Izuchukwu Okosi
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has reportedly settled for Austin Eguavoen and Emmanuel Amuneke as the head coach and assistant coach of the Super Eagles respectively.
Eguavoen was in charge of the team on their 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon albeit on interim basis as Portuguese coach Jose Peseiro was mandated to take charge after the Africa Cup of Nations campaign.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelHowever the supposed contract of the former Venezuela coach who was recommended by AS Roma manager Jose Mourinho is looking increasingly unlikely to be ratified ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup playoffs against Ghana late March.
The Nigeria Football Coaches Association (NFCA), through its president, Isah Ladan Bosso, had queried the appointment of a foreign technical adviser for the Super Eagles, stating that no foreign coach had won a World Cup in the history of the competition.
Eguavoen is the Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation and sources close to the Glass House indicate that the NFF will ditch the plans to appoint Peseiro.
The decision has been rubberstamped by the Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Sunday Dare.
Eguavoen took the Eagles to the round of 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations where they lost to Tunisia and has submitted his technical report to the leadership of the NFF.
There are indications that Eguavoen will get a two-year year contract and his present N3m salary improved.
Eguavoen is poised to start the compilation of names of players that will prosecute the 2022 FIFA World Cup playoffs against Ghana with league and Cup games restarting across Europe this weekend.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
