Before the swathe of withdrawals, the German already planned to try out new players, but does this bode well for the future?
One of the criticisms thrown at Gernot Rohr has been in his rigid approach and unwillingness to fix what isn’t necessarily broken.
That modus operandi isn’t bad in itself, but there’s always a danger in sitting on one's hands, expecting the individuals on the pitch to find solutions to in-game hurdles.
The German boss got an earful for Nigeria’s 2018 World Cup elimination by Argentina for his basic game management, despite Odion Ighalo missing a huge chance that could have made sure of the Super Eagles’ progress.