OCTOBER FRIENDLIES: Rohr eyes new Europe based goalkeeper
Super Eagles’ Technical Adviser/ Chief Coach Gernot Rohr has concluded plans to invite at least four new players to join the list of 30 he would later release for the October FIFA window friendlies.
SPORTINGLIFE exclusively gathered from a source that the team’s Head Coach Rohr had initially drafted two new players for the botched September friendlies but he is now planning to invite four new players including a goalkeeper based in Europe.
According to the reliable source, two reasons why the invitation of a new goalkeeper is vital is the fact that Kaizer Chiefs’ first-choice goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi was injured recently while starring for his club against Bidvest Wits at the FNB Stadium. The Eagles’ Goalkeeper had a nasty collision with an opposing player and he may have to take a longer time to recuperate.
Secondly, Eagles’ only home-based player and goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa of Heartland FC has not been playing for a while now since the Nigerian Professional Football League has not commenced.
The Eagles’ gaffer Rohr has vowed to use the FIFA window to prepare his team for the two qualifying matches for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations rescheduled for November so he would like to invite a goalkeeper who is keeping for his club regularly.
“As we speak the Head Coach is planning a 30-Man list for the October FIFA window friendly games. What he said that was key for the invitation of players is their fitness based on their regular featuring for their respective clubs in Europe”, the source told SPORTINGLIFE.
“Another important thing is that the Coach is planning to invite at least four new players including a goalkeeper for the FIFA window games. The only two players that are sure to make the list, for now, is our number one Goalkeeper Francis Uzoho, and Maduka Okoye.
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“You know that Daniel Akpeyi is injured in his last game for Kaiser Chiefs and Ikechukwu Ezenwa has not been playing for a while. So I see a situation where the Coach will invite one of the two Nigerian goalkeepers he has been monitoring for sometime now. Ezenwa can also be invited to see if he can cope at the training”, the source also disclosed to SPORTINGLIFE yesterday.