Nwosu hails NFF for Rohr’s new contract clause

A former captain of Nigeria Henry Nwosu has commended the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for stating that Gernot Rohr must live in Nigeria if he desired to remain the coach of the national team. The clause has been inserted in the German’s fresh contract yet to be signed.

Nwosu advised the federation to release the German if he refused to accept the condition while insisting that Rohr’s continuous absence from the country had affected the home-based players’ desire to play for the senior national team.

Nwosu who himself has coached the Nigeria U17 team said: “I don’t think the NFF is trying to send Rohr away by telling the coach he must live in the country. This is the standard practice in the world.

 “A coach that is handling a national team must be in the country to monitor activities of players and also help develop football in the country.

“This is the best pronouncement I have seen the NFF make this year. Rohr needs to watch our league, talk to local coaches and mingle with domestic players from different clubs in the country.

“I believe NFF was in a haste to get a coach and also naive that was why they did not make this statement in his first contract,” he added.

The former Golden Eaglets’ coach wondered why the German should not be keen in living in Nigeria.

Nwosu noted that Rohr’s scouting for Nigerian players based in Europe over the years has not produced any substantial positive result, the last four years.

 “The Eagles must progress. I don’t hate Rohr, but the fact is that the standard practice of coaches living in the country they handle their team must be replicated in Nigeria,” he said.