Rohr has wasted another opportunity to discover new players - Lawal
Aformer international, Garba Lawal has said by inviting same old players, Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr has wasted another opportunity to discover new players for the team.
The coach recently released a list of 23 players for the final 2019 AFCON qualifying match with Seychelles and the international friendly with the Pharaohs of Egypt later this month.
Apart from Enyimba’s Valentine Ozornwafor and Midtjyland of Denmark’s Paul Onuachu, the rest of the invited players are familiar names.
Speaking to Daily Trust yesterday, Lawal expressed disappointment that the coach has again failed to make use of the two matches to discover fresh legs for the Super Eagles.
He wondered why Rohr went for the same old faces to prosecute matches which he described as inconsequential.
According to him, there are so many talented young Nigerian players who are waiting in the wings for the coach to give them a chance to fight for shirts in the team.
Lawal said if opportunities like the one offered by the Seychelles and Egypt matches are not judiciously used by the coach, he wonders when he would test new players.
“I am disappointed because the list fell short of my expectations. The two matches are of no serious importance so even if we lose them, heaven won’t fall.
“I expected the coach to invite some young players to come for assessment. I don’t understand why he still went for the same old players that have had enough time to prove themselves.
“In the days of Clemence Westerholf, such matches were used by the coach to test new players. It is unfortunate that another chance to discover new players is squandered,” he lamented.
Lawal also said he doubts if the list was scrutinized before it was made public.
According to him, the technical committee of the NFF is now moribund so there is no one to veto some of the decisions of the Franco-German coach.
“I doubt very much if his list was examined by anyone. The technical committee of the NFF is non-existent so who will make any input?.
“It appears the coach does whatever pleases him. Well, he is the coach so he may have his reasons for recycling players,” he said.