Emmanuel Amuneke plays down desperation to coach Super Eagles

By Wale Mustapha

Former Nigerian international, Emmanuel Amuneke has refuted claims that he’s desperate to handle the Super Eagles as Head Coach even as he would cherish the opportunity.

Amuneke, who won the 1994 African Cup of Nations, (AFCON) with Super Eagles as a player noted that the next coach for the team should be employed based on merit and and interest of Nigeria football taking into consideration.

Amuneke expressed confidence that the Nigeria Football Federation, (NFF), would eventually appoint the ideal coach for the Super Eagles top job.

He further said that with a plethora of Nigerian talents scattered across the globe, a lot of professional capacity, technical expertise and consultation would be required to harness the talents, combine them and achieve the needed balance.

“I am not desperate to be Super Eagles coach, inasmuch as I nurse the ambition to coach,” Amuneke told reporters in an interview in Owerri.

“If I have the opportunity to serve my fatherland, I will accept it and deliver my all.”

The former Barcelona winger, however, called for the development of football at the grassroots to enable further development of the Nigerian league by harnessing more talents.

According to him, the Super Eagles’ upcoming World Cup qualification matches against the Bafana Bafana of South Africa and their counterparts from Benin Republic would necessitate the appointment of a substantive coach who would also need some time to put the team together for the best result.