Coach of the Super Eagles of Nigeria Gernot Rohr has responded to criticism in some quarters over his insistence on using Nigerian players born abroad to solve the issues of the team instead of targeting home based players.

Rohr has been busy holding meetings with players of Nigerian heritage born abroad to switch allegiance to the Super Eagles of Nigeria, as some of them are already youth internationals for the country of their birth.

However it has not gone down well with some section of fans of the Super Eagles who are of the opinion that the coach is sidelining players based in Nigeria in his plans to take the Super Eagles to their rightful place in Africa and the World.

” Since taking over the team, we have always considered the players based at home in our call ups, we believe they can compete for shirts in the team. But the league is on break now, so we have to focus on those we don’t want to lose to other countries”, Rohr told Owngoalnigeria.com.

“It’s easier to monitor players based abroad than those in Nigeria but that is why I have my assistants Salisu Yusuf and Imama Amakapabo, they are to ensure we get the best players called up since they are familiar with the terrain.

” The players based in Nigeria will prosecute the friendly against Egypt, from there we could see some who are going to be part of our squad going forward but they are part of our plans”.

President of the Nigeria Football (NFF) Federation Amaju Pinnick has narrowed the success of incumbent Technical Adviser of the Super Eagles Gernot Rohr to the hardwork of the local coaches working with the German.

Rohr has won all three games he has handled Nigeria as coach, with the 3-1 victory over Algeria, the most impressive so far since he took over as manager of the team from interim coach Salisu Yusuf, who alongside Imama Amakapabo and Alloy Agu are working with Rohr as assistants.

Pinnick also pointed out that not until Nigeria defeat Cameroon, qualification for the World Cup 2018 cannot be said to be achieved.

“We decided to go for what we want at that point and the good thing is that we did not consider it a gamble because we know his antecedent. “However, it is not about him alone but all the members of the technical crew, from Salisu Yusuf, Allow Agu to the least backroom staff. “I must also admit that we have mother luck smiling at us.

” The technical ability can be 70 or 80 per cent but the prayers from Nigerians also contributed. “I want to also emphasis that we are not resting on our oars. We are doing everything humanly and materially possible to ensure we beat Cameroon home and away. “It is only when we beat Cameroon that we can say that we have picked the World Cup ticket,” Pinnick said.

Surprise leaders of the German Bundesliga RB Leipzig are reportedly running the rule on CSKA Moscow of Russia winter transfer target Henry Onyekuru who plays for KAS Eupen in Belgium.

Newly promoted Leipzig who are currently top of the Bundesliga are combing Europe for more firepower and according to reports in Belgium, Onyekuru is one of their targets.

They have sent scouts to watch the 19 year old Nigerian, who was on target yesterday for Eupen in their 3-2 win over Club Brugge in the Belgian cup, adding to his 7 goals and 5 assists in the league.

Reportedly monitored by fellow Bundesliga side Hoffeinheim and Belgian giants Anderlecht, a reported bid from CSKA Moscow was turned down by Eupen who are keen on holding onto the forward until at least next summer.

Onyekuru moved to Eupen in the summer of 2015 and lead the team to promotion from the second division, and he is on a contract which runs until 2020.

Highly rated Nigerian centre back Faith Obilor who has been in Finland for the majority of his European career has secured a high profile move to giants HJK Helsinki.

Last season his total of 31 appearances with a goal to his name from his role as a centre back made him one of the most sought after players at the end of the 2016 season in Finland.

The 25 year old will officially become a player of the heavily decorated Finnish side on the 1st of January, a year after joining modest side FC Inter,where he excelled by playing in almost all of their games in the recently concluded season.

Since moving to Finland in 2011, he has had stints with PS Kemi, RoPS and FC Inter, although he had two different spells with RoPS and FC Inter.

Known for his hard tackling stance and aerial strength, his transfer to HJK Helsinki will continue a tradition of Nigerian players in the team, with Taiye Taiwo, Nnamdi Oduamadi and Vincent Onovo representing the team last season.

Nigerian forward Yero Bello who opened his goal account for his Moldovan side Milsami Orhei had one of the two goals he scored to hand his side a 2-0 win over Academica voted as goal of the week.

It took him a while to settle into his new surroundings in Moldova after spending time in Israel, Romania and Finland since moving to Europe from Nigeria.

28 year old Bello moved to Moldova after a brief spell with Finnish side IIves where he played just two games following his free transfer from Israeli side MS Ashdod.

Bello has been in Europe since 2009 and has a reputation of a feared marksman in Israel where he spent five seasons, although in between spells with Vaslui of Romania.

Managed by fast rising Nigerian intermediary Akinyemi Olubusola, he has a two year deal with the Moldovan side, although reports has it that he could leave if he maintains his form.

Dele Alampasu could be set for an extended loan spell at Portuguese third division side Cesarense after impressing the team handlers of the team with his performances.

Alampasu joined the third division side on an initial three months loan and although he is yet to keep a clean sheet, his performances have made him the first choice goalkepper since his debut two months ago.

Cesarense who are bottom of the third division table in Portugal are keen on having the shot stopper for the second half of the season, with his current loan arrangement set to round up after three more games.

Owners of the Nigeria international shot stopper CD Feirense are yet to reply to their demands, but their are indications that they will agree to the request as they currently have two good goalkeppers in their team.

Since joining Cesarense, he has played in all but one of their game. The game he missed was due to his involvement with the Nigeria national team as he arrived late after the World Cup 2018 qualifiers against Algeria.

Former Barcelona youth team captain Godswill Elohor Ekpolo, has emerged as a shock target by the coach of the Nigeria national team Gernot Rohr in his search for credible alternative at right back.

Rohr has lamented the lack of options at right back the Super Eagles are currently facing, a situation which has seen four players played in the position in just three games under the new coach of the Super Eagles.

Elohor’s name was mentioned to the manager the week he made a move to English League one side Fleetwood Town as a free agent following his release by Barcelona, after 11 years at the Nou Camp.

21 year old Elohor failed to make a single appearance for the main team of the Catalan giants, despite his amazing progress through the various youth ranks of the team he captained in the UEFA Youth League three seasons ago.

So far he has made two appearances for the League one side, and pending on how he progresses in the next few months under review, he could be called up for one of their friendly tie.

Top Israeli scout David Ouziel has urged English Premier League champions Leicester City to move for Oghenekaro Etebo of CD Feirense in the January transfer window.

Although they are heavily linked with a move for another Nigerian in Wilfred Ndidi of Genk, Ouziel believes the N’golo Kante role which they have failed to cover up since his departure to Chelsea, can be filled by Etebo with ease.

Leicester City who are struggling to agree on a price for Genk, could get Etebo for a lesser amount, even though his quality has been proven by his performances in Portugal and for the Nigerian team.

Ouziel who is famed for transferring talented Nigerian players revealed to Owngoalnigeria.com during a chat at his recently concluded screening exercise, that three years ago he saw the potential in Etebo, who is reportedly on the wish list of several European teams.

” Three years ago, I predicted that Etebo will be a top star, to me he is the best Nigerian player not playing in a top club. He is top quality and looks like what Leicester City are lacking at the moment” Ouziel told Owngoalnigeria.com.

” His price will be moderate but he is top quality and will be a bargain buy for any team that end up signing him in January, but I so badly wish he move to England, Leicester City precisely”.

Wikki Tourists and FC IfeanyiUbah have been drawn to play the opening game of the 2016/17 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Super Four Championship, which flags off on December 7 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu.
According to fixtures released by the League Management Company (LMC), the opening match will kick-off at 5pm with the second fixture between League champions, Rangers International and runners-up, Rivers United starting at 7pm.

Abubakar said “on Match Day 2, Rangers International will play Wikki Tourists in the first match starting at 5pm while Rivers United and FC IfeanyiUbah will take to the pitch for the second game of the day”.

The final match day will have the fixtures between Rivers United and Wikki Tourists at 5pm while FC IfeanyiUbah and Rangers International will play the closing game at 7pm.

Abubakar also noted that all the matches will be played under flood light.

“We are continuing with the growing popularity of night games in Enugu and essentially, we are also considering a fans-friendly time when businesses would have closed to encourage huge turnout for the matches”.

The NPFL Super4 is an annual pre-season tournament organized by the LMC for clubs participating in Confederation of African Football (CAF) Club competitions in the coming season. It enables the clubs condition their players for the competition as the tournament provides a platform for integration of new and retained players of the clubs as well as enable the Managers put to competitive test their pre-season trainings.

Rangers International and Rivers United that finished first and second in the NPFL will represent Nigeria in the CAF Champions League while third placed Wikki Tourists and Federation Cup champions, FC IfeanyiUbah will play in the CAF Confederation Cup.