By Kayode John
Super Eagles interim head coach Austin Eguavoen has cast doubt over the likelihood of taking the job permanently.
Eguavoen was appointed as caretaker coach of the senior national team in September for Nigeria’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Benin Republic and Rwanda, following a failed bid by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to bring in German tactician Bruno Labbadia.
The former Super Eagles captain has been asked to continue in his role after decent results in both games, with a 3-0 win over Benin Republic in Uyo and a 0-0 draw with Rwanda in Kigali.
Some Nigerians, including ex-internationals, have called on the NFF to give Eguavoen the job on a permanent basis, ahead of the back-to-back clashes against Libya in the AFCON qualifiers this month.
The coach, who is also the Technical Director of the NFF, said he would have to consider certain things if approached by the football federation.
“It is difficult to answer now because you see football gave me name and fame and I respect football. The generation coming behind is my priority. All of us played through the youth ranks,” Eguavoen told former Super Eagles defender Ifeanyi Udeze on Brila FM’s ‘No Holds Barred’ on Tuesday.
“To help the young ones come up through the ladder, I love that job but if I need to switch right now and become the permanent Super Eagles coach, it is something I would need to sit down and reflect upon and make a decision. It is not a small job.
“Then, I will now look at will they be patient with me? This is a general question to the entire country now. People are now saying this is Eguavoen’s fourth stint as the Super Eagles coach, well, agreed, but to let the people know, the first time I ever coached the Eagles in six months was in Egypt 2006.
“And that was from September to February. Every other time has been two months, two games. Then in Cameroon, it was from December to February.
“Fortunately or unfortunately, we were playing the World Cup qualifiers in March also. So it was from December to March but people will count it and say it is the fourth stint of Eguavoen.
“It is not 100 percent. Cisse (Aliou) stayed in that position for how many years before he won the AFCON for Senegal? It took some time.
“I played under Westerhof who I will always respect and Bonfrere Jo, of course Chukwu was in his crew then and Bitrus Bewarang. From 1989 to 1994 before we won that AFCON; that was five years.
“Then we had former head coach Gernot Rohr also coming. He stayed there for almost four years, if I’m not mistaken. People are saying it is Eguavoen’s fourth stint, I agree but have I ever stayed for two years?”
