Adegboye Onigbinde voices concerns over Bruno Labbadia’s appointment as Super Eagles coach
Former Super Eagles coach Adegboye Onigbinde has raised concerns about the recent appointment of Bruno Labbadia as the new head coach of Nigeria’s national team.
Onigbinde’s remarks come in response to the Nigeria Football Federation’s (NFF) announcement that Labbadia, a German tactician, will take over from Finidi George.
Onigbinde, who spoke to Complete Sports, questioned the decision-making process behind Labbadia’s appointment. “It is only the people that took the decision [to appoint Labbadia] who can best explain why,” Onigbinde said. He suggested that the issues affecting Nigerian football extend beyond mere technical coaching.
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Onigbinde highlighted that Nigerian football’s problems are rooted in administrative rather than technical aspects. “Like I always tell you, the problem of Nigerian football is not technical or administrative. No matter how good a coach is, if the administration of the game is not in order, then there is a problem,” he stated.
The former coach also expressed skepticism about the rationale behind Labbadia’s selection, pointing to the existing talent pool within the Super Eagles. “Haven’t we had an array of great talents in the Super Eagles? What has been the result? Mind you, the first time I handled the Super Eagles, I had a pack of young players. So it’s not a matter of having an array of talents,” he said.
Onigbinde’s comments reflect a broader debate about Labbadia’s appointment and the state of Nigerian football. Critics have also suggested that Finidi George, Labbadia’s predecessor, might have been a better choice, further intensifying the scrutiny on the NFF’s decision.
Labbadia’s immediate challenge will be to lead the Super Eagles through two crucial 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches. The team will face Benin Republic on September 7 in Uyo and Rwanda on September 10 in Kigali.
