Former Super Eagles striker Julius Aghahowa has launched a stinging attack on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) over their pursuit of Herve Renard as the next coach of the national team.
The NFF have been on the hunt for a new manager since Finidi George's brief and unsuccessful stint in charge. Per reports, they have however narrowed their search for a new Super Eagles coach to three names: Herve Renard, Tom Saintfiet, and Eric Chelle.
Renard, former coach of Zambia, Ivory Coast, and Saudi Arabia, is the standout candidate.
However, the Frenchman’s hefty salary is proving to be a stumbling block. With the NFF's history of financial challenges, the prospect of meeting Renard’s demands seems daunting.
Aghahowa preaches home-made remedy for Super Eagles woes
Aghahowa has questioned the NFF's financial prudence in targeting the experienced coach.
“The coach (Herve Renard) is a very good coach, he has experience; when it comes to African football and even world football, we have to be realistic. Can we afford him with the price tag?” the former Super Eagles striker said on Brila FM.
“Even when the former coach was handling the team and he was earning about $50,000 to 70,000, it was difficult for us to pay him. We were owing him for months, and now we are talking about almost double of that amount, where are we going to get the money from?”
Aghahowa believes the NFF should instead prioritize developing local coaching talents, citing the likes of Sunday Oliseh, Emmanuel Amuneke, and Samson Siasia as viable options to lead the Super Eagles.
“We might not pay them as much as the foreign coaches, but pay them well, give them enough time to build the team, and I have confidence in our local coaches.”
