Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr admits the lack of game time for Francis Uzoho at his club is given him a concern but added that he’s not ready to invite new players into the team for the upcoming 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.
The Super Eagles has been drawn in Group B of the African Cup of Nations alongside side Burundi, Madagascar and Guinea, after missing the last two editions in 2015 and 2017 respectively.
Rohr who led the team to the 2018 World Cup in Russia says the team has good spirit and added the time is too short for new players to come into the team, but admits he’s worried over the for of first choice goalkeeper Francis Uzoho.
“We have a good spirit as a team since the World Cup, so there’s no time to bring in new players”.
“We have a little challenge because our young goalkeeper Uzoho has not really played at his club this season,”
“Uzoho made one mistake in the last qualifier [against Seychelles] but we gave him a chance with the youth under-23 and it was good for his confidence.”
“Daniel Akpeyi is playing now for a big team in South Africa and doing very well. Our third goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa too is good so we can work harder with them.
“We have a good spirit as a team since the World Cup, so there’s no time to bring in new players,” Rohr said.
Rohr, who led Gabon to the quarter final of the 2012 edition of the African Cup of Nations allayed fear that experience might affect his young team , while stressing that the team qualified for the tournament without experience duo of John Mikel Obi and Victor Moses.
Nigeria has won the tournament on three different occasions and are looking to add the fourth crown later this year in Egypt.
