After dumping Germany for Nigeria, Super Eagles star credits Gernot Rohr for international breakthrough
Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has commended Gernot Rohr for giving him the chance to represent Nigeria at the international level, Soccernet.ng reports. Born in Dusseldorf to a Nigerian father and a German mother, Okoye was eligible to feature for the two football-loving countries. However, instead of waiting half his career for a chance to […]
Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has commended Gernot Rohr for giving him the chance to represent Nigeria at the international level, Soccernet.ng reports.
Born in Dusseldorf to a Nigerian father and a German mother, Okoye was eligible to feature for the two football-loving countries.
However, instead of waiting half his career for a chance to play for Germany, Okoye quickly decided to represent the former African champions.
Okoye, then featuring in the German lower division for Fortuna Düsseldorf II, had only just turned 20 years old when he made his Super Eagles debut under Gernot Rohr against Brazil in October 2019.
Nigeria earned an impressive 1-1 draw in that encounter, with Joe Aribo handing the Super Eagles a first-half lead before Casemiro equalised early in the second half inside the
Singapore National Stadium.
Okoye grew from there to become Nigeria’s first-choice goalkeeper at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.
His club career also blossomed from that point on as he went on to play for Sparta Rotterdam, Watford, and now Udinese.
Looking back on his incredible journey, Okoye has nothing but gratitude to Rohr for helping him actualise his dream of playing at the international level.
“Yes, it has been always Nigeria for me, a childhood dream playing for the Super Eagles,” Okoye told Tribal Football.
“Yes, Lutz (Lutz Pfannenstiel, former managing director of sports at Fortuna Düsseldorf) played a big part in that.
“He was in good contact with Nigeria’s former coach Gernot Rohr; he opened that door for me.
“With Rohr, I had a fantastic coach in my early years as a Super Eagle, I’ll be forever grateful for the opportunities he gave me in that time.”
Rohr left the Super Eagles head coach just before the 2021 AFCON and he is currently in charge of the Benin Republic national team.
Last month, he led the Cheetahs to their first senior victory over Nigeria in a FIFA World Cup qualifier in Cote d’Ivoire.
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