Augustine Eguavoen: Can former Super Eagles coach revive Ghana’s glory days?

Multiple reports have linked the Ghana Football Association (GFA) with the appointment of former Super Eagles coach, Augustine Eguavoen, Soccernet.ng reports.

However, many Ghanaians have confirmed these reports to be false, and the GFA has yet to make any official statement regarding the matter.

The former KAA Gent defender, Eguavoen, had previously expressed interest in coaching the Super Eagles. However, he was snubbed by the Nigeria Football Federation in favour of former Mali head coach Eric Chelle, who was appointed to take charge of the Super Eagles with immediate effect.

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Following Chelle’s appointment, speculation arose about Eguavoen’s future, leading to the false reports about the GFA’s interest in him. This could also be linked to the regular friendly banter between Nigeria and Ghana.

GFA Faces Uncertainty Amid Government Change

Amid this debunked rumour linking Eguavoen as the proposed new head coach of Ghana, the GFA is reportedly focused on retaining current Black Stars head coach Otto Addo.

However, the newly sworn-in government appears to have other plans, which creates uncertainty about Addo’s position.

Ghanaian sports journalist Emmanuel Ayamga, who has formerly featured in Afrik-Foot, DW, and Pulse Sports Ghana, shed light on the challenges the GFA faces amid political and financial considerations:

“They desperately want to keep Otto Addo, because he’s always been their man. But the new government also wants him out. From what I’ve gathered, Otto Addo’s compensation, should he be sacked, is quite high, so they’ll need to make a budget for that.

“As you know, the new government was sworn in just two days ago, so they’re now settling in. We’ll have a clearer picture once a Sports Minister is named,” Ayamga told Soccernet.ng.

Is Eguavoen a Good Fit for the Black Stars?

Suppose Eguavoen is indeed a potential candidate for the Black Stars head coach position. In that case, Ghanaian sports journalist Emmanuel Ayamga doubts whether he is the right fit, particularly at this critical time.

Ayamga believes that while Eguavoen has a respectable coaching background, his qualities may not be enough to address the Black Stars’ current challenges.

“He’s decent, but I don’t think he’s what Ghana needs right now. He’s just like Kwesi Appiah, and his ‘nice guy’ personality won’t be enough to take the Black Stars to where they want to be, especially in this time when the team is totally down,” Ayamga explained.

Another Ghanaian sports journalist, Selasi Fiawoyi, who writes for Sahara Football, shared his thoughts on the potential appointment of Eguavoen as the Black Stars head coach. Fiawoyi acknowledged the difficulty of the role, but expressed openness to the idea of Eguavoen taking over.

“I’d welcome him. The job is tough and he’ll need to hit the ground running. I hope he’s ready for that,” he said.

For CAF-accredited Nigerian journalist Toyosi Afolayan, Eguavoen’s deep understanding of African football makes him a strong candidate, especially for rebuilding the team.

“Yes, he is, actually. Knows African football more than Otto [Addo]. He’s the man meant for a rebuild, and [Augustine] Eguavoen is experienced. His record with Nigeria isn’t bad. They’ve not won gold under him, though, but the top three isn’t something far-fetched for Eguavoen to do,” he said.

With the Black Stars missing out on the 2025 AFCON qualification and the Black Galaxies knocked out of the CHAN 2024 qualifiers by Nigeria’s CHAN Eagles, the future of Otto Addo is now a major concern for the GFA. However, it seems unlikely that Eguavoen will take charge of the team in the near future.