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Tag: Eguavoen

  • BREAKING: Eguavoen to continue as Eagles’ coach, Madugu takes over Super Falcons

    BREAKING: Eguavoen to continue as Eagles’ coach, Madugu takes over Super Falcons

    The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed the recommendation of Augustine Eguavoen to continue as coach of Super Eagles while Justin Madugu will take over the Super Falcons team.

    This was contained in a statement by the communications department of the body.

    The statement reads: “The Executive Committee of Nigeria Football Federation on Thursday has approved the recommendation of its Technical and Development Sub-Committee for the Federation’s Technical Director, Coach Augustine Eguavoen to continue in his role as Head Coach of the Super Eagles, and lead the team in its 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Libya next month.

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    “The 58-year-old, in temporary charge of the squad he had led three times previously, steered the three-time African champions to a 3-0 defeat of Benin Republic and scoreless draw with Rwanda in Matchdays 1 and 2 earlier this month.

    “Eguavoen and the current technical crew that also includes Fidelis Ilechukwu, Daniel Ogunmodede, Olatunji Baruwa and Tomaz Zorec will also take charge of the Super Eagles B team for the qualifying campaign for next year’s African Nations Championship, otherwise known as CHAN.

    “With the departure of Mr. Randy Waldrum, the Executive Committee also approved the recommendation of the Technical and Development Sub-Committee for Coach Justin Madugu to lead the remaining technical crew and take charge of the Senior Women National Team, Super Falcons, pending the appointment of a substantive Head Coach.

    “The Super Falcons’ next big engagement is the Women Africa Cup of Nations finals, taking place in Morocco in the summer of next year.”

  • Eguavoen denies resignation rumours after Super Eagles’ draw with Rwanda

    Eguavoen denies resignation rumours after Super Eagles’ draw with Rwanda

    Super Eagles interim coach, Augustine Eguavoen, has dismissed rumours about his alleged resignation following Tuesday’s goalless draw against Rwanda’s Amavubi in Kigali.

    The speculation arose after the Super Eagles’ 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying match ended 0-0 at Amahoro Stadium.

    Eguavoen addressed the media upon the team’s arrival in Abuja, labelling the rumours as false and misleading, and clarifying that he had been misquoted.

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    He affirmed that he was still in charge of the Super Eagles and would sit down with the federation to evaluate the team’s performance, following the two matches played.

    “It is quite unfortunate that people would just trigger something that is not correct, and in the situation that we are in now, we don’t need negative stories.

    “I only talked about sitting down with the hierarchy of the federation after these two games to see how we go about prosecuting the next games.

    “But, when I saw that story, I was kind of really worried and concerned. Whatever people are reading out there is not correct, and I am still very much in charge.

    “I am the Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation, saddled with the responsibility of taking charge of the Super Eagles at this moment, and that’s where we are,” he said.

    Eagles will face the Mediterranean Knights of Libya at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo, in October.

  • Confident Eguavoen vows to beat Benin, Rwanda 

    Confident Eguavoen vows to beat Benin, Rwanda 

    Interim coach Austin Eguavoen remains confident  that the Super Eagles  have the ammo  to  beat both  Cheetahs of Benin  and Amavubi of Rwanda  in the Morocco 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON)  double header holding respectively in Uyo  and Kigali on Saturday and next Tuesday. 

    In his fourth spell  with the national team, Eguavoen told the NFFTV  in Uyo that the Super Eagles  have  ‘everything’  to dispense with  their rivals, adding  his wards should be full of confidence going into this encounters.

     “Nigeria is a country  and in terms of football , a lot of countries respect us  and there is no difference in this one , I am very comfortable we are going to scale through these two games and beyond,” Eguavoen, a 1994 AFCON winner said matter-of-factly. “We have the materials, the players , the personnel , the support , we have everything , the only thing we have to remind the players about is that were almost African champions  months ago ; it is not even a year yet,

     “We will do everything  we  have to do as technical crew and of course,  the federation and Nigerians will rally round us.”

    The Super Eagles  will on Saturday start their campaign for a ticket  to the  2025 AFCON against the Beninese side that  last June inflicted  on them a painful  2-1 defeat  in  their FIFA 2026  World Cup qualifier in Abidjan.

    Read Also: Sodje raps NFF for delaying Eagles coaching appointment   

    But Eguavoen is unfazed  with  what The Cheetahs being led by erstwhile Super Eagles manager, Gernot Rohr could do, adding  the William Troost-Ekong-led  team would be at the ready on Saturday. 

    “ I have spoken to them and we are still going to have series of few meetings  before the game proper,” the former tough as nail defender  noted in his usual soft spoken voice. “I am very confident that they will come out there and do the nation proud .

    “But we will treat Benin with the utmost respect no doubt about that , because if you disrespect people you will have a problem , we will play them with big respect but hey,  this is  our home ,” he sounded off. 

  • Morocco 2025: Ilechukwu, four others to assist Eguavoen plot Benin, Rwanda’s downfall

    Morocco 2025: Ilechukwu, four others to assist Eguavoen plot Benin, Rwanda’s downfall

    Interim manager Augustine Eguavoen has selected Enugu Rangers’ head coach, Fidelis Ilechukwu and Daniel Ogunmodede of Remo Stars to assist him plot the downfall of the Cheetahs of Benin Republic and the Amavubi of Rwanda in the Super Eagles’ 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches this month.

    Ilechukwu led the Flying Antelopes to triumph in Nigeria’s elite division last season, with Ogunmodede’s Remo Stars in second place. They will be joined in Uyo by Tomaz Zorec, a fitness trainer from Slovenia, goalkeeper trainer Olatunji Baruwa and match analyst, Eboboritse Uwejamomere.

    Read Also: NFF names Eguavoen as caretaker coach for Super Eagles

    Players and officials of the three-time African champions are expected in Uyo on Monday to kick off preparations for Saturday’s clash with the Cheetahs at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, from 5pm.

    The team will depart for Kigali on Sunday, for Tuesday’s Matchday 2 clash with the Amavubi (Bees) of Rwanda at the Amahoro Stadium, starting from 3pm Rwanda time (2pm Nigeria time). 

  • NFF names Eguavoen as caretaker coach for Super Eagles

    NFF names Eguavoen as caretaker coach for Super Eagles

    The deal between the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the new Super Eagles Coach Bruno Labbadia have been aborted.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NFF had earlier announced on Tuesday that it had reached an agreement with German tactician, Labbadia to become the Head Coach of the Super Eagles.

    However, a statement by Ademola Olajire, NFF’s Director of Communications, on Friday quoted the NFF President, Musa Gusau as saying that the deal between the NFF and Labbadia had been botched.

    Gusau explained that stringent regulations of German tax authorities had conspired to abort the agreement between the NFF and Coach Labbadia.

    “We have been on the tax issue for the past three days.

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    “I told him clearly that there was no way the NFF will agree to offset the concomitant tax percentage on his salary that will be demanded by German tax authorities.

    “It is not possible for us to shoulder the responsibility of shelling out another money, between 32 per cent to 40 per cent of his salary, after paying the agreed monthly wage.

    “The NFF and Labbadia reached an agreement in principle before we made the announcement that he would become the Head Coach of the Super Eagles.

    “The tax details were never part of our discussions, and he had personally agreed to all terms before the tax issue came up.

    “We were doing our best to be flexible in the discussions but he was adamant that the NFF had to pay the full tax amount as well. We simply cannot do that,” Gusau said.

    He added that with the latest development, Technical Director of Nigeria Football Federation, Coach Augustine Eguavoen will now take charge of the Super Eagles.

    Eguavoen will lead the team for the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Benin Republic in  Uyo, Sept. 7 and Kigali, Rwanda Kigali, on Sept. 10.

    NAN  reports that this would be Eguavoen’s fourth stint in charge of the three-time African champions, after earlier experience in 2005 to 2007, 2010 and 2022.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

  • Eguavoen listed  for FIFA Technical Leadership Diploma program

    Eguavoen listed  for FIFA Technical Leadership Diploma program

    The second edition of the FIFA Technical Leadership Diploma, which seeks to become the “globally recognised qualification” for technical leaders working in the game, will get underway on 1 April 2024 in Germany.

    Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation, Coach Augustine Eguavoen, will be one of the twenty-five global participants from member associations, the confederations and FIFA who will come together at the German Football Association’s national training centre for the first phase of the unique level 6 qualification.

     “The launch of the second edition of the FIFA Technical Leadership Diploma offers further evidence of our commitment to the sustained investment in education of technical leaders,” said Steven Martens, FIFA Director of Global Football Development. “We believe that the FIFA Technical Leadership Diploma will help each participant to optimise the management of football in their country – both on and off the pitch. The development of exceptional technical leaders will also assist us in delivering our long-term strategic aims of giving every talent a chance and growing the game at every level.”

    Read Also: NFF  dismisses Eguavoen  as  Super  Eagles’  interim  coach

    The forthcoming edition of the 18-month-long FIFA Technical Leadership Diploma follows on from the successful first course, which was launched last May in Brazil. “We’ve been delighted with how the first edition of the FIFA Technical Leadership Diploma, which comes to an end in December in Zurich, has gone,” commented Jamie Houchen, FIFA Head of Technical Leadership.

    “Since the launch of the diploma, we’ve enjoyed some truly memorable educational experiences, which is testament to the commitment of both the participants and staff involved. We believe that the cultural experiences gained by the participants in Brazil and Japan – along with the upcoming visit to the Netherlands – will remain with them forever.”

    The FIFA Technical Leadership Diploma is the pinnacle of the FIFA Technical Leadership Education Pathway that includes the following: An introductory workshop for new technical leaders ;A leadership/knowledge exchange in partnership with the FIFA Talent Development Scheme ;A leadership workshop for technical leaders and An online education pathway via the FIFA Training Centre.

  • NFF  dismisses Eguavoen  as  Super  Eagles’  interim  coach

    NFF  dismisses Eguavoen  as  Super  Eagles’  interim  coach

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has described the purported  appointment of former Nigeria international, Austin Eguavoen, as an interim  manager of the Super Eagles after Portuguese coach Jose Peseiro stepped down at the weekend as ‘a joke taken too far’.

    Though Eguavoen has been the NFF’s Technical Director  since 2020, he was appointed the Super Eagles manager  on an interim basis for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, following the departure of  German coach Gernot Rohr.

    He later returned to his  Technical Director’s job after the Super Eagles crashed out of the AFCON 2021 following an agonising defeat to Tunisia in the round of sixteen.

    Following the exit of Peseiro  at the weekend, there has been overflowing news in a section of the main media and social media that  Eguavoen has been mandated by the NFF to step in as the interim manager of the Super Eagles. While Enyimba International coach, Finidi George, who was Peseiro’s assistant to the recently concluded AFCON in Cote d’Ivore, will serve as  Eguavoen’s assistant until the NFF names a substantive manager for the Super Eagles ahead of upcoming international engagements, including the qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup double-header against South Africa in June 2024.

    But a decent source at the  NFF yesterday dismissed  with a wave of the hand the purported Eguavoen’s link to the Super Eagles job, adding that the former national team captain is not even being considered to take over on an interim basis.

     “There’s nothing for  Eguavoen as far as I know,  and, in fact, nobody ever mentioned him in any capacity for the Super Eagles,”  the source  said, adding that those thrusting  Eguavoen forward for the job are only jokers.

    “I think those guys are just joking. Nobody has mentioned Eguavoen as Super Eagles’  interim manager.”

    Incidentally, some callers on the Lagos-based Sports radio  station, Brila FM, have kicked  against the possible return of Eguavoen as the Super Eagles manager; they  described him as a misfit for  what is regarded as one of the most high profile coaching jobs in the world.

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     “Please, tell the Nigeria  Football Federation not to  appoint Eguavoen as Super Eagles coach; we no go to the World Cup again  because that Baba don’t know anything o. He is not a better coach o and we no go gree NFF o,” an angry caller  said yesterday.

    Another said:“ Who did this to Nigeria? Has Eguavoen forced himself upon us? I think we have to blame the NFF, who don’t know what they are doing. The NFF has not come out with any categorical statement after  Peseiro ‘s contract expired. I think it’s the prerogative of Eguavoen to step in as an interim coach since he’s the Technical Director of the NFF, but all we want now is for the NFF to do the right thing.”

  • NFF appoints Eguavoen as Super Eagles interim coach

    NFF appoints Eguavoen as Super Eagles interim coach

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has appointed Augustine Eguavoen as interim coach of the team.

    It’s the fourth time Eguavoen is managing the national team.

    Eguavoen’s appointment comes barely 24 hours after former coach Jose Peseiro resigned due to contract expiration.  

    Eguavoen was appointed the caretaker coach of the Nigeria national team in June 2005 with his coaching staff including Samson Siasia, Daniel Amokachi and Ike Shorunmu.

    He managed the national team at the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, where the team won a bronze medal, beating Senegal in the third-place play-off.

    He was sacked in April 2006.

    In June 2010, the Nigeria Football Federation asked Eguavoen to replace Swedish Lars Lagerbäck until he decided his future plans.

    He was brought in as caretaker manager but said that he has no intention of submitting an application to take the role on a permanent basis.

    Eguavoen was also appointed as the head coach of the Nigeria national under-23 football team in August 2010.

    He expected his team would have a qualification for the 2012 London Olympic Games, but they were knocked out in the group stage.

    Read Also: Eguavoen, Portuguese Conde to handle NNL pre-season seminar

    On 5 December 2011, he resigned from his job following the failure to secure the Olympics ticket.

    On 12 December 2021, Eguavoen was again appointed manager of Nigeria on an interim basis for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, following the departure of Gernot Rohr. After Nigeria exited from the round of sixteen with an agonising defeat to Tunisia, he returned to his position as the Technical Director of the side.

  • Eguavoen, Portuguese Conde to handle NNL pre-season seminar

    Eguavoen, Portuguese Conde to handle NNL pre-season seminar

    Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Technical director,  Austin Eguavoen and Portuguese tactician Thiago Conde will lead the resource persons to drill coaches of Nigeria National League (NNL) clubs in a three-day pre-season seminar billed for next month.

    The coaches training designed to upgrade all 40 coaches in the NNL will take place at the Remo Stars Football Club Stadium at Ikenne, Ogun State between October 15th  and 18th.

    NNL’s   Chairman George Aluo said the training will up skill the coaches technique and knowledge about Football in order to improve the standard of the league.

    Read Also:2023/24 season: Eguavoen, Amokachi, Kanu to grace NPFL draw in Abuja

    “When our coaches are properly trained the standard will improve and compete with any other league in the world .We want a better league , but you can’t achieve that without first training the coaches.”

    He further said the event which will take place at the Remo Stars Stadium is a collaboration between the NNL and the National Institute for Sports. This collaboration is in line with the mandate of the NIS to train coaches. At the end of the training,  the coaches will be equipped to take on the responsibility of making the  league more competitive, transparent and standardized

    All participants will be issued certificates by the National Institute for sports.

    NIS  Director-General Professor Olawale Moronkola has assured of the institute support by providing some of the resource persons.

    The coaches are expected to arrive on 15th  October , while the event holds between  16th and 18th .

    Resource persons from the National Institute for Sports will also avail the coaches the opportunity to learn the latest trends in coaching technology.

  • 2023/24 season: Eguavoen, Amokachi, Kanu to grace NPFL draw in Abuja

    2023/24 season: Eguavoen, Amokachi, Kanu to grace NPFL draw in Abuja

    Former Nigerian Super Eagles  captain and coach, Austin Eguavoen as  well as  Atlanta 1996 soccer Gold medallists  quartet of  Daniel Amokachi, Nwankwo Kanu, Garba Lawal and Tijani Babangida  are to grace  the draw for the 2023/24 season of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) which  holds today on the heels of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Board and the 20 Clubs.

    Today’s event  will be the very first AGM under the newly inaugurated leadership of Hon Gbenga Elegbeleye, who was made substantive Chairman of the NPL Board after successfully steering the Interim Management Committee (IMC) that implemented far reaching reforms in the domestic top league.

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    “We are looking forward to a cordial but productive AGM where we will share our vision to make the league commercially attractive and increase revenue for our clubs to build competitive squads and improve infrastructure, ” Elegbeleye told NPFL Media.

    He said that the League has set off on good footing with the planned live broadcast streaming of matches, adding, “in the coming days, we will share the good news coming from this commercial initiative”.

    After the AGM, draw for the full fixtures will be conducted at 5pm and Football icons are expected to grace the event at the Hotel Sandralia in Jabi, Abuja.

    All the 20 Clubs arrived Abuja yesterday  and have expressed their preparedness for the new season. “You must have noticed that we have been participating in a number of pre-season tournaments and friendly games to prime our squad for the new season”, the Club Owners Association Secretary, Godwin Enakhena was quoted to have said last week.