With his contract as head coach of the Super Eagles set to run out in another seven months, former Girondins Bordeaux manager Gernot Rohr has given striking details into the difficulties being experienced in getting a new contract sorted.
Gernot Rohr, who has been in charge of Nigeria's senior national team since 2016, confessed that he has a meeting scheduled for January 2020 with Amaju Pinnick, President of the Nigeria Football Federation where the contract issues would be finally resolved.
Despite admitting that he would be delighted to continue in his role handling the Super Eagles, Rohr however revealed his shock at how his contract and salary payment is being treated.
“I am surprised that the federation are taking their time to conclude a contract,” Rohr told InsideWorldFootbal as monitored by Soccenet.ng.
“And to be honest, I am also surprised that when I was given a contract extension after qualifying for the 2018 World Cup, it was only extended until July 2020, which is right in the middle of qualifiers for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon. That is not normal and it is only the federation that can explain the reason for this.”
“While I have had a good time with my players and staff over the last three years, I have to say that relations with the administration have not been very easy, especially when it comes to the payment of my wages and that of the bonuses and allowances of my players and staff. There needs to be a lot more respect in this regard,” he said.
The German tactician, who claimed to still being owed close to $100,000 in bonuses and allowances by the NFF, disclosed that he had to secure the services of a lawyer – Jean-Jacques Bertrand – to negotiate with the NFF regarding his arrears when he found direct dealings with the NFF exhausting.
“I preferred to get Jean-Jacques involved because it got to a stage that I didn’t want to be speaking to the federation about money all the time. It got tiring… I wanted to take my mind away from money and simply focus on my job and let him deal with the issues off the field,” Rohr said.
Rohr led the Super Eagles to a third placed finish at the last Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt and has guided the team in making a strong start in the 2021 AFCON qualifying campaign, winning their first two matches against Benin Republic and Lesotho.
“We have made a very strong start to the campaign and we hope to continue with that when the qualification series continues in August. Hopefully, I will still be here by this time,” Rohr concluded.
One of the constant lunatic behaviors of NFF over the years has been playing money politics. The top members of the organization are only interested in what goes in their pocket instead of helping the country to tap into maximizing the talents of numerous Nigeria’s good players. They are also envious of a good coach like the present one because being consistent, does not allow them to frequently change contract as frequently as they would like. Why, frequent changes, help more back door money. They prefer this narrow mindedness to winning. What a shame?. If they don’t stop this type of lack of patriotism something needs to be done. Coach Rohr is a fantastic manager who is also an expert in managing super high paying players, something that is still a challenge for the authority in Nigeria. Soon may be FIFA should be asked to take over the overall management, in fairness to Nigeria football fans. Thanks. Samson Ogunloye.
All monies owed the coach should be settled without further delay. Una don start again o.
Coach Rohr’s contract should not be renewed, unless he agrees to live and work in Nigeria; he should be reminded of the need to identify home-based players and to develop them to acceptable standards. How does he hope to carry out that assignment successfully if he should be domiciled in Europe and is probably running other private businesses of his own?
He must begin to assemble his final first team and to start working on it now. He has enough material not to go on tinkering with, and not coming up with a first formidable team. To have any chance of challenging Algeria for the number one spot in Africa, the time to start working on that goal Is now.
NFF, please provide the support. Make una nor start again o!