Super Eagles Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr, has debunked the idea that there are high profile players in Nigeria’s current national team, ahead of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, saying each player will have to put in an extra effort for the good of the team.
The gaffer buttressed his point by recalling Nigeria’s sorry representation at the 2018 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Awards.
The Nigerian men’s team was yet again unsuccessful in their quest to produce the CAF Player of the Year, and no current Super Eagles player was named in the CAF Africa’s finest XI.
“Since the World Cup the team changed, we invited some new young players who did very well, we have players who are playing in Europe, we have players who are playing in big teams.
“We don’t have big stars in our team, you see none of our players was in the African Team of the Year, we don’t have these players who Nigeria had in the past.
“Our strength is playing collective football with good spirit. Let’s work with this kind of spirit all the time and we’ll be ready by the 15th of June”
— Rohr (TV Continental)
Between 1992 and 1999, Nigeria dominated the CAF Player of the Year awards.
Only Nwakwo Kanu (aka Papilo), has been able to win the title twice in Nigeria’s history.
Nigeria’s CAF Player of the Year Winners
- Rashidi Yekini (1993)
- Emmanuel Amunike (1994)
- Nwankwo Kanu (1996)
- Victor Ikpeba (1997)
- Nwankwo Kanu (1999)
Featured image source: Guardian NG
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