Report: Ex-Super Eagles coach Jo Bonfrère applies to take over from Gernot Rohr

The Dutchman is interested in taking over from the German tactician, who is set to be fired by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) 

Dutch manager Jo Bonfrère could be in line for a shock return to the Super Eagles after he formally sent his application for the team’s coaching role to the NFF.

According to ESPN journalist Colin Udoh, Bonfrère has officially expressed his interest in taking over from the current coach Gernot Rohr, who is on the brink of the sack.

Rohr has been in the role since 2016, but his position has become untenable due to the team’s recent unimpressive performances.

The NFF is currently looking to pay the German tactician off as they interview potential candidates. And among the candidates that have sent in their application is  Bonfrère.

The Dutchman is familiar with the Super Eagles, having served as the team’s coach on two occasions and as an assistant in another stint.

Bonfere served as Super Eagles assistant coach under Clemence Westerhof at the 1994 World Cup before leading the Dream Team to the gold medal in the football event of the Atlanta 1996 Olympics.

He left his role after the Olympics but returned in 1999 to lead Nigeria to a second-place finish at the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations.

Should he return, Bonfrère’s first task will be to lead the three-time African champions to next year’s AFCON, which starts on January 9 in Cameroon.

Joba Ogunwale

Oluwajoba Ogunwale has many years of experience as a sports content writer. The most recent of these was at Opera News, after which he took up the role of Editor-in-Chief at Soccernet.

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    • @David Akutebo, the problem with our indigenous coaches is they will go and start collecting bribe up and down. We saw that with Keshi and Siasia at the time they handled the national teams.

      I think a foreign coach is still the way forward. The NFF should get a young, technically & tactically sound coach...one that understands the modern game that consists of attacking football, pace, pressing and intensity.

  • We can't go back to that era. Bonferr has gone past his prime both phusically and in knowledge of the dynamic game ofvfootbsll.
    Emmanuel Amuneke, Finidi George and possibly Olise can do the job.

  • This an excellent news that Joe Bonferer come again to Super Eagles, he is incredible coach who has genius thought which will push SE to become an incredible and quailty team,he has excellent player's choosing,he put a player on suitable function,he put strong pattern of playing whitch will help SE to regain thier strength in Africa, he has a distant approach to inhance and develop SE; so I think this a good chance and option whitch NFF to gain it.

  • It will have to be a purpose based decision.
    We're going to face the best teams in Africa in less than 50 days. The question is
    *Is it enough time for a coach to assemble a team capable of surmounting the best teams in Africa?
    *what do we intend achieving by hiring a coach in such short a time without due diligence going forward and by this I mean,the World Cup qualifiers which starts immediately after the final whistle is blown in Cameroun?
    *With this as hindsight,.it is clear that we need to hire someone who should hit the ground running... We don't have the luxury to bring on board someone who will start learning the rudiments of the Nigerian way of running our show...someone who's been here before will not be a bad idea. If I had my way,we will be looking for new administrators to pilot the affairs of our football but sadly I don't have my way.
    *The question also is,.do we have the capacity to hire someone who will take us to the summit of the Nations Cup and beyond the knockout stages of the World Cup? Clearly not this NFF that have less than 1 year left in their statutory duration to run the affairs of our football..
    *A coach in an interim capacity might fit the bill...start accessing him from our Nations Cup performance...
    *My opinions will be..
    ....Emmanuel Amuneke as Team Manager
    ...Salisu Yusuf as the Head Coach
    ...Kennedy Boboye as the 1st Assistant
    ...Gbenga Ogunbote as the 2nd Assistant
    ..Ndubuisi Egbo & Vincent Enyeama as the Goalkeeper Manager/Trainers

  • Suday Oliseh is not a suitable coach now for Super Eagles,because he hasn't any potentials and capacity to do this job,look at his losing tenure on S E; he lead SE with many loses, bad administration technically , tactically; I think Bonfrere is suitable coach for administrating the team; Bonfrere will return back with a genius , formidable tachiques and tactics,he will play with a modern pattern of playing football like pace,pressing, ferociousness and comabtiveness in midfield and defence. Bonfrere will be assisted by one of his citizenry with also like Emmanuel Amunike as head coach,Salisu Youssof, kenndy baboye; Nudubiusi Ogbu, Vicent Enyeama as goalkeeper trainers.

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