Former Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper Carl Ikeme is set to join up with the Nigerian national team and assume his place in manager Gernot Rohr’s technical team after their next match.
Ikeme, who survived a battle with leukaemia but has been forced to retire from the professional game at the age of 32, has been offered a position as a goalkeeper trainer with the Super Eagles, but he will only take up the role after the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier away to the Seychelles next month.
Rohr says Ikeme will not only help to train the Nigerian national team’s ‘keepers, but also help unearth young goal-minders for the future.
“Our plan is to have him [Ikeme] around for the game against Seychelles but that is not going to be possible because of the long hours of travelling down from England to Seychelles but we hope to have him with us in subsequent games,” Rohr is quoted by Football Live Nigeria.
“You know he is still recovering from his sickness and it will not be ideal for him to go through long hours of travelling now.
“I have already discussed with the NFF about having him with us as part of the backroom staff and it is something that they have really considered.
“It is important to have a good plan for him after football. We are monitoring some young goalkeepers who will be useful for the team in future.
“There is one who is only 15-years-old that Carl Ikeme our former goalkeeper has recommended to us and is monitoring him as well.
“We trust his judgement because he knows the quality we want and hopefully, we will get to see these young goalkeepers take over from the present ones in future.”
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