GERNOT ROHR BEMOANS LOSSES, BUT TAKES POSITIVES FROM NIGERIA’S DEFEATS
The Super Eagles extended their winless run to four games after suffering their second consecutive defeat to Karel Jarolim’s Czech side.
However, Super Eagles’ head coach Gernot Rohr has taken positives from the team’s woes in recent friendly encounters.
The three-time African champions lost 2-1 to England on Saturday and four days later suffered another 1-0 defeat to Czech Republic at the Rudolf-Tonn-Stadion, having previously succumbed to Serbia and shared the spoils with Congo DR.
The results see the Nigeria National team head into the global tournament as the world’s 48th best team and the least ranked side in Group D, below Argentina [5], Croatia [20] and Iceland [22].
However, Rohr is rather focused on the positive aspect of the warm-up games, especially with the return of Wilfred Ndidi to action, having been sidelined for two months owing to a hamstring injury.
“We lost again another match, everybody is angry about it and this anger is positive,” Rohr told BBC Sport.
“After we won against Argentina in a friendly [in November], everyone talked about us reaching the semi-final and now the results now has humbled those voices.
“Because we need humility, it is helping us. We also need solidarity and hard work. Everybody understands this after the defeat to Czech Republic.
“We also had some positive lessons especially with the return of Ndidi. He has not played for two months,” Rohr said.
“It was very important to see him playing again. Normally, he should play 70 minutes but could play 90 minutes which is very good.
“The medical team did a great job. Now Ndidi will be fit for the World Cup.”
The Super Eagles open their World Cup campaign with Croatia at Kaliningrad Stadium on June 16.
SOURCE- GOAL.COM