NFF boss Pinnick gives the only condition for Eguavoen to keep Super Eagles head coach job

The former Nigerian international was named the interim handler of the national team last week, but he faces a decisive few days ahead 

The president of the Nigerian Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick, said that the football body will appoint and unveil a new Super Eagles technical adviser next week who will lead the team to Cameroon 2021.

At an interactive session held with sports editors in Lagos on Wednesday, Pinnick confirmed that the Federation has interviewed three Europeans for the job.

It would be recalled that the last European to manage the Super Eagles, Gernot Rohr, spent five years and four months in the saddle before his contract was terminated on December 12.

After a less than impressive end to the German gaffer’s tenure, Pinnick revealed that the NFF scoured the world for a coach ready for the challenge immediately and able to command the players’ respect.

In searching for such a respectable tactician, Pinnick confessed that he consulted with former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and AS Roma’s boss Jose Mourinho. Nigeria’s sports minister, Sunday Dare, also interacted with the Portuguese manager.

Pinnick, however, noted that interim head coach Eguavoen could still lead the Super Eagles to the 2021 Afcon in Cameroon next month.

And the football administrator maintains that the 1994 Afcon winner could retain the job permanently if he leads the Eagles to beat all-comers and lift the Cup.

Pinnick said: “We know that Eguavoen can do the job expertly, but we also know that he will be more useful controlling the technical department. However, if we cannot get the (new) coaches to start work immediately, we will empower them to take the team to Cameroon.

“And if Eguavoen wins the Nations Cup, we might have a rethink. In that case, the foreign coach will now become the technical director, while Eguavoen takes the position of technical adviser.”

Nigeria have been grouped with Egypt, Sudan, and Guinea-Bissau in the opening round of the 2021 Afcon.

Aside from seven-time Afcon kings Egypt, the other favourites capable of stopping the Super Eagles from romping to a fourth continental crown are defending champions Algeria, hosts Cameroon, Sadio Mane-inspired Senegal, and North African powerhouse Morocco.