Super Eagles get Tactical Morale Boost from Rohr in World Cup

The outcome will be decided in 90 minutes on Saturday.

Zlatko Dalic, Manager of Croatia points during the FIFA 2018 World Cup Group. Photo: zimbio.com

(SALEM, Ore.) - The Super Eagles today were handed a tactical morale boost as head coach Gernot Rohr, in his interview with football reporters, backed the Nigerian team to defeat the Blazers when they lock horns at Stalingrad stadium on Saturday.

The Super Eagles had their second day of training after arrival from Austria on Monday.

The Nigeria tactician in his interview with the media expressed optimism that his players have what it takes to overrun Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic when they meet in the Russian 2018 World Cup group D encounter on Saturday despite his utmost respect for the Croatian side.

The Nigeria team has not really been going both on and off the field as the have lacked the desired tempo to take the World Cup by storm. On the pitch, Super Eagles are yet to test victory in four recent attempts.

The last time the Super Eagles won was in March against Poland, prompting a big free bet Nigeria platform to back the team with 5.75 odd against Croatia. Off the pitch, the Super Eagles have been marred by rumors of possible internal rift as well as the jersey cost fiasco.

Croatia boasts a stable of talents players with Luka Modric, Ivan Rakitic, Ivan Perisic, Andrej Kramaric and Mario Mandzukic all expected to start for the Blazers on Saturday.

Nigeria on the other hand will be lining up a great crop of talented players with Alex Iwobi, Victor Moses, John Obi Mikel, Odion Ighalo and Kelechi Ihenacho as the key deciders of the clash.

“We admire this team (Croatia) but we do not plan to watch them when we play them, we hope to fight. They are all wonderful players, playing in the biggest teams in Europe. On paper with their names, they are much better than us,” said Gernot Rohr while addressing reporters on Wednesday at his team’s training arena in Essentuki.

“But sometimes on the pitch, it could be different. We don’t have big stars, but we try to play collectively with our young team.”

He also shared a clean bill of the health for the players, while citing that Tyronne Ebuehi suffered a nose bleed in the Tuesday training session which was not serious and had been treated.

“He’s fit and there are no injury problems in the team,” he stated.

While German passes a vote of confidence on his team, Croatia’s player Andrej Kramaric has tagged the Super Eagles as the most difficult team in the group D ahead of their crunch meeting on Saturday.

Croatia has never won an opening match of a World Cup with back to back defeats to Brazil in 2014, Mexico in 2006 and Brazil in 2002 editions of the World Cup. This has prompted the Hoffenheim striker to believe his side should be cautious of one of the most populous and talented black nations.

Kramaric also believes that the outcome of the game on Saturday will certainly go a long way to define their fate in the World Cup. The outcome will be decided at the end of 90 minutes at Stalingrad Stadium on Saturday.

Source: Salem-News.com Special Features Dept.