4s, thegoodjoe, TheSuperNerd, lakesidepapa, safarigirl, Joseph1013, confun, goldfish80, Mickael2, forgiveness, chrisooblog, lexyman, amagunnerfan, zicky, HZwriters, bigblangston

VERY IMPRESSIVE INTERVIEW BY ROHR, MANY OF THE ISSUES RAISED ON THIS THREAD WERE ADDRESSED. talks about the RB and LB position, talks about how Musa Muhammad could not measure up in training, talks about Enyeama rejoining if we qualify for the WC..

Congratulations coach, it's two wins from two games for you as Super Eagles coach. What is the feeling like?

Rohr: I feel great starting my job as coach of the Super Eagles on a good note, winning two competitive games. The recent win in Zambia gives me the feeling that we are up to something great. It is nice to work with the players and officials of the team. The Nigeria Football Federation has also made my stay so far wonderful. I am enjoying my stay here now

After Zambia comes Algeria next month. How much do you know about the Algerians?

We know them very well because most of the players have been educated in France, played in France, come from the French academy. Some of them played for French junior teams before changing to playing for the Algerian national team. I have seen them play live and I know their setup. Of course, I know the players.

We will know more of the way they played against Cameroon when the video clips and reports get to us. I sent someone to watch the game and I await the details from him. I have also seen the match on television. We shall do an analysis of the video when we get it and then take it from there and we will know much more about them.

Riyad Mahrez and Islam Slimani are the Algerian team's star men. Will you pay special attention to the two?

There are big players and star men everywhere. In Zambia, we have Kalaba, Mbesuma and others. Perhaps these ones are at a higher level, we know that it will be very difficult to beat the Algerians, but we have confidence now and will be ready for them. We shall not pay special attention to Mahrez or Slimani. Now our team has high spirit and confidence. Collectively, we are not afraid of the Algerian team.

How did you restore the confidence and the feel good spirit in the Super Eagles?

There is no magic about that. I am a positive man and I know the talents are there in Nigeria. They need fatherly guidance to get going. They responded well to invitation to camp and their attitude has been wonderful. There were lots of communication between us and I demanded discipline on and off the field from them. Good ambience and work ethic have also helped in restoring confidence back in the team.

They made sacrifices for one week prior to the game in Zambia. They did not go out, did not see their families, they only worked. I kept them busy after training with videos and meetings. The spirit was good and we took it to Zambia and won. So they know the reward for hard work now, and we hope to continue to improve from there.

Is this spirit of the team good enough to see the Super Eagles grabbing the World Cup ticket ahead of Cameroon, Algeria and Zambia?

Yes, my players want to have the World Cup ticket. The ticket will be difficult, but everybody knows that we have the capacity to come first out of this group, but you know it requires a lot of hard work. We have already three points, I'm sure with 12 points we could be the team coming out of this group. We shall work very, very hard to ensure that we win all three of our home matches to get 12 points.

After the first game, we are on top, and we can say Cameroon did well to get a draw in Algeria and now it is in our hands to beat the Algerians in Uyo. I know that it will be difficult because they also don't want to lose in Uyo. But we want, absolutely, to win this game and remain on top of the group

Should Nigerians expect new players in the Super Eagles for the game against Algeria next month?

Yes, because all the injured players will be ready, you know who the players are. Four of them who missed the Zambian game will return, one of them had family problem, he will come back. There will be some changes and perhaps the local players will be handicapped because they will be on holidays and will find it difficult to have a rhythm. They don't train and they don't play at this period. It will be difficult for local players, but we shall see if we can organise something, may be a training for them to remain in shape. I don't know if I will open camp for them, but it will be pretty difficult for them to meet up now that they are on break.

Does that mean that the overseas-based players who do not play regular football in their respective clubs will not be invited?

It is good for players to play regular football in their respective clubs to keep in shape and have rhythm. The home-based might come to camp first for us to see how they cope before those abroad join. But I might have a few exceptions in inviting players who don't play regularly for their clubs. So I will need players who play every week for their clubs.

That is why Musa Mohammed who had not played even one minute football since after the Tanzania game was benched because he could not measure up and Mikel also has not played for Chelsea trained well and he gave me a good 90 minutes in Zambia. He did well, so he might return for Algeria on November 12. But they must all go and play games in their clubs. I have told them to go and fight for places in their respective clubs.

How will you monitor these players? Will you visit them in Europe?

Of course, we will go to see the players in their clubs, either me or my scouts. So we know who is playing and those who are not playing. The fittest players who prove themselves in their clubs will get invited.

What is your impression of Carl Ikeme's performance against Zambia in Ndola and so far under you as Nigeria coach?

I've known him before now. I have seen him in his club, Wolverhampton Wanderers a second division side in England. I like his approach to the game, his concentration, calmness, attitude to training and games. He is a good goalkeeper and I must commend him for his saves in Ndola. Carl kept us in the game by pulling at least three great saves. He was the man of the match against Zambia. Great guy.

With Carl's performance in goal, do the Super Eagles still need Vincent Enyeama?

Yes, I said it that I wanted Vincent Enyeama to return from retirement and I called him and we spoke with him. He will come back if we qualify for the World Cup. We need very good goalkeepers in the Eagles. We have two local goalkeepers whom I don't know if they will fit in if Carl sustains an injury, so I think we need two big goalkeepers. Of course for this moment, Carl is number one. We cannot change him, he will be number one for the next game.


Is the Super Eagles defence the weak link of your team?

Everybody knew before I arrived here that we need to build a new defence, and unfortunately there were injuries and we had to do two changes in that area of the team. In the game against Tanzania, we had a good defence; we did not concede a goal, they prevented them from scoring.

Leon Balogun got injured playing for his club and Mohammed Musa did not play at all for his club and that was why we made a change and brought in another player. Now we will watch some positions, we will watch what happen at right-back and left-back. We have a strong central defence, so no problem. We shall try and see if the same players will do well in their clubs to come back or we look for new ones.

Ahmed Musa came in as a late substitute in Zambia. Was it your strategy or he was not fit?

Ahmed Musa has not played for Leicester in their last few matches and so we had to watch his sharpness and decided to bring him in the last 20 minutes when Moses Simon was getting tired. That was what we did and he brought in a lot of speed and motivation. He also had one good shot at goal. I hope he will start playing again in Leicester because when he plays there, he can be able to start the next game for us.

Are Iwobi, Iheanacho and Mikel the most important players of your team?

Of course, you have seen what happened. They have scored, they played well, they are young players. I mean Kelechi and Iwobi are very young players who are driven by an experienced player in Mikel.

Our kind of playing is good football, the passing game. Technical football, not so many touches, we like to play directly, collectively bringing in the wings and the full-backs coming forward. They played accordingly in Ndola and I appreciated them very much. We shall try and get better with our style. It is too early to say if I would build the team around these three players.

You have bonded well with your players and home officials. But were you aware that one of the local coaches has yet to get a contract?

We have a strong bond as a team and we work hard to get results. We relate as a family, we try to be friends with the players and officials, and we respect each other. The assistants I brought in know we have to work closely with the Nigerian officials, likewise the other coaches, medical team, coordinator, media man and equipment manager. We did not come here to lecture but to help them grow and get the results for our team. We are one ‎happy family, I am satisfied with the co-operation I am getting from everyone.

On the contract of the Nigerian coach, I want to tell you that the federation president and I went to some places on Tuesday and what I got was positive. I have been assured that in the next few days Salisu Yusuf will sign his contract as chief coach of the Eagles and he would be paid his wages like us. The federation and the minister now have a strong solidarity and this is good for the team to succeed.

My joy now is that the minister and the federation are now working together for good and we need their solidarity to be able to go to the World Cup in Russia. A big country like Nigeria need all the political will and government's strong support to succeed because the talents are there to go to any length.

Can you confirm that the NFF has paid the Super Eagles bonuses and allowances?

Yes, the federation has paid the bonuses for the Tanzania game, including other allowances, as well as other outstandingly dues to the players and officials. They have also assured us that the bonus for the away victory against Zambia will be paid before the next game. We are okay with the federation and we appreciate the efforts of the president.

Do you feel disappointed that Nigeria will not be at the 2017 AFCON in Gabon?

I feel bad but the Super Eagles have been eliminated and there is nothing I can do about it but to focus on the World Cup. We have forgotten about it, but we have the possibility to watch Algeria and Cameroon to know what they do and how they play. We shall also use the period of AFCON to see other players, those we have not seen. You cannot use two games to see everybody. We must always be positive in every negative because in each negative there is the positive side.

After next month's game, the Super Eagles' next match will be in August 2017. What will the team be doing before then?

We look at the FIFA window and try to exploit it to play as many friendly games as possible. We talk to some notable countries in and outside Africa to prepare the Eagles. March and June give us the opportunity that will see the Eagles in action during the FIFA windows.

Your final word to Nigerians….

I want to say a big thank you to Nigerians, especially the Uyo fans, for the warm welcome and support they gave me in the game against Tanzania. I am happy to be working in Nigeria now and I feel like I am already a Nigerian. I hope that when we go back to Uyo, the pitch will be better than the last time and we need the supporters to be the 12th man to beat Algeria. We have to have our people behind us for 90 minutes of the game. We have to cheer our players whether good or bad and make things difficult for the Algerians


Read more at http://www.completesportsnigeria.com/rohr-%e2%80%8e-need-uyo-fans-12th-player-nigeria-algeria/#IHL70KVfXlA4tRcV.99

goldfish80:

Yes, I have personally watched him play and am not excited by the level of his technique.
Sometimes he plays like a battering ram,like Emile Heskey.
Players like that score plenty goals in youth set ups because they grew bigger than their mates, hence they use their physical advantage to score loads of goals in the youth sides, but when they graduate to the senior set-up they are found out because they meet their match physically.
People like Anichebe, chucks Aneke, even Agbonlahor had this advantage, we can see where they are now.

If Solanke does not refine his technique, am afraid he will have a very ordinary career.

tbaba1234:
I would not be surprised if Musa Muhammad fails to make the next list. The man needs to get a club urgently.

He expressed a lack of faith in the current homebased keepers, he said that he needed at least 2 top class keepers. He rates only Ikeme, it seems..

I believe that we should have 2 top keepers as well and one understudy. Top keepers push themselves to be better.

goldfish80:

Yes, I have personally watched him play and am not excited by the level of his technique.
Sometimes he plays like a battering ram,like Emile Heskey.
Players like that score plenty goals in youth set ups because they grew bigger than their mates, hence they use their physical advantage to score loads of goals in the youth sides, but when they graduate to the senior set-up they are found out because they meet their match physically.
People like Anichebe, chucks Aneke, even Agbonlahor had this advantage, we can see where they are now.

If Solanke does not refine his technique, am afraid he will have a very ordinary career.

tbaba1234:
cc: icon4s, thegoodjoe, TheSuperNerd, lakesidepapa, safarigirl, Joseph1013, confun, goldfish80, Mickael2, forgiveness, chrisooblog, lexyman, amagunnerfan, zicky, HZwriters, bigblangston

VERY IMPRESSIVE INTERVIEW BY ROHR, MANY OF THE ISSUES RAISED ON THIS THREAD WERE ADDRESSED. talks about the RB and LB position, talks about how Musa Muhammad could not measure up in training, talks about Enyeama rejoining if we qualify for the WC..

Congratulations coach, it's two wins from two games for you as Super Eagles coach. What is the feeling like?

Rohr: I feel great starting my job as coach of the Super Eagles on a good note, winning two competitive games. The recent win in Zambia gives me the feeling that we are up to something great. It is nice to work with the players and officials of the team. The Nigeria Football Federation has also made my stay so far wonderful. I am enjoying my stay here now

After Zambia comes Algeria next month. How much do you know about the Algerians?

We know them very well because most of the players have been educated in France, played in France, come from the French academy. Some of them played for French junior teams before changing to playing for the Algerian national team. I have seen them play live and I know their setup. Of course, I know the players.

We will know more of the way they played against Cameroon when the video clips and reports get to us. I sent someone to watch the game and I await the details from him. I have also seen the match on television. We shall do an analysis of the video when we get it and then take it from there and we will know much more about them.

Riyad Mahrez and Islam Slimani are the Algerian team's star men. Will you pay special attention to the two?

There are big players and star men everywhere. In Zambia, we have Kalaba, Mbesuma and others. Perhaps these ones are at a higher level, we know that it will be very difficult to beat the Algerians, but we have confidence now and will be ready for them. We shall not pay special attention to Mahrez or Slimani. Now our team has high spirit and confidence. Collectively, we are not afraid of the Algerian team.

How did you restore the confidence and the feel good spirit in the Super Eagles?

There is no magic about that. I am a positive man and I know the talents are there in Nigeria. They need fatherly guidance to get going. They responded well to invitation to camp and their attitude has been wonderful. There were lots of communication between us and I demanded discipline on and off the field from them. Good ambience and work ethic have also helped in restoring confidence back in the team.

They made sacrifices for one week prior to the game in Zambia. They did not go out, did not see their families, they only worked. I kept them busy after training with videos and meetings. The spirit was good and we took it to Zambia and won. So they know the reward for hard work now, and we hope to continue to improve from there.

Is this spirit of the team good enough to see the Super Eagles grabbing the World Cup ticket ahead of Cameroon, Algeria and Zambia?

Yes, my players want to have the World Cup ticket. The ticket will be difficult, but everybody knows that we have the capacity to come first out of this group, but you know it requires a lot of hard work. We have already three points, I'm sure with 12 points we could be the team coming out of this group. We shall work very, very hard to ensure that we win all three of our home matches to get 12 points.

After the first game, we are on top, and we can say Cameroon did well to get a draw in Algeria and now it is in our hands to beat the Algerians in Uyo. I know that it will be difficult because they also don't want to lose in Uyo. But we want, absolutely, to win this game and remain on top of the group

Should Nigerians expect new players in the Super Eagles for the game against Algeria next month?

Yes, because all the injured players will be ready, you know who the players are. Four of them who missed the Zambian game will return, one of them had family problem, he will come back. There will be some changes and perhaps the local players will be handicapped because they will be on holidays and will find it difficult to have a rhythm. They don't train and they don't play at this period. It will be difficult for local players, but we shall see if we can organise something, may be a training for them to remain in shape. I don't know if I will open camp for them, but it will be pretty difficult for them to meet up now that they are on break.

Does that mean that the overseas-based players who do not play regular football in their respective clubs will not be invited?

It is good for players to play regular football in their respective clubs to keep in shape and have rhythm. The home-based might come to camp first for us to see how they cope before those abroad join. But I might have a few exceptions in inviting players who don't play regularly for their clubs. So I will need players who play every week for their clubs.

That is why Musa Mohammed who had not played even one minute football since after the Tanzania game was benched because he could not measure up and Mikel also has not played for Chelsea trained well and he gave me a good 90 minutes in Zambia. He did well, so he might return for Algeria on November 12. But they must all go and play games in their clubs. I have told them to go and fight for places in their respective clubs.

How will you monitor these players? Will you visit them in Europe?

Of course, we will go to see the players in their clubs, either me or my scouts. So we know who is playing and those who are not playing. The fittest players who prove themselves in their clubs will get invited.

What is your impression of Carl Ikeme's performance against Zambia in Ndola and so far under you as Nigeria coach?

I've known him before now. I have seen him in his club, Wolverhampton Wanderers a second division side in England. I like his approach to the game, his concentration, calmness, attitude to training and games. He is a good goalkeeper and I must commend him for his saves in Ndola. Carl kept us in the game by pulling at least three great saves. He was the man of the match against Zambia. Great guy.

With Carl's performance in goal, do the Super Eagles still need Vincent Enyeama?

Yes, I said it that I wanted Vincent Enyeama to return from retirement and I called him and we spoke with him. He will come back if we qualify for the World Cup. We need very good goalkeepers in the Eagles. We have two local goalkeepers whom I don't know if they will fit in if Carl sustains an injury, so I think we need two big goalkeepers. Of course for this moment, Carl is number one. We cannot change him, he will be number one for the next game.


Is the Super Eagles defence the weak link of your team?

Everybody knew before I arrived here that we need to build a new defence, and unfortunately there were injuries and we had to do two changes in that area of the team. In the game against Tanzania, we had a good defence; we did not concede a goal, they prevented them from scoring.

Leon Balogun got injured playing for his club and Mohammed Musa did not play at all for his club and that was why we made a change and brought in another player. Now we will watch some positions, we will watch what happen at right-back and left-back. We have a strong central defence, so no problem. We shall try and see if the same players will do well in their clubs to come back or we look for new ones.

Ahmed Musa came in as a late substitute in Zambia. Was it your strategy or he was not fit?

Ahmed Musa has not played for Leicester in their last few matches and so we had to watch his sharpness and decided to bring him in the last 20 minutes when Moses Simon was getting tired. That was what we did and he brought in a lot of speed and motivation. He also had one good shot at goal. I hope he will start playing again in Leicester because when he plays there, he can be able to start the next game for us.

Are Iwobi, Iheanacho and Mikel the most important players of your team?

Of course, you have seen what happened. They have scored, they played well, they are young players. I mean Kelechi and Iwobi are very young players who are driven by an experienced player in Mikel.

Our kind of playing is good football, the passing game. Technical football, not so many touches, we like to play directly, collectively bringing in the wings and the full-backs coming forward. They played accordingly in Ndola and I appreciated them very much. We shall try and get better with our style. It is too early to say if I would build the team around these three players.

You have bonded well with your players and home officials. But were you aware that one of the local coaches has yet to get a contract?

We have a strong bond as a team and we work hard to get results. We relate as a family, we try to be friends with the players and officials, and we respect each other. The assistants I brought in know we have to work closely with the Nigerian officials, likewise the other coaches, medical team, coordinator, media man and equipment manager. We did not come here to lecture but to help them grow and get the results for our team. We are one ‎happy family, I am satisfied with the co-operation I am getting from everyone.

On the contract of the Nigerian coach, I want to tell you that the federation president and I went to some places on Tuesday and what I got was positive. I have been assured that in the next few days Salisu Yusuf will sign his contract as chief coach of the Eagles and he would be paid his wages like us. The federation and the minister now have a strong solidarity and this is good for the team to succeed.

My joy now is that the minister and the federation are now working together for good and we need their solidarity to be able to go to the World Cup in Russia. A big country like Nigeria need all the political will and government's strong support to succeed because the talents are there to go to any length.

Can you confirm that the NFF has paid the Super Eagles bonuses and allowances?

Yes, the federation has paid the bonuses for the Tanzania game, including other allowances, as well as other outstandingly dues to the players and officials. They have also assured us that the bonus for the away victory against Zambia will be paid before the next game. We are okay with the federation and we appreciate the efforts of the president.

Do you feel disappointed that Nigeria will not be at the 2017 AFCON in Gabon?

I feel bad but the Super Eagles have been eliminated and there is nothing I can do about it but to focus on the World Cup. We have forgotten about it, but we have the possibility to watch Algeria and Cameroon to know what they do and how they play. We shall also use the period of AFCON to see other players, those we have not seen. You cannot use two games to see everybody. We must always be positive in every negative because in each negative there is the positive side.

After next month's game, the Super Eagles' next match will be in August 2017. What will the team be doing before then?

We look at the FIFA window and try to exploit it to play as many friendly games as possible. We talk to some notable countries in and outside Africa to prepare the Eagles. March and June give us the opportunity that will see the Eagles in action during the FIFA windows.

Your final word to Nigerians….

I want to say a big thank you to Nigerians, especially the Uyo fans, for the warm welcome and support they gave me in the game against Tanzania. I am happy to be working in Nigeria now and I feel like I am already a Nigerian. I hope that when we go back to Uyo, the pitch will be better than the last time and we need the supporters to be the 12th man to beat Algeria. We have to have our people behind us for 90 minutes of the game. We have to cheer our players whether good or bad and make things difficult for the Algerians


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TheSuperNerd:
Looollll... You made a good point.

But take am easy on Solanke naa... He's no wishy-washy player. He got awesome potentials for a striker and remember, not all strikers are expected to play the same.

He could be another Drogba because of his size and power only if he keeps refining his technique like you've rightly pointed out.

For now, he's just a potential.... Let's hope he doesn't stay at potential level for too long...

joseph1013:
What do you think about Isaac Success?

bigblangston:
Double standard is being shown here. You want players playing week in and week out and yet you used Mikel who hasn't featured at all this season for 90 mins and you benched Musa mohammed.I just hope this statement won't destabilize the team. Assuming he lost the Zambia game with that makeshift defence, I'm sure Nigerians will crucify him and use this statement against him.

safarigirl:
....forgot to mention this in my original post, but if you bothered to read the interview properly, you'd realise Rohr said some players are not subject to that rule, which is expected.

I mean, you cannot compare Mikel to Musa Muhammed now can you, One had 10 years of working experience and is nowhere near finished and the other is well...a green horn.

The way you people are quick to shout Mikel whenever you hear playing time is laughable honestly. For all the games Rooney played, has it erased the fact that he's facing a decline? Current Rooney is not even half as good as Mikel, but England even tried to play him which is expected to appease the game time vampires. Didn't reap much did it?

Please, when next you want to shout mikel, remember, form is temporary, class is permanent. Mikel will forever be the kind of class you can't throw away. You can ask Toure all about that and Pogba of course, a couple of those who can testify to the saying "who playing time epp"?

You people should troll another player, Mikel has suffered at least 7 years of your trolling, harass someone else abeg

goldfish80:


Nice read...
Interesting to know that Rohr sent someone to watch the game in Algiers live. This is a move an indeginious coach will never think about. I hope those who opposed the hiring of a foreign coach are eating their humble pie.
The gulf in class between Rohr and the crowd favourite Salisu Yusuf is a chasm! Sorry I have to make this comparism but comparing Rohr and Salisu will be akin to comparing a heart surgeon with 15yrs experience with a nurse. Thank God Nff didn't bulk to the pressure from misguided Nigerians who called for Salisu Yusuf.

Also to read he gave the players video edits durring the course of their camping, to boost their physc,just like it's done by top clubs in Europe is a welcome innovation.
I think Nigerians can sleep well, knowing that our team is in capable hands. With the level of preparation Rohr seems to have detailed for this game, Algeria will be very easy to beat.

I suspect out toughest match will be in Yaounde. To get a draw there will be tough, knowing fully well how much the Cameronians hate us. They may even burn down their stadium if we win.
I hope the Nff go an extra mile in providing personal security for the Eagles in that game. That game will be the definition of rumble in the jungle.

TheGoodJoe:
Very refreshing interview from the Super Eagles Team manager. He touched on most discussed points and it was nice he explained his philosophy. He likes a direct passing game.

The only point I like him to look into is his choice of selecting player by playing time. I think that was atrocious and could cause us damage in the near future.

I will highlight this with his decision to drop the Natural right full back in the team, Musa Mohammed for Wilfred Ndidi to play a role he is not used to. The coaching crew should stick to fielding players who perform well in training. Do drills for sharpness ad alertness. Just as Mikel kept his place in the team despite not playing a single game for Chelsea.

Mikel is one of the best players of the team, if not the best. He trains at a high level at Chelsea. I think that is more important than 90 minutes game time.

Musa Mohammed should keep training at his club, week in week out while he sorts his club issues. As long as he trains at a high level, he can keep playing for us. I believe he could cope better with the pace of the Zambians than Ndidi. Although, Ndidi's aerial presence and defensive awareness was top notch.

If Oshaniwa is training week in week out at Hearts, then coach Rohr should give him a call-up. Test his sharpness with drills and if he is sharper, faster and conributes more offensively than Echiejile, then he should start. It is a disservice to ourselves if we field weaker options because they have more match time.

safarigirl:
....forgot to mention this in my original post, but if you bothered to read the interview properly, you'd realise Rohr said some players are not subject to that rule, which is expected.

I mean, you cannot compare Mikel to Musa Muhammed now can you, One had 10 years of working experience and is nowhere near finished and the other is well...a green horn.

The way you people are quick to shout Mikel whenever you hear playing time is laughable honestly. For all the games Rooney played, has it erased the fact that he's facing a decline? Current Rooney is not even half as good as Mikel, but England even tried to play him which is expected to appease the game time vampires. Didn't reap much did it?

Please, when next you want to shout mikel, remember, form is temporary, class is permanent. Mikel will forever be the kind of class you can't throw away. You can ask Toure all about that and Pogba of course, a couple of those who can testify to the saying "who playing time epp"?

You people should troll another player, Mikel has suffered at least 7 years of your trolling, harass someone else abeg