The Super Eagles may have qualified to the final playoffs for the 2022 World Cup, but another unconvincing display has sparked calls for coach Gernot Rohr to be fired.
The Eagles parading their top stars from the top leagues in Europe had to labour Tuesday to a 1-1 draw at home with Cape Verde, who are ranked 40 places below them by FIFA, to squeeze through to the playoffs slated for around the end of March 2022.
The current qualifying campaign for the World Cup falls far short of a commanding performance the three-time African champions displayed on their way to reach the 2018 World Cup from a tougher looking group that had Algeria, Cameroon and Zambia.
Even after they were docked three points and three goals for fielding an ineligible player, Nigeria still qualified for Russia 2018 with a round of matches still to be played.
But now it needed a draw in a final group game at home to Cape Verde before the Super Eagles could advance from a qualifying section that also had minnows Central African Republic and Liberia.
Fans and the local media are again demanding for the sack of the country’s longest serving national team coach Rohr, arguing that he is not the man to lead the team to a fourth AFCON triumph in Cameroon in January 2022 after which Nigeria will battle for a place at Qatar 2022.
Former international and TV pundit Idah Peterside did not mince his words on the future of the 68-year-old Franco-German.
“Nigeria must fire Rohr,” he urged.
He has lost the team, he has taken us as far as he can go.
“Please NFF let him go now.”
“Some NFF executive members have suggested the sack of Gernot Rohr before the AFCON in January,” added journalist Adepoju Tobi to the debate.
“The executives will meet with the technical committee/department to weigh their options.
“The body language of the NFF to sack Rohr is very strong this time.”
“Thank God everybody has seen it now – Rohr has destroyed the Super Eagles who once gave the nation so much joy,” said a fan.
“Sack him now!”
Another angry fan wrote on Twitter: “Aliko Dangote and Obi Cubana (both wealthy Nigerian businessmen) should get the money to pay off Rohr.
“He really needs to go after this match.
“The man is now taking the whole of Nigeria for granted!”
NFF president Amaju Pinnick, who has stoutly defended Rohr, said in November 2020 during another clamour for the dismissal of the coach that the football federation would have to cough out a hefty severance fee of $2 Million were his contract to be terminated.
Former Gabon, Niger and Burkina Faso coach Rohr, who is a monthly salary of $45,000, was appointed in August 2016 and has since led Nigeria out in 64 matches – won 35, drew 16 and lost 13.
