The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) technical committee will reportedly meet today in Abuja to decide on the next coach for the Super Eagles with Emmanuel Amuneke listed along three other foreign tacticians.
Contrary to early reports, the committee failed to meet yesterday but quoting a highly-placed source hinted that delays in the appointment of a substantive coach for the Super Eagles have been caused because the NFF are trying to manage many interests that have overtaken this key decision.
The NFF leadership is very much aware that the success or otherwise of their tenure will be defined by the results recorded by the new coach particularly as it concerns qualification to the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
The last administration exited after the Super Eagles failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Former NFF president Amaju Pinnick has said Finidi George is the best man for the top job, while some powerful stakeholders led by a former international from the 80s have thrown their weight fully behind Emmanuel Amuneke.
There is also a growing swell of support for the NFF to hire another foreign coach, who has a good track record and will from the first instance command the respect of the players of the Super Eagles.It was understood that majority of the NFF technical committee members favours a foreign coach, but their role is simply advisory as it is the prerogative of the NFF executive committee to make the final decision.
Former Super Eagles defender George Abbey recently stirred some controversies when he declared he does not see a local coach who can handle the big egos of the Super Eagles stars.
A top NFF official was equally quoted as saying that that discipline in the Super Eagles has hit an all-time low and there is therefore an urgent need for a coach who will read out the riot act to the players.
This is crucial as the team are two points behind leaders Rwanda in a World Cup qualifying section and in June face two important games at home against main rivals South Africa and away to next-door neighbours Benin in Cote d’Ivoire.
Elsewhere, it was equally reported that the NFF has drafted a final shortlist that includes several Nigerian coaches, including Amuneke and Michael Nsien, who coaches the USA U20 team.
Three European coaches also reportedly made the final shortlist namely Danny Bujis from the Netherlands, Domnece Torrent from Spain, and Toni Conceicao from Portugal.
END.