Super Eagles’ head coach, Gernot Rohr has thrown his weight behind the array of home-based players in the Nigerian national camp to hold their own against Mexico in next weekend’s international friendly.
Megasportsaena.com reports that, although he will not be present for the game in Los Angeles, USA and many Nigerians fear the team cannot survive against the highly-rated Mexicans, Rohr posited that it will be a good learning curve for the lads.
He hinted as much while paying a visit to the team’s training session at FIFA Goal Project, Abuja, where the Franco-German tactician added that it is very good for players in Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) to be encouraged with such matches.
He went on to declare boldly that the NPFL lads will not be disgraced next Saturday in LA, as he enthused that they can even get a shock win, though there will not be any single foreign-based Nigerian star in the game, as they are all getting ready for pre-season training with their clubs.
Rohr added that he was impressed with what he saw of the NPFL players during training in Abuja and concluded: “They are doing well, they are learning. The home-based players are in the rhythm of the competition.
“It’s good to encourage these home-based players. They will have a difficult game, it is not impossible to win against Mexico, they have a great team but each match is open and I see here some players with good qualities.
“They are working hard, they are doing two training sessions a day and we are watching them. We are monitoring what they are doing as there will be a friendly also I hope, and a good selection for the departure to the United States.”
