Retired Internationals Qualified To Manage Super Eagles – Nigeria Legend

It is time to trust former internationals with the number one coaching job in the country, according to former Watford fullback Ben Iroha.

Former Super Eagles star, Iroha, believes the present head coach of the Super Eagles Gernot Rohr cannot be classed among the best coaches to have handled the team, with Jo Bonfrere and Clement Westerhof taking that honour.

Rohr has been in charge of the three-time African champions since August 2016, leading the team to a third-place finish at the 2019 AFCON in Egypt. The German tactician is haggling for a contract extension which could see him lead Nigeria to the next FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

There is, however, a growing call for the Nigeria Football Federation to replace the former Bordeaux manager with an ex-international.

The likes of Austin Eguavoen, Emmanuel Amuneke, and Sunday Oliseh have distinguished themselves as astute managers of the game.

Iroha, 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup-winning assistant coach, wonders why Nigeria is not placing more trust in any of her qualified citizens.

“Westerhof and Bonfrere Jo came here and did very well. Those are the two most successful foreign coaches Nigeria has ever had,” Iroha told The Vanguard. 

“(But) that was then. Right now, we have attained that level we should take charge. We have played and worked with several foreign coaches, so we should take charge.

“Nigeria is a big country, and we have quite a number of us who have attained the necessary qualification to handle any national team. But they are not carrying us along at all.”

Recall that a former international, late Stephen Keshi, is the last coach to lead the Super Eagles to an AFCON title and the second round of the FIFA World Cup.