Super Eagles technical adviser, Gernot Rohr has come out with an explanation of his decision to stick with recuperating Leicester City of England midfielder, Wilfred Onyinyen Ndidi in his final list for the World Cup, as he says Nigeria’s needs the former Racing Genk of Belgium battler at Russia 2018.
Ndidi has been nursing a hamstring injury and has not featured in any of the Eagles’ long line of World Cup preparatory matches.
Though Ndidi only returned to team training last week in London, Rohr opted to keep faith with the youngster in his squad to Russia, and the Franco-German gaffer has now explained that the Eagles’ medical crew followed instructions on the player’s recovery as handed over to them by Leicester’s doctors.
However, Rohr said he is hopeful that the Leicester player will be ready for the warm-up game against Czech Republic on Wednesday.
Ndidi’s return will come as a massive boost for the Eagles as his absence almost proved colossal in the 2-1 loss to England at Wembley on Saturday, and Rohr admits he is excited about the lad’s possible return.
Rohr said: “We need him but we had a protocol from Leicester and my friend Claude Puel, who gave me very good information with the medical team.
“We followed exactly the protocol the medical team by Leicester gave to us. We don’t think it was the moment for him to play but he will start the next game but I hope if he plays against Czech Republic, he will be fit and ready on June 16
“We have a protocol from Leicester and Puel because we have a good relationship; we have a very good information from the medical team and we follow exactly the protocol from Leicester City.
“He will start the game against Czech and I hope if he plays he will be fit for our first game against Croatia on the June 16.”
