The much-orchestrated sacking of Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr by the Nigeria Football Federation has turned out to be a huge joke after all. The Franco-German coach is staying put as Super Eagles coach and will be in the dugout when Nigeria will be campaigning in the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations, beginning next month in Cameroon. He might stay, even beyond the Afcon.
Sports Vanguard gathered that Rohr’s continuous reign was made possible by the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare who, in his meeting with the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation, persuaded them to sheath their sword and allow the coach to continue. The minister advanced his reasons which, according to our source, sounded logical and convincing.
Quoting the minister, our source said, “he(the Minister) told the NFF that from experience, sacking of coaches close to tournaments had never worked for Nigeria. It had always backfired,” our source said.
Sports Vanguard can recall that in 1998, Phillipe Troussier qualified Nigeria for the France ’98 World Cup, he was sacked. Reason was simply that he was not rated a world class coach and that Nigeria needed one to go to the World Cup. Just before the tournament, Bora Milutinovic was engaged. Bora’s campaign in France was disappointing as Nigeria had the talents to perform better than their second round outing. .
The same step was taken before Korea/Japan after Ahmadu Shaibu qualified the country for the World Cup, he was sacked and replaced with Adeboye Onigbinde. Again, Nigeria failed in 2002 Korea/Japan.
Just before the 2010 World Cup, hosted in Africa for the first time, Lars Lagarback was called in to replace Amodu Shaibu. Nigeria exited early in the tournament as well. It has never been rosy. These were some of the arguments the minister advanced at his meeting with the NFF.
“In addition, the minister counseled that, what the NFF should do, to assist Rohr and the team, is to rejig the technical crew, bring in one or two fresh heads with Rohr as the head,” our usually reliable source said.