Former Nigeria Football Federation Technical Director, Kashimawo Laloko did not hold back on his criticism of manager Gernot Rohr following the Super Eagles 2-1 loss to Algeria in the semifinal of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Only one home-based player, Ikechukwu Ezenwa, was named on Nigeria’s roster for the tournament in Egypt, and Laloko has blasted Rohr for breaking a Nigerian Federation policy which stipulates that at least thirty percent of the players included in the squad must be players plying their trade in Nigeria.
”I was former technical director of Nigeria and I remember the policy, there is a policy that 30 percent of those going to play for Nigeria must be home based but this man is not thinking like that,” Laloko said in an interview with Bunmi Haruna of 96.9 Cool FM Abuja.
”We have to have this policy of development, must we go to Europe to bring players to play for Nigeria? Ighalo and Ndidi, didn’t they go from Nigeria to Europe.
”Why can’t we develop our players here? When the match is over, he will come and collect money, he didn’t do anything.
”The technical committee what are they developing, all the staff in the Federation have academies, is that their responsibility, is that what they are supposed to do? When I say the truth I become their enemy.”
Laloko has opined that the Super Eagles were extremely lucky to have qualified for the semifinal of the Africa Cup of Nations, adding that Rohr lacks tactical acumen.
”The boys have tried their best but they have a coach that does not understand football. I cannot imagine a coach who knows his worth doesn’t know how to organize his team, you saw in the last match Chukwueze was removed and Ighalo was no longer playing.
”It has to do with strategy and Rohr disappointed me personally.
‘I should thank the boys for pushing us to the semifinal, we have been very lucky, the way we went through all the matches.
”The only time we played well was when we played South Africa, they didn’t do any other thing apart from that. I want to thank them for making Nigerians proud.”
The Super Eagles held a recovery session on Monday ahead of tomorrow’s third place play-off against Tunisia at Al Salam Stadium, Cairo.
