.Super Eagles manager steps up plans for B’Bafana
There are fresh concerns for the Super Eagles Manager, Gernot Rohr, and the Nigeria Football Federation over injuries in the team and availability of top players.
Skipper Mikel Obi pulled out of the forthcoming match against South Africa and he is also ruled out in the Chinese League. Eagles goalie, Francis Nzohor, striker Odion Ighalo are out due to injuries while Winfred Ndidi is out due to card offences.
While the coach is making efforts to get able replacements, it was learnt that chieftains of the football federation are worried over the replacements. The match is very crucial for Nigeria and South Africa. Besides, another key player of Super Eagles, Ogueyi Onazi, was excluded from the list of players for the match.
Meanwhile, Rohr has stepped up his preparations for next weekend’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against South Africa by watching past matches of the opponents.
Rohr is working on what would be a winning formula for the match at FNB Stadium, Johannesburg on November 17 and is currently reviewing videos of past matches featuring Bafana Bafana. The German coach said he was studying such games to get a clear view of how to curtail the hosts in the potentially feisty match to decide the fate of both teams in the race to AFCON 2019.
Nigeria will qualify with victory and move mathematically closer to Cameroon 2019 with a draw, while a defeat might knock Bafana Bafaba out while a victory would also take the 1996 winners through. Consequently, Rohr says he needs to get fresh insights into the real strengths and weaknesses of the team that dealt him his first defeat as Eagles’ coach, when they won 2-0 away in Uyo back in June 2017.
Rohr said his plan was to get Nigeria’s pound of flesh in Johannesburg, hence his efforts to prepare properly tactically and technically for the upcoming duel at Soccer City. He added that arrangements had been concluded to ensure the early arrival of players in the camp in Asaba, which will also host an international friendly between his side and Uganda three days later.
Nigeria will travel to Johannesburg to keep a date with Bafana Bafana in the race to Cameroon 2019 then return home same night to take on Uganda three days later in Asaba.
Eagles Media Officer Toyin Ibitoye said: “Our camp will open on Monday in Asaba, Delta State and we are expected to depart Asaba on a chartered flight on Thursday or Friday for South Africa.
“After the game in South Africa, the Eagles will return to the country for the international friendly against Uganda taking place in Asaba.”