Former Nigerian International Blasts Gernot Rohr for Fielding Super Eagles Captain Ahmed Musa Against Lesotho

Former Nigerian International Blasts Gernot Rohr for Fielding Super Eagles Captain Ahmed Musa Against Lesotho

Babajide Orevba
updated at April 12, 2023 at 7:48 PM

- Gernot Rohr defended his decision to invite Ahmed Musa for the just concluded AFCON qualifiers

- The Super Eagles captain who has been without a club for six months came on as a substitute against Lesotho

- Makinwa lamented that the manager would not attempt such if he was the coach of Germany

PAY ATTENTION: Join Legit.ng Telegram channel! Never miss important updates!

Former Nigerian international Ayo Makinwa has blasted coach Gernot Rohr for introducing team captain Ahmed Musa against Lesotho at the final game of the AFCON qualifiers.

Musa came on as a substitute as Super Eagles of Nigeria defeated the Crocodiles 3-0 at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere Lagos.

Rohr had initially maintained only players who are in form will get invitation into the national team, but Nigerians were stunned Musa made the list despite being out of club for about six months.

The former CSKA Moscow man left Saudi Arabian outfit Al Nassr last year and has been in search for a club outside the shores of Nigeria.

And coach Rohr defended his decision to include the player in the dead-rubber encounter. The Franco-German tactician said before the game:

“Musa could play because we only have 21 players with him we became 22.
“So he could come in, he was fit and met the physical test. He’s in good shape and so, there was no reason not to allow him to play.”
Former Nigerian international blasts Gernot Rohr for fielding Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa against Lesotho
Gernot Rohr under fire for inviting Musa. Photo: Catherine Ivill
Source: Getty Images

But Makinwa has blasted the coach saying it was a slap on Nigerian football, maintaining that he does not have anything against the Super Eagles captain.

He said as cited in Punch:

“Can Rohr try that if he was the coach of Germany or any other top African team or in Europe? Or was it because he’s the captain of the team? I don’t have anything against Musa. He’s a nice and cool guy, but the coach got it wrong there.
“That move was disrespectful to Nigerians and those who were selected to be on the substitute bench for that game.”

Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that Nigerian international Joe Aribo has been named in the Scottish Premier League team of the season.

The 24-year-old midfielder is among the generation of players who helped Rangers win the league title for the first time in a decade.

So far this campaign, he has scored six goals in 25 topflight appearances and could add to the tally before the end of the season. He has also created four assists after the same number of outings.

Six members of Steven Gerard's title-winning squad were included in the list of the best XI players in the Scottish League in the 2020-21 term.

Authors
Babajide Orevba photo
Babajide Orevba
Babajide Orevba is a CAF accredited Nigerian journalist and HOD of the Local Desk with over 10 years of experience in media landscape.He studied NCE Political Science/Social Studies, AOCOED.
Tags
Gernot RohrNigeria