Rohr under pressure from players...

[fabio]

It seems the players are taking their fates into their hands, not the tactically inept coach.

The Super Eagles held a crisis meeting behind under-fire Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr on Monday night as they try to turn things around their precarious position at the Russia 2018 World Cup ahead of their next fixture against Iceland on Friday.

Nigeria are in grave danger of an early World Cup exit after opening their campaign in the tournament with a 2-0 defeat to Croatia in Kaliningrad on Saturday. The three-time African champions must win the clash at Volgograd Arena to keep alive their hopes of advancing to the second round of the championship.

A below-par Croat side fired by La Liga stars Lukas Modric and Ivan Rakitc ran out winners after an analogue Nigerian team failed to deal with dead ball situations.

New Stoke City midfielder Oghenekaro Etebo, who was the shining light in the hapless Rohr’s side, inadvertently directed the ball into his own net, while William Troost-Ekong gave away a needless penalty converted by the Man-of-Match Real Madrid midfielder Modric.

Our correspondent learnt that the players were not happy with Rohr’s team approach to the encounter in which China-based forward Odion Ighalo was isolated, Chelsea wing-back Victor Moses rendered a mediocrity showing and young Arsenal attacker Alex Iwobi was anonymous until he was substituted.

Camp sources told our correspondent on Tuesday that the seething players allegedly held a meeting where they resolved to give their all against the fearless Nordic side who made Argentina superstar Lionel Messi look ordinary in their 1-1 draw at the Spartak Stadium in Moscow on Saturday.

“The players reviewed their performances in the match against Croatia and resolved to hold talks with the coach before the game,” the source said.

The source also claimed that captain Mikel Obi has come under pressure from his colleagues to persuade Rohr to feature players in their natural positions and also to play two strikers upfront.

Meanwhile, Israel-based John Ogucould land a starting role with Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi dropping to the bench.

Ndidi, whose fitness has a question mark, emerged as one of the flops against Croatia, a tie in which Etebo was a revelation.

It was also learnt that Rohr wants players who can match the combative and athletic Iceland side, with players of an average 1.90m in height.


It was also learnt that the former Gabon manager could retain striker Odion Ighalo in his line-up and hand Ahmed Musa a starting role as he seeks to break down Iceland’s

http://punchng.com/eagles-hold-crisis-m ... s-changes/

[doctorollie]

junk journalism!

[naijaguy]

Lol... Junk report..

[Bigpokey24]

The person that posted this should be konked..if your brain can't spot a JJ.....then you have wasted your education

[fabio]

The person that posted this should be konked..if your brain can't spot a JJ.....then you have wasted your education

.. Better than your wasted Mind and Brain

[Bigpokey24]

The person that posted this should be konked..if your brain can't spot a JJ.....then you have wasted your education

.. Better than your wasted Mind and Brain

This thread is a perfect evidence to expose your folly

[waka-man]

Enemies of progress

[The YeyeMan]

I wouldn't have any problem with this. <shrugs>

[TonyTheTigerKiller]

I am sure you guys are smart enough to know who’s behind this article. Can anyone say Ayo Akinfe


Cheers.

[green4life]

J.J.

[metalalloy]

J.J.

of the highest order!

[fabio]

J.J.

of the highest order!

Peterside Idah just confirmed on Channels TV there was a meeting and there will be four changes in the team.

The players will play in their natural positions and it was agreed that the coach was too cautious and that translated into the display on against Croatia.

There will be a 3 man defense (as it was in the qualifiers), more in the attack and the players want to attack.

Also Etebo and Ndidi had not competitive game for about two months and it was wrong to throw them into into such a game.

Peterside just confirmed that Rohr was overwhelmed and under pressure because of the world cup and it was his first world cup.

[imehjunior]

J.J.

of the highest order!

Peterside Idah just confirmed on Channels TV there was a meeting and there will be four changes in the team.

The players will play in their natural positions and it was agreed that the coach was too cautious and that translated into the display on against Croatia.

There will be a 3 man defense (as it was in the qualifiers), more in the attack and the players want to attack.

Also Etebo and Ndidi had not competitive game for about two months and it was wrong to throw them into into such a game.

Peterside just confirmed that Rohr was overwhelmed and under pressure because of the world cup and it was his first world cup.

Was about posting this also. Just listen to Idah Peterside confirm most of this.
1. Players met with coach
2. Players to play in natural positions they play in their clubs
3. Will be playing with same 3 man defence they played in qualifiers .
4. There will be some slight changes.
5. Claiming Etebo and Ndidi were not match fit.
6. Claiming there will be 4 changes but not clear if it's just tactics or personnel changes.
Some of the points I can remember from the interview .

[fabio]

Was about posting this also. Just listen to Idah Peterside confirm most of this.
1. Players met with coach
2. Players to play in natural positions they play in their clubs
3. Will be playing with same 3 man defence they played in qualifiers .
4. There will be some slight changes.
5. Claiming Etebo and Ndidi were not match fit.
6. Claiming there will be 4 changes but not clear if it's just tactics or personnel changes.
Some of the points I can remember from the interview .

imehjunior... this is JJ pure JJ

[Prince]

I wouldn't have any problem with this. <shrugs>

Kpom

[Damunk]

Was about posting this also. Just listen to Idah Peterside confirm most of this.
1. Players met with coach
2. Players to play in natural positions they play in their clubs
3. Will be playing with same 3 man defence they played in qualifiers .
4. There will be some slight changes.
5. Claiming Etebo and Ndidi were not match fit.
6. Claiming there will be 4 changes but not clear if it's just tactics or personnel changes.
Some of the points I can remember from the interview .

imehjunior... this is JJ pure JJ

Chai!.
This might be the first nail in Rohr's coffin because it will be readily cited by his critics that his players overruled him and (hopefully) got it right.

[naijaguy]

J.J.

of the highest order!

Peterside Idah just confirmed on Channels TV there was a meeting and there will be four changes in the team.

The players will play in their natural positions and it was agreed that the coach was too cautious and that translated into the display on against Croatia.

There will be a 3 man defense (as it was in the qualifiers), more in the attack and the players want to attack.

Also Etebo and Ndidi had not competitive game for about two months and it was wrong to throw them into into such a game.

Peterside just confirmed that Rohr was overwhelmed and under pressure because of the world cup and it was his first world cup.

Was about posting this also. Just listen to Idah Peterside confirm most of this.
1. Players met with coach
2. Players to play in natural positions they play in their clubs
3. Will be playing with same 3 man defence they played in qualifiers .
4. There will be some slight changes.
5. Claiming Etebo and Ndidi were not match fit.
6. Claiming there will be 4 changes but not clear if it's just tactics or personnel changes.
Some of the points I can remember from the interview .

Junk Journalism.
Does Peterside work with Rohr?? Or probably he read it just like we did now from punch.

[fabio]

This might be the first nail in Rohr's coffin because it will be readily cited by his critics that his players overruled him and (hopefully) got it right.

Uncle Damunk,

I was quite fortunate to listen to Peterside interview. That confirmed my suspicions, Rohr is overwhelmed by the World Cup and he allowed the pressure to get to him. Which translated into tactics. Peterside confirmed this indirectly... That it's the coach first wc... blah, blah!!!

[fabio]

Junk Journalism.
Does Peterside work with Rohr?? Or probably he read it just like we did now from punch.

It was pure JJ.

Peterside who is in Russia was interviewed live on Skype by Channels TV. Peterside confirmed he is with the team, attends team meetings and he has the line up against Iceland, but can't reveal it. He said there will be two to four changes, but at the end confirmed we will have four changes to the team.

It's pure JJ

[imehjunior]

Junk Journalism.
Does Peterside work with Rohr?? Or probably he read it just like we did now from punch.

It was pure JJ.

Peterside who is in Russia was interviewed live on Skype by Channels TV. Peterside confirmed he is with the team, attends team meetings and he has the line up against Iceland, but can't reveal it. He said there will be two to four changes, but at the end confirmed we will have four changes to the team.

It's pure JJ

Those where his words on Channel tv this morning.

[truetalk]

J.J.

of the highest order!

Peterside Idah just confirmed on Channels TV there was a meeting and there will be four changes in the team.

The players will play in their natural positions and it was agreed that the coach was too cautious and that translated into the display on against Croatia.

There will be a 3 man defense (as it was in the qualifiers), more in the attack and the players want to attack.

Also Etebo and Ndidi had not competitive game for about two months and it was wrong to throw them into into such a game.

Peterside just confirmed that Rohr was overwhelmed and under pressure because of the world cup and it was his first world cup.

Was about posting this also. Just listen to Idah Peterside confirm most of this.
1. Players met with coach
2. Players to play in natural positions they play in their clubs
3. Will be playing with same 3 man defence they played in qualifiers .
4. There will be some slight changes.
5. Claiming Etebo and Ndidi were not match fit.
6. Claiming there will be 4 changes but not clear if it's just tactics or personnel changes.
Some of the points I can remember from the interview .

Junk Journalism.
Does Peterside work with Rohr?? Or probably he read it just like we did now from punch.

If he worked with Rohr, he would probably not be able to come out and confirm those details. It is like working in the Presidency, you are the one person who cannot speak to the press, unless directed to & you have to toe the official line.

Peterside Idah is a former International and co-host of the biggest football show on the continent (besides moonlighting as a Pastor). He would not come out to say those things if they were baseless.

I would have been shocked if this did not happen after the rubbish we saw on Saturday. I could not believe I was watching a Nigerian team. We have been overmatched before personnel and strategy wise, but that was a team that was not setup to win. I was shouting to myself in the 1st 15 minutes before logging on here, and it was somewhat comforting to see a lot of people just knew that this was not a 'Nigerian' team.

Of course we have the regular 'we overrate ourselves & our mediocre players crew'. They never disappoint. It was however really sad to see guys like Oloye who should know better suggest that what we saw on Saturday was down to the quality of players. That was a coach who was sabotaging his own team by forcing them down to his limited expectations with his formation and strategy. We all thought it was gamesmanship with the silly talk before the World Cup & the formation in the friendlies.

Rohr is about to find out that we don't only fight over money (which is really the players standing up to injustice). We can also fight against cowardice & to take advantage of opportunities. I would have been shocked if this did not happen, to be honest.
The players have trusted the 'system' and it brought us through the qualifiers, so that deference to Rohr will be there through the friendlies and maybe even through the 1st match. BUT, the players also know their capabilities, and know when that is being limited by a really poor strategy from a very cautious coach. They also know that this coach is about to waste this World Cup might be the last opportunity for a lot of them. What we switched to a 3-5-2 briefly against England, we dominated them. We may be missing Moses Simon and be unable to play the 4-4-2 (which can easily be converted to the 'outdated' 4-2-4 which is another Nigerian attacking formation staple, based on 2 fast wingers, & a top 9 & support striker.
Keshi modified this a bit to the 4-3-3 in 2013, with an extra man in the middle. Ideye & Emenuke upfront and overloaded the right with Mosese. Rohr himself used the same 4-3-3 a lot in the qualifiers, but with both Moses' or Iwobi on the wings and Ighalo/Kelechi/Ideye up front.

So all of this sitting back to invite pressure and trying to counter through 10 opposing players is really puzzling and lame. That is why the own goals, errors, Free kicks and deadball opportunities will keep happening around your box.

This is a good move. What we saw on Saturday was not a Nigerian team.

[fabio]

Those where his words on Channel tv this morning.

imehjunior, I listened to the interview, but those who didn't listen to the interview, claim it is JJ....

[RomanusOjinta]

This might be the first nail in Rohr's coffin because it will be readily cited by his critics that his players overruled him and (hopefully) got it right.

Uncle Damunk,

I was quite fortunate to listen to Peterside interview. That confirmed my suspicions, Rohr is overwhelmed by the World Cup and he allowed the pressure to get to him. Which translated into tactics. Peterside confirmed this indirectly... That it's the coach first wc... blah, blah!!!

Except perhaps Lagerback and Milutinovic, every single world cup manager we have ever had has been managing in their first world cup. Onigbinde, Keshi and even Westerhof his fellow European manager.

That is not an excuse.

If Nigeria falls at the group stage, this guy's sack letter should be mailed to him in Russia so he can catch the Eurostar back to Munich.