Augustine Eguavoen – A pleasant dilemma for NFF

A Nigerian coach led a technical team that included three other Nigerian assistant coaches from the domestic league without any previous national team experience, to play two extremely crucial qualification matches for the 2025 African Cup of Nations against Benin Republic in Uyo, Nigeria, and Rwanda in Kigali, Rwanda.

The matches were very ‘dangerous’ for the hapless Augustine Eguavoen who had no choice but to accept the ‘poisoned chalice’ and to hope for the best.  Following a spate of recent poor performances, little or no time to prepare the team well, crisis with recruiting a foreign coach, the match was not made for victory.

Add to that the return of key players that had not played in the team since February 2024 – Ekong, Ndidi, Aina, Osimhen.

Eguavoen was not meant to come out of the series of matches unscathed. He was to be the scapegoat for the failings of administration.

He had no say or choice in the matter of the assignment he was saddled with but took up the challenge without missing a stride. He stepped in confidently, assured the country he would do his best, presented the strongest assembly of Nigerian players of the current generation.

Eguavoen had a few days to stop the drifting ship that had been in turbulent psychological storms since Gernot Rohr was relieved of his contract, his own previous unsuccessful stints as an interim coach, Jose Paseiro’s contract that was not renewed, Finidi George’s ‘failure over the only two matches and he had to resign, and German coach, Bruno Labadia, that jumped ship even before he was to set sail with the Super Eagles.

He led the team passed through the ‘crucible of fire’ and came out in flying colours with four out of six points and the Super Eagles standing comfortably