Every time the Super Eagles announce changes to their backroom staff, one question often runs through the minds of everyone: who is Nigeria coach?
Football managers are not all cut from the same cloth, but the sole element that binds them is their love for the game.
The freedom to be expressive, to convey a range of personalities, and that burning desire to perform at one’s highest potential opens the door for role advancements and the ability to mesh together great skills where it matters most – in between those white lines.
The significance of a coach in a national football team cannot be overstated, as they play a pivotal role in shaping the team's performance and strategies on the field.
Who is Nigeria coach?
At this time, there is no substantive Nigeria coach. Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Technical Director Austin Eguavoen is in charge in an interim capacity, and will oversee the September international window as the three-time African champions take on Benin and Rwanda in qualifying for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Former Germany international Bruno Labbadia was announced on August 27, 2024, following a drawn-out recruitment process. The 58-year-old boasts experience of working in the Bundesliga with the likes of Bayer Leverkusen and Stuttgart.
However, due to a disagreement over tax payments, the deal to bring Labbadia to take charge of the Super Eagles fell through.
It will be recalled that, following Nigeria's run to the final of the AFCON 2024, former Ajax and Mallorca winger Finidi George was handed the reins initially on an interim basis in March, before ultimately being appointed on a permanent basis.
Finidi, however, got off to a disastrous start, drawing at home against South Africa before losing on the road to relative minnows Benin Republic.
This latter result, as well as the precarious position into which it placed the Super Eagles, convinced the NFF to actively begin the search for an expatriate Technical Adviser, a decision that forced Finidi to resign his role after only two competitive matches in charge.
With the confirmation of Bruno Labbadia, that search appeared to be at an end. However, the German's rejection is only the latest turn in the winding Nigeria coach saga.
What other candidates were considered to be new Nigeria coach?
The fleeting appointment of Bruno Labbadia put to rest weeks of speculation surrounding who would be named the new Nigeria coach.
Several names surfaced across the media space. Let's take a look at some of the individuals who were hotly tipped to take over the affairs of the Super Eagles.
Janne Andersson (Sweden)
The former Sweden head coach has emerged as one of two leading candidates for the role of Nigeria coach.
The 61-year-old presided over a seven-year tenure with the Scandinavian nation, qualifying them for the 2018 World Cup and 2020 European Championship, and on both occasions progressing beyond the Group Stage.
His lack of experience working within the peculiar terrain of African football is a concern in some quarters, as is the fact that the latter portion of his time in charge of Sweden was rather less accomplished. Following initial success, he subsequently failed to guide the Blagult through qualification for either the 2022 World Cup or 2024 European Championship.
Andersson is understood to be enthusiastic about the prospect of taking the Super Eagles' reins. “It's a huge footballing nation so I'm extremely flattered to be in the running to be their next national team coach,” he told Swedish outlet Espressen.
Were he to be appointed, he would be only the second Swede to be named Nigeria coach. The first, Lars Lagerback, took charge of the Super Eagles ahead of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Herve Renard (France)
Former AFCON-winning coach of Zambia and Ivory Coast, Hervé Renard, represents the more exotic option for the role of Nigeria coach.
However, while he boasts the continental expertise that Andersson does not, he is also believed to be the more expensive option. According to reports, the coach would require a monthly salary of $180,000, an amount far too excessive for Nigeria's football governing body to afford.
In spite of this, the Frenchman remains a strong candidate. Not only did he achieve the improbable with Zambia and deliver belated AFCON success to Ivory Coast, he has also led Morocco and Saudi Arabia to creditable performances at the World Cup, memorably beating eventual and reigning world champions Argentina in 2022.
He is also understood to be keen on taking the role of Nigeria coach.
That said, there is no shortage of interest in his services, with Egypt reportedly keen to meet his financial demands in full in order to secure his signature.
Eric Chelle (Mali)
Eric Chelle was the head coach of Mali's national football team, but he stepped down from his role due to the challenges surrounding the political situation in the country.
As a free agent, he has become one of three coaches whose names have been submitted by the NFF technical committee as potential replacements for Finidi.
But while this is a developing story, reports coming from Mali suggest that the Military Junta is planning to bring him back to oversee the Eagles' passage through the 2026 World Cup and 2025 AFCON qualifiers.
Born in Ivory Coast to a French father and a Malian mother, Chelle made five appearances as a centre-back for the Mali national team.
He led the Eagles to the quarterfinals of the 2024 AFCON where they bowed out at the hands of eventual winners Ivory Coast. Chelle was in charge when Mali defeated the Super Eagles 2-0 in an international friendly in March.
Tom Saintfiet (Belgium)
Tom Saintfiet happens to be the current coach of the Philippine national team after a six-year spell with Gambia.
Most of his coaching career has been in Africa, which includes Zimbabwe, Namibia, Malawi, and Togo.
The 51-year-old Belgian has always wanted the Super Eagles' top coaching role for many years and came close to getting it in 2012. However, due to the infighting in Nigerian football at the time, his wishes did not come to pass.
Saintfiet is a firm believer in the talents that abound in the Super Eagles. According to analysts, he would also have been the most affordable choice of all the candidates for the Nigeria coach role.
Other notable Super Eagles coaches
Throughout its storied history, the Nigerian national football team, affectionately known as the Super Eagles, has been guided by a cadre of remarkable managers.
Among these luminaries, Brazilian tactician Otto Martins Glória stands tall, etching his name in Nigerian football folklore by masterminding their first Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) triumph in 1980.
His astute leadership paved the way for subsequent successes, including the appointment of Dutch coach Clemens Westerhof, whose tenure saw Nigeria clinch their second AFCON title in 1994, solidifying their status as a continental powerhouse.
In more recent memory, the indomitable spirit of the Super Eagles was epitomised by the late Stephen Keshi, whose managerial prowess propelled Nigeria to AFCON glory once again in 2013, marking a triumphant return to the summit of African football.
These iconic figures left an indelible mark on Nigerian football and inspired generations of players and fans with their passion, vision, and commitment to excellence.
Other notable managers who served as Nigeria coach
- Jack Finch (1949)- the first manager of the Super Eagles
- József Ember (1965-1968)
- Johannes-Franciscus Bonfrère (1995-1996)
- Philippe Troussier (1997)
- Velibor “Bora” Milutinović (1997-1998)
- Thijs Libregts (1998-1999)
- Hans-Hubert “Berti” Vogts (2007-2008)
- Shaibu Amodu (2008-2010)
- Samson Siasia (2010-2011)
- Sunday Oliseh (2015-2016)
- Gernot Rohr (2016-2021)
- Jose Peseiro (2022-2024)
- Finidi George (2024-2024)
