The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is confident that its decision of dispatching Super Eagles Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr, to Russia to spy on the Indomitable Lions of Cameroun at the ongoing FIFA Confederation Cup would pay off in a big way in their 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier in August.
The Eagles are in a double header World Cup qualifier against the African champions, Cameroun, on August 28 and September 5 in Port Harcourt and Limbe respectively.
The Chairman, NFF Technical and Development Committee, Chris Green told The Guardian yesterday that the committee decided to apply to the NFF for Rohr to go to Russia the same way it did during the AFCON championship in Gabon so that the Franco-German Coach can gather enough first hand information about the African champions. Cameroun lost 0-2 to Chile (CONMEBOL) on Sunday in their first match, and will face Australia (AFC) tomorrow, while their last group match against Germany (World champions) will hold on June 23. Green said that Camerounians would find the Eagles a tough nut to crack when they travel down to Port Harcourt on August 28 saying: “I watched their match against Chile and my assessment of the match is that Cameroun played a compact game. I will watch them in their remaining two matches against Australia and Germany, but from the look of things, I don’t see Cameroun stopping the Eagles. Our defeat to South Africa has thought us a big lesson.”
Meanwhile, Coach Rohr is expected back in Nigeria to help prepare the home-based players in their CHAN qualifiers against the winner of the match between Togo/Benin Republic on August 10 and 17.
Super Eagles’ Media Officer, Toyin Ibitoye told The Guardian yesterday that Rohr had promised to return soon after his spy-mission in Russia because he wants to be part of the home-based Eagles’ preparation for the CHAN qualifiers.
“The home-based Eagles will be handled by coach Salisu Yusuf, but Rohr is eager to be part of the preparation because he wants to use the opportunity to see the players,” Ibitoye said.