Eguavoen denies coaching ambition, urges full support for Chelle and Super Eagles

By Dayo Awoniyi

Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Augustine Eguavoen, has firmly denied reports linking him to a potential takeover of the Super Eagles coaching job, describing the rumours as “baseless and divisive.”

Speculation surfaced earlier this week suggesting Eguavoen, alongside former U20 coach Ladan Bosso, was being considered as a replacement for current head coach Eric Chelle—should the latter fail to guide Nigeria to the 2026 FIFA World Cup or perform below expectations at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.

Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Eguavoen expressed deep frustration over the reports, insisting he has no interest in replacing Chelle and maintains a healthy professional relationship with the current Super Eagles boss.

“I feel very hurt by these baseless rumours because I really have no idea where they are coming from,” Eguavoen said.

“I have a very good working relationship with Coach Eric Chelle, and I have absolutely no interest in taking over the squad. I am praying for him to succeed.”

The former Super Eagles captain and coach also condemned the recurrence of similar media narratives, noting that similar stories in the past had strained relationships within the national team setup during the tenures of Gernot Rohr and José Peseiro.

“This was how the same speculators created schism and disaffection between myself and Gernot Rohr and José Peseiro at different times. It is uncalled for,” he added.

Eguavoen urged stakeholders, supporters, and the media to prioritise national unity and rally behind Coach Chelle as the Super Eagles push toward World Cup qualification and AFCON glory.

“We all need to work together to see the Super Eagles qualify for the World Cup and win the forthcoming Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco,” he concluded.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey 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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