NFF keep Nigerians guessing on choice of next Super Eagles coach
With barely a month to Super Eagles next crucial FIFA World Cup quali cation series in June, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has kept Nigerian football fans guessing on the choice of the next national team’s handler.
Fans are worried that the Super Eagles coaching position is currently shrouded in secrecy considering the team dropped points in the last two quali ers.
e Super Eagles drew their last two quali ers before the last Africa Cup of Nations and have been without a permanent manager since the departure of Jose Peseiro, who led the team to silver medal nish behind host Côte d'ivoire.
Earlier in the month, news broke that the NFF has appointed a former international to head the Super Eagles coaching crew. However, the Glasshouse is yet to make any statement on the appointment, hence the speculations spreading around.
is was a backdrop of another report that claimed that the NFF has zero down its search engine to three foreign coaches for the vacant Super Eagles coaching job.
However, current reports have it that the NFF have to back step its choice of foreign manager to settle for a former international, who currently enjoy some level of support from the Nigerian football fraternity.
According to insider source, the NFF settled for a local coach because of the cost implication. However, the Glasshouse also has to gain the support of the sports ministry before coming to the public with the announcement.
Charles Anazodo, sports analysts and commentator, told Businessday Sports that the NFF do not want to repeat the mistake that led to Nigeria missing out of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He said further that it is not that the NFF are not eager to make an appointment, rather the Glasshouse is desirous of making the right choice this time around,
“We didn’t qualify for the last World Cup because the federation hastily made a change because Nigerians clamored for it erroneously. It has to be different this time,” he said.
According to him, whoever is employed already knows the team and only needs to implement tactics which as professionals, the boys can easily adapt to. “e players know what is at stake and will do the necessary,” Anazodo said.
However, a Lagos-based football fan thinks the NFF is foot dragging on the choice of the next Super Eagles manager, which can make the already challenging round of quali ers direr for the team as the Nigeria can no longer a ord to drop more points in the remaining qualifying xtures.
“Why is it taking the NFF like forever to appoint the next Super Eagles coach, it was the same lack of communication that made Peseiro quit his position at the end of his initial contract,” said Dare Philips,
According to Philips, the NFF knowing the current situation of the team could understand the urgency needed in appointing the next coach. “I do not think asking the NFF to give us a coach two months a er the last coach le is too much. We deserve better than this, and the NFF cannot continue to keep us incommunicado,” he said.