‘Gernot Rohr can’t be sacked without recourse to contract terms’

• N5billion budget inadequate for sports, says Senate Committee boss

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Sports and Youth Development, Senator Obinna Ogba, has cautioned sports enthusiasts, who have been calling for the sack of the Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr, to exercise some patience.

Speaking after defending the 2022 budget of the ministry before the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Ogba said that sacking of a coach is not as easy as they think because it is a contract.

Many Nigerians were not impressed by the Super Eagles lacklustre performance against Cape Verde, which ended 1-1. Hence, sports enthusiasts have been calling for his sack without further delay.

Senator Ogba continued: “Yes, so many persons have called for his sack. It needs to be discussed because there was an agreement with the sports operators in football.

“There is a way you will sack him, and if you don’t pay him certain amount of money, FIFA will ban Nigeria and when they ban us, you will complain. Why not allow football operators discuss the issues by finding a way out?

“Mind you, part of the agreement is for him to qualify Nigeria for Nations Cup, and he has done that. No matter how he qualified.

“The next thing is the World Cup, and it is still on. For me, I am not Amaju Pinnick, who is the president of NFF. But I am also a board member, and I can tell you authoritatively that among us, many have asked that he should step aside. But it is not something you say for saying sake.

“It has to be a discussion, meetings, and so many things have to be taken into consideration. Even if it warrants sacking him, we will sack him, otherwise we allow him be,” he stated.

Ogba debunked the insinuation that there are crises in sports. “In every situation, some persons will like something and others will not like it. But we have to look for the best.”

On the budget of the ministry, he said it is very inadequate, adding that something needs to be done about it. According to him, the N5billion earmarked for the ministry cannot take the ministry anywhere.