Super Eagles: Still attractive to top coaches despite financial constraints

Published on by Rotimi Akindele

Nigeria's Super Eagles have emerged as an enticing prospect for top coaches, despite financial challenges that have historically plagued the team's football federation when it comes to meeting its obligations to coaching staff. 

The allure of leading one of Africa's footballing powerhouses seems to transcend monetary concerns, drawing interest from renowned tacticians worldwide.

The Super Eagles who are currently in Marrakech, Morocco are preparing for their second game against Mali on Tuesday having defeated arch-rivals, Black Stars of Ghana 2-1 in an International friendly played last Friday with goals from Rangers' Cyriel Dessers and Atalanta's Ademola Lookman.

A name that readily comes to mind is the two-time AFCON winner Hervé Renard, who has enjoyed success with multiple African national teams, including winning the AFCON with Zambia in 2012 and Ivory Coast in 2015. He was also at Morocco and has recently hinted at a potential resignation from his current position with the French women's national team. Speculation is rife that Renard could be eyeing the coveted role at the helm of the Super Eagles, adding to the buzz surrounding Nigeria's coaching search.

Jonathan Akpoborie, a prominent voice in Nigerian football circles and a legend of Nigerian football, encapsulated the sentiment surrounding Nigeria's coaching prospects. He said in a recent interview with AfrikFoot, “While we may lack the financial resources to secure A-list coaches, Nigeria possesses the stature to attract top talent.” This sentiment underscores the belief that the allure of coaching Nigeria's national team extends beyond financial considerations, highlighting the nation's standing in the global footballing community.

“Many coaches desire to work with us, despite potential financial constraints. Our focus mainly should be on creating an environment conducive to success, regardless of the status of the coach being considered or the one that will be eventually settled for,” he added.

Super Eagles: Hervé Renard will be on the market after August
Photo by Icon Sport

‘Local coaches must develop themselves consciously’ – Akpoborie

On why the country seems to struggle to produce indigenous coaches as compared to top football nations, the former international who was part of the Nigerian team to win the nation's first under-16 Kodak Cup in 1985 gave his reasons.

“The difference lies in the quality of our coaching system and league infrastructure compared to other countries. Like the last World Cup winners (Argentina), their well-developed coaching system and strong league contribute to producing top-tier coaches internally and that's why it's no surprise that Scaloni led them to World Cup glory in 2022.

In Nigeria, our coaching infrastructure needs improvement before we can even consider prioritizing indigenous coaches for the national team, he said.

Jonathan Akpoborie insists the Super Eagles can still attract high-level coaching interest despite financial constraints
Photo by Icon Sport

He also went on to reaffirm that it wasn't in the place of the federation to invest in coaches and insisted that it was the individual's choice to either develop or remain stagnant,

“It’s never the job of the federation to invest in coaches, It is the job of the coaches themselves to do that. They need to better themselves, he said.

“While I was playing in the local league, I trained under the late Joe Erico at Julius Berger and I know what to do on Tuesdays – whether to go to the beach or go to the gym because you ought to have equipped yourself enough ahead of the team’s meeting on Wednesday where the coach tells us all that we need to know and do before a weekend game.

“Coach Joe used to tell us, ‘What we are doing here or telling you here, you will see in Europe,' I would be wondering how he knew but I went back to school in the USA, and by the time I got to Germany, Coach Joe was right, nothing was new to me. Before they asked me to do something, I was already doing it because I had gotten used to it from Julius Berger FC. Sadly, we don’t have such quality coaches anymore in Nigeria.

Finidi George wants Super Eagles to maintain momentum after beating Ghana
Photo by NFF Media

Coaches scamper to get the Super Eagles' role

Sources close to the Nigerian Football Federation have revealed that an unprecedented number of foreign coaches, upwards of 40, have formally expressed their interest in leading the Super Eagles.

This overwhelming response underscores the enduring appeal of coaching Nigeria's national team, despite its well-documented financial woes and past struggles to compensate coaching staff adequately.

Among the notable candidates is former Portuguese coach Antonio Conceicao, celebrated for his achievements in guiding Cameroon to a commendable third-place finish at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations. Conceicao's impressive track record has positioned him as a strong contender for the role, showcasing the allure that the Super Eagles coaching position holds for seasoned professionals.

Despite Nigeria's history of delayed or incomplete payments to coaching staff, the prospect of leading the Super Eagles continues to captivate top-tier coaches. 

This phenomenon speaks volumes about the reputation and potential of Nigerian football on the global stage, transcending financial concerns to focus on the opportunity to leave an indelible mark on African football.

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Rotimi Akindele

Rotimi Akindele is a Sports Journalist with almost two decades' experience. He is a TV and radio host, commentator and writer who has covered major sporting events across the globe. Akindele's sports content has been listened to and read by a global audience. He is a well-known figure within Nigeria and the African football scene.