• Says Rohr must not be pressurised
The first university graduate to play for the senior national team, Dr. John Oganwu has called on coach Gernot Rohr to line up only ‘committed and fit’ players in the Super Eagles as they prepare to take on African champions, Indomitable Lions of Cameroon in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.

The Super Eagles currently top Group B of the African qualifying series with six points following two victories against Zambia and Algeria. The double-header against Cameroun in Uyo on September 1 and Yaoundé three days later holds a lot to Nigeria’s qualification to Russia 2018.

The Warri-based Oganwu, a leading voice in the Nigerian oil and gas sector, believes the Eagles would scale through if only the coach would parade players determined and hungry to make names for themselves.

“We all saw Cameroun at the last Nations Cup in Gabon and even the Confederations Cup in Russia. They are a team that can wreck havoc against any opponent any day. But I am of the view that the Super Eagles can beat them if we parade the best players. There should be no sentiment in the selection of the starting eleven players.

“The coach must know that this match against Cameroun is the key to our qualification to Russia 2018. He must not use past performance as basis for picking his starting eleven players. If we parade players who are hungry to make a name for themselves, I don’t see Cameroun stopping the Eagles,” Oganwu stated.

Oganwu, who is known for his philanthropist nature and support for grassroots football in Delta State, added: “Cameroun is a physical playing team and Rohr should build a team that can provide answers to every trick they will bring to the field. If we get it right in Uyo, the second leg in Yaounde will be an easy job because the Lions will be under pressure. Nobody should put the coach under undue pressure in the selection of players for the match. Apart from the coach and players, every Nigerian must stand behind the team. They need prayers to succeed just like the CHAN Eagles did in Kano against Benin Republic.”