Super Eagles’ Technical Adviser Gernot Rohr has resolved to lead the Eagles to win the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations if discussions of contract extension goes well between him and his employers, the Nigeria Football Federation this week.
Rohr who led the Eagles to win bronze at the just concluded 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt is already in Lagos to meet with the President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick as regards his future with the team.
The Franco-German football tactician who spoke with SportingLife.ng in an exclusive interview in Abuja on his plans for the qualification series of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations however added that his future with the team has to be sorted out first before he can embark on a new journey with the national team.
“I think if I continue now, because I have a one year left in my contract, I strongly believe that we can qualify for the 2021 AFCON. We have to beat Benin, Sierra Leone and Lesotho at least two of them must be behind us in our group.
I think this should be possible.
“It is important to say that a coach that should handle the Eagles for this 2021 AFCON assignment needs at least two (2) years to prepare. I only have one year left on my contract. So this is something very important for us (Rohr and NFF) to iron out first”, Rohr told SportingLife.
The Eagles gaffer also believed that the team can continue from where it stopped in Egypt to have a shot at the AFCON Trophy, but like it happened in his contract all this while, he sincerely wants his stay to be hinged on performance.
“Like I did in my first contract I stated if I don’t qualify for the 2018 World Cup my contract is finished and I accepted it. I am happy that we qualified with a match to spare then.
“I also accepted in the extension of my contract after we lost our first qualifying match at home to visiting South Africa in the 2019 AFCON qualifiers that if I don’t qualify this team for the AFCON finals in Egypt, the
NFF can sack me. I am also happy to say that we qualified before the last qualifying match was played. I accepted all the time these challenges. I believe for me and my employers this should be the same for the future”, Rohr explained.
The Eagles Coach further made clarifications concerning whether conditions and targets was given to him by the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation as regards winning the 2019 AFCON competition in Egypt.
“For the last AFCON in Egypt the agreement was in my new contract that if I don’t qualify for the 2019 AFCON in Egypt my contract is finished. I took the risk after losing the first match to South Africa in Nigeria that my contract stops if I fail to qualify the team for the 2019 AFCON. We eventually came first in our group.
“So it was never included in my contract that I must win the AFCON in Egypt but to qualify for the Championship to continue as Eagles’ Coach.
“It was my personal ambition and target to go as far as the third place with the team. The NFF did not give me any target. I actually hoped to win but my target was met if we remember when we are coming from. I took over this team when the Super Eagles was ranked eleven (11) in Africa but I am happy now that the team is number 3 in Africa.
So it is important for me to discuss another two (2) year contract with the NFF after that work will commence fully”, Rohr disclosed to SportingLife.ng.
read also: AFCON 2019 FALLOUTS: Morocco, three others chase Gernot Rohr