Austin Eguavoen responds to criticism over Super Eagles coaching stints
Super Eagles interim coach, Austin Eguavoen, has asked his critics to be more reasonable when discussing how many times he has led the Nigerian National Team.
After his retirement as a player, Eguavoen transitioned into coaching, taking charge of Maltese club Sliema Wanderers and NPFL side Bendel Insurance. He later became head coach of Nigeria’s U-20 team.
Eguavoen’s first stint as Super Eagles coach came in June 2005, when he was appointed caretaker coach. He led the team to a bronze medal at the 2006 AFCON in Egypt but was dismissed in April 2006.
His second spell came in 2010 after Lars Lagerback left the team, followed by his third in 2021, where Nigeria was knocked out in the second round of AFCON by Tunisia.
Now in his fourth stint, Eguavoen has taken charge once again after the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) failed to name a permanent replacement for Finidi George.
Addressing the situation on Brila FM, Eguavoen explained that while this is technically his fourth time coaching the Super Eagles, he has never had an extended run. “The first time I coached the Eagles was for six months in 2006. Every other time was for two or three games. In 2021, I was in charge from December to March,” he said.
Eguavoen stressed the need for objectivity, saying, “People say it’s my fourth stint, but I haven’t coached the team for two consecutive years. The only time I did six months was in 2006. Let’s be fair in our criticism.”
His current run began positively, with the team collecting four points from two AFCON qualifying games. He is set to lead Nigeria in their upcoming double-header against Libya.
