Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, has waded into the debate surrounding the Nigerian Football Federation’s negotiations with Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr for an extension of his contract.

Rohr’s four year contract with the national team expires in June and he has been in negotiations with NFF on a new deal. Rohr has accepted new conditions such as living in Nigeria and being paid in Naira- placed in his contract, but has added his own moderations to the contract with the NFF yet to make a decision on his new deal.

The delay to Rohr’s contract renewal has increased speculation that the federation might not want the German tactician to continue as manager of the Super Eagles.

Sunday Dare has now come out to say what the national team needs a competent coah whether it is Rohr or not. He added that his desire is to see that the Super Eagles is in the best hands, given the quality of players in the national team.

“All I want is a coach that is competent, I don’t care whether it is Rohr or not. The name doesn’t matter, but does he have the credentials?” Dare said in a video made available to media.  

“Look at our footballers, they play in some of the best clubs in the world and are coached by some of the best coaches.

“So if you want to coach a Nigerian team, you better be sound because the invited players that are going to represent the country train under the best coaches, therefore, we don’t want a player that is sounder than the coach.”

Rohr has been in charge of the Super Eagles since 2016 and led the side to the 2018 World Cup in Russia. He guided the  three-time African champions to clinch their eighth bronze medal at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.