Rohr Explains Decision To Start Kalu Ahead Of Ola Aina, Idowu Against South Africa

Published: November 23, 2018

Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr has explained why he started Bordeaux attack-minded player Samuel Kalu ahead of defensive duo Ola Aina and Brian Idowu in last weekend's 1-1 draw between Nigeria and South Africa at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg.

Rohr tweaked his formation to make it more defensive against the South Africans and opted to employ a 3-5-2 system with Kalu and Jamilu Collins deployed as the right and left wing-back respectively.

''I know Kalu very well because he's playing in Bordeaux, so I see a lot of games from his team. They bought him eight million euros from Gent, they scouted him for two years,'' Rohr told Sports Editors on Friday.

''We knew him already because he played for the same club as Moses Simon but at that moment Simon was better.

''Simon picked up an injury before the World Cup at the last moment and Kalu got the opportunity after the World Cup.''

Rohr went on : ''Kalu is a good striker and also good defender, can run forward and defend on the line, from the right side, can do some tackles, that's why we wanted to play him in a 3-5-2.

''He can defend on the right side, that's why we moved him to play in a 3-5-2. Victor Moses did it against Iceland, it's a big commitment.

''Sometimes he (Kalu) came back to the box and made good tackles, he did well in the game. He was involved in the goal.

''It's interesting to see different systems, we have players like him that can adapt. ''

Chelsea loanee Ola Aina, who was everyone's favorite to start against Bafana Bafana, suffered a training ground injury and was not named on the Super Eagles substitutes' bench.

Igho Kingsley