Gernot Rohr: NPFL players not good enough for Super Eagles

Super Eagles’ technical adviser, Gernot Rohr, believes the Nigeria Professional Football League players are not good enough for the National team.

The German who has come under heavy criticism in some quarters for his neglect of the home-based players when selecting players for the national teams said he will continue to look towards Europe in his quest to raise a formidable team for the FIFA 2018 World Cup.

The only home-based player in the Eagles camp during last week’s 1-1 friendly against Senegal in London was Ikechukwu Ezenwa who plays for Ifeanyi Ubah.

“Our best players are playing in Europe,” he said.

“Senegal, who we played against in London had no local player. The big teams don’t have local players.”

Rohr pointed out that the home-based players who so far had performed poorly with their clubs at CAF competitions shouldn’t be selected ahead of the foreign-based players, before suggesting that they have the CHAN to prove they should be given a chance.

“The quality of the clubs could be seen from the African competitions where Wikki Tourists and FC Ifeanyi Ubah crashed out of the CAF Confederation Cup, while Rangers and Rivers United exited the Champions league.

“Next week I will be in Nigeria to see some games, I have watched some league games already, but the players there are not better than what we already have.”

“The local players will feature in the CHAN, we will see them there.” Rohr who has not lost any game since taking over the Super Eagles.

Nigeria is yet to lose a game in all competition since Gernot Rohr took over as the technical adviser of the Super Eagles. Nigeria is currently top of the world cup qualifying group that has countries like Cameroon, Algeria, and Zambia.