Julius OkorieTechnical Director of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Austin Eguavoen, says the mandate given to him as Super Eagles interim coach is to prosecute two immediate games against Benin and Rwanda, following Bruno Labaddia failed contract.
Eguavoen, who successfully oversaw the two matches grabbing a win and a draw to earn impressive four points, made the clarification after stepping aside following the end of the last match in Kigali on Tuesday, 10th September.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelResponding to a media enquiry over his plans for the coming double header against Libya, Eguavoen refused to be drawn into preparations for the the next set of games, insisting that his mandate did not cover that.
“I have been given a mandate to handle two games. I will want to say I am very pleased with the boys and again thanks to the NFF leadership and all the boys supported me in terms of discipline and working hard”, he said.
“It ends today, which is the two games mandate. I can’t talk about Libya because I haven’t been told but however I can talk about it a little bit in case we have another coach, we can talk about it. I want to be closer to the team as it should be and I can give inside story and inside information that we need to be able to overcome Libya.
“No team is a pushover anymore but with this spirit that these boys have exhibited and from what I have seen we have a very bright future”, he said.
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There are strong indications that Eguavoen who has now made fourth return as care taker coach of the Super Eagles will have an extended mandate, even as the search for a permanent coach continues.
Primebusiness.africa notes that the first game against Libya is less than a month away and Eguavoen, his two assistants, Fidelis Ilechukwu and Daniel Ogunmodede in the successful execution of the two matches against Benin and Rwanda, are the only ones on ground to monitor the players from now till they reconvene in less than a month for a visit to Tripoli.
Should the NFF re-open the search for a foreign coach, the would be coach, will need time to settle and the team does not have the luxury of time before the next set of matches.
A more appropriate thing would be to support Eguavoen and company to handle the remaining two qualifiers in October, while ensuring that everything about having a permanent coach for the Eagles is done and dusted before the qualifiers pick up in November when Eagles will face Republic of Benin on November 11 away and host Rwanda on November 19.
Meanwhile, the Sports Minister, Senator John Enoh, has described NFF’s inability to sort out the Super Coach contract as an embarrassment. He lampooned the Glass House for going public when discussion with German Coach, Bruno Labbadia, was still work-in progress.
In an interview with Arise TV, Enoh revealed that he promptly approached the NFF seeking an explanation for the abrupt turn of events.
“This was very embarrassing and regrettable”, the sports minister said.
“I immediately got across to the NFF on this and asked why go public on an appointment of a coach when you have not concluded. Their defence is that they got a commitment from the coach on this.”
Julius Okorie is Chief Sports and Entertainment Correspondent for Prime Business Africa. He began his journalism career with the Champion Newspaper and Sporting Champion and later moved on to Daily Independent and the Nation Newspapers. Okorie joined Prime Business Africa in 2024 bringing on board 20 years of experience in writing investigative news on Sports and Entertainment. His well researched and highly informative articles on Sports Business and general entertainment are followed by a wide range of audience.
