On Thursday, March 1, 2024, Jose Peseiro, the Portuguese tactician at the helm of the Nigerian men’s national football team, announced his departure after a tenure spanning 22 months.
Peseiro’s stewardship saw the Super Eagles soar to the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, where they narrowly succumbed to host nation Cote d’Ivoire in a gripping showdown.
In the wake of Peseiro’s exit, the Nigerian Football Federation swiftly appointed Augustine Eguavoen, a former international and the head of the NFF’s Technical Department, as the interim head coach.
However, Eguavoen is not inclined to assume the permanent head coach role.
With pivotal World Cup qualifying fixtures against South Africa looming, the NFF is on a quest to fill the vacant coaching position expediently.
The burning question remains: who possesses the requisite coaching nous to lead the Super Eagles to new heights?
Among the esteemed coaches currently unattached are the triumvirate of Jose Mourinho, Antonio Conte, and Zinedine Zidane.
However, the financial constraints of the Nigerian Football Federation and the remote prospect of enticing these illustrious figures to the African football landscape render their recruitment improbable.
Stepping into the limelight, though, are the following potential candidates:
Emmanuel Amunike
A revered figure in Nigerian football folklore, Amunike’s illustrious playing career reached its pinnacle with triumphs in the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations and the 1996 Olympic football tournament.
Transitioning seamlessly into coaching, he masterminded Nigeria’s U17 national team to World Cup glory in 2015.
The former Barcelona winger also coached the Tanzanian national team, helping them to qualify for the 2019 AFCON.
Amunike’s tactical acumen, coupled with a penchant for attacking football, endear him to the Nigerian faithful, making him a prime contender for the Super Eagles coaching role.
Sunday Oliseh
A mercurial midfielder during his playing days, Oliseh boasts prior experience at the helm of the Super Eagles.
Renowned for nurturing the talents of Wilfred Ndidi and Alex Iwobi, his coaching tenure was marred by a tumultuous fallout with the NFF.
However, with a change in NFF leadership, Oliseh’s return could herald a new era characterised by the integration of burgeoning talents and a competitive ethos.
Ndubuisi Egbo
A trailblazer in his own right, Ndubuisi Egbo is the current manager of Kosovo Superleague club Prishtina.
Egbo, a former Super Eagles goalkeeper, boasts a rich playing career that traversed Nigeria, Egypt, South Africa, and Albania, where he clinched three trophies with Tirana.
His coaching journey commenced in 2010, culminating in his appointment as Tirana’s head coach in 2019.
The pinnacle of Egbo’s managerial exploits occurred during the 2019/2020 season when he etched his name in history by becoming the first Nigerian coach to lead a European team to a league title with Tirana.
Egbo’s foray into European football, coupled with a wealth of experience as a player, positions him as a unique and exciting prospect for the Super Eagles coaching role.
Laurent Blanc
Blanc is a distinguished figure in the annals of French football, having won the FIFA World Cup and the European Championship with his country.
The former defender, with an impressive 97 caps and 16 international goals, transitioned from a decorated playing career to a managerial journey with remarkable success.
He helped Bordeaux secure the Ligue 1 title in 2008–09 before assuming the reins of the France national team in the aftermath of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Blanc steered the squad to the quarter-finals of UEFA Euro 2012.
He also won domestic honours with Paris Saint-Germain.
The 58-year-old was one of the coaches who applied for the Super Eagles job before Peseiro was hired in 2022.
Blanc’s pedigree and vast experience make him an enticing prospect to revitalise Nigerian football, especially with the Africa Cup of Nations looming next year.
Pedro Gonçalves
Gonçalves, who initially caught the eye as a scout and youth coach in Portugal, notably at Sporting CP, has ascended through the coaching ranks.
His remarkable journey includes leading Angola’s U17 team to triumph in the COSAFA Cup.
Elevated to the position of Angola’s national team coach, Gonçalves masterminded their qualification for the 2023 AFCON.
Under his guidance, Angola achieved their best-ever group stage performance, securing seven points and two wins in a formidable showing.
Despite ultimately succumbing to Nigeria in the quarter-finals, Gonçalves showcased his adept coaching skills.
His strategic insight and ability to foster a winning mentality within his squad position him as a compelling candidate to guide the Super Eagles.
N.B: Who would you have as the next Super Eagles coach? Leave your comments below.
any coach that can stay in camp for 3 weeks in Nigeria wil sucede with super eagles.
Emmanuel Amunike efforts have helped Nigeria in all areas of Nigeria football and he works very hard and he is highly favoured in Nigeria football success history more than any other Nigeria coach as of now and for that reason he is the most qualified to coach Super Eagles
Not more than Siasia though who history haven’t been fair to coaching the super eagles despite having remarkable record with the team of 20p5 u20 & 2 major olymics.
for me Amunike is the best qualified going by Nigeria ways of doing things.. He understands grass roots football having coach under 17 with the like of osimhen..We need an attacking minded cc coach… He has played in Africa highest level and score in the final . . He has everything to inspire the boys…
why is NFF dancing around the obvious? Emmanuel Amuneke is the VERY BEST of the lot. he’s already coached some of the current players and as an attack minded coach, just give him the job already and let him start his work
Emmanuel Amunuke is the perfect choice for Nigeria. He had saved Nigerian football at different levels. We should have confidence in our own like Cisse of Senegal. Amunuke will be our solution.
I will go with Sunday Oliseh because of his discipline, high technical knowledge and courage to take bold decisions.
With Oliseh in charge, you are sure of fairness and football fluidity, being a former midfielder the issue of rejigging our midfield for effectiveness is a foreclosed conclusion.
Another coach NFF should not forget is Samson Siasia, when ever he gets out of the hook in August, he should be considered if there is vacancy.
Lastly, Amunike is third on the line for me being that he has hand in raising the likes of OSIMHEN and co.
the worst coach to have ever coached Nigeria ….Michael Obi. Olise masterminded many stars leaving National team, causing divisions among players.
NO MORE FOREIGN COACHES!!!
Our indigenous coaches should take up from here…!!
Me, I’d go for Amunike.
Let’s go for one of ours Olise, Siasia,Amunike & more are best suits for the job
The best indigenous coach that can step into the job if the NFF are not playing hanky panicky and serious as a visionary football administrators that mean we’ll and want qualify the EAGLES for world Cup and the next nation Cup the best candidate is Amuneke Emmanuel with is wealth of experience,tactical and technical acumen couple with the model system of football in present day realities of football.They must give amuneke a chance to handle the Super Eagles if they want to achieve their target for the team.
I feel sorry for Nigeria football for coming to a crossroad again, particularly with World cup qualifies looming. We are in danger of missing out. With corrupt NFF they will certainly not do what is needful but to go for their pockets at the expense of our qualification.
I will go for Lauren blanc he is the best among the five
Emunuke is The best for me, hé has a good history with The players and hé understands Nigeria football better than any foreign coach. Hé should be given a ling term contract to build a fomidable and blended team spirit in the boys
it is a common knowleledge that every country is appointing their nationals as couch for reason of who understands the terrian. nigeria has ex professionals wasting out there. Amunike, olishe, sampson siasia who is on suspension. these forieners doint give what we expect. but Austine Eugeovon cannever be a good couch. Even finidi george can fully take over.
Lauren blanc is the best among the five coaches
I will go for Amuneke if Nigeria is going for an indigenous coach. If Nigeria wants a foreign coach, they should go for Vahid Halilhodzic from Bosnia and Hazegovina, a one-time coach of Algeria and Morocco. He is a tactician, a disciplinarian and he knows African football inside out.
I will go for Amuneke if Nigeria is going for an indigenous coach. If Nigeria wants a foreign coach, they should go for Vahid Halilhodzic from Bosnia and Hazegovina, a one-time coach of Algeria and Morocco. He is a tactician, a disciplinarian and he knows African football inside out.
Emmanuel Amunike
Emmanuel Amunike my choice ..
we should go for world class coaches…Randy Waldron did wonders at the female world cup. I go with Blanc..pls stop mentioning Siasia or Oliseh, Eguavon/Amuneke…I know Nigeria’s are quick to forget that they are bunch of failures and susceptible to corruption and manipulation. Na we know how to shout on social media when tins go wrong o.
Amunike would be a good fit for now but with the World cup in sight , they will require some refresher courses and or attachment to coaches like Jürgen Klopp or Pep. Guardiola for effect! Good luck!
Amunike stands tall among all
First of all how much is the NFF going to pay. What role will the coach have . Will he have a free hand in selecting the team or will he bow to the pressure of the NFF sand others . The World Cup qualifiers are round the corner . Eguavon failed Nigeria against Ghana and failed In the previous AFCON. There is a FIFA window coming up and any new coach should have the opportunity to look af the players and determine his system and tactics . South Africa waits for that World Cup spot and if the NFF mess up as they have done with Pesterio then I can see the knives out for them – The World Cup Ticket is between Nigeria and South Africa , lose that one and we won’t see a World Cup in 2026.
I’m so surprised by all these mention of Amuneke. What is Amuneke record to deserve the position of Nigeria’s natinonal coach? He won an under-17 title after 4 other coaches had done so before him. Since then, he has failed with every other coaching assignment. It has been a tale of one dismissal after the other, from clubs in Egypt to Sudan to Zambia. When he took Tanzania to the nation’s cup, they came last of all countries that participated. Obviously he does not have the pedigree to handle a team like the Super Eagles.
Oliseh would have been a preferred option but he definitely lacks man management skills. The last time he was appointed, he made a total mess of the team. He almost destroyed the team so much that he had to voluntarily walk away from the job.
Sisia would have been a perfect fit, given his past records in world competitions and his solid pedigree.
Except that he is still under suspension
Given the current situation of the ongoing Worldcup qualifiers, Finidi George who is the assistant coach should be given the job if we are not ready to hire another foreign coach.
You have spoken well. What a precise analysis. People tend to forget or overlook the shortcomings of someone, especially when you talk about someone they like. Thumbs up!
NFF has not got the funds to employ a quality foreign coach. Even to pay a mediocre coach is a problem.
The problem with employing an indigenous coach is that they are often exploited, manipulated and intimidated by the football into accepting their demands which is inimical to the coaches giving their best.
Lastly, the NFF has not gotten itself out of its penchant for recycling indigenous coaches whose coaching history at the national level have been abysmal.
None of the aforementioned indigenous coaches are good enough to manage the super eagles. The NFf can get a good foreign coach within the confers of its budget.
having worked and assembler the best youth team that beat and win the worl under 17 World Cup, Amunike is best for the jib because majority of the present super eagles are his boys at youth level. he has experience of coaching local and internationally.
Emmanuel Amuneke is best qualified for the job, because of his experience in both African and international football.
The problem we have is the Corrupt, Nepotic NFF. AMUNIKE IS IT. But, he may NOT work cordially with the INEPT NFF. They WON’T HIRE HIM.
I really appreciate everyone who has commented. Everybody went for a local coach and majority rates Emmanuel Amunike as the most suited coach for the current crop of players. But, from my own perspective, NFF seems to have an influence in local coaches’ decision to the point of player selection and they do owe them much more salary and even to make matter worse, Nigerians too easily lose confidence in local coaches’ quicker than the foreign. What is you are thought on this?
NFF is at cue de sac road, you don’t have forex, yet you want foreign coach? if you have why not retain Pesiero? cut your coat to the cloth you have. hire Emmanuel Amuneke he has done it b4 with under 17 , the problem in Nigeria is tribal sentiments. however if you have the forex hire another foreign coach. or recall Pesiro . our team is good only they ran out of steam due to thier age and youthful exuberance with the host nation ivory coast who were men and physical stronger than our boys thus is what happened at Afcon 2023 at uvory coast. African football is highly physical is not same with European football.. Amuneke is OK
Going by records of experience and Technical knowledge, I don’t think NFF and Nigerians should think twice before taking the decision of handing Emmanuel Amuneke this offer without delay. If Amuneke had taken the Super Eagles to the just concluded AFCON 2023, Nigeria would have come back with that trophy. He could have applied his Technical knowledge and effected changes that could have yielded positive results that could have brought a positive outcome. So please NFF my dear try and do the needful without sentiments. Emmanuel Amuneke deserves and merits the position of the Super Eagles Head Coach. So that the will be hope for Nigeria in the next World Cup.
OUR NFF IS OUR MAJOR SETBACK SPORTS WISE.NOW PESEIRO IS OFF THE TRACK,AN INDIGENOUS COACH IN THE PERSON OF AMUNEKE CAN’T BE OVEREMPHASIZED. LET’S TRUST OUR LOCAL COACHES TO TAKE US TO THE NEXT LEVEL.AMUNEKE IS THE MOST EXPERIENCE HAVING PLAYED IN MOST EUROPEAN COUNTRIES WITH SUCCESS RIGHT FROM ZAMALEKIN EGYPT BEFORE MOVING ABROAD. LET’S PAY HIM WHAT PESEIRO WAS EARNING & SEE THE MAGIC. ENOUGH OF FOREIGN COACH.
Emmanuel Amunike is the better option to take up Nigerian coaching job
Oliseh or Emmanuel is ok by me.
the NFF is doing RUBBISH, what qualities, skills ETC the foreign coaches hAve thAt our nigeriAn coaches do not have more…? OUR NIGERIAN COACHES ARE BETTER & WILL DO BETTER!
just Anyone of our nAijA brothers (technician/coach) can deliver. it will be good for us to ALWAYS use our nAijA coAches @ All levels
Oliseh should be excluded because he lacks leadership qualities
Emmanuel Amunike is the real man for the job, please NFF should bring him in, as the next super eagles coach
NFF kindly give Emmanuel Amunike the Eagle’s job. He is the most qualified.
Sunday Olise has Anger issue.
Home Coach is Amunike and Foreign Coach is Conte
Lauren Blanc will be the perfect man to handle super eagle team as there head coach
In my own opinion, Jose Mourinho is the best option.
Emmanuel Amunike is my coach for Nigeria, but if it is really true that former French World Cup coach Laurent Blanche applied for the job I will hire him to work with Amunike as assistant manager to take over from him.
i think Blanc or the former Angolan coach should be given the job. i do not think the home- based coaches can not do the job because they lack fineness. most o our coaches always think they can handle the job but they cannot . after they have seen what the foreign coaches does with
their magic by transforming the team ,they always think they can do better