Chairman, Nigeria Professional Football Club Owners Association, Isaac Danladi, who is also a member of the NFF’s Technical Committee, at the weekend, assured that the committee would support Super Eagles’ Manager, Gernot Rohr, in his drive to make the national team great again.
Rohr, who has been charged by the NFF to win the next African Cup of Nations and also take the Super Eagles to good performance at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, has been criticised by many Nigerians for ignoring home-based players in his teams.
In his new contract, the NFF insists that the German must add some Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) players in his squads to aid the growth of the league.
However, Danladi told The Guardian that his committee would not dictate players to Rohr, saying they would only help the coach to pick players good enough to represent the country in international engagements.
Forcing the German to use particular players, Danladi stated, could give him the alibi to defend himself if the team failed to perform.He remarked that the technical committee would help the manager to choose good players.
Danladi, who is also the chairman of Nasarawa United FC, however, noted that NPFL have quality stars that can play in the Super Eagles team if given the opportunity.He said: “As a member of the NFF Technical Committee, it is worrisome that NPFL players are not playing in the Super Eagles team.
“But club owners or the NFF cannot force any domestic player on Rohr. It is the duty of the coach to pick any player he feels can deliver in the national team.
“Employers do not involve themselves in the area of selection of players to avoid being accused of interference. Rohr has the freewill to do what he desires with the team. But we will not stop clamouring for domestic players to be included in the Eagles.
“His new contract mandates him to stay in the country and watch the Nigerian league. We hope he will watch the league and pick quality players that will play for the Super Eagles.
“As club owners’ chairman, I don’t feel happy any time I am on national team assignment with the Super Eagles and there is no NPFL player in the squad.”
On the clamour for a league for private investors, Danladi said the NPFL still needs government owned clubs to participate in the league, adding, “They are the ones capable of financing clubs.”
He explained that chairmen of government clubs are appointed because they are personalities with high regard in the society and are also successful in their various businesses.
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