• As Poland picks Nigeria ahead of Ghana
By Emma Jemegah
Former USA head coach and Germany World Cup star, Jurgen Klinsmann, has recommended MLS’ Portland Timbers striker, Fanendo Adi to Super Eagles technical adviser, Gernot Rohr.
Klinsmann had, towards the end of his contract with the USA national team, courted Adi to swap nationality and play for the American team having developed interest in the Nigerian’s ability to play the box and wide attacking roles conveniently, a move the Nigerian rebuffed.
The former Germany captain was said to have called Rohr to brief him of the abilities of the Nigerian striker.
According to the German, Adi has the qualities that are rare in modern strikers and could be of immense importance to the Nigerian attacking style.
“This guy is a great guy with absolute ability to combine the box and wide striking roles effectively with a huge area strength. I was talking to him about switching over to USA but it seems he had much hopes and respect for his homeland, maybe if I had stayed back with the American national team he would have changed his decision but I really want to believe that Gernot will be excited with this young man,” he was quoted to have said.
Klinsmann is on the verge of landing the Australia national team job after completing his interview with Australia FA on Monday.
Meanwhile, the Media Officer of the Polish Football Association (PZPN), Jakub Kwiatkowski, has reconfirmed that the Poles will face the Super Eagles in a pre-World Cup friendly on March 23, 2018 but stressed that the venue of the match has not yet been decided.
Nigeria national team coach Gernot Rohr first revealed that a friendly was in the offing which was later confirmed by the head of the PZPN, Zbigniew Boniek.
Poland who have been paired with Colombia, Japan and Senegal at the World Cup, were looking for a strong rival from Africa with whom they could play a friendly match and there was talk about a possible clash with Ghana, but the choice ultimately fell to Super Eagles, writes Sport Onet.
Jakub Kwiatkowski, spokesman of the PZPN tweeted on Monday : ‘’We can confirm that on March 23, we’re playing with Nigeria. Decisions on the venue of the match not yet made.’’
Nigeria thrashed Argentina 4-2 in their first pre-World Cup friendly staged in Krasnodar on November 14.