Joseph Yobo: Former Everton star eyes return to coaching

By Saheed Afolabi

Nigeria former international Joseph Yobo is considering a return to coaching after his abrupt departure from the national team following the unsuccessful 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification.

Yobo believes his coaching contributions have been missed by the Super Eagles since his exit.

Reflecting on his time with the national team, he acknowledged the valuable knowledge gained under Gernot Rohr and Augustine Eguavoen, which has positively influenced his coaching career.

“My life doesn’t depend on coaching, but if I don’t go back to coaching, I believe Nigeria missed something. Everyone who knows me knows my passion for the game; I put my heart into it,” Yobo stated on Brila FM.

He emphasized the learning experience he gained, particularly under Eguavoen: “I learned a lot from Gernot Rohr, but mostly under Eguavoen. They didn’t allow me to follow through so they could see what I had learned and how I could impact the players.”

Yobo also called on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to improve the treatment of indigenous coaches to harness their potential effectively.

“I haven’t shut the door on coaching, but it’s not my top priority. They need to change the way they treat our local coaches,” he said.

“That was the only reason I didn’t want to join while I was still playing, even though I had the opportunity to see how it works.”