Former Super Eagles defender, Waidi Akanni has urged the President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick not to impose any form of clause on Super Eagles technical adviser, Gernot Rohr ‘s contract that could jeopardize the gradual development of the senior national team.
Recall that Pinnick has made it known that Rohr's contract could only be extended if he has accepted to include the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) players in his game plan.
Rohr, whose contract is expected to expire in June 2020, was on the touchline as the Super Eagles defeated Lesotho 4-2 in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Sunday at the Sesotho Stadium, to top Group L on six points.
The 1985 FIFA World Youth Championship bronze winner, in a chat with Soccernet.ng warned the NFF against forcing the German tactician to select players from the local league.
“I don't think it's ideal for the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to enforce a particular clause that mandate the Super Eagles technical adviser, Gernot Rohr to select players from the local league in his contract,” Akanni told Soccernet.ng
“There no doubt that selecting players from the local league will also help the development and growth of the league, however, it is always good to allow the coach to decide what he desires in a bid to achieve success.
“The NFF must take a careful look at their decision because it will be unfair if we distort the progress made by the German tactician with this current team.”
Just as a cook must be allowed to select his ingredients and be blamed if the soup does not taste good, a coach must be allowed to select his players and be blamed if they are not winning. You cannot impose on Roar and expect a result at from him at the same time. A coach is judged by wins and loses. A coach that ignores this basic truth and knowingly selects wrong players for whatever reasons will end up in regret…sometimes shame. This is why many Nigerian coaches suffer today…short term profit for long term suffering.
Play all foreign based players if they are the best. Do not select a local player because he is local. Let the local league develope it’s players through best business practices not coercion. Roar can be asked to help the local league develop players through planning and teaching, but not by forcing him to play them.