Super Eagles Coach Gernot Rohr has dismissed insinuations that he was under pressure in the selection of players for tomorrow’s 2019 AFCON qualifier saying: “the independence I have enjoyed so far has assisted me in building the team.
However, he said that his team has adequately prepared for tomorrow match, predicting a win over the Bafana Bafana. He called for fans support to ginger the players to glory.
Rohr, who spoke at a pre-match press conference at the Le Meridien Ibom Hotel and Golf Resort in Uyo yesterday, said that the qualifying match would not be an easy task given the opponent’s existing record so far.
He said, he would continue to blend the team with new players as an attempt to build a formidable and reliable national team.
Rohr noted: “It is not going to be an easy game, we need the support of the fans as they have been supporting us each time we play here. We have young players who should be encouraged and supported.”
Meanwhile, the Bafana Bafana Coach, Stuart Baxter has said his players are not intimidated by the status of clubs where most of the Super Eagles ply their trade.
He spoke with journalists on arrival at their hotel in Uyo saying: “We don’t have the big stars but we have a team. Every Africa nation faces the same problem but then the coaches try to balance the stars and others.
“We are not going to be defensive or careful because Nigeria has good players. We should not be intimidated by everybody. David has beaten Goliath but this is not a case of David and Goliath because there is no David and Goliath in this game.
“Nigeria is the favourite for this game but for South African to be intimidated, No. Though the Super Eagles had more time to train but that is the way it is. We are confident in the way we are approaching the game at the moment but the players know what to do to get the job done,” he said.
