Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Guardian Nigeria
Published on 2024-03-14 04:05:15
Ten coaches, including the Rio 2016 Olympics bronze medal-winning coach Samson Siasia and former CHAN Eagles manager Salisu Yusuf, have applied to replace Jose Peseiro as the Super Eagles’ coach. Siasia is currently serving a five-year ban from FIFA due to his involvement in a match-fixing investigation, while Yusuf received a one-year ban for bribery allegations involving CHAN Super Eagles players.
Siasia’s ban is set to be lifted in August, and he is hopeful that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) will wait until then before making a decision on the new coach. On the other hand, Yusuf, who has an impressive coaching record, is looking to redeem himself after the bribery scandal in 2018.
According to soccernet.ng, the NFF received applications from 10 candidates by the March 12, 2024 deadline for the Super Eagles head coach position. The vacancy arose following the departure of Peseiro, who led the team to a runner-up spot at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. Despite showing interest in continuing as coach, Peseiro could not reach a contractual agreement with the NFF.
Among the applicants, former Barcelona star Emmanuel Amunike stands out as one of the top contenders. Amunike, who has an impressive playing and coaching career, has achieved success at both the international and club levels. Other applicants include Michael Nsien, Sylvanus Okpala, Ndubuisi Egbo, Daniel Amokachi, Sunday Oliseh, Antonio Conceicao, and George Finidi.
Ndubuisi Egbo, the first Nigerian coach to win a league title in Europe, is also vying for the position, along with former Super Eagles assistant coach Daniel Amokachi and former Cameroon national team head coach Antonio Conceicao. George Finidi, who recently guided Enyimba FC to a league title, is also in the running.
The NFF is expected to make a decision and announce the new Super Eagles head coach in April. With a talented pool of applicants, the selection process is likely to be competitive and will ultimately determine who will lead the national team in upcoming competitions.
