Amaju Pinnick promises new Super Eagles coach soon

By: Monsurah Olatunji

Former president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick, has confirmed that the Super Eagles will soon appoint a new substantive head coach following criticism over the delay in hiring a permanent manager.

Pinnick, who is also a member of the FIFA council, addressed the concerns raised regarding the NFF’s indecision in naming a full-time coach as the Super Eagles continue their quest for 2026 World Cup qualification.

Since Finidi George’s resignation, the Super Eagles have been without a permanent coach, with the NFF appointing Technical Director Augustine Eguavoen to take charge on an interim basis for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.

Under Eguavoen’s leadership, Nigeria has already secured qualification for the 2025 AFCON but now faces a tougher challenge in the World Cup qualifiers.

Currently in 5th place with only three points from four matches in Group C, the team’s position is precarious as they head into crucial matches against Rwanda and Zimbabwe in March.

The NFF had previously announced plans to hire an expatriate coach, with Bruno Labbadia initially the preferred candidate. However, the deal hit a stumbling block, leaving the federation to reconsider its options.

In an interview with Channels Television, Pinnick assured that a new coach would be appointed soon, saying, “Any moment from now, I am sure they would be announcing a coach, an enterprising coach at that.

“I speak to the president [of the NFF] every other day and I know he is very religious about qualifying Nigeria for the World Cup. It is going to be a tough call.”

The Super Eagles, three-time African champions, last participated in the World Cup in 2018 and will now be focusing on securing their place for 2026.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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