Nomination of Gernot Rohr

Berlin/Ouagadougou, 13/01/2016: Gernot Rohr was given the nomination certificate as part of the nominations for “2016 German Football Ambassador” in Burkina Faso, where Rohr also bid farewell to his club and the national team. Rohr, born in Mannheim, recently announced his departure from the post of Burkina Faso national team coach. General Secretary Bertrand Kaboré thanked the 62-year-old for his dedication. Rohr isn’t thinking of giving it all up, however, and wants to devote himself to new projects. “Like my fellow Mannheim footballer Sepp Herberger said, “The next match is always the hardest” so I’m charged looking ahead to projects upcoming.”

Rohr has been coaching in the West African country since early 2015. Before that, he coached the national teams of Niger and Gabon as well as clubs in France, Tunisia, Switzerland, Austria and Germany. Gernot Rohr maintains close ties to France, where he currently resides and where he played for Girondins Bordeaux as a player in the late 80s before spending seven years as the club’s coach.

The Founder of the GERMAN FOOTBALL AMBASSADOR initiative, Roland Bischof, was joined on stage by representatives from the German Embassy and the Goethe Institute. Rohr will use his prize money to support two football projects in Burkina Faso: FOGEBU Academy and a local football club. “I am pleased at the nomination and glad to be remembered after so many years abroad. I have always been motivated to help out and build up structures, especially in the poorer countries in the world. With the nomination I will be supporting the FOGEBU academy and the youth section of a club in Ouagadougou.“

The two other nominees, Burkhard Pape and Erich Rutemöller, were similarly honoured at their places of work in December. Deutsche Welle will broadcast a film about the lives and work abroad of the three German coaches on 28^th March.