NFF explains livestreaming hiccup
By Joe Apu
Gernot Rohr, the Super Eagles coach has warned his players not to take anything for granted when they face Burkina Faso in London on Monday.
According to thenff.com, Rohr told his players while looking ahead to the game against the Etalons: “It is a different game altogether. I coached them before coming to Nigeria and I know they are not so much physical but a very technical team.
“You think of players like Bertrand Traore (who is with Chelsea FC of England but loaned to Ajax Amsterdam) and also Nakoulma who was impressive at the Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon, as well as Alain Traore, (Aristide) Bance and the young goalkeeper (Herve Koffi).
“It is going to be an interesting match but we will be at our best.” He promised.
On the players performance against Senegal last Thursday, the Super Eagles’ Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr praised his young players for their never say-die attitude noting that it is never the result that matters in a friendly match but the attitude of the players and what they bring to the game.
“You must also consider that we were missing key players like Carl (Ikeme), (Victor) Moses and the captain (Mikel John Obi). We put out a couple of players who had not featured for us before, like (Olanrewaju) Kayode and (Isaac) Success.
“We had to deal with goalkeeping issue and Daniel (Akpeyi) did not have any training with the team. (Ikechukwu) Ezenwa came on the eve of the match and also did not train. It was difficult planning for the game but I am satisfied with what we came up with and how we approached the game.”
In a related development, the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF has dissociated itself from the failure of a plan to have Thursday’s international friendly between the Super Eagles and Teranga Lions of Senegal in London streamed live to interested Nigerians.
NFF’s Director of Media and Communications, Ademola Olajire explained on Friday that the task of having the game put up on livestream, as well as other details like TV production and stadium readiness, was entirely that of the organizers – Eurodata Sport.
“The livestreaming of the match had nothing to do with the NFF. Our clear responsibility was to present a team, by the name Super Eagles of Nigeria, while other tasks were squarely on the plate of the Match Agent. Our Official FIFA Match Agent, Jairo Pachon of Eurodata Sport had an agreement with some firm in Nigeria to livestream the match, through receiving signals from the production team at the stadium, but a technical hitch that arose late in the day conspired to make that impossible,” he stated.