The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) remains determined to appoint a foreign coach for the Super Eagles despite Augustine Eguavoen’s impressive performance with the team, Completesports.com reports.
The NFF had announced plans to bring in a foreign technical adviser in June after the Super Eagles’ poor showing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
This decision prompted the resignation of the former Head Coach, Finidi George, who had taken over temporarily following the departure of Portuguese tactician José Peseiro in February.
After leading the team to a win and a loss in friendlies against Ghana and Mali in March, Finidi was confirmed as the substantive head coach in May. However, his tenure was short-lived as the NFF appointed former Germany international Bruno Labbadia as his successor on 27 August. Labbadia declined the role the very next day.
Eguavoen, the NFF’s Technical Director, was then asked to step in and oversee the Super Eagles’ 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign. Under his guidance, the team secured three wins and two draws from five games, ensuring a smooth qualification for Morocco 2025.
The Super Eagles will conclude their qualifiers with a game against Rwanda’s Amavubi at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Monday.
Foreign Coach Still a Priority
Despite Eguavoen’s success, a reliable NFF source told Completesports.com that the search for a foreign coach remains a top priority.
“There is still a strong belief among the top brass in the NFF that an expatriate coach is the best option for the Super Eagles,” the source, who requested anonymity, revealed.
“Even the House Committee on Sports is firmly backing this move. They believe bringing in a highly skilled foreign tactician will benefit the team. The major challenge, however, is securing funds to pay the coach’s salary, but efforts to find sponsors have been encouraging.”
The source further disclosed that while AFCON 2024 qualifiers conclude on Monday, the NFF’s primary focus will shift to the World Cup qualifiers starting next year.
World Cup Challenges Ahead
If the NFF follows through with this plan, the new coach will face a tough task reviving Nigeria’s World Cup qualifying campaign.
The Super Eagles are currently fifth in Group C, with three points from four games — four points behind group leaders Rwanda. Their next qualifier is an away match against Rwanda in March 2024.
“It will undoubtedly be a herculean task for any new coach, but qualification remains achievable,” the source added.
“Several members of the current technical crew will likely stay on to assist, which will make the transition smoother. Augustine Eguavoen, being an NFF staff member, will also be available to support the team.”
By Adeboye Amosu
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12 Comments
What a bunch of planless clowns….LMAOoo
Peserio served you a “notice of resignation” around this time last year, but you can still not identify a replacement 12 months later….LMAOoo.
It’s at this 11th hour they’ve woken up to the need for a miracle worker.
Y’all better stick with Eguavoen until this AFCON Q, WCQ and 2025 AFCON cycle is over.
We will light candles and support them with prayers till when the cycle runs it’s course. Nonsense….!
Incompetence of legendary proportions….!!!
We must not deceive ourselves the best coach for the super eagles now is foreign coach.The reason we have not got it right all these while is because all the foreign coaches Nigeria Hired in the last decades were low and quack coaches with low or poor portfolio. When herves Renard was available why Nigeria couldn’t go for him, when Claude Leroy was Knocking why Nigeria couldn’t go for him like wise Milosevic etc, so wrong appointment of foreign coaches has been the problem in my own opinion. If the NFA want to get it right , they should appoint a sound,credible, tactical,discipline and goal oriented Coach for the super eagles.Also in his contract NFA must muddling into his team selections all entitlement must be fulfilled as at when due. I promise you nigeria football will be catapulted to the next level
However if Nigeria should want to try with local coaches, they should go for those that are coaching or have coached in Europe with good results and port folio. Thanks
NFF SHOULD EMPLOY GOOD FOREIGN COACH THAT KNOWS ABOUT AFRICAN FOOTBALL AND PLAYERS. AND STOP CELEBRATE FLUKE WINNING UNDER INDIGENOUS COACHES
thank you for that comment because most people cyber eagles want coach this or that .
@ Complete Sport, which Eguavoen’s Impressive Super Eagles Record are you guys talking about? Since you guys don’t have the BALLS to call out Eguavoen and his NFF crooks, let me make it clearly to you here on this forum that Equavoen has no impressive record with our Eagles. – He’s not a coach and he will never be.
Eguavoen struggles to win matches with the Pool of talents we have and you calling it Impressive? Is this some sort of jokes or what?
Can you guys for once stop supporting nonsense? Nigeria is total mess today because we are very good at supporting CRAPS.
Eguavoen should resign and give way to a better Foreign Coach.
Way to go and they should do that fast. Augustine Eguavoen is good at his TD position.
However NFF need a very discipline and tactical foreign coach. Augustine can hand over to him and put him through.
AFCON 2025 would be a battle of tactical coach who can read opponents and local coaches have little or no chance
Chop knuckle a beg. Eguavoen is far worse than other coaches. He must go. We need a tactical genius. Only mediocrity will make anybody keep Eguavoen.
Bros, AFCON 2025 is too far (Dec 2025 to Jan 2026). It’s WC qualifiers throughout the most parts of next year.
That is why I am so pissed NFF is still looking for a tactician one year after Peserio left. They are joking with Eagles. They still don’t know.
Lesotho and Zimbabwe, our WC qualifiers foes ARE PLAYING THEIR HOME MATCHES IN SOUTH AFRICA. Remember, South Africa is also our opponent. Rwanda and Benin Republic are already ahead of us.
We don’t have any freaking advantage and whether we like it or not, CAF PRESIDENT is still from South Africa.
We should have been planning on how to win our 6 matches but having a coach who would have got the balls to find us quality alternative strikers to Osimhen in the case of injury during our dicey matches EARLY (this year) and understand the players, even introduce new midfielders to bench several NFF favorites in the current squad HAS BEEN MISSED.
As it is, NO QUALITY COACH would like to be thrown into the mix now because friendly window might not come up till qualifiers.
NFF has practically sabotaged Eagles but I am glad – Gusau might be the first NFF official to oversee 2 World cup qualifiers failure. That’s eternal history he’ll create for himself.
I am even afraid whether these complacent players can win all matches especially when opponents deliberately decide to “play” for South Africa if their chances are slim
Eguavoen at the helm of the Super Eagles is like taking a faulty tricycle on a highway ride—you might move a bit, but you’ll never reach your full speed, and there’s every chance you’ll crash before your destination. Let’s not sugarcoat it: leaving him in charge of the World Cup qualifiers is like handing over a Formula 1 car to someone who only knows how to drive a Keke NAPEP. We’ve been here before—remember how he fumbled the World Cup ticket in 2022? History has a funny way of repeating itself when lessons aren’t learned.
Now, let’s set the record straight: when Peseiro left, Finidi came in and managed to make a mess of things. Finidi’s brief stint felt like adding salt to the injury inflicted on us by Peseiro in the early day of WCQ, when he drew matches in a row agsinst supposed weaker opposition. Finidi was chaotic in his selections, had zero tactical coherence, giving us results that made you wonder if he was moonlighting as a comedian. By the time Eguavoen stepped in to “steady the ship,” we were already sinking. Yes, Eguavoen has done a decent job cleaning up some of the mess, but let’s not get carried away. Decent isn’t enough for the World Cup qualifiers. The WC is where the big boys play, and the stakes are far too high for mediocrity, even during its qualifiers.
Take Eguavoen’s tactics—or rather, the absence of them. Watching his Super Eagles is like watching a movie with no plot. It’s all vibes and improvised lines. His strategy seems to revolve around “Osimhen, save us,” which is great if you’re up against Benin or Lesotho. But against organized teams, that plan falls apart faster than a poorly built sandcastle in a storm. His inability to adapt during games is glaring. Opposing coaches figure us out within minutes, while Eguavoen just stares blankly, hoping for a miracle.
And then there’s his team selection. Why on earth would you bench a workhorse like Onyeka or overlook someone as creative as Moses Simon? It’s almost like he picks names based on who smiled at him during training. Lookman as a winger when he’s been thriving as a false 9 for Atalanta? Iheanacho starting despite looking more confused on the ball than a tourist in Balogun Market? The list of questionable decisions goes on.
Let’s also scold the NFF while we’re at it. Why are we still in this mess, scrambling for answers at the last minute? It’s like watching someone ignore a leaking roof during dry season and then panic when the rains come. If they had acted swiftly after Peseiro left, we’d have had a proper coach by now—a foreign tactician with the pedigree to organize the team and maximize our potential. Instead, we’ve been left with trial-and-error coaching at a time when we need precision and expertise.
Hiring a foreign coach now may feel like a rushed decision, but it’s the only lifeline left. A top-tier coach brings structure, tactical know-how, and the ability to handle egos—all of which we desperately need. Yes, it’s late, but it’s better to make this move now than risk another World Cup disaster under Eguavoen’s watch.
The World Cup qualifiers demand excellence, not mediocrity. Eguavoen has had his chances—four times, in fact—and has consistently proven that he’s not the man for the job. If the NFF doesn’t act, we’re looking at another heartbreak, and quite frankly, Nigerians deserve better. Let’s get this right, or we’ll be watching the World Cup from home with tears in our eyes and questions on our lips.
Hopefully NFF will search for reputable foreign Coach not just any coach
This is just a smoke screen.
Na their main man Eguavoen go still dey there las las.
Having money available for sharing is their priority, not the happiness of Nigerians.
They will just come out and say things they know the people want to hear, but nothing will ever change.
They want to renew push for foreign coach. Na mouth dem dey take renew push?
We are not deceived! Give us a good tactician! All these talk means nothing. We want action!
Besides, what is this nonsensical rubbish about lack of funds? Where is the $4m Afcon money and all the other monies we have received from FIFA and CAF?
At this point it doesn’t matter. If na Eguavoen una wan keep support him with vibrant foreign assistants. Even though I know eguavoen can never win 6 matches to take us to the WorldCup. We are already in trouble so we need to be prepared for anything.
I will always prefer a foreign coach no matter what. We have one year to the AFCON. All our important matches next year are WorldCup qualifiers that will determine the legacy of this team.
I hope they make the right decision which is a different sentence when talking about the sham NFF