The senior national team of Nigeria have sent their goalkeeper trainer Enrico Pionetti to Spain, to work with Deportivo La Coruna goalkeeper Francis Odinaka Uzoho according to coach Gernot Rohr.
Former Nigeria U17 goalkeeper Uzoho made his senior national team debut for Nigeria in the 4-2 friendly win over Argentina, and impressed for the 45 minutes he was on the pitch during the game.
The goalkeeper who has twice kept goal for the first team of Deportivo La Coruna in the LaLiga is widely expected to be a part of the Nigerian team to the World Cup, and Rohr is keen on helping him be in his possible best shape before the games begins in Russia.
Uzoho has kept ten games for the B team of the club, who are popularly called RC Deportivo Fabril, the last of which was in their 1-2 loss to CF Fuenlabrada last weekend.
Despite been a regular for the B team who are top of the third divison in Spain, Rohr has now confirmed that Uzoho is also having the compliment of working with the goalkeeper coach of the Super Eagles at his club side.
The coach made it known in a television interview with SuperSport yesterday during their weekly show Monday Night football anchored by veteran Nigerian journalists Charles Anazodo.
”We have had problems in the past and have solved it. There would also be answers as we progress. Unfortunately, Carl Ikeme had health issues and Vincent Enyeama quit the national team,” Rohr said.
”We had Ikechukwu Ezenwa who has not done badly. He was great in the WAFU Cup. There has also been the coming of Francis Ozoho in Deportivo de La Coruña .
”He was exciting in the friendly against Argentina and we have sent a trainer to be working with him in Spain.”
Osas Mahawi
