Friday, November 6, 2026

I can manage Super Eagles better than coach Rohr: Orji Kalu

The politician says he does not consider Rohr to be a good coach and sees “no strategy” in his coaching style.

• November 19, 2021
Orji Kalu and Gernot Rohr
Orji Kalu and Gernot Rohr

Chief Whip of the Senate, Orji Kalu, says he will handle Super Eagles better than its present coach, Gernot Rohr.

He said this following the disappointing 1-1 draw the team played with Blue Sharks of Cape Verde.

Although the outcome of the match, played in Lagos, was disappointing, the Super Eagles still qualified for the Qatar 2022 World Cup play-off.

The result also ensured the Super Eagles finished top of their group with 13 points, while Cape Verde came second with 11 points.

Mr Kalu said the coach was as good as his last game and that Mr Rohr ought to be sacked for not having any tactics in the match.

“Gernot Rohr is not a motivator to the players because he has nothing to offer. I can even motivate the players more than him because I’m a super motivator of my players.

“He is not a coach. I don’t see anything good in him. He has no stamina, no strategy, he doesn’t play any system and his team doesn’t excite me,” he said.

According to Mr Kalu, he would prefer a local coach for the Super Eagles once he will be paid well and allowed to do his job.

“Where the coach comes from doesn’t matter. We have a lot of Nigerian coaches who, if you pay them what is due to them, will do the job well.

“We have a lot of coaches both locally and international and I’m sure NFF president, Amaju Pinnick, knows these people.

“If he is in doubt, he should consult me and I will tell him some names of coaches he can approach, whether local or international.

“If you ask me, I will prefer a Nigerian to coach the Super Eagles, but he should be paid well and given a schedule of international standard to operate.

On Thursday, Mr Kalu had called on NFF through his social media handle to find a replacement for Mr Rohr, as he had failed to live up to the expectation of sports-loving Nigerians.

The senator also said that he refused to employ Mr Rohr as Enyimba’s coach in 2003 when he was the governor of Abia because he did not possess the qualities of a coach. 

(NAN)

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