May 02, (THEWILL) – Gernot Rohr, the former Technical Adviser of the Super Eagles of Nigeria, is among the managers being considered for the position of head coach of the Eagles of Mali.
The German made this known when he revealed that he was in talks with the Mali Football Federation (FEMAFOOT), to become the senior national team’s head coach.
The Eagles’ head coach position had been vacant since Mohamed Magassouba was fired last month after Mali failed to qualify for the FIFA World Cup in 2022. THEWILL recalls that Tunisia edged Mali out of a ticket to Qatar in the qualifying round.
With the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers commencing in just over a month, a new head coach is desperately needed. Mali was drawn in Group G, which includes Congo, the Gambia, and South Sudan.
As the favourite to land the job, the 68-year-old German is ahead of other contenders including the 44-year-old ex-Mali international Eric Chelle and ex-Benin Republic handler Michel Dussuyer, who is 62.
On a recent interview, Rohr confirmed to have been contacted and displayed his confidence in emerging as the next coach of the senior men’s national football team of Mali. He said: “Yes, they (Mali) contacted me indeed.
“It’s a good team, which made an unfortunate CAN and also eliminated from the World Cup. I saw the two play-offs against Tunisia; they could have qualified.
“They have very good players; it’s an interesting team. The verdict of FEMAFOOT is expected in the coming days.”
Rohr was the head coach of Nigeria’s Super Eagles until December last year. He led the team to qualification for the 2018 FIFA World Cup and a third-place finish at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.
The former Bordeaux manager was at the helm of the Nigerian senior national team for more than five years, making him the longest-serving coach in the country’s history.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
