Blame Pinnick For Eagles Worls Cup Absence, Says Rohr
FORMER Super Eagles head coach, Gernot Rohr, has blamed his sack by former Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president, Amaju Pinnick, for the inability of the Nigerian national team to qualify for this year’s World Cup in Qatar.
The 69-year-old German was fired as head coach of the three-time African champions by the NFF last December after a string of poor performances and replaced by NFF’s Technical Director and a former player, Augustine Eguavoen, in interim capacity, but failed to qualify the team for the tournament.
The Super Eagles were eliminated by long-time rivals, Ghana, on the away-goal rule, following a 1-1 draw in the second leg in Abuja, after the first leg between both sides ended goalless in Kumasi.
Speaking on a sports radio programme, Rohr said: “Pinnick said my dismissal will avert a disaster, but in the end, he created the disaster that cost Nigeria the ticket to the World Cup.
“I regret that I did not take my team to win the World Cup; I regret my players will not be at the World Cup, even though they deserve to be there. It was not my decision; it was a decision by Pinnick and his board.
“He was punished for this, as Nigeria lost the chance to win the AFCON and did not qualify for the World Cup. I hope he takes better decisions now as a member of the FIFA Council.”
