By George Aluo
Super Eagles manager, Gernot Rohr believes he has a good team going into the AFCON 2019 campaign, and would ordinarily be beating his chest that Nigeria would lift the trophy the fourth time in Egypt.
But the Franco German tactician has one big worry which he fears may work against his team and this informs why he is not talking tough or promising anything, even as the Eagles kick started their campaign against Burundi on Saturday.
A close pal of the Eagles manager disclosed exclusively to The Nigerian Xpress Sports that Rohr’s big worry is in the goalkeeping department of the team.
According to our source, although Rohr would not want to openly admit it, he is not too comfortable with the quality of goalkeepers in his squad, especially with his preferred boy, Cyprus based Francis Uzoho not being in top form.
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Rohr it would be noted, had during the last round of pre Nations Cup friendlies opted to use South Africa based Dan Akpeyi ahead of Uzoho.
Hear our source: “One thing people don’t know is that Rohr’s biggest worry is his goalkeeping department. After the retirement of Vincent Enyeama, Rohr felt he has a perfect replacement in Uzoho who has good height and young. But as you can see after taking Uzoho to the World Cup, the goalkeeper has made little or no progress at club level. His move from Spain to Cyprus did not in anyway help.
Uzoho not being in top form worries Rohr. The coach is just praying goalkeeping won’t be a problem in Egypt. It is clear to him that he does not have a “world class” goalkeeper at the level of Enyeama that can make the difference when the chips are down in a very difficult and crucial encounter. This to a large extent informs why the coach is not talking tough or promising anything and as we all know goalkeeping is one very important department of a team.”
Eagles are in Egypt with three goalkeepers with home based Ikechukwu Ezenwa being the home lad in Rohr’s 23- man squad.
Interestingly some analysts believe Ezenwa who manned the post in the second half of the international friendly against Egypt in Asaba remains the best of the three goalkeepers. The Katsina United safe hand is however number three on Rohr’s list. Ezenwa in the friendly against Egypt made some brilliant saves that endeared him to the heart of fans. The fact that he is home based appears to be the factor that is making him not being reckoned with by the Eagles manager who has consistently scored the Nigerian professional league very low, albeit for justifiable reasons.