Gernot Rohr Confirms first-Time Invitations Of...

[Next]

... Chidera Ejuke, Samson Tijani, and Tobias Lawal.

https://soccernet.ng/2020/09/chidera-ej ... -rohr.html

Nigeria is billed to play a couple of international friendly matches in Austria next month, and the German tactician believes it is an opportunity to test new players

Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr has confirmed that he has extended first-time invitations to Chidera Ejuke, Samson Tijani, and Tobias Lawal ahead of the friendly games against Tunisia and Ivory Coast in October.

Nigeria, 29th on the latest FIFA World ranking, will face-off with the Elephants on the ninth of October before tackling the Carthage Eagles four days later.

CSKA Moscow forward Ejuke will be part of the Super Eagles for the first time after excelling at Valerenga and Heerenveen over the last two seasons.

The former youth international has also started brightly in Russia, scoring in the Moscow derby last week.

There will also be a chance for former Golden Eaglets skipper Samson Tijani to impress at the senior level. The young midfielder recently joined Austrian champions Salzburg on a long-term contract.

The surprise inclusion, though, is LASK goalkeeper Tobias Lawal. Rohr has relied on Daniel Akpeyi, Francis Uzoho, and Maduka Okoye in recent times.

However, it appears the former Bordeaux manager is convinced the Austria-based shot-stopper is still needed in the national team set-up.

“We have a test match, and it is the last opportunity before the qualifying matches in November,” Rohr told ESPN.

“So the result is not important, and we will see some new young players like Ejuke from Moscow, and Samson Tijani, the former under-17 captain, 18 years old and a very good player. And also the goalkeeper from LASK, Tobias Lawal.”

Nigeria has not played any match this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, taking to the pitch last in the 4-2 defeat of Lesotho last November.

https://soccernet.ng/2020/09/gernot-roh ... games.html

The Franco-German tactician is making plans ahead of Nigeria’s friendly games against the two former African champions

Super Eagles manager Gernot Rohr has invited Maduka Okoye for next month’s international friendly matches against Cote d’Ivoire and Tunisia.

The Super Eagles face the Elephants on October 9th in Austria before taking on the Carthage Eagles four days later in the same country.

Ahead of the game, Rohr has been drawing up a list of players that will be involved. The 67-year-old has already extended an invitation to Cyriel Dessers.

It has now been revealed that Okoye has also been called-up. This was confirmed in a statement released by Okoye’s club, Sparta Rotterdam.

Read: Who Will Win Nigeria’s Goalkeeping War?

He is expected to compete with Francis Uzoho for the number one spot. The 20-year-old joined De Kasteelheren this transfer window, but he’s yet to make his competitive debut for the club.

Okoye was on the bench when Sparta took on Ajax in their opening Eredivisie game last Sunday.

https://soccernet.ng/2020/09/gernot-roh ... endly.html

The KRC Genk striker has never hidden his desire to play for the Super Eagles, and he is now only a few days away from seeing one of his biggest dreams come true

According to top Belgian Publications Het Belang van Limburg, former Heracles star Cyriel Dessers has received a letter of invitation from Super Eagles chief coach Gernot Rohr to be a part of the Nigerian national team that is scheduled to feature in two international friendly matches next month.

Dessers, last season’s top scorer in the Eredivisie, was called up for the first time by Nigeria six months ago for the double-headed AFCON qualifying games against Sierra Leone.

But those matches could not hold due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, cancelling the 25-year-old’s chance of a Super Eagles debut.

The former NAC Breda star has now been presented with another chance as Nigeria continue to seek for more attacking options to complement the efforts of Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, Leicester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho, and Crotone’s Simy Nwankwo.

Born in Leuven to a Belgian father and a Nigerian mother, Dessers had his breakthrough campaign last term, netting 15 goals in 26 games for Heracles to finish as the most prolific striker in the Dutch top-flight.

The former Lokeren forward has since moved back to his country of birth, where he has found the back of the net twice in five league appearances for Genk.

The Super Eagles trade tackles with Ivory Coast on the 9th of October before squaring up against Tunisia four days later, both in Austria.

[asabatex]

Wow.....Rohr does not want to leave Nigeria oh. Damn with these new additions, Nigeria will become a legit world cup contender...

[Lolly]

Samson Tijani? Based on what exactly?

[DIMKA76]

Samson Tijani? Based on what exactly?

"Pedral character"

[Tobi17]

Samson Tijani? Based on what exactly?

a rather head-scratching call up, but it's only a friendly sha

[mystic]

Samson Tijani? Based on what exactly?

a rather head-scratching call up, but it's only a friendly sha

Surprising but not head scratching, considering that he's not the first junior player that Rohr has invited ahead of schedule (Victor Osimhen, Kelechi Nwakali and Valentine Ozonwafor all got their first invites when they were not yet ripe for the national team). It just goes to show that Rohr is a strong believer in the lads Super Eagles potential. Moreover Tijani is seems to be off to a solid start in the Austrian Bundesliga.

The downside of course is that a deserving player will likely be overlooked for a call-up (just as Sadiq Umar was overlooked for Osimhen at the time). But, until we see the full list, there is no way to evaluate any of this anyway. So there's no point in anyone getting bent out of shape just yet (I'm speaking generally here, not saying that you're doing this).

[mystic]

By the way, if these reports are accurate, Tobias Lawal would be a pretty significant addition to our goalkeeping talent pool.

[bushboy]

Tijani!!! My boy! Rohr get sense no be small!!

[Otitokoro]

Rohr has never hidden his admiration of the lad, after watching him in the U17 team.
He obviously sees something in him that most fans struggle to see.
Wishing the young man the very best.

Samson Tijani? Based on what exactly?

a rather head-scratching call up, but it's only a friendly sha

[Tobi17]

This Tobias Lawal kid isn't bad sha

https://youtu.be/Nk-I5SzFGic

[maceo4]

This Tobias Lawal kid isn't bad sha

https://youtu.be/Nk-I5SzFGic

Nice one, very promising. Good reflexes awareness and footwork.

[EMIR KONGI JAFFI JOFFA]

This Tobias Lawal kid isn't bad sha

https://youtu.be/Nk-I5SzFGic

You know it. Yes he is.

[Damunk]

Samson Tijani? Based on what exactly?

"Pedral character"

[Next]

This Tobias Lawal kid isn't bad sha

https://youtu.be/Nk-I5SzFGic

You know it. Yes he is.

His reflex is pretty good and one v one is almost as good. Just wondering how tall he is (bearing Rohr's penchant for tall GKs)? In the video he doesn't come across a being too tall. He's listed as 1.95m!

[Damunk]

Tijani!!! My boy! Rohr get sense no be small!!

"Sometimes my dad will beat me, sometimes my mum will beat me because they said I should not play football...."

Naija parents, "calm down!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8ovHMxiS_U[/video]

[Oguleftie]

Samson Tijani? Based on what exactly?

Only in naija; I hope Rohr's arm is not being twisted by powerful indigenes back home. He is not even a player yet in the club senior team.
Players of other countries that played in the Qtrs, semi's, final games of the U17 competition are not even invited to their countries national teams.

It is an insult to those young lads who already played & did well even in the English Championship with performances that were actually seen. Some performances were even posted on this forum.

[bushboy]

Rohr has never hidden his admiration of the lad, after watching him in the U17 team.
He obviously sees something in him that most fans struggle to see.
Wishing the young man the very best.

Samson Tijani? Based on what exactly?

a rather head-scratching call up, but it's only a friendly sha

Speak for yourself! I've been waxing lyrical about Tijani since the African U-17 tournament!

[Oguleftie]

Rohr has never hidden his admiration of the lad, after watching him in the U17 team.
He obviously sees something in him that most fans struggle to see.
Wishing the young man the very best.

Samson Tijani? Based on what exactly?

a rather head-scratching call up, but it's only a friendly sha

Speak for yourself! I've been waxing lyrical about Tijani since the African U-17 tournament!

And who else were you waxing lyrical about in the U20 tournament that was also played?

[Adisboy]

This Tobias Lawal kid isn't bad sha

https://youtu.be/Nk-I5SzFGic

Reminds me of Vincent

[vancity eagle]

i dont know how this guy would be called ahead of Alhassan Yusuf or Frank Onyeka, even Kingsley Michael.

Is he really that much of a talented prospect ?

[Otitokoro]

He is indeed 6'5"

This Tobias Lawal kid isn't bad sha

https://youtu.be/Nk-I5SzFGic

You know it. Yes he is.

His reflex is pretty good and one v one is almost as good. Just wondering how tall he is (bearing Rohr's penchant for tall GKs)? In the video he doesn't come across a being too tall. He's listed as 1.95m!

[Mr Shows]

This Tobias Lawal kid isn't bad sha

https://youtu.be/Nk-I5SzFGic

Reminds me of Vincent

Good reflexes, decent shot stopper. Good addition to the pool and as a 3rd choice goalie. Will be interesting to see if Rohr plays him as a sweeper.

[Oguleftie]

i dont know how this guy would be called ahead of Alhassan Yusuf or Frank Onyeka, even Kingsley Michael.

Is he really that much of a talented prospect ?

He is not.
Even the last U20 team that also played, none was called.
Go back few years, even Osimhen was not called with all the accolades he gathered at the U17.