Uzoho not Eagles’ No 1 goalkeeper, says Rohr

• Dispatches assistant to work with Akpeyi in South Africa

Super Eagles manager, Gernot Rohr has declared that Deportivo de La Coruña reserve goalkeeper, Francis Uzoho has not been installed as Eagles first choice for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Rohr also stated yesterday that goalkeeper trainer, Pionetti Enrico, would travel to South Africa to work with Chippa United’s Daniel Akpeyi and will also be in Portugal to observe Dele Alampasu ahead of the World Cup.

The Super Eagles manager even suggested that Uzoho is lacking the required credentials to be the number one goalie at the World Cup as he is the third choice at Deportivo de La Coruña.

Dele Ajiboye had an evening to forget in the final of the African Nations Championship earlier last month, where he conceded 4-0 in the match against Morocco. According to allnigeriansoccer.com, Rohr has mandated former Super Eagles goalkeeper Alloy Agu to sharpen Ajiboye’s skills along with Ikechukwu Ezenwa.

‘’Uzoho is working hard, but he is only third choice keeper at La Coruna, and very young. Let’s work on all our goalkeepers,’’ Rohr said on a radio programme Mega Sports yesterday.

‘’We will give the same attention to Alampasu, Agu will work on the local lads as well. We will work equally with all the goalkeepers we have available, even with Akpeyi in South Africa.’’

If Rohr’s recent call-ups are anything to go by, the three goalkeepers he plans to take to the World Cup are Uzoho, Ezenwa and Akpeyi, who has been invited for the friendlies against Poland and Serbia next month.

Rohr was in Krasnodar Krai, Russia on Tuesday attending the FIFA World Cup Team Workshop.The German national team’s official twitter account posted a photograph of the former Bayern Munich defender and Germany’s assistant coach Thomas Schneider in Sochi, venue of the workshop.