Tom Saintfiet reveals botched ambition to coach Nigeria twice

By Saheed Afolabi

Gambia national team head coach, Tom Saintfiet has revealed the reasons that led to his botched ambition to coach the Nigeria national team on two occasions.

Saintfiet saw his ambition to coach the Super Eagles drizzle away despite getting close to the job on two times.

The Belgian says the NFF technical committee in 2012 had already announced his name as the coach of the Nigeria national team despite the then sport minister preferring a local coach before another miss four years later.

“Yes, in 2012 first of all, the minister of sports decided he wanted a local coach when I was already announced as the new technical adviser chosen by the technical committee at that time, which had (Austin) Okocha, Garba Lawal, and Christopher Green,” Saintfiet was quoted by BSN Sports.

“Again in 2016, I was close to the job, I was to get the job with the local coach Salisu Yusuf, but they chose Paul Le Guen for the job.

“He refused and it would have been normal that I would have been there with Yusuf. I considered myself as the second or third choice, but it was Amaju Pinnick who didn’t follow the Technical Committee decision and went for Gernot Rohr, who was not shortlisted; it was a big disappointment.”

The experienced gaffer added despite getting a lucrative offer at Bangladesh but the ambition to coach the Eagles was always top of his agenda.

“Then I went to Bangladesh and got a lucrative offer for a short term, but the ambition was always there to coach Nigeria and guide them to a successful AFCON and also guide them to World Cup success.”