Technical Adviser of Nigeria’s Super Eagles Gernot Rohr has said ‘it will not be easy’ for players in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) to break into the first team because of the level of competition from their foreign-based counterparts.

The home-based Eagles who are coached by Salisu Yusuf, are currently training in Kano in preparation for a 2018 African Nations Championships (CHAN) qualifying double-header with the Squirrels of Benin later this month.

Speaking in Kano after watching the team’s training session on Tuesday, the Franco-German tactician expressed satisfaction with their performance, even as he hinted that the door is open for the impressive players amongst them.

“The CHAN team is the team of my assistant, Salisu (Yusuf),” Rohr said. “He made the first training this morning.

“I saw the players and I told them that the door is open for the National Team but we want to have motivated players and players capable of playing good football with us and to have good discipline also.

“I saw the training; it was OK on the synthetic pitch of Kano (Sani Abacha stadium). I think they are preparing well against Benin – Benin is a good team that eliminated Togo.

“So I will have a look and I will watch them. It will not be easy for them to come to the Super Eagles ‘A’ team because we have a lot of players in Europe who have a good preparation now for the season. And we have good news from some of them. They are fit and they are playing friendly games.

“It’s good to have a good competition between the players to come in my list,” the former Burkina Faso and Gabon coach stated.

Some of the local stars will be hoping to make Rohr’s list to face African Champions, Cameroon in a 2018 World Cup qualifier early next month in Uyo.