Super Eagles technical crew; Eguavoen (left) and assistant Amuneke (right)
Eguavoen returns to Super Eagles position, as NFF drafts Amuneke to coaching crew
Nigeria Football Federal (NFF) has retained Austin Eguavoen as the Super Eagles head coach, despite stepping down from the position, last month.
However, in a statement released, Monday, the NFF announced drafting former Super Eaglets winning coach and ex-International, Emmanuel Amuneke into the coaching crew of the Super Eagles, as Eguavoen’s assistant.
Amuneke is a former coach of the Tanzania national team.
The movements were announced as the country’s prepares to take on Ghana in the final Africa qualification series for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Nigeria take on Ghana in March, this year in a two-legged encounter to decide one of the five ticket allocated to Africa for this year’s World Cup.
In addition, the NFF also announced calling off the signing of Portuguese coach, Jose Peseiro earlier sounded for the job in the aftermath of the sacking of Gernot Rohr as Super Eagles Technical Adviser.
“In view of the positive performance of the Super Eagles at the just-concluded Africa Cup of Nations which has given hope to Nigerians and boosted our confidence in the present coaching crew to qualify us for the World Cup in Qatar, we have decided to accept the recommendation of the Technical and Development Committee to retain the Eguavoen-led coaching crew and strengthen it with the addition of Emmanuel Amuneke,” read the statement by the NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, Monday.
However, controversy has been raised, as barely 24 hours after the press statement, coach Amuneke denied been notified of the appointment by the NFF.
“I am not aware of any appointment with the Super Eagles or any job with the Nigerian government,” Amuneke toldSportingSun.
“I was in the team’s hotel in Cameroon countless and there was no the appointment was discussed with me.”
He further said he would rather not talk about the matter until a formal offer was made to him.
Currently, Eguavoen’s assistants are; Salisu Yusuf, Paul Aigbogun, Joseph Yobo, Terry Eguaoje and Alloy Agu, while former internationals; Garba Lawal, Nwankwo Kanu and Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha were named ambassadors.
However, under the new arrangement, the structure of the Super Eagles coaching staff will have Augustine Eguavoen – Technical Director/Technical Adviser (interim); Emmanuel Amuneke – Chief Coach/1st Assistant; Salisu Yusuf – 2nd Assistant/Chief Coach, CHAN; Joseph Yobo – 3rd Assistant; and Aloysius Agu – Goalkeepers’ Trainer.
