Nosa Igiebor was part of the Nigeria’s 23-man squad for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, has revealed why he will never play for Nigeria again if Gernot Rohr till remain as Super Eagles coach.
Igiebor played twice for Nigeria enroute lifting the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa. He was a part of the players first called up by Rohr when he took over in 2016 but didn’t get to play in the games against Tanzania and Zambia in Uyo and Ndola respectively.
Presently clubless and recuperating from a surgery, Igiebor revealed that Rohr made some unsavory comments to him when he sort to know why he wasn’t featured in two consecutive games. He also accused Rohr of telling a local newspaper that he plays for the national team for the sake of the bonus he earns.
Asked about his international future with the senior national team of Nigeria, the ex Real Betis midfielder went on to explain why he won’t play for Nigeria again unless Rohr is no longer the coach ” Yes but not with this coach Rohr”, he told Brila Fm before explaining in details what happened between him and the Franco-German coach.
” When he was appointed Rohr I was invited. This guy came and said he want to see all the players and we all came out, he was shaking everybody and when he got to me he said I know you, you play for Maccabi Haifa. He said to me you’re a defensive midfielder , I said no I am a central offensive midfielder. He said I watched you play as defensive midfielder but I insist on my position but told him that at times you can track back to help out in defence.
” We played two friendly games and I scored in one and we were to play the first competitive game. He called the starting lineup for the game and I was not there. Mikel was not there for the game so I was thinking I will play but he put some other guy and around 60 minutes I went to warm up. One midfielder got injured and instead of me he picked a right back as replacement ahead of me.
” He made two other changes and I was not called up. From the warm up I went to the bench. I was angry and very bitter but I kept my cool and didn’t lose my head”, he explained before stressing how things went bad few days after their 2-1 win over Zambia in Ndola in the World Cup 2018 qualifiers.
“Few days later we travelled to Zambia. Coach Imama Amapakabo called the starting eleven and said Nosa see my own list, he saw the looks on my face and said Nosa see my list your name is there but the coaches changed it. You know I am only an assistant.
” I sat down on the bench for that particular game. One midfielder got injured again just like our last game. Once again they brought somebody playing right back to come and play. As soon as we landed in Abuja. In Europe if your coach don’t play you, you have a right to ask why you’re not getting game time so that you’ll know where to improve in your game. The coach will even be happy. I did that when we got to Abuja. Wrapped my hands around the coach and asked him why I wasn’t playing.
” You know what he said to me? I should go and play in England because most players he played play in England. That he doesn’t like the level of the Israeli league insisting that I should move to a better league if I want to play. I was shocked because I have played in Betis and even in the Champions League in the past.
“The following week they took a picture from a newspaper in Nigeria and sent to me, you know what Rohr said about me is that I will not call these players again because they are only coming here for the bonus. First on the list is Nosa Igiebor, my name was number one. So I was interviewed on this same station and I said I don’t want to play for the national team again if that is what this man thinks about me”, he concluded.
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