2018 FIFA W/C: Don’t accept Nigeria invitation, German coaches tell Torunarigha

Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr’s attempt to lure highly rated Hertha-Berlin central defender, Jordan Torunarigha to star for the national team at the 2018 FIFA World Cup may be a fruitless effort.

Nigeria Football Federation, NFF officials have made contact with the Torunarigha who has already played for the German U21 team, but the German Football Association is ready to block any move to have the player switch nationality as they see a role for him in future German senior team. Germany U21s manager Stefan Kuntz and Hertha Berlin coach Pal Dardai have told the youngster not to accept the invitation to play for Nigeria.

‘’Jordan is a top player, who absolutely convinced me. He has a great left foot and his development is far from over. I did not nominate him for nothing again,’’ said Kuntz, who invited Torunarigha for the upcoming games against Israel and Kosovo, to German newspaper B.Z. Pal Dardai is on the same page as Kuntz, and said : ‘’The World Cup is certainly a great opportunity for him. ‘’But maybe it is better for the development, if he goes through the U21 at the DFB. Maybe then it works with the German national team.’’

The player whose father Ojokojo Torunarigha had previously hinted that his son will not play for Nigeria, but with the tempting offer of playing at the World Cup is quite a pull for the young player. Torunarigha’s adviser Tomas Zorn says his client is honored to be approached by the Nigerian Federation but has not entirely ruled out the possibility of representing German youth teams. ‘’That’s true. We have such a request from the NFF,” Zorn said to German newspaper B.Z. “Jordan must listen to his heart. This request is a huge honour, and also a confirmation for his great development. But I think his journey for the German FA is not over.”