The Nigeria Football Federation has announced that it has reached an agreement with German tactician, Bruno Labbadia, to become the Head Coach of Nigeria’s Senior Men National Team, Super Eagles.
NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, said in the early hours of Tuesday: “The NFF Executive Committee has approved the recommendation of its Technical and Development Sub-Committee to appoint Mr. Bruno Labbadia as the Head Coach of the Super Eagles. The appointment is with immediate effect.”
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Born in Darmstadt, Germany on 8th February 1966, Labbadia, who won two caps for Die Mannschaft in his playing career that took him through clubs such as home-town team Darmstadt 98, Hamburger SV, FC Kaiserslautern, Bayern Munich, FC Cologne, Werder Bremen, Armenia Bielefeld and Karlsruher SC, triumphed in the German Bundesliga with Bayern Munich as a player in 1994. He coached famous names Hertha Berlin and VfB Stuttgart this decade, and previously, VfL Wolfsburg, Hamburger SV, Bayer Leverkusen, among others, and holds a UEFA Pro License.
He is only the sixth German, after Karl-Heinz Marotzke (who had two stints between 1970 and 1974), Gottlieb Göller (1981), Manfred Höner (1988-1989), Berti Vogts (2007-2008) and Gernot Rohr (2016-2021) to lead the Super Eagles. Höner led the Eagles to runner-up position at the 1988 Africa Cup of Nations, while Rohr qualified and led Nigeria to the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals in Russia.
Labbadi’s immediate challenge is to take charge of the three-time African champions for two 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Benin Republic (Saturday 7th Septemberin Uyo) and Rwanda (Tuesday, 10th Septemberin Kigali), with four other matches to conclude the qualifying race following in the months of October and November.
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Labbadia, welcome to Nigeria where common sense is not very common, where corruption is the order of the day, where absurdity and abnormality are a normalcy.
Who and who will assist him?
I hope not Ledam Bosso?
Can we get a young ex international, Mikel, Yobo, Agali, etc. to learn and understudy this Oyibo man.
Let there be a plan for continuity for once.
How many years did Yobo spent with Rohr or whoever?
DESPITE ALL THE TIME THEY HAVE WASTED, TRAVELING FROM ONE COUNTRY TO ANOTHER WASTING MONEY & TIME, LOOKING FOR WHAT IT DOESN’T LOST, CLAIMING THAT THEY WANT TO EMPLOY A NEW COACH. THOUGH,I PARTICULAR WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED THAT A WRONG COACH WOULD BE APPOINTED AT LAST . A COACH THAT KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT AFRICAN FOOTBALL, CULTURE, PATTERNS, ENVIRONMENT.
** INFACT , FAILURE IS ON THE WAY. AFCON & WORLD CUP TICKET IS NOT GUARANTY.
NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT!!!!!
Hahahaha….NFF are a bunch of clowns…LMAOoo
So after all the rigmarole and interviewing of a dozen coaches and jumping from torrent to chelle to renard and back and forth, this is where their distressed plane has crashed eventually…LMAOoo
Congrats to whoever has been appointed. He has his work cut out already working with such a clueless and useless FA
Lool…we want foreign coach doesn’t mean we want anyhow coach. NFF sha! Na wa. Well, good luck
No be this coach wan finish Osimhen at Wolsfburg?
He coming to finish the mission and retire him earlier.lol!!!!
What makes him “anyhow coach”? A man who in his playing days played for the German national team and for a club like Bayern Munich which he also coached amongst other clubs is not anyhow coach. What was Westerhoff’s pedigree before his appointment? Even Keshi, Amodu and other coaches that did well with the Eagles, did they have a better CV than Labbadia before their appointment? Please let’s give this guy a chance
He didn’t coach Bayern. He did play there though.
Did you read his profile online? Or are you just going by what CSN wrote? He’s still a good coach for SE.
Good to have Labba on-board but he has s very vague online profile. Anyways, good luck to the Eguaveon selected side.
He won only two caps? Amunike, an indigenous coach would have been better than this nah.
You can now watch Amunike win the NPFL with Heartland FC and go on to win CAF league championship before rating him
How many trophies in Bundesliga did your Bruno win as a coach?
White skin mental slavery,neocolonialism will is what I can diagnose in you .
What is intimidating in his profile for the man to better than Amuneke, Siasia, and other indigenous coaches.
Hehehehe….Thank God you just said The Bundesliga….LMAOoo.
I guess it is U-tournament CVs clubs in the Bundesliga use in appointing coaches…LMAOoo
How many has your Amuneke and Siasia won in the NPFL…?
An Elephant is not something you can say you saw in a jiffy. If you’ve seen an Elephan, pls hide you arrogance and admit you have seen an Elephant.
Anyone who has coached consistently in the Bundesliga is way better than Amuneke and Siasia.
Even Herve Renhard is a super flop each time he has tried his hands in the french league not to talk of someone has made the midtable of the German league on a consistent basis.
What the NFF will do that will make me happy now is to back him up with a crack team of experienced local coaches like Ogunbote, Abdallah, Boboye and Ilechukwu.
Dr. Drey, I sometimes find it appaling when the phrase “African Football” is adopted as a criterion for selecting coaches in the continent. To me. A coach that knows his onions will succeed anywhere in the world, unless that tag is used to refer to the unsuitable footballing conditions, selective players selections by those of higher authorities and a host of other unpleasant factors the coach will have to contend with.
In terms of profile it seems Bruno is the best Coach Nigeria as ever had. Even better than Herve Renard, only that he has no international coaching experience..but so does world renown coaches like Morinho and Pep . So lets give him a Chance to learn and grow on the job. I wish him all the best.
I think we should learn from the like of olishe, finidi and Co. In fact take it or leave it, all these so call ex-internationals still have a lot to learn.
Some Concerns About This Appointment
The process that led to the eventual appointment of German Tactician Bruno Lebbadia raises more questions than answers. For me, the key one is: what are the (dubious) conditions that Mr Labbadia agreed to that other more suitable coaches rejected flat out?
The NFF led us long-suffering Super Eagles fans to believe they intend hiring a coach who ticks, at least, one of the following boxes: 1) African coaching experience; 2) National team coaching experience.
Hence, it is now a source of concern, and it raises suspicion to me that all the coaches shortlisted prior ( Herve Renard, Eric Chelle, Tom Saintfiet, Steve McClaren) who ticked at least one of these two boxes were all dropped after discussions broke down.
The NFF now settled for a coach with no prior experience of coaching a national team and no prior experience of working in Africa.
Why? I suspect because this was the only coach who agreed to their demands, terms and conditions. So I wonder, what are the demands that knocked suitable options into a cocked hat in favour of a less suitable candidate?
Having got that off my chest, I don’t think this is a bad appointment. By very nature, the pace of club football is fast, furious and relentless. So, I think this make Mr Labbadia suitable for the Super Eagles job because we need someone to come in and hit the ground running, never looking back until he reaches the finish line of Afcon and World Cup qualifications.
Mr Labbadia in a way represents a continuation from the reign of Finidi. They both play 4-3-3 formation with emphasis on overlapping fullbacks, creativity in the middle, effective wing play and methodical build up play.
As a striker by trade during his playing days, his direction and instructions to our centre forwards should help unlock their potentials. Labbadia was a damn deadly centre forward with commendable goals-to-games ratio.
He should also be able to come to ground with a credible team of backroom staff that he will be willing to listen to and take counsel from.
I think it is high profile appointment. Having a someone who Bundesliga coaching experience over many years for reputable clubs is beyond critique in certain ways.
I hope it works out.
Did you see a shortlist?
I understand your concern, Deo; it’s a valid one. I would not think that Bruno accepted a dubious contract from the NFF. Checking through his managerial profile, you would immediately notice that he doesn’t stay out of a job for long before he gets another offer. His last job ended in 2023. From this, we can deduce that he is the one doing the NFF a favor. I think the reason why other coaches are dilly-dallying with the NFF is the reputation of the body itself. The truth remains that no (top) coach wants Nigeria as they are aware of the associated challenges. In addition, Bruno, even though relatively unknown to us, is far more experienced than any of our local coaches alive. I hope we have got someone else. I even read that the man hasn’t signed a formal contract. I’m certain he will do well.
Egu is the defacto
Éééhññ we don hear. The Labbalabba is welcome o but in the interim, make Austine Eguavoen release the list for next months matches.
Eguaveon is the king maker
Renard would have been better but anyway great appointment..I love his cv…good luck BRUNO….
And Weldon nff….
Iro o…are we dreaming? Monkeypost is that you? Ah, what happens to calling Rohr back, and cursing everyone else around. What God cannot do does not exist, thank God o. And Welcome back. Now, whatever you drink, give some to Dr. Drey abeg.
@Abdul wetin we go do na? As your nff no gree call am back we need to move on…
Well he could be just like Westerhof. However, what exactly do you love about his CV ?
In his last 9 Teams, he lasted only a season in 7 of them . I don’t know if that’s a good CV or not, I’m just curious.
@Raph his cv is better than westaholf and most if not all the previous se coaches.. make we no lie…checked most of them it was the se that they recorded notable achievement and in use in boosting their cv after the se eagles nothing else…
Go and check westaholf cv before he became se boss and this man and come tell me…
The only notable team in westaholf cv before se is feyenoord but this man has coached notable teams like beyern levekusen, Wolfsburg, hertha etc before his coaching career he won the german dfb pokal and the budisliga….
And oga sacking na part of football…it doesn’t really mean one is not good.. there alot of things that goes into it…
GENERAL ROAR that was sacked unjustly doesn’t it mean he was not good?
Though the whole arrangements look shady but it appears that the best man got the job. Looking at the resume of Bruno, he doesn’t seem to me like a pushover coach.
I will judge him based on the caliber of players invited to the team and performance in matches.
At least we now have a coach. After all the brouhaha. Let him hit the ground running from next week. I like his CV and I can only wish all the best coaching the SuperEagles and trying to please 200 million plus coaches.
What I saw on the transfermarket about Bruno is not encouraging at all. I think we should accept him as a placeholder. Go S.E.
If I’m not mistaking, camping should start by next next since our fist match is on the 7th. The question is what time had Labba for selection and invitation? Certain things not right so far otherwise, the best would be to have the Tech. Director manage all of them, at least for now.
Finally, we got a coach.
Bruno Labbadia
Cons; load of sackings and inexperience with international football.
But as they say, football coaching is all about hiring and firing. It is all about the moment.
Pros; Loads of experience in top football. So aptly qualified.
Whatever happened in the past doesn’t matter now. What matters is what happens from now henceforth.
I wish him all the best. Hopefully, the Eagles get to soar again.
Mtcheeeew! That one na coach? Coach Eguavoen won an afcon broonze, won silverware with a foreign club and did coach some big big clubs in South Africa. Tell us Bruno’s achievements as a coach to so warrant this kind of appointment. Though it seems late now, it would’ve been better a local coach(Amuneke, or Sia2, Eguaveon, Olifijana, Sunday, etc) takes charge at least for. Whatever, God bless Nigeria and up up Eagles!!!
What has Bruno achieved as a coach? If we hire a coach with no achievement but just skin colour then I feel sorry for us as a nation with inferiority complex. My country sha but it is well!!!!
James Hardly Chase didn’t mince words when he said, “woke up to a start”. I tell this forum I’ve been woken to a start by the NFF because who will ever thought of Labbadia Bruno. Even here in Dussedolf, he’s unheard of as a renowned coach. Anyway, fingers crossed while we wait on Eguaveon for further direction mostly on how to prosecute and win the coming matches.
Nff decision to appoint this man is not bad let’s wait and see how it goes he may be the man to lead us to the promise land.
Finally oluwa ooo, where did we got it wrong with this bunch of lunatics managing our soccer affair God? Anyway finally we got a coach las las.
A coach is as good as his last game. Based on this, make I no talk
Let’s thank csn for breaking the august news. I think I welcome this development but with a caveat.
Okay just a summary after delving into his profile he has not achieved anything spectacular but he is a decent coach. My only concern was that he was sacked after placing last with Stuttgart. And today the Stuttgarts we know is high flying finishing 3rd last season. This was also the coach that shipped Osimhen out of Wolfsburg only for them to regret. I don’t know why NFF choose him but I believe he might deliver judging by his earlier coaching exploits where he took Darmstadt on a promotion and some other average results with German top teams. Like I said nothing spectacular but better than Bosso, Eguadiola and Tom. Make we rest now and hope for the best!!!
My only concern is why does NFF choose people they have not shortlisted??? Is there something fishing why the shortlisted ones were not the preferred choice??? Hmmm Naija we hail thee!!!
Let’s be honest: which website did NFF post these ‘shortlisted’ coaches? I think all are just in the media.
Sorry yo say, Bruno record shows he’s a failure, not impressive. Amuneke is the best for Nff
Well done NFF for hiring a houseboy for una.
His CV looks decent. They should please give him a free hand in assistants and player selections.
What is decent really? Someone was sacked after a season 7 times out of his last 9 coaching Jobs , what’s decent about that?
Nothing against the guy, just your comment, as I don’t think you actually look up the guy ‘s CV
– Played for top German clubs, including Bayern Munich, where he won the Bundesliga in 1994.
– Earned two caps for the German national team (Die Mannschaft).
– Coached major teams like Hertha Berlin, VfB Stuttgart, VfL Wolfsburg, Bayer Leverkusen, and others.
– Holds a UEFA Pro License (The highest coaching certification in European football).
This CV is not decent @Ralph? Well, I think it is. How many other past coach or candidates bests the resume?
About his longevity on the job or the fact he was not previously shortlisted is another argument entirely. But his CV per se is not bad.
No coach im the world was ever a success without given an opportunity. We were looking for coaches who had African experience forgetting that none had African experience before they were offered a job to coach in Africa. This man may just be the right person to turn things around. Lets just pray and hope he gets things right and make Eagles great again. Congratulations to us all the NFF has finally announced a coach cos i see them retaining Eguavoen if he manages to get good results in the two Afcon qualifiers which would have been a disaster.
Egu is the defacto coach but ya mumu wouldn’t allow you comprehend that, pun not intended though. My only issue is that he has no time enough.
Lol. I understand your concern but this coach does not look like a pushover unlike your overrated Eguaveon that will draw up a list and leave out two to three slots so that powers that be can add their preferred players to it. Just to conpile list for these qualifiers, they have smuggled Olisa Ndah and Awaziem over Akpoguma, Osho and others.
It’s not amusing but I tell you the nff houseboy actually has Eguavoen list with him and he’s sure to announce it soon.
NFF will always appoint unshortlisted coaches because they don’t know how to agree personal terms before rushing to the press. An agent will submit CV of a particular coach, even without having personal discussion with the coach to know his terms, if it agrees with the that of the federation,boom an announcement will filter out,only for the deal to breakdown. Smart FAs agree personal terms with potential coaches before the contract discussion continues.
This appointment means Nigerian journalists are clueless. None of them mooted this German’s name. I wonder where they get their ‘shortlist’ assumptions—from rumors and gossip, I guess?
I am certain Labadi will come with his assistants. I don’t care which Nigerian is appointed to work with him so far the guy is given a freehand to select his team.
BOBO i like your write up nff hide there agenda and all Nigerian journalist are just wasted oir data until the real nme of the new coach has been announced
His CV looks decent?
Yeah right! I guess it depends on how you look at it Kel.
A coach that perpetually struggles to hit the 50% games-to-wins ratio has a chink in the amour of their CV, in my books.
Mr Hush, I understand what you mean by imploring us to move forward. But, those who aren’t able to learn from the past will definitely go on to make the same mistakes into their future.
For me, the NFF set a reasonably high (but shamefully ultimately unattainable to them) high bar for shortlisted, scrutinising and selecting the next Super Eagles Head Coach: 1) national team and 2) African terrain experiences.
Now, the NFF itself failed abominably to land on a coach that met its own prerequisite for the job and the question to me remains why? Why did talks with all coaches meeting this mould break down spectacularly?
If Dr and Ayphilly say they will only visit this platform if CSN carries stories on Judo week in week out, won’t you be well within your rights to ask about their continued absence should CSN bend its editorial policy to acquiesce to their Judo demands?
How come the NFF cannot recruit a coach that fits their own set requirements like a glove?
I will be very much interested for Alhaji Gusau to answer this question.
Again, I don’t want my comments to be wrongly skewed towards outright condemnation of this coach.
He is relatively young coaching wise and comes with a wealth of experience of playing for (largely in age grade FOOTBALL) and managing in one of the most prestigious and tactically solid leagues in world football. These are inescapable plus points.
Yes, he comes with a poor games-to-wins ratio but this, in and of itself can actually be his golden ticket and unique selling point, why, because past failures are integral parts of future successes (and I pray he finds success with the Super Eagles).
Because if he doesn’t, these questions will resurface and be resurrected as to the allegations of corruption surrounding NFF’s inability to finalise talks with coaches more suited and ready for national team football with the accoutrements of experience within Africa.
May not be stellar but I think not bad on paper @deo. But the win and turnover rate is a good metric as well.
However, he seems he’s still active in industry and in that cadre. I’ll take my time to watch highlights of some of the teams/games he managed while he was in the dugout.
@Deo
Yes. Looking forward doesn’t necessarily negate one looking back. One could always look back to learn but ensure you don’t stay in the past too long, or you get stuck.
Looking forward in this context is getting a move on. We are short in time to the next qualifiers.
Whatever our feelings of the new coach and his past records are, he has been hired, nothing we can do to change that now. So, we move on from that and see what he has to offer us.
Though, he doesn’t have the best of records, one thing Labbadia has is top level experience. He has managed top players and young debutants. He has qualified teams for international competitions. He has played a final. More essentially, as it relates to our world qualifying dilemma, he has saved teams from relegation.
In this regard, I am a bit optimistic and open to seeing what he can do for us. Hopefully, something positive.
The appointment reeks of cronism.
Otherwise, why will an organization deviate so steeply from it’s own employment guidlines after several shorlists, interviews and negotiations.
The common denominator in the previous negotiations was either or all of the issues of pay, control and/or decision making.
So which of these 3 was did this man sacrifice for him to be named abruptly like this despite being arguably the least qualified for the job out of all those who have been previously mentioned…?
Don’t get me wrong….the man has got a fairly average CV. He’s not in any way an elite coach. He losses almost as many matches as he wins. He has fallen into relegation zone 1ce, rescued a team from relegation once, won promotion 1ce, been to a cup final twice, reached the semifinals of a continental tournament once and is a perennial mid table bencher in the German bundesliga…..but that’s as good as he comes. Though its still way more impressive than some perennial failures whose only card is ex this, ex that, U-tournament bargaining chip and nothing more. I have a lot more confidence in anyone with Labaddia’s type of CV than what our entitled yet glaringly not up to scratch exinternationals are parading.
But it all reeks of one strong man somewhere who is connected to another strongman somewhere imposing this dude on a weak NFF president and by extension all Nigerians. And I don’t know why I am struggling not to see Pinnick’s finger prints in all of these.
How does Labbaddia like to play…? What does he like to play…? Who does he like to play…? Where does he like to play…? When does he like to play…? And what exactly is he bringing to the table…?
I bet even the technical committee of the NFF wouldn’t be able to answer those questions.
Hopefully, this one would know that tactics and formations matter in football and that winning football games sure has a formula. It’s way more than just knowing when to defend and when to attack. That is why great coaches have opposition scouts and carry out forensic reconnaissance of their opponents before lining up against them.
We have used almost 9 months to prepare the stage for a dance of madness, for how long shall we dance the dance itself…..?
We’ll keep fingers crossed.
Over to you Mr Labbadia….!!!
I hope your lack of african experience (i.e. being owed salaries for averageglt 8 months per annum, yet epexted to deliver) will not be your achilles heel.
I understand your fears which are also emblematic of wider concerns of football-loving Nigerians. Bruno’s appointment is abrupt if we are to think that his name never even popped up in media speculations. However, we have also been made to understand that the NFF president has single-handedly taken over this recruitment process, perhaps knowing full well that his job is at stake. From the coach’s profile, he does not stay out of a job before he gets another one, which counters the claims of a dubious offer. I don’t think the NFF is doing the man a favor; it is the other way around. The truth remains that no top coach wants the SE which explains the constant snub from the likes of Reynard and all. This again points to the fact that the NFF is a complete mess!
Eguaveon should get former footballers like Sia2 and Amumunike to assist him. Its clear Bruno is on errand. However, Osime and his boys must ensure we win the matches. Cheers guys!
Lol. I understand your concern but this coach does not look like a pushover unlike your overrated Eguaveon that will draw up a list and leave out two to three slots so that powers that be can add their preferred players to it. Just to conpile list for these qualifiers, they have smuggled Olisa Ndah and Awaziem over Akpoguma, Osho and others.
@King S: You seem to understand everyone’s fear and concern on this Labbadia (or Lagbaja matter). LOLZ
Pessiro CV was nothing to write home about with no knowledge of Africa football yet he came second at last Afcon,is not all about CV but if the players likes and respect you , you’re good to go that’s the secret of success handling super eagles team
Congratulations to the NFF of collateral damages! The longer the bowl of measurement, the smaller the contents. Some how the dices rolled have displayed numbers for numerous interpretations and manipulations. A coach from the dept of German regulars,now catapulted to head the Nigerian male national soccer team. Hope is not lost but has just begun it’s journey to a place where stranger things happen and relief is like quantum mechanics being explained by a curator!!!
Bruno Labbadia.
Decent footballer in his hey day.
Bang average coach. Per for the course.
However, he does have his coaching badges, and also has top flight experience.
Is he the best our money can buy? Hardly.
Is he adequate though? That remains to be seen.
All we need is someone who is not a tactical dunce. Someone who can read matches and bring tactics to bear. Labbadia may not be an elite coach in this regard, but if he can perform at a level that is above mediocre, he will succeed. I say he will succeed because with Nigeria, he has players that can produce if properly guided.
And Labbadia himself must be highly motivated to succeed. Herve Renard went from being a nobody, to becoming a household name by winning the Afcon for Zambia. Success with Nigeria will do wonders for Bruno’s career. I’m sure he wants that.
I do worry about how he will be compensated though. Labbadia will likely not be as patient as Rohr if his salary goes unpaid! Whoever is paying him should endeavor to pay him directly. Under no circumstances should his pay be routed thru NFF!
It is also imperative that he be given a free hand to select his squad. The NFF Technical Committee stepping in now to invite players is understandable, but after these 2 upcoming matches, player selection must be the exclusive responsibility of Mr. Labbadia. No exceptions!
Welcome to chaos, Bruno. Wish you all the best!