International Football
FULL TEXT OF GERNOT ROHR’S INTERVIEW WITH L’EQUIPE: “AM ALREADY A SUCCESS STORY”, HE SAYS
While Nigeria missed out in the qualification of two consecutive Africa Cup of Nations in 2015 and 2017, Gernot Rohr restored the country’s pride by leading the Super Eagles to the 2018 World Cup. He tells, L’Equipe of his happiness and his ambitions.
A few days after qualifying Nigeria for the 2018 World Cup, Gernot Rohr has still not fallen from his cloud. From Bordeaux, where he is resting before approaching the next assignment, the Super Eagles coach explains how he has been able to achieve results in Nigeria after difficult years.
Gernot Rohr (64) told L’Equipe that he will see his contract through to July 31, 2018. He added that “the president has already announced to me that it will be extended for two years, before the World cup”. Sports Village Square attempts to translate the interview conducted in French into passable English.
- How do you feel about qualifying for the World Cup soon, even with the qualifying series still on?
“It gives me a lot of joy and satisfaction of course. It’s a new challenge, a new adventure that’s coming. Participating in the most important tournament in the world, with the best teams, is something every player and coach dreams about.
“To live that is already an end, even if it does not mean that we will reach the end. It’s a dedication for me who has been leading national teams for many years. I had already done some interesting things, African Cups for example, but there, really, it’s a plus.
- How did you manage this time to cross qualifications with Nigeria?
“It’s thanks to the quality of the players. There are some exceptional players. We found the right cocktail, the good mix between youth and experience.
”The team evolved about 15 months ago. We decided to integrate a lot of young people. Players like Alex Iwobi (Arsenal), Kelechi Iheanacho (Manchester City) and others who are already in big clubs. With these new and some old, we built a team that is solid, which was very effective during the playoffs.
- Are you surprised to be first out as easily (no defeat in five games) from a very high profile group with Algeria, Cameroon and Zambia?
“We had programmed things, even if they were mainly wishes. We knew that it would be difficult, with Algeria, which was then the best African team when the World Cup qualifying series began. Cameroon, which won the last Africa Cup of Nations and Zambia, which against all odds, proved to be the most competitive opponent. Very tough.
“Fortunately, we started well, not to have to go to Algeria in the last match, with the obligation to make a result.
- The players seem to have adhered to your instructions and your methods…
“Yes I think. Our course attests. The team has evolved well, despite some adjustments, injuries, including the goalkeeping position, since it is the fourth (Ikechukwu Ezenwa) who became titular.
“It was quite exceptional. We worked a lot with local players. It was not a long calm river. It had to be vigilant, find solutions to difficult situations and last minute packages.
- Under what conditions do you work in Abuja? How do the media in particular behave with you?
“I’m the breeder! I have full powers. As I won right away, my hands were free. But the media pressure is immense there, the press is omnipresent. At first, I was careful not to fall in the cracks of the media. After, I had no problem.
- What are the ambitions of the Super Eagles in Russia?
“They have qualified from the group stage in the past and getting to the round of 16, especially in 2014 when they faced the French team (0-2 defeat.
“We will try to do as well. Unfortunately, here, the ambitions are a little more excessive: the team must get to at least the semi finals.
“We have the ambition of the leaders to manage, even if I get along very well with the president (Amaju Pinnick), who came to get me. There are many people at the Federation (NFF). As in all African countries, it’s never easy. But for now, it’s going very well.
- …Because you seem to be perceived as the savior in Nigeria.
“I arrived at a time when everyone was wondering how to get out of the shadows, after two consecutive non-participations in the Africa Cup of Nations. They were really at the bottom of the hole.
“We could only go back up. I do not know if I’m considered the saviour, but as a coach who had the chance to qualify for the World Cup and did what it took to get there. ”
International Football
Former Brazil coach Tite taking break to take care of mental, physical health
Former Brazil coach Tite said he is taking an indefinite career break in order to take care of his mental and physical health.
The 63-year-old, who led Brazil to the 2019 Copa America title, was hospitalised due to a heart issue last August. He was sacked by Flamengo the following month and had most recently been linked with the Corinthians job.
“I realised that there are times when you have to understand that, as a human being, I can be vulnerable and admitting that will certainly make me stronger,” Tite said in a statement posted on his son Matheus Bachi’s Instagram on Tuesday.
“I’m passionate about what I do and I’ll continue to be so, but after talking to my family and observing the signals my body was giving off, I decided that the best thing to do now is to take a break from my career to look after myself for as long as it takes.
“As has become public, there was a conversation in progress with Corinthians, but it will have to be paralysed by a difficult but necessary decision.”
Tite, who stepped down as Brazil coach after their quarter-final exit from the 2022 World Cup, has previously coached a string of Brazilian sides including Gremio, Atletico Mineiro and Palmeiras.
-Reuters
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Brazil have sacked head coach Dorival Jr, the country’s football confederation (CBF) said on Friday after the five-time world champions were thrashed 4-1 away to fierce rivals Argentina in a humiliating qualifying loss in Buenos Aires.
The 62-year-old was appointed in January 2024 after the team spent a year under two caretaker coaches as the Brazilian FA were unable to lure Italian Carlo Ancelotti from Real Madrid.
“The Brazilian Football Confederation informs that coach Dorival Jr is no longer in charge of the Brazilian national team,” the confederation said in a statement.
“The management thanks (Dorival) and wishes him success in continuing his career … the CBF will work to find his replacement,” it added.
Dorival was handed the job after his success with Flamengo in 2022 where he won the Copa Libertadores and Brazilian Cup, a trophy he lifted again the next year with Sao Paulo.
However, he never seemed to get to grips with the national team job and failed to earn the trust of Brazil’s demanding fans after winning only seven of his 16 games in charge.
Sources told Reuters the CBF was not confident in Dorival’s work, considering there had been little to no progress since a lacklustre Copa America campaign when Brazil were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Uruguay last year.
Still, the CBF was willing to wait and see until the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador and Paraguay in June to reassess the situation following the end of the European season and the Club World Cup in the U.S. in June and July.
But after Brazil slumped to their heaviest-ever loss in a qualifier when they were thrashed by Argentina this week, CBF president Ednaldo Rodrigues decided to pull the trigger.
IDEAL CANDIDATE
Sources told Reuters Ancelotti was still the ideal candidate but he is under contract with Real until July 2026 and there is no indication he would leave the European and Spanish champions.
Brazilian media have reported that Al Hilal’s Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus is the favourite to replace Dorival.
Brazil have been in unfamiliar territory for over two years since crashing out of the 2022 World Cup against Croatia on penalties in the quarter-finals, a heartbreaking elimination that led to the exit of long-time manager Tite.
Their humbling defeat in Buenos Aires was the latest of a series of negative records Brazil have set under caretakers Ramon Menezes and Fernando Diniz and with Dorival in charge. They had never conceded four goals in a World Cup qualifier.
Brazil are in the midst of their worst-ever World Cup qualifying campaign. They are fourth in the South American standings with 21 points, a point above sixth-placed Colombia who currently occupy the final direct qualifying berth.
Never have Brazil lost so many games, conceded so many goals or set so many negative records in the qualifying competition. They have lost five of their 14 games and conceded 16 goals.
Brazil’s 1-0 defeat by Argentina in the Maracana late in 2023 was their first-ever qualifying loss on home soil.
They also lost to Colombia for the first time, saw the end of their unbeaten run against Uruguay stretching back over two decades and were defeated by Morocco and Senegal, having never previously lost to an African nation.
-Reuters
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International Football
England’s German manager Tuchel will not sing the English anthem in his first game
England manager Thomas Tuchel said he would have to “earn the right” to sing the national anthem, God Save the King, after announcing his 26-man squad on Friday ahead of the team’s World Cup qualifiers.
Tuchel, who was appointed as Gareth Southgate’s successor in October and named his first squad to face Albania and Latvia this month, said he would not sing the anthem in his first games in charge.
“It means a lot to me, I can assure you, but I can feel that because it is so meaningful and it is so emotional and it is so powerful, the national anthem, that I have to earn my right to sing it,” the 51-year-old German told a news conference.
Former caretaker manager Lee Carsley was criticised last year for not singing the anthem during his tenure.
However, Tuchel added that while he is proud to be in charge of the team and knows the words to the anthem, he plans to earn the right with results.
“Maybe I have to dive more into the culture and earn my right from you, from the players, from the supporters, so everyone feels like ‘he should sing it now, he’s one of our own, he’s the English manager, he should sing it’,” he said.
-Reuters
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