The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Paul Le Guen

  • Le Guen may reconsider Nigeria’s offer – French media

    Le Guen may reconsider Nigeria’s offer – French media

    Although Frenchman Paul Le Guen has rejected the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) initial offer to take charge of the Super Eagles, the former Lyon manager may reconsider the proposal and lead the three-time African champions during the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, French media reported on Wednesday.

    French daily L’equipe reported in its online publication that there could still be a window for the sides to renegotiate and perhaps come to an agreeable term on the matter.

    The NFF technical and development committee on Monday picked Le Guen as new Super Eagles gaffer after interviewing three coaches shortlisted for the job.

    “However, the deal was subject to Le Guen agreeing contract terms with the NFF’s Executive Committee,” the committee said in a statement announcing the selection of the Frenchman as Eagles’ coach.

    The Chairman of the NFF’s executive committee, Christopher Green, on Tuesday confirmed that the former Cameroon trainer did not accept the terms offered by the federation.

    “The announcement made on Monday (by the NFF’s technical committee) was quite clear. Le Guen was offered the job subject to contract terms being agreed.

    “We had to look at the best interest of the country before offering anyone the job (to manage the Super Eagles) and one of such conditions was that the new technical adviser would reside in Nigeria.

    “A situation where Nigeria will be the loser will never be accommodated by the NFF.

    “We want a coach who will not just take the Super Eagles to the next level but will develop Nigerian football as a whole and if he does not reside in Nigeria, it may not be feasible,” footballlive.ng  quoted Green as saying to supersport.com on Tuesday.

    He said the NFF would “look at the next door” after Le Guen snub.

    “We will look at the next door if Le Guen decides not to accept the terms we offered him.

    “A lot of top coaches applied to coach Nigeria and even more (who did not officially apply) are desirous of coaching Nigeria.

    “The options are open and we want to assure Nigerians that we will contract a coach that will befit the status of Nigeria as one of the best national teams in Africa.

    “We are working assiduously to make Nigerians happy and will not relent till we achieve set objectives,” Green said.

     

  • Paul Le Guen rejects Super Eagles job

    Paul Le Guen rejects Super Eagles job

    Frenchman Paul Le Guen who was Monday appointed Super Eagles Technical Adviser, has been reported to have rejected the Nigeria Football Federation NFA offer.

    Paul Le Guen was expected to lead the Super Eagles qualifying campaign for the 2018 World Cup, against Algeria, Cameroon and Zambia.

  • Paul Le Guen ‘yet to accept’ Super Eagles job

    Paul Le Guen ‘yet to accept’ Super Eagles job

    Frenchman Paul Le Guen has not reached an agreement with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to become the Technical Adviser of the Super Eagles despite the federation’s announcement on Monday.

    According to French newspaper L’Equipe, Le Guen has not accepted Nigeria’s offer because the NFF is yet to meet the terms and conditions requested by the coach to work as new Eagles boss.

    A statement released by the NFF on Monday evening confirmed that the deal was not complete, Goal reports.

    “The appointments [of Yusuf Salisu and Le Guen] are subject to agreement of contract terms with the NFF Executive Committee,” the federation said in the statement.

  • Nigeria will qualify for 2018 World Cup – Pinnick

    Nigeria will qualify for 2018 World Cup – Pinnick

    Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president, Amaju Pinnick, has expressed optimism that the Super Eagles will qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

    Pinnick disclosed this after meeting the NFF technical committee on the choice of Frenchman Paul Le Guen as new Eagles’ technical adviser.

    “By God’s grace we are going to qualify. We have worked round and have done everything possible. We have discussed with the players. There are a lot of things we have done. There is a level you can go in terms of providing everything,” Goal quoted Pinnick as saying on Nigeria World Cup aspiration on Tuesday.

    “All what they need is mental character, we have to psyche them up. You have to give them the sense of patriotism.

    “If you see what Ronaldo did, he was injured and he was crying when he was being taken out of the field. That is the kind of mentality we want our players to put up when they are playing for the team.

    “Like I said, the 20 teams that qualified for the last round are all capable. I would rather play Algeria than to play Gabon.

    “Gabon has never been to the World Cup and the players would want to go to the World Cup. I can assure you.”

     

  • Paul Le Guen is Super Eagles’ Technical Adviser

    Paul Le Guen is Super Eagles’ Technical Adviser

    •Salisu Yusuf is Chief Coach

    The Technical and Development Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation yesterday named Frenchman Paul Le Guen, 52, as the new Technical Adviser of the Super Eagles. He will be assisted by Salisu Yusuf, who takes the role of Chief Coach. The appointments are subject to agreement of contract terms with the NFF Executive Committee.

    New Eagles’ boss, Le Guen steered the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon to the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals. He played for Brest, Nantes and Paris Saint Germain and won 17 caps for France, before coaching Rennes, Lyon, PSG (in France) and Glasgow Rangers (in Scotland). He also coached Oman.

    Yusuf, capped at Under 20 level by Nigeria, called the shots in interim capacity for two international friendly matches in Europe at the end of May, which the Eagles won.

    Spokesman of the Committee, Paul Bassey, told thenff.com after the meeting at the NFF secretariat yesterday that Enugu Rangers gaffer Imama Amapakabo and former Super Eagles’ goalkeeper and skipper, Alloy Agu, who served as assistant coach and goalkeeper trainer for the games against Mali and Luxembourg in May, retain their places in the technical crew.

    The new crew’s immediate challenge is a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Tanzania in the first week of September – a dead rubber, but which would serve as ample preparation for the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying match away to Zambia on October 3.

    The Committee has also recommended to the NFF Board, the appointment of one-time Super Eagles’ assistant coach Bitrus Bewarang as the new NFF Technical Director. Bewarang, who is president of the Nigeria Football Coaches Association, will replace the late Coach Shaibu Amodu.

    There is also a recommendation that former Super Eagles’ defender Nduka Ugbade be restored to the Under 17 National Team as assistant to Coach Manu Garba.