Without a doubt, one of the most topical issues in Nigerian football at the moment is the endless search for a new coach for the Super Eagles by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). It is an open secret that since former Super Eagles star winger Finidi George threw in the towel in June, not less than six coaches have been linked to the plum job. However, the NFF is still struggling to find the best among them to lead the former African champions.
A simple task is becoming a daunting challenge, for the past one month, there is no day that has passed without news about a coach that has been appointed or is highly favoured to emerge as the next coach of the Super Eagles. What is happening is indeed strange because the football federations of other countries don’t usually follow the same route when they want to appoint new coaches.
For instance, the Three Lions of England are presently without a substantive coach, but very soon, the FA will announce Gareth Southgate’s replacement. It is usually done without much noise. However, since our own way of doing things is usually different, the NFF is repeating past mistakes.
At the moment, the NFF is using a civil service recruitment method to hire a coach for the senior national team. Applications were received, and successful candidates were shortlisted. It is said that more than five coaches have been interviewed and are awaiting the outcome of the exercise.
What is worrisome is that most of those interviewed by the NFF Technical Committee are not in the class of coaches Nigerian football fans want for the Super Eagles. Almost everyone wants a world- class coach for the senior national team. At least, a known name with the capacity to manage the star- studded squad would have excited Nigerians.
However, apart from the illustrious Herve Renard, the rest have not elicited confidence in the fans. Among the coaches reportedly interviewed by the NFF are Tom Saintfiet, Eric Chelle, Steve McClaren, and recently Janne Andersson. Although, he has not worked in Africa, Andersson’s promoters are trying frantically to make everyone believe that he is the right man for the job. In fact, they make it look as if he is the Super Eagles’ new coach.
Well, since the NFF is so secretive about the search for the next Super Eagles coach, no one can confidently say what is happening. This has given room for speculation. Everyone with a candidate is doing everything to project him while the NFF continues to dilly-dally. So, on a daily basis, coaches are ‘appointed’ by ‘hired’ writers for the Super Eagles.
Going by such imaginary reports, the new coach of the Super Eagles at the moment is the man from Sweden, Andersson, who failed to qualify his country for the 2022 World Cup and Euro 2024. Even as the NFF is yet to officially confirm his appointment, many are wondering what is so special about the Swede that has got the federation interested in him.
Anyway, many have said the reports that Andersson is appointed are just another figment of the imagination of those who want to keep Nigerians busy with stories about the Super Eagles and their new coach.
However, while the speculators are ‘catching cruise’, the situation is becoming too disturbing for comfort. In two weeks’ time, the Super Eagles will take on regional rivals the Cheetahs of Benin Republic in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers in Uyo, yet the team has no substantive coach.
As usual, the NFF Technical Director and former international, Austin Eguavoen, has been tipped to serve as a vacuum doctor again. But this is the kind of news that most Nigerian football fans do not want to hear. This is because they have not forgotten how the coach fumbled with the Super Eagles in the 2022 World Cup playoff against the Black Stars of Ghana. The failure made it the second time since 1994 that Nigeria missed the FIFA World Cup.
But the most surprising is no doubt the mention of Samson Siasia, who has just finished serving his FIFA Ban. Some are pushing for him to be appointed, at least on an interim basis. Yes, he is now free to coach again at any level, but throwing him into the fray right away may be counter-productive. Siasia definitely needs time to reflect and brush up before entering the national team dugout again.
Well, as the NFF dilly-dallies, their former employee, Gernot Rohr, is already plotting to beat the Super Eagles again. The last time the two countries met in June, the Franco-German tactician outsmarted Finidi as the less endowed Cheetahs secured a well-deserved 2-1 victory in the 2026 World Cup qualifying match in Abidjan.
It was indeed sweet revenge for the coach who left Nigeria under unpleasant circumstances. Therefore, a second victory over the Super Eagles in less than two months would definitely be another memorable moment for him.
Unfortunately, the NFF is making the Super Eagles more vulnerable in both the World Cup and the AFCON qualifiers. It was this same dilly-dallying that cost the Super Eagles five points in the last World Cup qualifying matches.
Finidi, who was appointed grudgingly, had less than two weeks to prepare the team for the crunch matches against South Africa and Benin Republic. After a chaotic build-up, he escaped with a draw against the Bafana Bafana in Uyo but was beaten by the Cheetahs in Abidjan. The disappointing performances have left the Super Eagles in danger of losing the 2026 World Cup ticket as they presently sit second from the bottom in Group C with only three points.
Considering that the September 7 tie with the Cheetahs is fast approaching, the lackadaisical behaviour of the NFF is worrisome. The federation must wake up from slumber to avert another disaster in the AFCON qualifiers. While other countries have since released lists of players that have been invited to prosecute their matches, NFF is still interviewing coaches for the Super Eagles. So, when will the new coach prepare for the matches against Benin Republic and Rwanda?
Therefore, even as anything worth doing is worth doing well, it shouldn’t take the NFF eternity to appoint a coach for the senior national team. It will be surprising as well as disappointing if the federation is overwhelmed by what is a very simple task for other FAs. This endless search for the Super Eagles coach has to stop now.
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