Former Super Eagles head coach, Gernot Rohr, has backed Nigeria to win the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon next year.
Rohr also hit out at Amaju Pinnick, the president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), over his remarks that he lost the dressing room while in charge of the Super Eagles.
According to the 68-year-old, Pinnick’s remarks was “ridiculous’, adding that the dressing room was 100% behind him.
The German tactician was sacked from his role last Sunday.
Following Rohr’s sack, the NFF appointed former Nigerian international, Augustine Eguavoen, on interim basis, pending the appointment of a permanent boss.
“He [Rohr] happens to be the longest-serving manager of the Super Eagles.
“We gave him all the support, but we didn’t want to wait for a disaster to happen before parting ways. The last two games were very tough games for us.
“We did everything that we could, but one major factor was that discipline in the team is lost practically.
“Players now talk back at you, players believe that they are indispensable. A lot of factors that will now militate against the team,” Pinnick had told Channels TV.
Reacting to the development, Rohr told ESPN: “This is ridiculous. Everybody knows it. The dressing room was always with me.
“All the players are writing to me and thanking me for my professionalism, for my independent work, for my presence.
“The dressing room was 100% behind me. And I hope it will also be 100% behind the new coach.
“I think they already had this prepared. They brought the new coach [Eguavoen] one year ago, so he could have a look.
“He would ask for the technical reports because he was technical director and Paul [Aigbogun], his assistant, was doing for me the work of scouting the opponents.
“But I wish them all the best because I want my players to succeed, to win the Afcon. I want Nigeria to go to the World Cup, and I’m sure that they will.”
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