Gernot Rohr has described his Super Eagles as commandos ahead of Tuesday’s world cup qualifier against Cape Verde.
After the team’s training session at the Estadio Municipal Aderito Sena on Monday, Rohr revealed the team had been trimmed to 19 players due to a number of reasons including “Covid and family “problems”.
With the depleted squad and the concern of readiness in time for the 3pm kick off, owing to the overnight flight, the 68 year-old Coach is optimistic the challenges won’t impact the quality of football his team will put on show.
“It’s a different pitch because we are not used to playing on a synthetic pitch. Some of the players did it before in Nigeria, but now they play in clubs where there’s no synthetic pitch,” Rohr expressed after the team’s training session.
“We already used it in Lagos, the synthetic pitch but not exactly the same one. This one is softer and I think it is better to play football on this pitch than in the second half in Lagos in the last game when the pitch was very heavy.
“So we try to play good football. We have changed the team, 10 players are not here, we’re only 19 because we had this problem with UK players but also with family problems or Covid problems.
“It is a challenge, but we’re commando, we want to win this game with this team. I trust in these boys who will be playing perhaps for the first time with the Super Eagles but if they’re here then they deserve it, they are good.”
Nigeria top group C with three points with the 2-0 victory against Liberia, but the small West African nation are in second spot following Monday’s victory against Central African Republic in Lagos.
On the other hand, Cape Verde were held in a 1-1 draw in against CAR and have just a point, a situation Rohr believes could be a motivation for the hosts to come all out in Tuesday’s game.
“So, we will see what can happen in this match because we know that Cape Verde also have to play; they have to win it, they did only draw in the first match and we will see.
“I think we are ready for this match because it was difficult travelling all night long. I missed the fresh, physical presence from some players because they’re still a bit tired but after a good night, tomorrow I think they’ll be ready.
“We prepared in Lagos with only three training sessions but the sessions in Lagos went well. Before we arrived the other team had two more days for recovery after the first game which they played in Douala; they played on Wednesday and we played only on Friday plus the travelling, so it will be a physical challenge.
“That’s why in the training session they were adapting, not too long today. But we will be ready because I see that my players, physically, still have something to bring and another night to recover and tomorrow afternoon they will be fit.”
