Maduka Okoye: Gernot Rohr made real my Super Eagles dream

Udinese of Italy goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye says he will forever be grateful for former Super Eagles gaffer, Gernot Rohr for helping him actualize his dream of playing for Nigeria.

Okoye made his Nigeria senior national team debut in October when he was just 20 years old under Rohr and has gone on to feature 16 times for the team.

‘With Rohr I had a fantastic coach in my early years as a Super Eagle, I’ll be forever grateful for the opportunities he gave me in that time,’ Okoye told Tribal Football.

The 24 year old also revealed there was no doubt in his mind which country he wanted to play for albeit he was eligible to play for Germany and Nigeria.

He was born in Düsseldorf to an Igbo Nigerian father and a German mother.

‘Yes, it has been always Nigeria for me, a childhood dream playing for the Super Eagles. Yes, Lutz (Pfannenstiel, former director of sports at Fortuna Düsseldorf) played a big part in that… he was in good contact with Nigeria’s former coach Gernot Rohr; he opened that door for me.’