Why I’m focused on foreign based players. –Rohr

Super Eagles Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr, has responded to criticisms among pundits over his insistence on calling Nigerian players born abroad for international games instead of targeting home based players.

Rohr has been under attack from some section of the Nigerian media for snubbing home based players and chasing players abroad with dual nationality. But against the popular opinion, Rohr has said that the Technical crew have both sets of players at heart, that he is focused on the players abroad at the moment only because the Nigeria Professional Football League is currently on break.

”Since taking over the team, we have always considered the players based at home in our call ups, we believe they can compete for shirts in the team. But the league is on break now, so we have to focus on those we don’t want to lose to other countries,” Rohh told reporters.

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“It’s easier to monitor players based abroad than those in Nigeria but that is why I have my assistants Salisu Yusuf and Imama Amakapabo, they are to ensure we get the best players called up since they are familiar with the terrain.

”The players based in Nigeria will prosecute the friendly against Egypt, from there we could see some who are going to be part of our squad going forward but they are part of our plans,” he stated.

Rohr, who has reportedly been busy holding meetings with Nigerian players born abroad, luring them to switch allegiance to the Super Eagles of Nigeria, has also revealed the spots in the team which players based in Nigeria could fill when the NPFL returns next year.

“There are some spots in the team where we are short of options,” he revealed. “The left and right full back positions are all still open for depth, and we could look inward if we find an exceptional talent, who will improve the team. We won’t include players for the sake of including home based players,” Rohr stated.

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