Erstwhile Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), James Peter, believes the appointment of Austin Eguavoen as the interim coach of the Super Eagles for the upcoming 2025 AFCON matches against Benin and Rwanda is nothing but a ‘wind that blows nobody any good’.
The veteran coach, noted for nearly leading Nigeria to win the football tournament at the 1991 African Games in Cairo, said Eguavoen has overtime shown crass incompetence as national team coach, adding that the NFF should have looked elsewhere than name the former K. V Kortrijk defender for these crucial matches.
The septuagenarian said on a radio programmer as cited by Sports Central: “We are walking on a tight rope and I don’t think Eguavoen has the capacity; and at this stage, it’s a hopeless situation. “We have wasted so much time talking back and forth about the coaches they (NFF) wanted to take and this (appointment of Eguavoen) doesn’t make anyone look responsible at all because what Eguavoen will do would be nothing to write home about.”
Peter, who himself failed woefully with the Flying Eagles at the 1993 U-20 African Youth Championship in 1993 Mauritius, described Cerezo, as Eguavoen is fondly called, a serial failure, adding that he is not well equipped to handle the Super Eagles again.
He continued: “Eguavoen is not experienced but he just wants to be there; he’s not good enough to handle the national team. He has failed many times. “Must he fail the tenth time before they know that he cannot do it? It is an unfortunate situation and we are not putting anybody competent enough in that place. “There is no point for them to make Nigerians sad again,” he advised.
Eguavoen lacks capacity to tinker Eagles, says James Peter
Erstwhile Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), James Peter, believes the appointment of Austin Eguavoen as the interim coach of the Super Eagles for the upcoming 2025 AFCON matches against Benin and Rwanda is nothing but a ‘wind that blows nobody any good’.
The veteran coach, noted for nearly leading Nigeria to win the football tournament at the 1991 African Games in Cairo, said Eguavoen has overtime shown crass incompetence as national team coach, adding that the NFF should have looked elsewhere than name the former K. V Kortrijk defender for these crucial matches.
The septuagenarian said on a radio programme: “We are walking on a tight rope and I don’t think Eguavoen has the capacity; and at this stage, it’s a hopeless situation. “We have wasted so much time talking back and forth about the coaches they (NFF) wanted to take and this (appointment of Eguavoen) doesn’t make anyone look responsible at all because what Eguavoen will do would be nothing to write home about.”
Peter, who himself failed woefully with the Flying Eagles at the 1993 U-20 African Youth Championship in 1993 Mauritius, described Cerezo, as Eguavoen is fondly called, a serial failure, adding that he is not well equipped to handle the Super Eagles again.
He continued: “Eguavoen is not experienced but he just wants to be there; he’s not good enough to handle the national team. He has failed many times. “Must he fail the tenth time before they know that he cannot do it? It is an unfortunate situation and we are not putting anybody competent enough in that place. “There is no point for them to make Nigerians sad again,” he advised.
Former Nigeria International defender, Ifeanyi Udeze, who was on the sports programme, admitted that Peter seemingly spoke the hard truth but reckoned that it was not the fault of the ‘long-suffering’ Eguavoen to be called up for the Super Eagles’ job again.
He said: “Eguavoen is just on interim basis because the NFF failed to appoint a substantive coach, and, because of the short time, it was normal that the NFF allowed him to do the job now for just these two games.
Former Nigeria International defender, Ifeanyi Udeze, who was on the sports programme, admitted that Peter seemingly spoke the hard truth but reckoned that it was not the fault of the ‘long-suffering’ Eguavoen to be called up for the Super Eagles’ job again.
He said: “Eguavoen is just on interim basis because the NFF failed to appoint a substantive coach, and, because of the short time, it was normal that the NFF allowed him to do the job now for just these two games.
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