- The Technical Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation is leaning towards hiring another foreign coach for the Super Eagles
- Portuguese coach Antonio Canceicao, a former coach of Cameroon’s national team, is favoured to lead the Super Eagles
Following the departure of the former coach and the subsequent advertisement for the vacant position, over 40 local and foreign coaches have applied for the job. However, the preference seems to be shifting towards a foreign tactician.
The local applicants are former Nigerian internationals such as Emmanuel Amuneke, Finidi George, Daniel Amokachi, Sunday Oliseh, Salisu Yusuf, and Sylvanus Okpala. Notably, Micheal Nsien, a Nigerian coach currently handling the USA U-17 and U-19 national teams, is also in the running.
However, the favoured candidate appears to be Portuguese coach Antonio Canceicao, a one-time coach of the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon, who is perceived as having the qualities needed to lead the Super Eagles.
While some Nigerian football stakeholders advocate for a Nigerian coach to take charge, citing the lack of success under foreign coaches, an influential member of the NFF Technical Committee argues for a foreign coach with proven experience.
According to the anonymous committee member, the Super Eagles require a world-class coach who can manage the senior national team effectively and contribute to the overall development of Nigerian football.
While acknowledging the capabilities of Nigerian coaches, the committee member believes that the current stature of the Super Eagles necessitates a coach with extensive international experience and a proven track record.
The recent meeting of the Technical Committee in Abuja focused on scrutinizing the applications received for both the head coach of the Super Eagles and the Golden Eaglets, indicating that a decision on the coaching appointments is imminent.