Bordeaux, Nantes deny Rohr physical contact with Simon, Kalu

Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr was prevented from meeting with Moses Simon and Samuel Kalu after Friday’s Ligue 1 match involving Bordeaux and Nantes in the first game of the 2020/2021 football season in France.

Rohr traveled to France from Germany to watch the match involving his players after it was brought forward by the league organisers from Saturday following reports that some persons had contracted Coronavirus.

Bordeaux who were playing at home were reduced to 10 men earlier but still played a 0-0 draw to salvage a point
Rohr had told SPORTINGLIFE exclusively last week that he would be storming Europe to watch some of his players’ in their league matches for their respective clubs in order to ascertain their level of fitness and readiness for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers now rescheduled for November this year since COVID-19 halted football in March.
He had the opportunity of watching Kalu and Josh Maja feature for Bordeaux, while Simon starred for the visitors Nantes.
Rohr exclusively told SPORTINGLIFE his assessment of his three players in the game.
“Moses Simon did very well. He was one of the best on the pitch and the most dangerous player in the match. Bordeaux had to play with 10 players after 20 minutes so it was difficult for them. Josh Maja did well before being substituted.
“Samuel Kalu came in in the last 20 minutes and he also did very well. You know that he had COVID recently before he recovered from it so he had a little bit of less physical condition. He couldn’t start the game.
“5,000 fans only watched the hame. I also watched the game at a very good place but there was no contract with the players, only the players and their coaches were together. I had to say hello to Simon and Kalu from 25 meters away, no photographs were allowed too.

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“But we discussed on telephone before and after the match. The good thing is that I was able to see the players live in action and I took note of their fitness and performance which was good. Like I said I saw the best performance from Moses Simon. It is good to watch matches again in France after six months of no games as a result of Coronavirus. I hope to watch more games”, Rohr told SPORTINGLIFE exclusively from Bordeaux.