The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president, Ibrahim Gusau, has debunked the appointment of Austin Eguavoen as the Super Eagles’ Interim Coach.
After Jose Peseiro announced via X that his contract with the Super Eagles had expired on March 1, 2024, rumours spread that Eguavoen had been appointed as the team’s interim coach.
Eguavoen, a former Nigerian national team player and head coach, previously served as the team’s interim manager in 2022 following the dismissal of Gernot Rohr in 2021.
Under his leadership, the Super Eagles displayed an attractive style during the 2021 AFCON in Cameroon between January and February 2022. However, they suffered a 1-0 loss to Tunisia in the round of 16.
Although the team had a commendable performance, it failed to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, losing to Ghana due to the away goal rule.
The news of Eguavoen’s potential return as the Super Eagles Interim head coach for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers raised concerns among Nigerian football enthusiasts.
When asked by PUNCH if Eguavoen had indeed returned as the team’s interim coach, the NFF president said “No.”
He added, “If anything like that had happened, you would see it on our official communication channel.”
Reports suggested that Jose Peseiro did not extend his contract with the NFF because he declined an improved offer of $80,000 per month.
The Portuguese tactician, who guided the Super Eagles to a second-place finish in the recently concluded 2023 AFCON, reportedly requested a monthly salary of $120,000, which the NFF was unwilling to meet. As the international break approaches on March 18, the Super Eagles may remain inactive.