Former Deputy SWAN President outlines reasons Eguavoen should not lead Super Eagles
Umar Sa’id, a former Deputy President of the Sports Writer Association of Nigeria (SWAN), argues that Austin Eguavoen lacks the necessary technical expertise to lead the Super Eagles. Sa'id's remarks come in response to the reported appointment of Eguavoen as the interim manager of the national team by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). This move followed the resignation of Portuguese coach Jose Peseiro over the weekend.
The NFF is urged to maintain the coaching staff from Peseiro's tenure at the last Nations Cup until a permanent coach is appointed.
"I do not endorse Eguavoen's appointment, even on a temporary basis. The coaching team led by Peseiro's assistant, Finidi George, should be reinstated. As for Eguavoen, I'm uncertain about his role there. He has been in that position before, and we are aware of his track record."
He continued, "I trust the NFF to find a competent coach to lead the team. We exerted our best efforts in the recent Nations Cup, and our defeat was tactical, not due to a lack of skilled players."
We've observed Eguavoen's previous stint with the Super Eagles, and based on that, it's preferable for the coaching crew under Peseiro to continue their work. Frankly, Eguavoen is not my top choice."
Although Eguavoen served as the NFF's Technical Director in 2020, he assumed the role of Super Eagles manager on an interim basis for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations after the departure of German coach Gernot Rohr.
Upon the team's elimination from AFCON 2021, marked by a heartbreaking loss to Tunisia in the round of sixteen, Eguavoen returned to his position as Technical Director.
Following Peseiro's departure, reports surfaced in the media indicating that Eguavoen had been instructed by the NFF to take on the role of interim manager for the Super Eagles.
Finidi George, the current coach of Enyimba International and former assistant to Peseiro at the recently concluded AFCON in Cote d'Ivoire, will assume the role of Eguavoen's assistant. This arrangement will continue until the NFF appoints a permanent manager for the Super Eagles in preparation for upcoming international commitments, including the qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup double-header against South Africa in June 2024.
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