Former Nigerian and Enyimba coach, Okey Emordi has excused Super Eagles’ manager, Gernot Rohr for consistently overlooking Nigerian players in the domestic league – but called for more to be called up during Rohr’s third term.
The German-born tactician recently extended his stay in Nigeria until 2022 after he agreed with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to take a pay cut in local currency and remain resident in the country.
Emordi said that the NFF should take the blame for Rohr’s lukewarm attitude to local league players during the period he has coached Nigeria.
“Of course, you and I do not know what his contract stipulates; we do not know its content to pass well-informed judgement.
“The agreement with the people at the top echelon matters a lot, if you and I have seen the contract papers and probably read it very well and digested it thoroughly we would have been able to say one or two things.
“Probably, insistence on having domestic players in his squad was not embedded or inserted in his contract.
“It could be he was merely asked to assemble national team to simply win laurels for his employers and nation.
“And if you were to be in his shoes you will definitely overlook the domestic players for overseas ready made material there is no gain saying about it.
“Of course, what you are asked for is to achieve result and naturally you must choose the right material available aimed at achieving the set result.
“That’s what I perceive Rohr did or is doing by not paying due attention to the domestic players, not even making attempt to go to the field to watch domestic matches.
“In all the seemingly infractions has his employers questioned him at least once why he has been avoiding the domestic players.
“Its common sense to guess that’s what the people at the top wanted because if his contract has embedded or spelled it out he could not behave otherwise.
“If I’m to be in his position I would look for ready-made material to achieve the target and so far, so good – he has been doing quite well since he came to Nigeria.
“I think his attitude towards the domestic players is in sync with those who gave him the contract so who can question him on the matter.
“Rohr will continue to have his way as far as the employers are in agreement with him no matter the volume of criticisms,” said the former CAF Coach of the Year.
The former Kano Pillars coach however will want Rohr to go out of his way to get more local players into his team especially in his third term.
“If I’m in his shoes right now I will like to get into the team at least two, three, four domestic players, try to encourage and integrate them into his mainstream squad.
“Of course, the local player always present in his team – Ikechukwu Ezenwa – is not enough and may not displace the duo of Francis Uzoho and Maduka Okoye.
“Ezenwa may have kept his place in the team on compassionate and sympathetic ground to shut the mouth of local players’ agitators.
“Ezenwa, whether featured or not, loses nothing – at least he is in the national team. But I think time is ripe for Rohr to bring in more local players into his team.
“Of course, we have fantastic players in the local league and such a move will boost the profile of the league and serve as a pool of material for the national team,” said the former Enugu Rangers and Abia Warriors coach.
Although Rohr’s employers have asked him to look into the direction of players from the domestic league however it is yet to be seen how the former Niger and Gabon gaffer will react especially now that he has been ordered to qualify for the World Cup and win the next Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
