Super Eagles’ Manager, Gernot Rohr is expected to arrive in the country today to begin preparations for Nigeria’s African Nations Cup qualifier against Seychelles …on September 7. PHOTO: AFP.
Super Eagles’ Coach, Gernot Rohr is worried by the inability of his team to play in any of the national stadia in Abuja and Lagos, which have been out of use for over six years.
Nigeria has been playing its international games in Uyo, Port Harcourt and Kaduna, with the Eagles set to host Libya in an African Nations Cup qualifier at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in October.
Lagos was Nigeria’s ‘slaughterhouse’ from the 1960s up to the early 2000s until neglect and bad management ruined the magnificent National Stadium, Surulere.
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The Abuja National Stadium, which was built ahead of the 2003 Africa Games, has suffered neglect such that cows and other animals, which graze on the pitch, have dug holes in the field.
The recently constructed pitch at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba has shown that a grass pitch could be grown and maintained in a stadium with less than N35 million.
Speaking on his desire to take the Super Eagles to any of the national stadia, Rohr said, “We have not played at the Abuja National Stadium because there are holes in the football pitch.
“I was told long ago that it would be done but up till now we have not seen any work on it.
A grass pitch can be done within two weeks, but I don’t know what is happening here.
“I am sure that now that we have peace in the administration, we can get answers to the pitch problem.
I strongly believe there must be unity among football administrators and politicians for things to work well.”
Source: G Sport
