Gernot Rohr is a German professional football coach and former player who has achieved notable success with numerous clubs and national teams in Africa and Europe.
He is currently the technical advisor of the Benin national team after leading Nigeria to win the 2018 World Cup and third place at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.
Rohr is known for his tactical acumen, ability to assemble young and talented squads, and passion for the game.
File
- Full name: Gernot Rohr
- Date of birth: June 28 June 28, 1953
- Age: 71 years old
- Gender: Male
- Place of birth: Mannheim, West Germany
- Nationality: German (naturalized as French in the 1980s)
- Occupation: Football coach and former player
- Height: 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
- Parents: None
- Siblings: None
- Spouse: None
- Children: None
- Relationship status: None
- Net worth: $5 million
Early life and education
Gernot Rohr, now 71, was born on June 28, 1953 in Mannheim, a city in southwestern Germany.
He grew up in a sporting family and developed a passion for football early on. He received his basic education in his hometown and later attended a sports school in Karlsruhe.
He started playing for VfL Neckarau, a local club, before joining Bayern Munich in 1972.
Personal life
There is little information about Rohr’s personal life, such as his parents, siblings, wife, girlfriend, or children.
He became a French citizen in the 1980s while playing for Bordeaux in France. He speaks French, German and English fluently and has also learned several African languages during his time as a coach.
Career
Rohr played as a defender for several clubs in Germany, France, Switzerland and Austria, most notably Bordeaux.
There he won three French league titles and reached the 1996 UEFA Cup final. He retired in 1989 and began his managerial career with Bordeaux in 1990.
He led the club to the UEFA Cup final again in 1996, where they lost to Bayern Munich. He also managed other French clubs such as Nantes, Nice, Creteil, Ajaccio, Young Boys in Switzerland and Etoile du Sahel in Tunisia.
Rohr moved into international coaching in 2010 when he took charge of the Gabon national team. He led them to the quarter-finals of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, where they lost on penalties to Mali.
He then coached Niger and Burkina Faso but failed to help them qualify for the 2014 and 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.
He was appointed coach of the Nigeria national team in 2016 and led them to the 2018 World Cup in Russia, where they narrowly missed out on reaching the knockout stages.
He also led them to third place at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, where they defeated Tunisia in the bronze medal match.
He signed a new contract with Nigeria in 2020. However, he still faced criticism and pressure from fans and the media after disappointing results and performances at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations and 2022 World Cup qualifiers. He resigned from Nigeria in 2021 and joined Benin as their technical advisor.
Prize
As a player, Rohr won the following awards:
- Bundesliga: 1973–74 (with Bayern Munich).
- DFB-Pokal: 1973–74 (with Bayern Munich).
- Ligue 1: 1983–84, 1984–85, 1986–87 (with Bordeaux).
- Coupe de France: 1985–86, 1986–87 (with Bordeaux).
As a coach, Rohr has won the following awards:
- Ligue 2: 1991–92 (with Bordeaux).
- Africa Cup of Nations Third Place: 2019 (shared with Nigeria).
Net worth
According to some sources, Rohr’s net worth is estimated at $5 million, an amount he earned from his playing and coaching career.
He is said to earn $47,000 a month as a technical advisor to Benin.
Argumentative
Rohr has been involved in several controversies during his managerial career, such as being sacked by Etoile du Sahel, Nantes and Burkina Faso and being accused of favouring foreign-born players over local players in Nigeria.
He also faced criticism for his conservative and defensive style of play, lack of communication with the media and fans, and poor results in some important matches.
Social media
- Instagram: None
- Twitter: None
