NFF Shifts Radar to World-class Coach for Super Eagles 

Duro Ikhazuagbe

Despite the strong link of Emmanuel Amuneke to the Super Eagles job, there are indications that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) may settle for another European coach to step into the position vacated by Jose Peseiro.

The Technical Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) met last Friday in Abuja to deliberate on the applications received so far from some indigenous coaches  and a few foreigners.

It was initially believed that Amuneke scored high amongst the coaches but a member of the committee who spoke with THISDAY at the weekend hinted that the federation may take the choice of who handles Super Eagles in the AFCON 2025 and  2026 World Cup qualifiers beyond the list of those who have applied for the position.

“I have read reports about those people believe will step into the Super Eagles Head Coach job. Most are speculations. If you want to hear the truth from me, we are taking the search  beyond all the coaches that are being speculated so far. We are looking towards hiring of another expatriate tactician,” observed the  top football personality who did not want his name in print.

The NFF technical committee member however insisted that he has nothing against Nigerian coaches. 

“The only problem we have now is that we want to hire a world-classed coach. I have nothing against indigenous coaches. The person we need at the moment is a foreign coach with the prerequisite experience to handle the Super Eagles. He must be the type of coach who will come and support in the overall development of our football.

“The Super Eagles as presently constituted are too big for the indigenous coaches that Nigerians are  clamouring for. They are not bad coaches, but they are not yet at the level that they can effectively handle the senior national team.

“If you talk to most of my colleagues in the committee, they will tell you the samething. Most of us are for a foreign coach for the Super Eagles. I believe the NFF will see reason with some of us on this matter,” observed this influential  member of the NFF Technical Committee. 

He however did not speak on how a cash-strapped NFF intends to fund the appointment of a world-classed coach when the federation was defaulting in the monthly  $70,000 obligations to Peseiro.

Amongst the Nigerian coaches on the 40-man list of those who applied for the job include: Amuneke, Finidi George, Daniel Amokachi, Sunday Oliseh, Salisu Yusuf and Sylvanus Okpala.

 Others include: USA-based Michael Nsien who currently handles the USA U-17 and U-19 and a former Indomitable Lions of Cameroon Portuguese coach, Antonio Canceicao.