A section of Nigerians took to social media calling on the Nigeria Football Federation to tender an apology to former Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr, after the country failed to qualify for the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
Nigeria played a 1-1 draw with Ghana at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja on Tuesday but couldn’t qualify for football’s biggest showpiece as they crashed out on the away goal rule following a goalless draw against their archrivals in Kumasi last Friday.
The Eagles put in a poor display in the second leg of the final play-off and had their hopes of playing at the Mundial dashed by their West African rivals.
Rohr, who was sacked by the NFF in December 2021 following an underwhelming performance by the Eagles, guided Nigeria to qualify from the group stage as they topped Group C with 13 points ahead of Cape Verde, who finished second with 11 points.
Immediately after Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the World Cup in Qatar, some fans swarmed the social media calling for an apology to the Franco-German.
Osasu Obayiuwana wrote, “Nigerian football and Nigeria owe a big apology to Gernot Rohr. The @NGSuperEagles have reaped the bitter fruits of that unjust sacking by the NFF. Now, it is time for the governors of Nigerian football to face their day of reckoning.”
Another sports journalist, Ibukun Aluko, said, “We didn’t need to sack Gernot Rohr, that man was getting us into every competition easily, but Nigerians demanded for good football!!
“If anything at all, I’m happy that Gernot Rohr has been Vindicated!”
“For real, we as a nation owe Gernot Rohr an apology. Eguavon destroyed everything,” Victor @Bolikass simply wrote on Twitter.
A Twitter user with the name, Timmy Leyin added, “I need the apology to be as loud as the disrespect. Gernot Rohr would never disappoint in such a crucial game.”
Mr Felix also joined in saying NFF owed Rohr an apology.
“Gernot Rohr would have done the needful. NFF and Nigerians disrespected him. He needs some apologies please because Eguavoen and Rohr no be mate,” he tweeted.
MAFID0N added, “Can the NFF really say that Gernot Rohr would’ve done a worse job than what Eguavoen just did at AFCON and the World Cup qualifiers? Can they really say that?”
Ikakke Ekanem questioned the NFF’s decision to retain Eguavoen after the AFCON.
“NFF stop playing politics with Nigerian football. The initial plan was Eguavoen to take Super Eagles to AFCON and Jose Peseiro to play the WC qualifiers.
“Why was Gernot Rohr sacked if an underperforming Eguavoen who couldn’t pass round of 16 at AFCON is allowed to play WC qualifiers?”
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