Sports

Gernot Rohr’s Sack: Uncertainty As Nigeria Search For New Coach

Published

4 years ago

December 13, 2021

The Franco-German is no longer the Super Eagles head coach, following a virtual meeting of the NFF Executive Committee on Sunday.

But it feels Rohr should have been gone since 2018, after Nigeria failed to qualify from their World Cup group. The team needed a draw against Argentina to progress. Somehow, they conceded a late goal and duly crashed out.

Another good time to have sacked him, was after the 4-4 draw with Sierra Leone in November 2020. Rohr’s men threw away a four-goal lead, a result that NFF president, Amaju Pinnick, described as the worst under his tenure.

Yet, Pinnick didn’t act.

The Leone Stars also held the Super Eagles to a 0-0 draw in Freetown. It essentially meant the three-time African champions failed to win a single game throughout 2020.

However, the writing was on the wall, after Nigeria lost 2-1 to the Central African Republic (CAR) and drew with Cape Verde during their 2022 World Cup qualifying series.

After the Cape Verde game at home, Rohr was advised to resign. He declined.

The last few weeks, has seen the NFF in talks with the 68-year-old’s camp over the termination of his contract and negotiating his pay-off.

NFF Technical Director, Augustine Eguavoen, will now take charge of the team, as they prepare for next month’s Africa Cup of Nations is Cameroon.

Eguavoen will work with Salisu Yusuf, Paul Aigbogun, Joseph Yobo, Dr Terry Eguaoje and Aloysius Agu.

However, the NFF have made it clear he is working with the team temporarily.

The big question then is: will the football house plump for a local coach like Emmanuel Amuneke or Sunday Oliseh? Or will inferiority complex force them to scout around for another incompetent white man?

This uncertainty does not help the Super Eagles. They have a major tournament to prepare for in a few weeks. There is also the matter of the World Cup play-offs in January.

Since the NFF had finally taken the decision to fire Rohr, they should have had a replacement on standby. This is not club football, where you have a lot of matches to instill a playing style or redeem bad results.

Whatever happens in the coming weeks, analysts believe the first good decision has been made by sacking Rohr.

Sports

AC Milan Scrap Victor Boniface Transfer Over Failed Medical Tests

Published

2 hours ago

August 24, 2025

Editor

AC Milan has called off its proposed transfer of Nigerian striker Victor Boniface from Bayer Leverkusen, claiming the player failed to pass mandatory medical examinations.

The deal, which had been verbally agreed upon with a €5 million loan fee and a €24 million buy option, fell through despite Boniface’s arrival in Milan within the last 48 hours.

The decision was confirmed by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, on Sunday.

“AC Milan call Victor Boniface deal off as Nigerian striker did not pass the medical tests,” Romano posted.

“Despite verbal agreement for €5m loan fee and €24m buy clause with player in Milano in the last 48h, deal called off due to medical. Boniface, returning in Germany today.”

According to reports, the 24-year-old Nigerian international had two anterior cruciate ligament operations and recurring groin problems that have affected his availability in recent seasons.

Milan are not the first Serie A club to have reservations about the striker’s fitness, with reports suggesting that Roma rejected a swap proposal involving Boniface and Ukrainian forward Artem Dovbyk several weeks ago due to similar concerns over the Nigerian’s condition.

Sports

Why I’ll Never Advise My Son To Visit Nigeria – Taribo West

Published

2 days ago

August 22, 2025

Editor

A former Super Eagles defender, Taribo West, on Friday, berated the Nigeria Football Federation and Lagos State Government for allegedly abandoning the family of late goalkeeper, Peter Rufai.

Speaking at Rufai’s burial in a video posted by News Central on Friday, the ex-Inter Milan star expressed disappointment over what he described as the neglect of Nigerian football heroes after their death.

“It’s disheartening that you have Lagos State, you have the Nigerian Football Association. They drop the bulk on the family. I felt in my spirit that there is nothing to put your life for. That’s why I say I have to shift back so that I will not implode. It’s grieving.

“My mother passed on. I never shed tears. My father passed on in my hands. I never shed tears. When Rufai passed on, I had goose pimples on my body. And every individual I’m speaking to, there were tears rolling down my cheeks. What kind of nation is this?” he said

The former international recalled similar situations with late football icons such as Stephen Keshi, Rashidi Yekini, and Thompson Oliha, stressing that the treatment of ex-players discouraged him from encouraging his children to serve the country through football.

“With this kind of example, I will never advise even my son to put his feet for this country. Send me out! Do we have a Football Federation or do we have a Football Association in this Lagos State? That this hero, this soldier, this football evangelist, has to be treated this way in his family.

“Could you imagine that the family would be crying just to solicit in within our groups to ask for money? That is madness. Look, please let me go. I don’t want to pour my heart,” he stated.

Rufai, fondly called “Dodo Mayana,” was Nigeria’s first-choice goalkeeper during the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations triumph and the country’s debut at the FIFA World Cup the same year.

He passed away in July 2025.

Sports

CHAN 2024: Top Scorers Ahead Of Quarter-final Fixtures

Published

4 days ago

August 20, 2025

Editor

Uganda’s Allan Okello and South Africa’s Thabiso Kutumela are currently joint top scorers at the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN), with three goals each as the tournament heads into the quarter-final stage.

The group stage concluded on Tuesday, with Sudan holding Senegal to a 0-0 draw to finish top of Group D, while Nigeria defeated Congo 2-0.

Here are the top scorers going into the CHAN quarter-finals:

Allan Okello (Uganda) – 3 goals
Thabiso Kutumela (South Africa) – 3 goals
Abdelrazig Omer (Sudan) – 2 goals
Kaporal (Angola) – 2 goals
Austin Odhiambo (Kenya) – 2 goals
Clement Mzize (Tanzania) – 2 goals
The quarter-final fixtures are scheduled for Friday and Saturday.