No interim, no substantive coach for Super Eagles

We are a few days away from the well-advertised Super Eagles friendly matches with the Black Stars of Ghana and Les Aigles (Eagles) of Mali. No doubt, these are very important international matches because they are coming ahead of the resumption of the qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. However, even as the list of players to prosecute the two friendly matches has been announced by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), the Super Eagles are still without a coach. The situation is so pathetic because there isn’t even an interim coach on ground to lead Nigeria in the two friendly matches.

Some of us appreciate the efforts being made by the present NFF to change the old order in the national teams but we are at times left with no option than to lament openly when the federation is found wanting in discharging some of its responsibilities. Had the NFF put on its thinking cap in time, by now, we would have put behind us the issue of a new coach for the Super Eagles. Surely, it wasn’t yesterday that the NFF discovered that the Super Eagles would be without a substantive coach at this moment.

Of course, the federation has commenced the process to hire a coach for the Super Eagles but the slow pace at which the exercise is moving is an indication that the three-time African champions will be without a substantive coach for the two friendly matches. An interim coach who is still unknown will definitely lead the Super Eagles in the games against Ghana and Mali. Soon after Peseiro announced his exit, the media was awash with reports that Austin Eguavoen who is NFF’s Technical Director was taking over in acting capacity. But in a quick reaction, the federation said it had not appointed any coach as was speculated in a section of the media.

However, a few days later, the NFF released the list of players for the two friendly matches. Since the team has no interim coach, Nigerians demanded to know who had invited the players for the friendly games. There is neither a substantive nor interim coach, yet the NFF came up with names of invited players. This is a pointer to the fact that even before now, players’ selection was not done solely by the coach of the Super Eagles. Maybe, there are people in the NFF who usually decide who should be invited. One is tempted to say the Technical Committee must have drawn the list but looking at the composition of the important body, how many of the members have the competence to even know the players that should be invited to the Super Eagles? Maybe the Technical Director who is likely going to preside over the matches called-up the players.

Well, even without a coach, the NFF has invited players for the friendly matches. Since we are yet to know who the interim coach of the team is, maybe we would see one of the board members in the dug-out during the upcoming friendly matches. But seriously, it is surprising that the NFF is yet to at least announce an interim coach for the Super Eagles. Unfortunately, there are no indications that a new coach will be announced anytime soon.

Why it will be unrealistic for anyone to expect a new coach very soon is because of the approach that the NFF is using to find a coach. Instead of the federation to quickly scout around for the available coaches to be interviewed for the job, it has left the door completely open and that is how every Tom, Dick and Harry, has entered to make a simple process so cumbersome. Everyone, including ‘coachitos’ is now claiming to have the capacity to lead a big team like the Super Eagles. As a matter of fact, what is the NFF doing with over 100 applications for just one position? Some reports have it that over 40, others said 50 but majority have indicated that at least 100 coaches have applied for the job. Surely, even before the NFF is done with scrutinising the papers submitted by the applicants, the 2026 World Cup qualifiers would have resumed.

However, since we are masters of the fire brigade approach, the NFF is going to come up with someone who will preside over the friendly matches. However, what the team stands to gain by prosecuting the two matches with a new coach would be lost. A new manager would have used the two games to familiarise himself with his players and the players too would have used the opportunity to acquaint themselves with their new coach. This will not be the case as a familiar face is likely going to take charge of the two friendly matches.

Apart from the fact that the Super Eagles may not benefit maximally from the two friendly games, it must be said that by throwing the job of the national team open, the NFF has inadvertently reduced the value of the Super Eagles. The number and caliber of coaches that have applied for the job is a clear indication that coaching the Super Eagles is becoming an all comers’ affair.

If indeed, over 100 coaches have applied for the vacant position, it means even coaches in the Nigeria Professional League (NPFL) who have failed to win the CAF Champions League since 2004 are among those jostling to manage the Super Eagles. This is indeed sad because the Nigerian national team which is supposed to be a powerhouse in world football shouldn’t be associated with coaches without any known pedigree. Unfortunately, the NFF has reduced the most expensive national football team in Africa to the level that even local champions will aspire to manage it.

Well, from sources inside the NFF, the federation is not comfortable with an indigenous coach for the Super Eagles job. So, there is a secret search for a foreign coach who will be acceptable by the generality of Nigerian football stakeholders. What is likely going to happen is that an indigenous coach will prosecute the two friendly matches before the arrival of the preferred coach. For now, the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) runners-up are without an interim or substantive coach. This is not the way to go. Algeria which sacked coach Djamel Belmadi, following poor performance at the 2023 AFCON have since appointed a new coach. Nigeria must not behave like their neighbours Cameroon and Ghana who are also searching for new managers since after the 2023 AFCON.