NFF officials can't influence who I select for the team - Gernot Rohr says ahead of AFCON qualifier

Super Eagles Head Coach, Gernot Rohr, ahead of his side's must win African Cup of Nations 2021 qualifier against Benin has stated that his coaching decisions cannot be influenced by Nigerian Football Federation president Amaju Pinnick or NFF officials and he will only pick players on Merit.

Amaju Pinnick disclosed during an interview with Channels TV on Monday that the NFF is willing to offer Rohr a new deal when his contract expires in 2020 but a clause stating that Rohr must be involved in the Nigerian League and picking players from the league, will be inserted.

Only Enyimba defender Ifeanyi Anaemena from the Nigerian league made Rohr’s 23-man squad after replacing Bryan Idowu for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches, but Rohr has stated that he will only select players based on merit, not because of a clause in his contract or the wishes of the NFF.

                                            
 

Rohr said to reporters ahead of the Benin game on Wednesday, “I know he (Pinnick) sometimes has a different opinion like me but then, it is football. I never accept it to make a choice coming from the officials; my choice is the choice of sports arguments only, to take the best players.

“Unfortunately, we could not take more players from the local league because they did not play, so it was difficult for them to be fit.

“I know that some people cannot be happy about my choice but I can tell you it is my choice, it is always honest.”

“I have to work, the contract is not a problem. I think by the end of the year, I will discuss with the NFF. No distraction for me, but it’s time for us to have a new project to win the next AFCON, we need to be at the next World Cup as well.”