The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has branded the alleged hiring of former Nigeria international Austin Eguavoen as interim manager of the Super Eagles after Portuguese coach Jose Peseiro resigned over the weekend as ‘a joke carried too far’.
Though Eguavoen has been the NFF’s Technical Director since 2020, he was named Super Eagles manager on an interim basis for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations following the departure of German coach Gernot Rohr.
He later returned to his Technical Director position after the Super Eagles were eliminated from the AFCON 2021 after a heartbreaking loss to Tunisia in the round of 16.
Following Peseiro’s departure over the weekend, there has been widespread speculation in the mainstream media and on social media that Eguavoen has been appointed by the NFF as the Super Eagles’ interim manager. While Enyimba International coach Finidi George, who assisted Peseiro at the recently concluded AFCON in Cote d’Ivore, will serve as Eguavoen’s assistant until the NFF names a substantive manager for the Super Eagles ahead of upcoming international engagements, including the qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup double-header against South Africa in June 2024.
However, a reliable source at the NFF dismissed Eguavoen’s alleged relation to the Super Eagles post with a wave of the hand yesterday, stressing that the former national team captain is not even being considered for an interim position.
“There’s nothing for Eguavoen as far as I know, and, in fact, nobody ever mentioned him in any capacity for the Super Eagles,” the source said, adding that those thrusting Eguavoen forward for the job are only jokers.
“I think those guys are just joking. Nobody has mentioned Eguavoen as Super Eagles’ interim manager.”
Incidentally, some callers on the Lagos-based Sports radio station, Brila FM, have kicked against the possible return of Eguavoen as the Super Eagles manager; they described him as a misfit for what is regarded as one of the most high profile coaching jobs in the world.
“Please, tell the Nigeria Football Federation not to appoint Eguavoen as Super Eagles coach; we no go to the World Cup again because that Baba don’t know anything o. He is not a better coach o and we no go gree NFF o,” an angry caller said yesterday.
Another said:“ Who did this to Nigeria? Has Eguavoen forced himself upon us? I think we have to blame the NFF, who don’t know what they are doing. The NFF has not come out with any categorical statement after Peseiro ‘s contract expired. I think it’s the prerogative of Eguavoen to step in as an interim coach since he’s the Technical Director of the NFF, but all we want now is for the NFF to do the right thing.”