Gernot Rohr Explains Reason Why He Chose to Coach Benin Republic After Super Eagles Exit
- Veteran coach, Gernot Rohr, was in charge of the Super Eagles of Nigeria team between 2016 to 2021
- The Franco-German tactician eventually left his role after his contract was not extended in December 2021
- The former Nigeria coach, who joined the Benin national team, has explained why he opted to join the West African nation following his stint with the Super Eagles
Gernot Rohr left many surprised when he took up the coaching role of the Benin national team about a year after parting ways with the Super Eagles of Nigeria.
The Franco-German tactician, who shares a close affinity with several members of the Nigerian team, astonished many when he assumed the reins as manager of the Cheetahs.
Source: Getty Images
However, following his success in qualifying Benin for their first Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament since 2019, the veteran coach explained why he decided to take on the role with the Cheetahs.
Rohr addressed speculation that his move was motivated by financial gain, clarifying that he actually accepted a pay cut to manage the Benin team.
Rohr explains why he opted to coach Nigeria
In an interview as captured by Girondins4ever, Rohr opened up about his decision to take on the Benin national team coaching job.
“I’ve been fortunate to have a long career spanning over fifty years in professional football. I didn’t come for the money,” Rohr explained. “I accepted half of the salary I earned in Nigeria.”
He continued, “If money was my main motivation, I wouldn’t have come. I came for the challenge, for an exciting project, in a welcoming country that I already appreciated from my previous visits.”
Rohr acknowledged that, as is often the case in African football, salary payments and bonuses can sometimes be delayed, but he remained unfazed by such challenges.
“Like in many parts of Africa, there can be occasional issues with salary payments and bonuses. But it doesn’t bother me because I know there are honest people here. We understand that sometimes there are other priorities within the country, and patience is needed,” he said.
The German coach emphasized that the most important factor in his work is the commitment of the players and their collective pursuit of success.
“Football is important to many people, but the most crucial thing is that those involved give their all for what they do—for the country, for the team—especially with players who are 100% motivated. For this, we don’t need to focus on equipment or my salary,” he added.
Rohr, who has achieved an impressive average of 1.2 points per game with the Republic of Benin, as highlighted by FotMob, recently set his sights on qualifying the team for their first-ever FIFA World Cup.
The Cheetahs are currently leading their qualification group and are on track to achieve this ambitious goal.
Rohr subtly appealed to Nigeria
Legit.ng reported that Rohr subtly appealed to the Super Eagles for a favour ahead of their AFCON 2025 qualifiers Group D final matchday games.
The Republic of Benin is unlikely to secure a straightforward win in Tripoli.
Hence, the German head coach appealed to his former team not to lose to Rwanda in Uyo to aid their progression. The Super Eagles, however, appeared to ignore the Franco-German’s appeal, as they fell to defeat against the Amavubi.
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Source: Legit.ng
