First-ever NPFL winners Mighty Jets eye Samson Siasia for head coach role as FIFA ban nears end

Nigeria National League (NNL) club Mighty Jets are reportedly in talks to appoint former Nigeria international and ex-Super Eagles coach Samson Siasia as their new head coach, Soccernet.ng understands.

Siasia is gearing up for a return to management as his five-year FIFA ban expires at the end of this month.

According to the Daily Post, the former Super Eagles boss is said to be negotiating a monthly salary of ₦10 million, a figure that Mighty Jets are optimistic about agreeing on as they seek to bring his wealth of experience to the club.

Interestingly, Mighty Jets, one of the oldest clubs in the country, were the first winners of the Nigerian League in 1972.

Siasia's ban, initially a life sentence imposed by FIFA for alleged involvement in match-fixing, was later reduced to five years by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

His potential appointment at Mighty Jets would mark only his second coaching role with a professional club in Nigeria.

Throughout his coaching career, Siasia has been a key figure in Nigerian football, particularly with youth and senior national teams. 

He famously led the Nigeria U-20 team, the Flying Eagles, to the final of the 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup and the U-20 African Youth Championship, winning the latter and narrowly missing out on the world title to Argentina.

Siasia also made his mark as the head coach of Nigeria's U-23 team, guiding them to a silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and later securing a bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

His coaching journey includes a stint with Heartland F.C., a brief tenure as the Super Eagles' head coach, and the establishment of the SiaOne Soccer Academy in Abuja, focused on nurturing young talent.