Win AFCON for Nigeria to prove your worth, Nwosu tells Rohr
Henry Nwosu has urged Nigeria national team coach, Gernot Rohr, to win the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations title in Cameroon to prove his worth as one of the best tacticians on the continent.
The three-time Africa champions sealed their place at the continental competition with two games to spare after Lesotho and Sierra Leone played out a draw on matchday five.
Under Rohr, Nigeria have now qualified for two consecutive Africa Cup of Nations tournaments since their failure to reach the competition in 2017.
Nwosu is pleased with the impressive showings from the West African giants but believed it is too early to rate the 67-year-old as one of the best managers in Africa.
“Rohr has done well but I will not see him as one of the best coaches in Africa just because he qualified Nigeria for Afcon. Let him go on and win the Africa Cup of Nations,” Nwosu told Goal.
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“After winning the Nations Cup that is when we can now rate him. The wish of every Nigerian is for Rohr to win the Nations Cup.
“I will want Nigeria to win the Africa Cup of Nations title and do well at the World Cup and even win it. That is the target for the coach in charge whether he is a Nigerian or not.”
The Super Eagles finished as winners of Group L with 14 points after back-to-back victories over the Republic of Benin and the Crocodiles in their final two qualifiers this month.
Nwosu has praised the performances of the national team and urged them not to relent but to continue to show their determination and courage when the Africa Cup of Nations gets underway.
“I am impressed with the performance of the Super Eagles in the Afcon qualifiers especially with the last two games they played,” he continued.
“They have shown us they know what they want and they know what they are doing. That is good for us and I urge Nigerians to support the team.
“However, they must not be complacent for the Nations Cup. So far they have tried and they have shown the whole world and Africa in particular that they have come to stay.
“That seriousness, that competitiveness, that determination among them should continue. The Super Eagles must play together and have more understanding and more competitiveness among them. These will bring out the best from our boys.”
Genk forward Paul Onuachu was not initially part of Nigeria’s 24-man squad for the tournament despite his eye-catching displays at his club.
The lanky attacker was, however, drafted in following the inability of Nantes winger Moses Simon to honour his invitation due to Covid-19 rules in France.
Onuachu emerged as one of the star performers for the Super Eagles scoring in each of Nigeria’s last two qualifying games, including his match-winner against Benin in Port Novo and Nwosu has lauded the impact of the forward.
“The young man has impressed me and Nigeria should give him more opportunities to showcase his talent,” he added.
The Super Eagles finished third at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, behind winners Algeria and Senegal.