Rohr Will Name First Choice GK Next Week, Why He Resisted Inviting Older Players

Published: June 08, 2018

In an interview with celebrated Spanish sports newspaper Marca, Super Eagles manager Gernot Rohr says he will announce his first-choice goalkeeper for the 2018 World Cup next week, and explained why he resisted the temptation to invite experienced players to the team ahead of the tournament.

The question of who is Nigeria's undisputed first-choice goalkeeper will not be worth more than N5,000.00 on 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire', as the youngest player named to the World Cup roster, Francis Uzoho, will be in goal against Croatia on June 16, barring a last-minute injury.

''We have been working hard in that position for a year. We had bad luck with the illness of Carl Ikeme [suffers from leukemia], but we have three good goalkeepers. The decision of who will be first choice will be taken the last week,'' said Rohr.

The German added : ''We must respect what those (older) players have done for the country and let them enjoy it. The plan is to prepare the team for the future.

''Nigeria has not played two African Nations Cups. It is important that the atmosphere of the team is calm, without problems, disputes or egos. Once a good environment has been created we need to continue along that same line. ''

With an average age of 25.9 years, the Super Eagles have the youngest team at the 2018 World Cup, with only six players Kenneth Omeruo, Victor Moses, Elderson Echiejile, Ahmed Musa, Obi Mikel and Eddy Onazi having more than 30 caps to their names.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel