…Eguavoen deserves Super Eagles job, Onigbinde, Chukwu, Esin insist
..As Interim Coach craves for Eagles’ job on permanent basis
The performance of the Super Eagles st the on going African Cup of Nations in Cameroon may put Nigeria Football Federation,NFF in dilema over the hiring of a new foreign coach.
Although the NFF has appointed the services of Portuguese tactician, Jose Peseiro as the new Super Eagles coach, after the termination of Gernot Rohr’s contract, there are however fears that the success of the senior national team at the ongoing 2021 Africa Cup of Nations under interim coach, Austine Eguavoen, will spring up the dilemma of whether to continue with the contract of Peseiro or not.
Recall that Eguavoen, was appointed by NFF as stopgap for the team prior to the AFCON tournament and the former Super Eagles defender has not disappointed so far in all the game he was in charge. He has restored the winning mentality, fighting spirit and some level of technical and tactical discipline back into the team.
This was evident in the opening Group D match the team played against the seven-time AFCON champions, Egypt, where the Super Eagles outplayed the Pharaohs and won by 1-0. The flow of football between the defence, midfield and attack was an indication of Eguavoen’s input in the team within the short period of time he took over.
It is in view of this that the 1994 AFCON winner, told the NFF that he is primed enough to handle the Super Eagles on permanent basis if given the opportunity. If his performance at the tournament is anything to go by and the team eventually wins the trophy, then, the NFF may be facing a dilemma on whether to retain Eguavoen permanently or allow the foreign coach continue from where he stops.
Also, a former Super Eagles coach, Chief Festus Onigbinde has charged the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) to retain Austine Eguavoen as the substantive coach of the Super Eagles in a bid to maintain continuity ahead of the World Cup qualifiers.
In an interview with Thepledge, Onigbinde stated that Eguavoan has proved that he’s capable of handling the team if saddled with the responsinility.
“I am confident Austine Eguavoen has what it take to handle the Super EAgles if given the job on a permanent basis. He has proven it with the performance of the team at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations and I am sure he will do better in subsuquent games.
“I think it was too early for the NFF to sign Jose Peseiro as Eagles coach and it will be more difficult for the NFF board if Eguavoen eventually wins the trophy in Cameroon. They should have allowed him to continue with the team ahead of the World Cup final play-off going by what he had done with the team.
Meanwhile, Super Eagles legend, Christian Chukwu, believes the present leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) does not value indigenous coaches.
Chukwu joins fans and pundits who maintain that the Super Eagles need a local handler, citing the fact that all World Cup-winning teams were handled by their nationals.
“I can assure you that the present Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) does not believe in Nigerian coaches.
“I am happy with what Eguavoen is doing now. Within a short period, Eguaveon was given the job, you can see how he has turned the team around. Nigerian coaches can perform even better than foreign coaches but our federation doesn’t have respect for the Nigerian coaches,” he noted.
“Based on what I have seen, I give thanks to Eguavoen. He has turned around the team. We are now playing as Nigerian Super Eagles. And if they continue this way, we are to win the cup at the end of the day,” Chukwu, a former coach of the team, added.
In the same vein, former Nigeria international Etim Esin has charged the NFF to retain Austin Eguavoen on a permanent basis.
Esin posited that Eguavoen’s previous spell with the Eagles will be to his advantage.
“Austin has been there before so it’s nothing wrong so let’s see what will happen. Nigerians were not happy imagine the Super Eagles surrendering a 4-0 lead against Sierra Leone, losing to Central African Republic and drawing Cape Verde at home.
“If we play well and lose or draw it’s a different thing but the standard now is not it and it’s evident Rohr had to go.
“We should thank Rohr for what he has done for us but let’s give our local coaches a chance. Other African countries are handled by their ex-internationals, teams like Algeria and Senegal and others. If Eguavoen comes in and do the magic so be it, all we want is good result.”
Interestingly, Eguavoen has refused to rule out the possibility of managing the team on a permanent basis.
Eguavoen has now put himself in a good position to get the job on a permanent basis, following Nigeria’s impressive start at the 2021 AFCON finals in Cameroon
He was asked at Tuesday’s press conference if he would be interested in becoming the permanent manager of the Super Eagles.
“If they gave me the job, why not?
“These questions have come many, many times, but I’m very happy with the position I occupy with the Nigeria Football Federation.
“Yes, if they asked me for it, yes maybe, just maybe and when we get to that river, we will cross it,” Eguavoen replied.
Like he did in AFCON 2006, Eguavoen led the Super Eagles to a 100-percent start in the ongoing tournament with three victories, scoring six goals and conceding just one via penalty against Sudan.
The tactical discipline of the team from the first match against seven-time champions, Egypt sent warning signals to other top teams that the Super Eagles have their eyes on taking the coveted trophy back to Nigeria.
Source: ThePledge except headline
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