By Kayode John
Austin Eguavoen has suggested that he was misinterpreted on Tuesday with the report that he had quit as caretaker head coach of the Super Eagles.
The former Nigeria captain was widely reported on Tuesday to have left the coaching position after the 0-0 draw with Rwanda in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying clash in Kigali, having fulfilled his two-match interim mandate.
However, in a fresh twist, the 59-year-old insists that he has not stepped down from the role.
“Whatever people are reading out there is not correct, I am still in charge,” Eguavoen told reporters in Abuja upon his return from Rwanda.
“I am the technical director of the Nigeria Football Federation, and it is my responsibility to manage the Super Eagles at this moment. That is where we stand.
“I only mentioned that I would sit down with the hierarchy of the federation after these two games to discuss our approach for the next matches.”
In its press release on August 30 announcing Eguavoen as the caretaker head coach following the botched deal to appoint German Bruno Labbadia, the NFF had specified that the former Nigeria international was to take charge of the AFCON qualifiers against Benin Republic and Rwanda.
Nigeria are currently top of AFCON qualifying Group D with four points in two matches. Benin Republic are second on three points, following their 2-1 victor over Libya at Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire last night.
The next set of AFCON qualifiers are in October, and Eguavoen will apparently handle the Super Eagles for those games if the NFF has not appointed a new head coach by then.
