Rohr Blasts Argentina NT & Sampaoli: They Are Poor Timekeepers, Supporters & Players Influence Referee

Published: June 29, 2018

Super Eagles manager German manager Gernot Rohr, who is also a French citizen, has offered advice to the French National Team ahead of their World Cup round of sixteen clash with Argentina on Saturday.

Rohr revealed that Turkish referee Cuneyt Cakin was fed up with the antics of the Argentina players and even their coach Jorge Sampaoli, as they deliberately delayed their arrival on the pitch before kickoff and before the start of the second half of their final Group D fixture vs Nigeria on Tuesday.

''They are not calm and it starts with the sideline. They were very excited, almost in a trance on every action, aggressive, to claim reds, penalties, fouls ...,'' Gernot Rohr told L'Equipe.

''They get up at the first opportunity and put a huge pressure on the referee. In addition, they leave the dressing room late, three or four minutes before the match.

''We, we were waiting like kids ... When I saw that and they started again at half-time, I went to see the referee to ask him to go on the pitch. He agreed, he was fed up. ''

Rohr added : ''I think he (Sampaoli) did not leave because as soon as his portrait appeared in the stadium, it whistled everywhere. He came very, very late.

''I went to give him a little gift as before each game but I felt that it was tense. It was quieter after the match. But we must see: there were 50,000 supporters! (Jorge) Burruchaga also told me at the end of the game that the pressure was really very strong .... But these 50,000 supporters can influence the referee too.''

Nigeria are not one of the sixteen teams present in the last sixteen after Marcos Rojo netted an 86th minute winner, a result that saw them finish third in the group with three points.

Igho Kingsley

Photo Credit : thenff.com