Nigerian Bundesliga trio excites Rohr

By Morakinyo Abodunrin

Though none of the Nigerian players in the Bundesliga is involved in the title run in with their respective clubs, Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr remains a happy man.

With the return of the Bundesliga w on May 16 amid the coronavirus crisis, the trio of Paderborn’s Jamilu Collins, Mainz 05’s Taiwo Awoniyi and FC Koln’s Kingsley Ehizibue have all been in the thick of action for their respective German sides.

Rohr reckoned that the Bundesliga where he made his name with Bayern Munich in his heyday is a veritable ground for the Nigerian lads to improve on their fitness ahead of resumption of international football.

“It was important that football returns,” explained Rohr, who will be 67 on June 28. “Bundesliga is well prepared with a great sanitary concept which is good.

Read Also: What will Rohr bring to the Super Eagles?

“I am very happy that Bundesliga is playing for everybody to see and all the Nigerian players, of course, can be watched.

“Players like Taiwo Awoniyi of Mainz; also the other ones especially those that had already made our team (Super Eagles) like Jamilu Collins at Paderborn and Kingsley Ehizibue are also a regular for Köln; these are players that already reserved for Eagles.”

Speaking on the effects of  COVID-19 on  world football, Rohr said the transfer market can never be the same again, adding that market valuation of players in recent years have been mindboggling.

“The transfer market and economy in football will be a little bit lower; there will be less money because sponsors are pulling out and some clubs have financial problems,” he said. “I think football was going too high with the kind of money being paid in the last few years, so it is good sometimes to stop a little bit and to become again reasonable again.”