Former Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr has expressed disappointment over the off-field turmoil overshadowing Nigeria’s decisive 2026 World Cup playoff against Gabon, describing it as “a pity” that such issues are resurfacing at the worst possible time.
Rohr, now head coach of Benin Republic, said Nigeria’s recurring administrative crises have once again threatened the team’s focus ahead of a major fixture. Speaking in an exclusive chat, the Franco-German noted that the bonus dispute and temporary training boycott were “not new at all,” recalling that similar unrest hit the Super Eagles during the 2019 AFCON in Egypt.
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He said the situation was avoidable and urged the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to honour its commitments, insisting that a team fighting for a World Cup ticket deserves stability, clarity and respect.
“It is a pity this is happening again,” Rohr said. “The players should not be dealing with these distractions two days before a very important match. We faced this same problem in Egypt, and it is sad to see it repeated.”
Despite his disappointment, Rohr expressed strong confidence that Nigeria will still rise above the disruption and beat Gabon to reach Sunday’s final.
The former Eagles boss said the quality in the squad is enough to navigate the playoffs, but warned that the players must remain mentally strong and avoid letting the controversy affect their performance.
“Nigeria has the players to qualify,” he said. “I believe they can win on Thursday and even go on to take the African playoff ticket. But the NFF must do their part. The players need to trust that the promises made to them will be kept.”
Rohr also urged calm among supporters, insisting that the players’ brief protest was not out of disrespect to the nation but a call for fairness.
“They only want what they were promised. Now that they are back to training, Nigerians must support them.”
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