Sports
‘Too early to make promises’ – Rohr can’t guarantee AFCON title
Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr does not want to leave any stone unturned in the team’s race to the 2019 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cameroon, but can not guarantee that his team will win the title.
The Eagles, having won three of their last four games in the qualifiers, currently occupy top position in Group E with nine points, and the top two teams in the group will qualify for the first – ever 24 – nation tournament.
Although they need just a win from their remaining two games against South Africa and Seychelles to be guaranteed a place in the finals, Rohr says the team are working hard to seal victories in both matches.
“We are working very hard to make sure that we get the points in our next match in South Africa. We know that the match will not be easy but we are working well to make sure our players are in good conditions before the match,” the Franco-German coach said.
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“We want to make sure that we don’t lose the match just like what happened in our first match. We know that a good result in the match will put us at ease before the visit of Seychelles in our last match at home .
“We want to finish top of the group. For the AFCON, we are determined to ensure that we qualify because we know that for two editions, Nigeria were not there.
“The fact that we didn’t qualify from the group stage at the World Cup in Russia has been one of the factors that is driving the team because we know that Nigerians were not happy after we couldn’t get to the second round.
“But I cannot promise that we will win the tournament in Cameroon. We want to win it but it will be too early to make promises.
“Our attitude as a team has been to be modest and take each match as it comes. We also don’t underrate any opponent we play against. This is a young team and they are hungry for success. We have a good professional philosophy and we want to go as far as possible in any competition but we are not making any promises.”
Nigeria will be away at second-placed South Africa in Johannesburg on November 17.
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