Rohr set to hand Jamilu Collins starting shirt for leftback spot when Eagles face Libya today

SUPER Eagles head coach Gernot Rohr has indicated that new boy Jamilu Collins will start in the leftback position today when his wards take on Libya in an African nations cup qualifier in Uyo while Samuel Kalu looks set to get the nod upfront.

This afternoon at the Uyo township stadium, the Eagles face Libya's Mediterranean Knights in a must-win qualifier and again in the second leg on Tuesday. Collins, 24, who plays for Paderborn in Germany, was handed his second invite after last month’s maiden call-up for the game against the Seychelles and has impressed Rohr.

Being a natural left footer, he appears to have locked down the leftback position ahead of the likes of Ola Aina and Bryan Idowu, who are both right footed. Coach Rohr now looks set to hand him his second cap with a mandate to bomb forward at every opportunity and provide the team with much needed width.

Coach Rohr said: “Collins is interesting for us as he has the qualities to play very well and perhaps he will start the game. It is not just because he has a good left foot, he has a good physique, he is quick, he can go forward and he is defensively strong.

“I saw him play for Paderborn when they beat Cologne 5-3 and he did very well. Two, three years ago, Paderborn were in the Bundesliga and they now want to come back.  What I also saw of him before the Seychelles game was good but he had a little injury and he wasn’t 100% to start the game but he started the game in Monrovia against Liberia and he was good.”

Meanwhile, Bordeaux new signing Kalu appears to have got the nod to play out wide ahead of his former Gent teammate Moses Simon who returns to the team after missing the World Cup in Russia with injury. Kalu did not disappoint in his debut game against Seychelles which Nigeria won 2-0 and is thus in prime position to start today's match.

Coach Rohr added: “We have done all we need to do to face Libya and achieve a good result. So far, I am happy with their level of fitness and we have as well done all the tactical preparations.

“We are ready for them and we are happy to play in Uyo, we like the pitch and the people here. We lost our first match against South Africa, which means this time, we have to win, so we have to go and attack to win this game.”

He, however,  regretted that his captain Mikel Obi is not fit to be in Uyo for the Libya match as he has a knee problem and is still recuperating. Coach Rohr added that once Mikel  recovers fully, he will rejoin the team.