Duro Ikhazuagbe
President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick, has confirmed that Super Eagles’ Technical Adviser, Mr. Gernot Rohr, has been given some conditions for the renewal of his contract.
Speaking on Arise TV’s ‘Morning Show’ programme yesterday, Pinnick stressed that part of the new conditions to renew the contract of the French coach is that he must be willing to stay in the country, paid his wages in Naira as well as be ready to monitor the domestic league for fresh talents for the national teams.
“We have told him (Rohr) he must live in Nigeria, and that his salary will be paid in Naira (the Nigerian currency). He must go round League venues and see how he can nurture the players. If he is able to accept, we have a deal,” observed the NFF Chief on Arise, the television arm of the THISDAY Media Group.
The current two-year contract of the Super Eagles gaffer is due to end June 30 but speculations are rife that Rohr may take a walk from the Nigerian job as the current conditions were too difficult for him to meet.
Pinnick clarified further that Rohr will get the revised contract next week for him to review it and get back to the Sunday Dankaro House.
“He should get the contract (with the new conditions) in about a week’s time so that he can revert after studying it.”
Unlike previous dealings with coaches, the NFF President promised to involve the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development in this contract renewal.
“We will seek legal opinions on international coaches’ contracts. We shall also seek the opinion of the Sports Ministry,” he stressed.
On the Covid-19 pandemic, Pinnick said the football federation was in contact with overseas-based players of the National Teams and can assure Nigerians that they are all doing well at this delicate time,
He however admitted the impact of the pandemic on the Nigeria football sector shut down since 19th March 2020..
“We will sit down with our (official premium) partners AITEO with regards to the AITEO Cup competition, to see how we can still put this year’s edition together.
“There is also the AITEO/NFF Awards (in its third edition). This year’s edition is meant to celebrate the Super Falcons. We have plans to celebrate them but we don’t know how to go about it. So, we will sit down with our sponsors to figure things out.”
On the ad-hoc committee set up by the football-ruling body to investigate the death of Nasarawa United FC player Chineme Martins and recommend appropriate safety, security and medical measures in the interest of the domestic game, Pinnick disclosed that the panel has finished its field work. “The committee has worked to an appreciable level; done with its report. The members have done a great job in a short time and I must commend them.
“I am however, worried that the family of the late player has so far refused to give the go-ahead for autopsy to be done on the corpse.”
Pinnick commended the efforts of the Federal Government in containing the coronavirus pandemic, describing measures taken so far as effective and re-assuring.
“I want to commend the Federal Government for the efforts so far in tackling this pandemic. The Government’s strategy across all the States of the Federation has paid off and it is incumbent on all of us citizens to join the global army to fight this virus off the planet Earth.
“On our part at the NFF. We are working with stakeholders, taking a cue from (world football –governing body) FIFA to intervene in certain areas.
“As an individual, I have a foundation by the name Brownhill Foundation, which has taken measures to support what the Government is doing, but we don’t want to talk about this. We are doing what we can in Delta and Lagos states and some other places.”
