Technical Director of Nigeria Football Federation, Austin Eguavoen, is optimistic that the hlme-based Super Eagles have what it takes to impress and earn a shock result in the international friendly match with Mexico in United States of America next month.
Eguavoen who is standing in as coach of the Super Eagles B team, told the media in a chat at their Abuja camp that the players regard their invitation as enough motivation to do well against the Mexican A national team
“There are huge potentials in the Nigeria domestic league players and I believe playing Mexico in USA is a big chance to showcase their talents to the world. After just three training sessions with these players, I am convinced that they can shock Mexico,” Eguavoen enthused.
“”From what I have seen so far in training and comments from the boys, I can assure you that these players are not going on site-seeing in America but to prove their mettle and enhance their chances of breaking into the main Super Eagles team,! as well as the CHAN team,” the former Genk of Belgium defender stated.
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On why he agreed to lead the team to America as coach, Eguavoen said it was a directive from his bosses at the NFF who drafted him in following the decision of Coach Gernot Rohr not to handle the team the Mexico friendly and Joseph Yobo’s unavailability due to personal issues.
“It is not true that we lobbied to handle the home-based Super Eagles as being insinuated by the public,” Eguavoen reiterated.
“We were drafted in to rescue a situation and that is what we are doing right now. Rohr has been at all our training sessions and gave some advise after each session.
“I want to confirm also that the players were carefully selected by me and my colleagues in the Technical department with the collaboration of coaches who sent in names of quality players in the league. We didn’t just invite players without doing our home work. We may have left out some players but it was not out of malice.
“We are going to the USA to win, going by the body languages of the players. We have to encourage them and psyche them to play with confidence to win,” the former Super Eagles Coach concluded.
By Richard Jideaka, Abuja
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12 Comments
If you can’t fix, don’t distroy it. The quote is for you NFF.
I believe so much in this man, Mr. Eguavoen because, he is confident and sure of his ability.
He doesn’t talk any how. I watched his interview on Instagram yesterday and am happy.
This is the chance for you Mr. Eguavoen to show NFF, Oga Rohr and his followers that enough is enough, we are tired of unnecessary excuses because we still have talented players and world class indigenous coaches in Nigeria that can get the job done for us.
Go out there and prove that to this people. Ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!
Omo9ja 2 days ago “As a former player and coach, you know how Nigeria system works. At least, you know there most be a highest goal scorer, the best goalie, fantastic midfielders, wingers and so on in the NPFL no matter what and you can’t use this informations to select the best squad to represent Nigeria against Mexico?
Instead, you are relying on Aigbogun of all people that failed twice when he was appointed to the national team.
You are lazy to do your job for not searching for the best players at the NPFL website because of the short period the match will take place?
You are relying on Salisu Yusuf and co and you are expecting good result against Mexico? You must be joking.”
Lmao!! So now you can believe so much in this man Eguavoen??? Now he doesn’t talk anyhow anymore?? I can now see that you are suffering from Alzheimer. Better keep your prescriptions by your side because you will surely need it next Saturday.
@Ayphillydegreat, thank you so much for the insult. You keep misquoting me because of Oga Rohr.
Instead of you to face the truth but you are letting our Super Eagles down big time.
However, you posted my comment without Mr. Eguavoen statement?
Am I not the one that clamoring for Mr. Eguavoen to help Oga Rohr?
If Nigeria is transparent, is coach Salisu Yusuf should even near our national teams?
What does he have to contribute in that team?
Let assume you have a company, Can you hire somebody like Aigbogun?
The reason I said that was because of Mr. Eguavoen statement.
He should be the one selecting the players.
I believe so much in him because he have what it takes to replace Oga Rohr.
Did you hear him complaining that the time of the match is very short and he can’t build a team to confront Mexico?
I have said it before, our indigenous coach can build a solid team within two weeks and Mr. Eguavoen is proving that and thanks a lot for making me proud on this one.
The match against Mexico, I want to see how our home based team will react and prove a point against one of the best teams in the world.
Is not new if Mexico wins the match but it is a big deal for us if our boys wins.
So, Oga Ayphillydegreat, I hope you are now understand?
No hard feelings. Thank you. Ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!
Liar!! When did you clamor for Eguavoen?? Is it not Amunike and Egbo with Amrouche you dey cry all the place to come and replace Rohr. Now it is Eguavoen you want after you’ve already labeled him lazy. Lmao!! Like I said make sure you have your prescriptions beside you next Saturday because you will need it. Opurọ osi.
@Ayphillydegreat, no need to argue with you.
People on this forum can testify to it.
As I said before.
We have these three to replace Mr. Gernot Rohr.
No1. Amunike
No2. Egbo
No3. Eguavoen
If you don’t like it then, I can’t help you with that. Super Eagles deserved to move forward not backward.
God bless Nigeria!!!
You’re just deceiving yourself thinking Amunike Egbo or Eguavoen will replace Rohr. Well maybe after the WorldCup in December 2022. The same Eguavoen you labeled lazy over the last two days because you’re already scared that the boys may give Mexico a good game now you’re changing your tone Lmao!! Let the boys mess up or go down to a big defeat don’t come back here to condemn Eguavoen again O!! Because you will always meet me here. Agbalagba onirọ.
@Ayphillydegreat, you should know that getting players from Aigbogun, Salisu Yusuf and other is a lazy job.
If truly you have bn following Super Eagles in the early 90s, then you will agree with me that Oga Westerhof did his job by searching players all over the states in Nigeria but things are more easier now, you can invite players without getting in touch with this coaches because I’m very sure that they won’t select the best and all they are doing is marking players.
So, am I not right to call him a lazy mam failing to do his job well?
This is modern era. Technically and tactically, Mr. Eguavoen is there. I’m proud of him. God bless Nigeria!!!
“…The DECISION of Coach Gernot Rohr NOT TO HANDLE THE TEAM for the Mexico friendly and Joseph Yobo’s UNAVAILABILITY DUE TO PERSONAL REASONS.”
Lol. I guess this definitive statement clears up some speculations about why and how. Rohr decided not to and Yobo, well, we all that “personal reasons” in our local parlance means “I have no reason really; I can’t or just don’t want to do it.”
Rohr is just being a politician. Pinnick and his board have initiated him on the Nigerian way on how to get things done and make the public think otherwise or distracted from the real reasons.
@Kel, oh wow. You nail it on the head. God bless you for saying the truth.
Nobody can deny what you said above.
Oga Rohr contract is a scam. NFF are milking from that contract.
I’m so glad that you are seeing what I’m seeing.
Let’s think out of the box for few minutes Kel.
Don’t be surprise if you see our home based team playing our world class qualifiers.
The purpose of this friendly against Mexico is beyond Chan qualifiers
and Chan tournament itself.
NFF are so smart.
NFF know that our foreign based players may not report to camp and play the world cup qualifiers due to unpaid salaries of our boys but before then, NFF are trying to expose our home based team against Mexico so, if anything like such happens, our home based team can step in.
Anything can happen between now and then. Fingers crossed.
God bless Nigeria!!!
@Jimmyball,what is your take on that assuming it is through?Well as for me, if it is true that GR forwarded the young man it means there is something he possesses that others don’t have.
I remember some 2 years ago when Rohr brought our now first choice keeper from 4th tier in Germany, Omo9ja and others did not agree with him and said all sought of evil against GR.Today that guy was adjudged the best keeper in the Dutch league last season.
The coach has shown to be a great scout and if he forwarded that man he must have surely done his home work.
Thanks.
@JimmyBall I doubt it.
Suleman Shuaibu is the U17 goalkeeper of 2019 and plays for Prince Kazeem Eletu Academy. The other “controversial” call up from the Prince Kazeem Eletu academy was made by Paul Aigbogun during the U20 world cup 2019 in the player Peter Eletu.
His callup caused plenty of comments as he looked the oldest of the entire squad.
Now looking at previous age group squads we will usually see players from that Academy as well as Water FC. The link to those clubs will not be Rohr’s, rather it will either be an NFF official or the coaches. My hunch is to look at the coaches that confirmed they drew up the list in Eguavoen and Aigbogun and if I had to nail one, it will be Paul
Please why are we paying this man $50,000 a month, and yet he can’t handle the team to a friendly. The NFF need to make is contract public. This makes absolutely no sense to me. When did e start encouraging such. Irrespective of the players featuring, it is his job to coach the team. All this excuses that he was at the training is just laughable