Super Eagles handler, Gernot Rohr has been urged to look inward and more opportunity to home based players to feature for the national team.
Former international Godwin Okpala disclosed that the only way Rohr can justify his recent contract extension with the NFF is by giving players in the league the needed exposure to excel.
The Franco- German tactician, recently put pen to papers for a new two and half years contract with the NFF where he among other conditions accepted a pay cut, accepted to reside in Nigeria as well as give more playing times to players plying their trade in the country’s domestic league and Okpala believes that the former Gabon and Burkina Faso gaffer must match his words with action.
” I’m happy that the issue of Gernot Rohr contract has been settled and he is now set to work towards taking our football to another level but I want him to take the issue of home based players serious”, began the former Paris Saint German defender.
‘ it’s important he looks inward because we have many talented players in the domestic league and all of us started here before moving to Europe where our game improved tremendously and I believe that If he send his assistants to our league venues, they must discover one or two talented players who will be called for national team assignment.
” Although he has his reasons for believing that home based players will not give him what he wants in the national team but there is need for him to give it a trial and he would be convinced beyond all reasonable doubt that he can get players whom he will rely on from the country’s domestic League'”, concluded Okpala who was a member of the Super Eagles France 1998 World Cup team.
