The Minister of Youth and Sport, Sunday Dare has reportedly conveyed to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) a presidential directive demanding the immediate sacking of Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr.
The directive was issued over the weekend, New Telegraph reported.
“The presidency is aware of the poor performance of Rohr and wants to align itself with the yearnings of Nigerians who want the coach sacked.
“The minister has handed down the directives of the presidency to the NFF and in the coming days the coach should have kissed his job goodbye,” the paper quoted an unnamed source as saying.
Meanwhile, the NFF on Sunday debunked a rumour of Rohr’s sacking that circulated over the weekend.
A top official that declined to be named said on Sunday that the glass house has yet to take a definitive stance on Rohr’s future with the Eagles.
Asked to clarify the rumour of Rohr’s sacking, the official said, “We can’t do anything about Rohr now.
“I have read a lot of stories on social media saying that the NFF has told Rohr to go. People are just peddling all sorts of rumour, but I can tell you that we have not taken any decision to that effect. That is our position.”
The Herald learnt that the reluctance to sack Rohr despite calls from various quarters for his ouster was based on economic reasons.
The Guardian on Monday reported that the NFF was owing the 68-year-old German coach, who earns around $45,000 monthly, eight months salary arrears.
This newspaper earlier quoted Senator for Kaduna Central in the 8th Senate, Shehu Sani as saying that sacking Rohr would cost the NFF $2 million due to a compensation clause inserted in his contract renewed in May 2020.