Coach Augustine Eguavoen of Nigeria during the Africa Cup of Nations post match virtual press conference. [Photo by IMAGO]
Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Augustine Eguavoen has made a strong case for appointing a homegrown coach to lead the Super Eagles, Soccernet.ng reports.
Speaking amid the ongoing search for a substantive head coach, Eguavoen believes a local tactician is best suited to understand the unique challenges of Nigerian football and connect with the team’s passionate fanbase.
The Super Eagles have been without a permanent manager since Finidi George stepped down after a turbulent stint in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Finidi’s tenure, marked by a 2–1 loss to Benin and a 1–1 draw with South Africa, ended with the former Enyimba manager citing the NFF’s decision to pursue a foreign technical adviser as a key factor in his resignation.
Eguavoen, who stepped in to guide the team, successfully led Nigeria to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) with a game to spare.
However, with the 2026 World Cup qualifiers resuming in March, Eguavoen has stressed the urgency of appointing a new coach.
“All hands must be on deck. We want to try and qualify for the World Cup,” Eguavoen told Kennis FM as per Legit.
“March is just around the corner. If we have to do something about the team, we need to do it quickly. That person should come in as soon as possible, settle down, so we can discuss, tweak things, exchange ideas, and plan the way forward.”
While reports suggest the NFF has held discussions with foreign coaches, Eguavoen remains firm in his belief that a local coach is the better choice.
“The earlier, the better. We should stay at home for the choice of head coach,” he added.
“The technical crew has to be expanded, but the head coach should be homegrown because we understand the situation and feel the pulse of the people.”
The Super Eagles currently sit fifth in their World Cup qualifying group with three points from four matches.
They are set to face group leaders Rwanda in Kigali before hosting Zimbabwe at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium.
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