The need for the Super Eagles to have a creative midfielder ahead of their campaign at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations has been played down by coach of the team Gernot Rohr.
The teeming fans of the team believe the team need a midfielder who can split defences with passes, something that the team has lacked since the retirement of mercurial number ten Austin Okocha.
Speaking on a television programme monitored by Owngoalnigeria.com, the coach said the duo of Arsenal midfielder Alex Iwobi and Stoke City Oghenekaro Etebo can play in the role, pointing out Iwobi’s impressive performance against Libya in the role.
“I am not worried about it because we have a lot of players who can be natural playmakers. You know we have players like Etebo who can be a playmaker, he can also be a good defensive midfielder.
“We have Alex Iwobi who played in this position and did very well in Johannesburg, we have Ahmed Musa who is coming in from the left side and can give good balls and score himself”, Rohr told TVC.
He also opined that the team can also rely on players cutting in from the flank like Ahmed Musa to create goal scoring chances particularly when they play with two strikers flanked by wingers.
“You know that it is not necessary to have this position of number ten in modern football. Everybody must be able to make the play, to be a playmaker even the defensive midfielders or even the defenders have to give good balls and to construct the game.”
