'Nobody can tell me who to select' Defiant Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr says

Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr has rejected claims that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) selects players for him, stating that nobody can dictate to him on who he picks for national duty.

Thee 66-year-old former Bayern Munich defender was handed a new two-year contract by the NFF, following the expiration of his four year deal which was signed in 2016.

Rohr has been mandated to qualify Nigeria for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and win the 2021 continental title in Cameroon in his new deal after the former Bordeaux manager guided the three-time African champions to a third-place finish at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

Franco-German tactician Rohr has been accused by NFF president Amaju Pinnick of not introducing more Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) players into the national team, while Nosa Igiebor who hasn’t been called up to the squad recently, alleged that he wasn’t called by Rohr because he doesn’t play in a top league.

Rohr, however, has dismissed both reports saying he only selects players on merit after consultation with his assistants.

“It is not a part of my contract to take players who are not so good. I can choose my players myself. It is the most important [thing]. So, nobody can tell me ‘You have to pick this one or that one,” Rohr told Channels TV.

“I can take the best players and I don’t do it alone. We have a team and our staff. I have my assistant, I have my analyzer.

“Each Monday we have our meetings and we speak about the games played at the weekend and what our players did. We have to take the best ones no matter where they are coming from.”