AFCON qualifier: Rohr shuns critics on Musa’s invitation
Super Eagles manager Gernot Rohr has refused to dance to the tunes of football pundits who recently advised him not to invite clubless Super Eagles skipper, Ahmed Musa for the AFCON qualifiers.
Ex-internationals, Tarila Okorowanta and Duke Udi had urged the Super Eagles coach to exclude Ahmed Musa from the 2021 AFCON qualifiers against Benin and Lesotho. The duo said the invitation of players must be based on current form and want Musa who has been without a club since leaving Saudi club, Al Nassr in October 2020, out of the team.
The team’s captain has been without a club since he left Al-Nassr in October, so his invitation is a big surprise.
But the Franco-German was adamant in his decision and he made some errors and mistakes in the selection.
Rohr included the familiar names in the 24-man list, but there’s no place for Paul Onuachu despite the 26-year-old’s impressive form for his club.
Onuachu is Nigeria’s best striker in Europe this season with 25 league goals for Genk, but that’s still not enough to convince Rohr to hand him an invitation.
read also:Ex-Super Eagles star: Nigeria’s absence in AFCON U-20 great setback for football development
The former Bordeaux manager has publicly said he is not a fan of the ex-Middtjylland striker, and clearly, that’s not changed.
Instead, Rohr handed a debut call-up to Umar Sadiq, who, like Onuachu, is also having a brilliant season with Almeria in the Spanish second division.
Umar, similar to Onuachu, has scored 14 goals in 25 league games for Almeria this season.
Rohr has come in for criticism for his omission of domestic players, but there’s a space for Enyimba’s John Noble, who is one of the three goalkeepers called up.
Full List
Super Eagles 24-man team for the AFCON2021 Qualifiers vs Benin & Lesotho
GK: Okoye, Uzoho, Nobble
DF: Troost-Ekong, Omeruo, Balogun, Awaziem, Collins, Sanusi, Aina, Ebuehi
MF: Ndidi, Etebo, Ajayi, Aribo, Abdullahi
FW: Musa, Simon, Iwobi, Kalu, Osimhen, Iheanacho, Umar, Chukwueze