As at when the first round fixtures of the 2021 AFCON qualifiers were being played in November, they were still uncertainties if Gernot Rohr’s contract would be extended.
Fast forward, 6 months after, the Franco-German got a two and half year contract after lots of what I call distractions and football politics.
The 66 year old was given conditions to meet if he was to continue as head coach of the national team, most of which included financial issues but the German several times made it clear, he was not doing the job for money.
Maybe Nigerian football fans and administrators had forgot the situation the Super Eagles were before Rohr arrived and that is why they all probably have been blinded by the man’s little success which does not feel satisfying to them.
Before Rohr.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria were in what I call, shambles before Gernot Rohr became head coach. Winning the 2013 AFCON and reaching the round of 16 at the 2014 World Cup, one would think the team was going to break lots of jinx with such progression.
But reverse was the case, from those successful outings in 2013 and 2014, the Eagles missed out of 2 consecutive AFCONs: 2015 and 2017.
In all of that, there was a Sunday Oliseh drama which black clouded the atmosphere and saw some of the experience hands (Vincent Enyeama comes to mind) the team had to retire.
It was best to say the Super Eagles at that time had no future and that was what Gernot Rohr inherited as a national team squad.
Rohr the Messiah
Rohr took over the realm of affairs in August 2016, won his first game against Tanzania by a lone goal and lost his first game to South Africa during 2019 AFCON qualifiers in 2017.
However, that same year, the Super Eagles of Nigeria became the first African country to qualify for the 2018 World Cup after an impressive show of quality in a group that was described as the group of death during the World Cup qualifiers.
The team would further qualify for the 2019 AFCON covincingly as group winners despite loosing the first game.
From there, Nigerian football fans started to believe in the national team again after being heart broken severally in the past.
Rohr at the competitions.
With such beautiful display during the qualifiers, the Super Eagles gave lots of fans hopes.
Those hopes were soon shattered as they could not qualify from the group stages at the 2018 World Cup in Russia where they faced eventual runners-up, Croatia whom they lost to, Iceland whom they defeated and the ever present Goliath, Argentina who they lost to by whiskers. The result was not good but it was not a bad outing.
Months after, it was the 2019 AFCON. The team were one of the favorites to win the competition after a convincing qualifiers.
Slim victories in the first two games but eventually fell to the hands of Mozambique in the group stages.
The wings grew back and the Eagles soared past arch rivals, Cameroon and South Africa but were hunted down by the wounded desert foxes of Algeria who had lost earlier to the Eagles during the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.
The team would eventually win the bronze medal after defeating Tunisia by a lone goal in the third place play-off.
Rohr and the players
Rohr could not have achieved those awesome run of form without a top level of understanding with the players.
Recently, Alex Iwobi declared that Gernot Rohr is the best coach he has played under and with the way the likes of Odion Ighalo (highest goal scorer; 2019 AFCON qualifiers and AFCON proper) and a few younger players have thrived under the manager, you would know he has built a strong relationship with the players.
Such relationship with a very talented young squad would only bring back success for the fans in a few years.
The pressure
Taking up a job when all the chips were down and resurrecting the team from its ashes, Rohr did the unthinkable as at that time.
After finally agreeing to the conditions on his new contract, which includes winning the 2021 AFCON and qualifying for the 2022 World Cup, he was given two and half years to prove himself.
But the pressure is now so much on the gaffer as some football fans say he does not deserve it.
Recently the Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Sunday Dare made it clear that the contract can be terminated at any time if Rohr does not meet up with the contractual terms. And with reports that Englishman, Harry Redknapp is waiting on the wings for the job, the pressure is really piling up on Rohr.
Even though the Amaju Pinnick led NFF have given a little support to the gaffer, the pressure is becoming cumbersome on him.
The Result
With lots at stake, a bulk of 2021 AFCON qualifiers and 2022 World Cup qualifiers still to be played, will Gernot Rohr be able to perform amidst such pressure from football fans and administrators?
Rohr with the new contract will be in charge of the Super Eagles for six and half years making him the longest serving coach since Clemens Westerhof.
