Nigeria extend Rohr contract

The Nigerian football federation announced on Wednesday it had agreed a two-year contract extension with coach Gernot Rohr.

German Rohr – in charge since 2016 – will be expected to lead Nigeria to qualification for a seventh World Cup finals and the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.

"I'm happy to announce that the NFF and coach Gernot Rohr have concluded all contractual discussions and he will stay on as coach of the Super Eagles," NFF president Amaju Pinnick wrote on Twitter.

"We have always had confidence in his abilities and we are confident that the national team can only go higher from here."

The 66-year-old former Burkina Faso, Niger and Gabon boss qualified Nigeria to the 2018 World Cup in Russia and the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, where the team placed third.

Rohr has been credited with assembling a young team made up of players who had previously represented other countries at age-group levels.

However, his critics argued he has overlooked players from the domestic league in his squad.

Nigerian sports minister Sunday Dare said he expects Rohr to work more with players from the Nigerian league.

"Rohr has to take up higher standard of responsibility. He has an opportunity to prove himself," Dare said in an interview this week.

"He has to scout players from the domestic league for the Super Eagles because there are quality players in the league."

Rohr will now be expected to reside in Nigeria for at least 10 months of the year, build a strong 'B' team for the country and he will now be paid in the local currency.