Augustine Eguavoen retain role as Nigeria coach, Justin Madugu gets Super Falcons role

The Nigeria Football Federation has confirmed that Augustine Eguavoen (59) will remain as the interim coach of the Nigeria men's national team. He will be supported by Fidelis Ilechukwu, Daniel Ogunmodede, Olatunji Baruwa, and Tomaz Zorec as they prepare to lead the three-time African champions in their upcoming matches against Libya in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying rounds scheduled for October.

After unsuccessful negotiations with German coach Bruno Labbadia, Eguavoen was appointed to oversee the team for matches against Benin Republic and Rwanda. He successfully guided Nigeria to a 3-0 victory over the Cheetahs in Uyo, followed by a 0-0 draw against Amavubi.

A statement released to Flashscore by the NFF indicated: “On Thursday, the Executive Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation endorsed the recommendation from its Technical and Development Sub-Committee for Technical Director, Coach Augustine Eguavoen, to continue as Head Coach of the Super Eagles and to lead the team in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Libya next month.

“The 58-year-old, who has previously managed the squad on three occasions, successfully led the three-time African champions to a 3-0 win over Benin Republic and a goalless draw with Rwanda in the first two matchdays earlier this month."

Veteran Nigerian coach Samson Unuanel also expressed his support for Eguavoen during a candid discussion with reporters.

In the realm of football, it is often stated that a coach's reputation hinges on their most recent performance. Eguavoen has overseen one home match and one away match, accumulating a total of four points. It is imperative for the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to provide him with an opportunity, support his efforts, and permit him to lead the national team for a minimum of one year to assess his potential contributions.

“We possess competent individuals capable of fulfilling the responsibilities required. The dedication exhibited by both players and coaches during the matches against Benin Republic and Rwanda exemplifies this commitment. This is the level of effort we expect, where everyone is striving to ensure the nation is not disappointed.

“In a previous World Cup qualifier held in Cote d’Ivoire, we faced a defeat against the same Benin Republic. However, when hosting them in Uyo, the players understood the necessity of exerting themselves to secure a victory, fully aware that the Nigerian public would not tolerate anything less.

“It was a matter of national duty; they united in their efforts and secured the points. The outcome was not unfavorable and clearly demonstrated that there is no immediate need to seek new coaching candidates.”

Nigeria currently leads Group B with four points from two matches. Their quest for a spot in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations will continue as they host Libya on October 6th at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium.

In a related matter, the executive committee has also sanctioned the establishment of the Technical and Development Sub-Committee, appointing Justin Madugu to lead the Nigeria women’s football team following the exit of Randy Waldrum, pending the selection of a permanent coach.