By Ola ‘Kiya, Reporting
Confidence in quality of local content appears to be reining on Nigerian leaders in the sports sector as the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has opted for Austin Eguavoen and Emmanuel Amuneke as Super Eagles Technical Adviser and Chief Coach.
This was announced on Monday with the disclosure that hired Portuguese Jose Paseiro has been asked to go.
NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, in a statement on Monday, stated that the board of the NFF has approved the recommendation of its Technical and Development Committee, retaining Augustine Eguavoen as Technical Director/Technical Adviser (interim), while Emmanuel Amuneke becomes the Chief Coach of the Super Eagles.
Salisu Yusuf becomes the second Assistant Coach/Chief Coach of the CHAN team and Joseph Yobo will be third assistant while Aloysius Agu remains the Goalkeepers’ Trainer.
The scribe, however, pleaded with Paseiro saying, “We acknowledge and appreciate the interest that Mr Jose Peseiro has shown in Nigerian Football during our very cordial discussions and have absolutely no doubt about his capacity.
“We believe that perhaps in the future, there could be an opportunity to work with him.
“However, 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,” he said.
The reconstitution comes after the Super Eagles’ outing at the 33rd AFCON finals in Cameroon, and ahead of the potentially –explosive FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 play-off round against the Black Stars of Ghana next month.
Amuneke, one of the most decorated footballers to have come out of Nigeria, scored both goals that won Nigeria the 1994 AFCON final match against Zambia in Tunis, scored the goal that won Nigeria and Africa’s first Olympic football gold medal in 1996 and played in the 1994 and 1996 FIFA World Cup finals, scoring two goals in USA ’94.
As coach, the electrifying winger qualified Tanzania for the 2019 AFCON in Egypt and led the Taifa Stars in the finals.
He also won, for Nigeria as coach, the 2017 Under 15 World Cup where the likes of Victor Osimhen was discovered.
He is a Member of both the FIFA and CAF Technical Study Groups.
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