Super Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr has forecast that 2022 would be a difficult year for the Super Eagles if they qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations.
The Covid-19 pandemic disrupted the global football calendar which forced the African Football Federation (CAF) to postpone several competitions, including the 2021 AFCON.
AFCON was scheduled to hold the World Cup in Qatar between June and July 2021, but was moved to January 2022, the same year.
Rohr, who agreed in May with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on a two-and-a-half-year contract extension to serve as the Super Eagles coach until December 2022, says the hectic 2021 qualifying schedule could impact the team the following year.
“The Africa Cup of Nations is postponed. It’s the same for everyone so it’s not a drawback,” Rohr told Girondins4ever.
“We have more time to prepare as well as for other countries. We can continue the play-offs and start the World Cup qualifiers at the same time.
“But it will be a difficult 2022 year because already in 2021, there are a lot of qualifying matches to play for the team.
“I think we will have time to play a few friendlies. In the year 2022, if we have qualified for the World Cup and the Afcon, there will be many, many games to play.
“So it will certainly be a difficult year.”