Skip to main content

Super Eagles: Gernot Rohr stays on for much-needed stability but sells himself short

The NFF have Gernot Rohr just where they want him.

After a long-drawn negotiation, political manoeuvrings and public fallouts, Franco-German Gernot Rohr and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have agreed on a new contract to allow the coach to continue with the Super Eagles.

In the end, both parties have put their grievances aside to continue a working relationship that has become so complicated.

It wasn’t like this in the beginning. It now seems a distant memory when Rohr and the NFF had a fantastic working relationship without any squabble.

The NFF had to stand firmly behind the Franco-German earlier on and the coach needed it. With a less than stellar coaching career, Rohr was not well welcomed by critics when he was first hired but the NFF stood by the decision. That decision has been rewarded with the stability and consistency the Franco-German has brought to the Super Eagles.

Under Gernot Rohr, the Super Eagles have enjoyed some consistency and stability (Twitter/Super Eagles)
Under Gernot Rohr, the Super Eagles have enjoyed some consistency and stability (Twitter/Super Eagles)

Under Rohr, the Super Eagles navigated a difficult group to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup with ease. Nigeria’s senior national team also made a return to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after a four-year absence.

Even in the thick of intense criticism following Nigeria’s group-stage exit at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, the NFF continued to back Rohr, But the relationship soon soured and the discordance followed.

With Rohr also facing backlash over Super Eagles performance or lack of at AFCON 2019, he lost his leverage in the negotiations for a new contract and the NFF took advantage.

They first queried the Super Eagles coach for publicly disclosing details of his contract in a November 2019 interview and then went on to insert some clauses in their proposed contract which stipulate that the coach must agree to live in Nigeria, earn in Naira and must agree to pay attention to the local leagues.

Gernot Rohr has been bullied by the NFF
Gernot Rohr has been bullied by the NFF

There was also the case of blatant disrespect on the part of the NFF when they appointed former Super Eagles captain Joseph Yobo as Rohr’s assistant without consulting with the coach.

These were enough reasons for Rohr to have walked away. Leave on a high after the good work he has done with the Super Eagles and use that fanfare to get a good paycheck elsewhere. Even Rohr admitted that the terms in his contract-including a pay cut-were not favourable to him, yet he still accepted them with the vision of continuing with his Super Eagles project. In doing that, he sold himself short and has gotten himself into a vulnerable position with the NFF.

Despite claims of getting several offers, Rohr’s demeanour suggests otherwise hence the decision to stay on as someone who was left with only one option.

With him boxed in the corner by the NFF, Rohr will see the freedom which he enjoyed in his first two years as Super Eagles coach in short supply.

All these plays into the hands of the NFF, the clear winners from this situation and having the federation call all the shorts has never been a good indication for any Super Eagles coach.

In the end, all the parties involved got what they wanted, Gernot Rohr, a new contract, the NFF a coach within their control and the Super Eagles, a manager who has stayed on for much-needed stability.

But Rohr is the only loser.

ridoola.blogspot.com.ng
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

EFCC insists on presentation of Grace Tiaga's death certificate in P&ID case

Tiaga's counsel communicated the unavailability of the death certificate, requesting additional time. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is steadfast in its demand for the death certificate of the late Grace Tiaga, a former director of legal services at the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, to be submitted in court. Tiaga faced charges brought by the EFCC, alleging her involvement in receiving payments from Process & Industrial Development (P&ID) to manipulate the 20-year gas supply and processing agreement (GSPA) against Nigeria. The EFCC claims that these illicit payments were made through her daughter and persisted even after her retirement. The accusations extend to Tiaga's purported failure to adhere to due process while providing legal counsel on the GSPA. Initially facing eight counts of fraud, she was remanded to Suleja prison in 2019, later granted bail, and the charges were expanded to 13 counts. As the trial progressed, the prosecution p...
Post a Comment
Read more

List of America's one-term presidents & why they were not re-elected

U.S. President Joe Biden becomes the most recent entrant in a list of president who served for only one term. U.S. President Joe Biden announced that he would not be seeking re-election for a second term in the November 5, 2024 elections. Biden, in a statement said that he would be focused on completing his remaining term, endorsing his Vice President Kamala Harris as his most preferred nominee for the Democratic Party to take on former President Donald Trump. Joe Biden endorses Kamala Harris as Democrats' candidate after withdrawing from race [X:@JoeBiden] Biden now joins a list of former U.S. Presidents that only served for one term. John Adams (1797-1801) The second president of the United States, John Adams was a Founding Father who faced significant challenges during his presidency, including conflicts with political adversaries and foreign nations. His support for the Alien and Sedition Acts, perceived as a violation of civil liberties, contributed to his unpopulari...
Post a Comment
Read more

Tinubu appoints MKO Abiola's son, Jamiu as SSA on Linguistics & Foreign Matters

President Bola Tinubu has appointed Jamiu Abiola as the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Linguistics and Foreign Matters. The appointee is one of the children of the late Chief Moshood Kolawole Abiola , the winner of the 1993 presidential election annulled by General Ibrahim Babangida . According to a statement by Segun Imohiosen , the Director of Information and Public Relations, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation on Wednesday, November 27, 2024, Jamiu's appointment took effect from November 14, 2024. Imohiosen said the appointment aligns with the provisions of the Certain Political and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, etc) Act 2008, as amended. Until his recent deployment, the appointee served as the Special Assistant to the President of Special Duties in the office of the Vice President. Tinubu tasked Jamiu to work closely with the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs and bring his wealth of experience to bear in his new ...
Post a Comment
Read more