Battle of Uyo: Come late, forget Algeria match – Rohr warns players

Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr has warned that any player that reports late to camp ahead of the crucial Russia 2018 World Cup qualifier against Algeria will not get a shirt. The Eagles camp is to open on November 7 in Abuja.

Eagles camp sources disclosed yesterday that the coach has drawn up a new set of camp rules aimed at keeping the players focused ahead of the November 12 match. Rohr is tightening all loose ends to ensure the World Cup ticket doesn’t slip through their fingers and these rules were part of the issues the Franco-German discussed with Eagles captain John Mikel Obi during his trip to London last week.

The rules were introduced to keep the players focus ahead of the game, as Rohr has not been comfortable with the conduct of some players in the build up to the games against Tanzania and Zambia.

Rohr’s first rule is the instituting of a deadline for the arrival of players, as no player who arrive after the 7th of November will be admitted in camp.

The move is to checkmate the excesses of players who will arrive Nigeria early but drive to camp few days to the game, with excuses about flight connections or family problems.

Also from now henceforth players will not be allowed to keep their personal car in the premises of the hotel where the team are camped, no thanks to the furore Ahmed Musa caused when he arrived camp for the Zambia clash in a flashy car.

Friends and family members will also not get access to the players unlike before, until after the game, a situation the manager frowned at when he noticed it’s like a tradition for friends to visit the players or even live in same hotel with them before games.

…Ikeme’s injury worries Eagles manager

Carl Ikeme is now doubtful for Nigeria’s crucial 2018 Fifa World Cup qualifier against Algeria after he sustained an injury on Saturday.

Ikeme sustained the injury while playing for English Championship club, Wolverhampton Wanderers against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park on Saturday.

A source close to Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr said he has called the goalie to inquire about the extent of the injury amidst hopes that it wouldn’t cost Ikeme an appearance in the qualifier.

The Nigeria goalkeeper was substituted at half time following the injury which the Wolves’s manager, Rob Edwards hopes is not too serious. “Carl was struggling around his hip area which I think came after he stretched to make a save.

“He was having it iced at half time and I don’t yet know the extent of the problem.

“Hopefully he won’t be out for too long because he is very important for us,” he told the club’s official website, www.wolves.co.uk. The goalkeeper also took the time to discuss the injury as he took to his Twitter account to update the fans.