The respected club owner wants the German tactician to test the non-established players against the Crocodiles on Tuesday evening
Nigeria’s game against Lesotho provides coach Gernot Rohr with an opportunity to test the senior national team’s fringe players, according to Eniola Olodeankirun.
The Super Eagles take on the Crocodiles at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in their last Africa Cup of Nations qualifier of the campaign.
Although the three-time African kings are through to Cameroon 2022, they would be hoping to end their Group L campaign undefeated.
For the Southern African team, their ambition in Lagos would be to avenge their defeat in Maseru as well as secure their first win in six matches.
On the choice of players Rohr must field against Thabo Senong’s men, the widely travelled Nigerian club owner wants the German tactician to try out the non-established members of his squad – especially the Nigeria Professional Football League stars.
“Nothing is at stake in this game, so it is not a crime for coach Rohr to give the fringe players – especially the NPFL stars in the team to prove their worth,” Olodeankirun told Goal.
“Fielding them against Lesotho would boost their confidence and who knows, there may be one or two players who could break into the first XI.”
Against Benin Republic, many Nigerians expected the 2013 Afcon winners to win convincingly in Porto-Novo, but Nigeria won the encounter against the Squirrels 1-0 after Paul Onuachu’s last-gasp effort.
Olodeankirun expects a more synchronised display from Rohr’s team while urging them to go out for goals against Lesotho, which could be a warning to their African opponents.
“I expect a more coordinated display from the Super Eagles against Lesotho. This time around, I want them to play for one another,” he continued.
“Against Benin Republic, it was more of individual skills. They have got the talent, no doubts and everything, but that must be translated into goals on Tuesday.
“Beating Lesotho silly will make teams [who have qualified for Afcon] scared of them, and to achieve this, they must be purposeful.”
Since their maiden appearance at the African football showpiece, Nigeria have won the competition thrice - Nigeria 1980, Tunisia 1994 and South Africa 2013.
They finished third at their last outing in Egypt 2019, defeating Tunisia 1-0 in the third-place encounter thanks to Odion Ighalo’s first-half strike.