National Teams
Taribo West reflects on Eguavoen’s Eagles tenure, citing lack of “grace” for success
By: Monsurah Olatunji
Former international and now Pastor Taribo West has weighed in on Austine Eguavoen’s coaching journey with the Super Eagles, discussing the challenges he faced in achieving success.
Eguavoen, who has served as head coach on four separate occasions over nearly two decades, had notable achievements but also faced significant setbacks.
During his first tenure from 2005 to 2007, Eguavoen led Nigeria to a third-place finish at the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt.
He returned briefly in 2010 and had a promising run in 2020, guiding the team to victory in all three group matches at the 2021 AFCON in Cameroon. However, the West African team was eliminated in the Round of 16 by Tunisia, which finished as one of the best third-placed teams.
More recently, Eguavoen’s failure to qualify for the World Cup after a loss to Ghana on away goals and his management during the 2025 AFCON qualifiers against Benin Republic and Rwanda opened up on a frustrating pattern of falling short in crucial moments.
West pointed out these recurring challenges in his analysis, emphasizing that while Eguavoen brings a nostalgic touch to the team, he lacks the “grace” needed to secure results in critical matches.
“Anytime Eguavoen leads the team, he brings a certain touch, taking the team back to those glorious days,” West acknowledged during an interview with Brilla FM.
“In major tournaments, where you expect them to cross the line, something always happens. What Eguavoen is lacking is only grace. The team will play well, but the results won’t favor them.”
