As Gernot Rohr Awaits New Contract Negotiations - Would NFF Want Him to Continue As Super Eagles Coach?

Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have continued to create a kind of uncertainty whether they will go ahead to extend the contract of Super Eagles Head Coach, Gernot Rohr.

But then, Rohr says he won’t initiate talks about an extension to his contract with NFF, because it is up to the federation to approach him with a new deal if they want to retain his services.

Rohr’s contract as Super Eagles manager is set to run out in three months and the Franco-German is free to discuss with prospective employers.

Despite numerous reports about an imminent two-year extension from the NFF, nothing has materialised as the February 20 date set by NFF president Amaju Pinnick for talks with Rohr passed with no new developments.

And Rohr has said he won’t initiate talks but would wait and see what next course of action the NFF takes.

“I will not ask the NFF what is going on with my contract renewal (with just over 3 months left on his present deal). It’s for the NFF to approach me. I am still waiting,” Gernot Rohr told African football journalist Osasu Obayiuwana.

The former Gabon manager had been due in the country for the Super Eagles 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Sierra Leone but will no longer travel after the Confederation of Africa Football called off the qualifiers because of the Coronavirus pandemic.

With it no longer being feasible to meet his players for the first time this year, Rohr said he would turn his attention to ensuring his players stay fit and healthy amid the disruption to the sports calendar caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

“My job is to focus on the Super Eagles, as long as I am the coach of this team. And I am going to do just that. Right now, my concern is that our players in Europe stay physically fit, even when they are not playing, because of the coronavirus situation.”

In his four-year spell in charge on the national team, Rohr led the Super Eagles to the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia and qualified the country for the 2019 AFCON in Egypt where they finished in third place.

The Super Eagles have played 40 matches with Rohr in charge scoring 61 goals and conceding 34 in winning 23, losing nine and drawing eight since his maiden game against Tanzania on September 3, 2016.