Rohr : The Decision To Axe Iheanacho, Semi Ajayi Taken Before Friendly Vs Zimbabwe

Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr has inferred that the decision to axe Leicester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho and Rotherham United defender Semi Ajayi was taken before yesterday's friendly against Zimbabwe.

The German revealed that he had been monitoring the performance of Nigeria players before they stepped foot in Asaba, adding that it was difficult for him to rate the players because of the rainy conditions in the friendly vs Zimbabwe.

In truth, Rohr already made it clear from the word go that he was dropping a striker and a midfielder, and Iheanacho and Ajayi fall into the category of players.

''You cannot judge from one game in these conditions. We already have our opinion before the match because we observed them throughout the season and we saw what they did and also all week in the training sessions,'' Rohr said post-match.

''We had seven training sessions to see the fitness, confidence of the players. It's not this match alone that will give us a decision on the two players we have to drop.''

As many as seven players classed as offensive players were given a run-out against Zimbabwe, but Rohr has stressed that won't be the case at the Africa Cup of Nations.

''You see that we played with seven strikers, all the strikers who deserve to play. We started with 3 strikers, the others came in.

''Normally in a match you cannot bring so many strikers. We played with a lot of offensive players.

''We have Chukwueze, Kalu, Henry, Osimhen, Paul, Simon also. The choice of dropping two players is really difficult for me,'' the former Bayern Munich defender concluded.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel