I Need My Best Players For World Cup Qualifiers – Gernot Rohr

Technical Adviser of the Super Eagles Gernot Rohr believes Nigeria need their best players to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

For the qualification series, Nigeria are in Group B with Algeria, Cameroon and Zambia.

Rohr won his first game in charge of the Super Eagles as they beat Tanzania 1-0 in a dead rubber 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Saturday, September 3.

After Nigeria’s failure to win qualify for the 2017 AFCON, Rohr wants the best players available for the Super Eagles in their quest for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

“We will need all our best players to be at their very best. We had a good list for the Tanzania match but a couple of players were injured and we will like to look at those ones as well,” Rohr said during a visit to the secretariat of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Tuesday, September 6.

“The focus is to strengthen the spine of the team and ensure they can beat any team. The confidence has not been there because the team failed to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations, but when results start to come, the confidence will return.”

The 63-year-old who last month signed a two-year-contract with the NFF to be the Technical Adviser is also very happy with how he has been received by his assistants and backroom staff.

“To be received with so much warmth by the NFF Management means we are all on the same page and we can work together and live as a family,” he said.

“I have a very good feeling about this job and the people I have to work with. I am also happy that the first week went very well because the players were able to quickly imbibe our philosophy.

“We need to have solidarity all round. The Technical Committee members have also been great. Certainly, the National Technical Director also has a role to play. The ambience is impressive.”

The Super Eagles will open their qualifying campaign away to Zambia on October 3, before hosting Algeria in the second match on November 7.