Super Eagles manager, Gernot Rohr has come out to defend his decision to pick more foreign-based players than their local counterparts in his squads.
Rohr believes the simple fact is that it is so hard to find players in the local league who are better than the ones that play outside the country.
According to him, he focuses on the quality of the players because they are what he needs to take the Nigerian national team to greater heights.
He added that despite his views, he has since invited over 23 or 24 local players since he took charge of the football team, and whenever he does, they move to Europe immediately after that.
His words, “We cannot find all the time players in the local league who are better than the other ones,”
“The criterion for us, the first criteria is the quality of the players. Everybody knows, not only in Nigeria, that the best players are in Europe or somewhere else in professional leagues. That is the fact.
“I invited already more than 23 or 24 local players since I have been in charge of the Super Eagles but we invite them and then immediately they are going to Europe. It is wonderful for them but maybe not for us.”
“The Chan team and Under-20 team must play all the time. The coaches who are responsible for these teams, must work with me together. And normally the best of the league are in either Chan or under-20 or under-17.”
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