Former Super Eagles’ assistant coach, Joe Erico is backing the Nigerian national team’s handler, Gernot Rohr is his stand against monitoring by the technical committee of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), as the ‘Jogo Bonito Exponent’ argued that a tactician worth his salt will not allow his squad list to be checked my anybody.
Megasportsarena.com reports that Erico, who was Nigeria’s first choice goalkeeper in the then Green Eagles’ squad that played third at Maroc 1976 Africa Cup of Nations, reckoned further that only a coach who does not know what he is doing would allow himself to be told what to do by an external committee.
He declared further during Mega Sports on Star 101.5 FM, Lagos that hearing Rohr rejected the condition in his new contract that stipulated he should make himself available for scrutiny by the NFF technical committee means the Franco-German gaffer is seeking the respect that should be granted him as head coach of the side, especially as the buck rests at his table.
The goalkeeper-turned-gaffer, who went on to make his biggest marks in the tactician’s trade as a revolutionary tactician with Julius Berger FC of Lagos, concluded with a view that Rohr should be allowed the independence he demands in all matters that concern invitation of players and other technical issues concerning the team, because he will be called to question ifthe squad fails to do well, as is expcted by all Nigerians and the NFF.
Erico stated: “Any coach who allows them to tell him what to do does not know what he is doing. A coach who knows what to do will not allow them tell him what to do. Once he starts taking instructions from the officials, then he is in trouble.
“It is the coach that will be sacked if the team does not succeed. The board members will not be sacked, the FA chairman will not be sacked; it is the coach who takes the blame. The coach must be ready to take all decisions for his team and take full responsibility for everything.”
