EXCLUSIVE: Samson Unuanel calls on NFF to retain Augustine Eguavoen as Nigeria coach
After unsuccessful talks with German coach Bruno Labbadia, the NFF appointed the country’s technical director as interim head coach ahead of the African Cup of Nations qualification matches against Benin Republic and Rwanda.
Nigeria secured a dominant 3-0 victory over the Cheetahs in Uyo, followed by an impressive 0-0 draw away against the Amavubi in Kigali.
In addition to their strong results, the three-time African champions delivered impressive performances, prompting the former Enyimba and Sunshine Stars coach to urge the football authorities to abandon their pursuit of a foreign coach and keep the former Gent defender in charge.
"In football, we say a coach is only as good as his last match. Eguavoen coached one home game and one away, earning four points. The NFF should give him a chance, encourage him, and allow him to manage the national team for at least a year to see what he can achieve," Unuanel told Flashscore.
“We have capable people to get the job done. Just look at the commitment from both the players and the coaches against Benin Republic and Rwanda. This is what we want to see, where everyone is fighting to ensure the country isn't let down.
“We lost to this same Benin Republic in a World Cup qualifier in Cote d’Ivoire. Hosting them in Uyo, the players had no option than to work hard and win because they know that Nigerian would not take it easy with them.
“It was a call to national duty; they fought unitedly and got the points. It was not a bad result and it was a clear indication that there was no need to start looking for coaches.”
Now head coach of Benin Republic’s top-tier side Ayema FC, Unuanel also praised the efforts of Eguavoen’s assistants, Fidelis Ilechukwu and Daniel Ogunmodede, asserting that they have successfully showcased the coaching talent present in the Nigeria Professional Football League.
He continued: “These are great coaches and I have always maintained that Nigeria is blessed with brilliant coaches.
“Despite working under challenging conditions, such as limited funds for acquiring quality players, unpaid salaries for both coaches and players, and various obstacles, our coaches continue to demonstrate their skills and dedication.
"If a coach can achieve success under such tough conditions, they can thrive anywhere. Ilechukwu and Ogunmodede are outstanding grassroots coaches who would be excellent partners to complement Eguavoen as Nigeria coach."
In defence of Finidi George
Some believe that indigenous coaches might not be suitable for the Nigerian national team, citing the performance of Ajax great Finidi George as an example.
However, the veteran coach disagrees, asserting that Finidi would have thrived with the right support and environment.
“You cannot pick a coach under that situation and then expect him to perform magic. The opportunity came to Eguavoen because the foreign coach employed decided to leave which is an insult to Nigeria,” he stated.
“It is not by force that the NFF should employ a foreign coach. If we can’t have foreign administrators to run our football, then we should stop this idea of employing foreign coaches.
“I still feel that Finidi George was not given enough time, and you know he is a young man who would always talk when things are not going on well.
"Today’s Nigeria would not tolerate that. Even when things aren’t going well, they still expect you to remain silent."
Nigeria lead Group B with four points from two matches. They will continue their pursuit of a 2025 AFCON spot when they host Libya on October 6 at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium.
