February 8, 2022

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has bowed to the popular wish of Nigerians as it announced the reconstitution of the technical crew of the senior men’s national team, the Super Eagles, with Augustine Eguavoen staying as Interim Technical Adviser.

Minutes after the announcement, Nigerians took to social media to commend the NFF for jettisoning the idea of a foreign coach, saying Nigeria has succeeded with Stephen Keshi before and can still do well with Eguavoen.

They referenced Aliou Cisse, the Senegalese coach who has just won the AFCON with his countrymen as an example of how much indigenous coaches have improved.

Some questioned the credentials of Portuguese Jose Peseiro who they said had no clout and big national team pedigree to warrant his being the tactician of the Super Eagles.

Eguavoen is to be assisted by former World Cup star and former under-20 team Head Coach, Emmanuel Amuneke, as immediate assistant or First Assistant Coach.

Former Super Eagles winger Amuneke coached Tanzania to qualifying for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt and led the Taifa Stars in the finals.

He is a Member of both the FIFA and CAF Technical Study Groups.

“The NFF Board has approved a recommendation of the Technical and Development Committee retaining Eguavoen as Technical Director/Interim Technical Adviser, while Amuneke becomes the Chief Coach of the Super Eagles,” NFF said in a statement by Ademola Olajire, its Director of Communications.

The NFF said further that Salisu Yusuf will be the team’s Second Assistant Coach/Chief Coach of the Nigerian team to the African Nations Championship (CHAN).

Also, ex-national team captain Joseph Yobo will be the Third Assistant Coach while Aloysius Agu remains the Goalkeepers’ Trainer.

This development indicates that Paul Aigbogun who was a member of the technical crew has been dropped.

The reconstitution comes after the Super Eagles’ outing at the 33rd AFCON in Cameroon.

It has also come ahead of the potentially-explosive 2022 FIFA World Cup playoff round against the Black Stars of Ghana next month.

Speaking on this development, NFF’s General Secretary, Mohammed Sanusi, said it was an inevitable move, praising Jose Peseiro who was earlier announced as Super Eagles’ new chief coach. “We acknowledge and appreciate the interest that Mr Peseiro has shown in Nigerian football during our very cordial discussions and we have absolutely no doubt about his capacity.

“We believe that, perhaps in the future, there could be an opportunity to work with him.”

Sanusi explained that the decision had to be taken in view of the positive performance of the Super Eagles at the just-concluded AFCON.

”It has given hope to Nigerians and boosted our confidence in the present coaching crew to qualify us for the World Cup in Qatar.

”We have decided to accept the recommendation of the Technical and Development Committee to retain the Eguavoen-led coaching crew and strengthen it with the addition of Amuneke.”

NEW SUPER EAGLES COACHING CREW

Augustine Eguavoen – NFF/National Technical Director/Interim Super Eagles Technical Adviser

Emmanuel Amuneke – Chief Coach/First Assistant to Technical Adviser

Salisu Yusuf – Second Assistant to Technical Adviser/Chief Coach, CHAN

Joseph Yobo – Third Assistant to Technical Adviser

Aloysius Agu – Goalkeepers’ Trainer