Adekunle Salami
The Nigeria Football Federation on Monday announced the reconstitution of the technical crew of the Super Eagles, with Augustine Eguavoen staying as Interim Manager while former Nigeria World Cup star, Emmanuel Amuneke, was drafted in as immediate assistant to Eguavoen.
Amuneke, one of the most garlanded footballers to have come out of Nigeria, scored both goals that won Nigeria the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations final match against Zambia in Tunisia, 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 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt and led the Taifa Stars in the finals. He is a Member of both the FIFA and CAF Technical Study Groups. He was in Cameroon to work with CAF at the just concluded AFCON
The NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, said on Monday; “The Board has approved a recommendation of the 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 will be the 2nd Assistant Coach/Chief Coach of the CHAN team and Joseph Yobo will be 3rd Assistant while Aloysius Agu remains the Goalkeepers’ Trainer.”
The reconstitution comes after the Super Eagles’ outing at the 33rd Africa Cup of Nations 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.
Sanusi added: “We acknowledge and appreciate the interest that Mr Jose Peseiro has shown in Nigeria 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 accepted
to retain the Eguavoen-led coaching crew and strengthen it with the addition of Amuneke.”
NEW EAGLES COACHING CREW…at a glance
Augustine Eguavoen – Technical Director/Technical Adviser (interim)
Emmanuel Amuneke – Chief Coach/1st Assistant
Salisu Yusuf – 2nd Assistant/Chief Coach, CHAN
Joseph Yobo – 3rd Assistant
Aloysius Agu – Goalkeepers’ Trainer
