First Akpeyi now Onyekuru

https://twitter.com/fisayodairo/status/1484989455358439429?s=21

Nigeria interim coach Augustin Eguavoen will likely keep the job on a permanent basis, but only if he wants it, a top NFF official has told ESPN.

Eguavoen, who is currently the Nigeria Football Federation technical director, was named to the post last month in an interim capacity after the NFF fired former coach Gernot Rohr ahead of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).


Despite having barely two weeks to train the team before the tournament, the former Super Eagles defender has transformed the side on the back of three successive wins at AFCON.

"We will have to leave him there, unless he doesn't want the job," the official told ESPN.

The decision will present something of an awkward conundrum for the NFF, who had already announced Portuguese Jose Peseiro as the man to take over the job on a permanent basis after AFCON.

Peseiro, 61, was expected to be in Cameroon as an observer prior to taking over for the World Cup qualifiers in March, but has not travelled.

"He is not in Cameroon because we have not signed a contract with him yet," the official, a member of the NFF executive council who does not want to be named, told ESPN.

"If he had signed a contract, he would have definitely been in Cameroon as planned."

Now, following three outstanding performances by the Super Eagles, in which they became the only one out of the 24 competing sides to finish the group stage with a 100% record, that contract may never be signed.

"We are managing the public trust. So we have to look at what the people want and we also know what we want as well," added the official.

"What we all agree on is that we want the team to do well, to play good football, to make Nigerians happy and to win trophies.

"It doesn't matter who the coach is, what matters is the objective. If that objective can be achieved with Eguavoen as we can see now, then why not?

"We removed Rohr because Nigerians were not happy with the play and we were not blind to see that we were not going in the right direction the way we were playing."

If he decides to exit his post as NFF technical director to take up the Eagles job, Eguavoen would be leaving a guaranteed position for one of uncertainty, but that might not be necessary.

"What we are even thinking of right now is to give Eguavoen the two jobs. The national team plays about 10 matches a year, so during those times when they are not playing, he can carry on with his other responsibilities," the official said.


"Coaching is very touch and go. Right now, he has a stable job being Technical Director where he gets paid by FIFA. To leave that for being a coach where things can change any moment and he can get fired would be very risky.

"That is why we want him to keep the two positions. So that whatever happens, he has shown that he can excel in both and if anything happens with the coaching, he can go back to just being technical director."

Although the NFF is uncertain about whether or not Eguavoen will accept the job, a source close to the coach told ESPN the former defender would prefer the Super Eagles job.

"Eguavoen definitely wants the Super Eagles job," the source said.

Source: Collin Udoh for ESPN

Now we have the eleven who will start tomorrow close to our heart and by the special grace of God they are all healthy and there are no preferences.

"Everybody that has come to this tournament with Nigeria deserves to be here at this point in time so whoever is called upon will definitely respond because my message always to the boys is you go out there do everything you can do, don't reserve nothing, one hundred percent commitment in terms of working hard.

"When you are tired just signal, come out, your colleague will finish the job for you so no preference for any player."

--Eguavoen

Modified
Now I see why he wanted every player to get some minutes. It's for the good spirit of the team

Tunisia starting xi

chidozieaina:
Tunisia starting xi

So Kazri got Covid? Wow, they are truly fuckedd

Ppogbae:


So Kazri got Covid? Wow, they are truly fuckedd

Yeah

jihday:
Peter is cameras shy
why did Nwakali not speak Igbo
Taiwo’s Yoruba is very sharp, he suppose dey do nkanbe for radio

Whenever He's on holiday at home one Yoruba sport program do invite Him...

JohnBullMySon:
Games that were played in 08 and 09 when they had a better squad. I don't think it's a proper comparism.

There is a reason why it is called RIVALRY.

It isn't about form and calibre of players to execute the matches but about history. [b][/b]

AIG07:
There is a reason why it is called RIVALRY.

It isn't about form and calibre of players to execute the matches but about history. [b][/b]

But they beat us when they had better players.

Think again. Everton hardly wins it's rivalry Liverpool. Why?

jihday:
Peter is camera shy
why did Nwakali not speak Igbo
Taiwo’s Yoruba is very sharp, he suppose dey do nkanbe for radio

It is very hard to see a Yoruba man born and raised in Nigeria that cannot speak Yoruba. Infact I have never seen one.

Icon4s:


It is very hard to see a Yoruba man born and raised in Nigeria that cannot speak Yoruba. Infact I have never seen one.

Even Ndidi,Osimehn,Amuneke,Siasia,Odionn Ighalo sabi Yoruba pass Awoniyi.....Awoniyi Yoruba na mix o....go see Igbo guys born in Ibadan dey blow real undiluted Yoruba pass Yoruba guys born in kwara and Kogi.

Icon4s:


It is very hard to see a Yoruba man born and raised in Nigeria that cannot speak Yoruba. Infact I have never seen one.

Indigenous languages are dying, but Yoruba will last the longest.

Kog45:
Even Ndidi,Osimehn,Amuneke,Siasia,Odionn Ighalo sabi Yoruba pass Awoniyi.

Awoniyi grew up in Ilorin with pure thick unadulterated Yoruba. Yoruba so deep even Lagosians struggled to understand.

I feel the same way about Ghana as I do about Tunisia (and I did about Egypt too before our first game).

Two top teams with good history, but currently pretenders. Teams like that are overhyped and easy to beat, and when you beat them it will boost your confidence, add to your momentum, increase your rankings and make you more feared.

drDoom3:


Awoniyi grew up in Ilorin with pure thick unadulterated Yoruba. Yoruba so deep even Lagosians struggled to understand.

Oh Ilorin Yoruba is mix o,go to Oshogbo,Ibadan and Oyo and hear unadulterated Yoruba...I be rooted Ilorin man o.

I am shocked some people are exhibiting a defeatist mindset with regards to the upcoming WCQ between Nigeria and Ghana.
I see no reason to be afraid of a team which has been on a steady decline since 2014 and are not showing any signs of improvement. The super eagles are not going to fold their hands and allow the charcoal stars win them. I forsee our qualification sealed in Ghana.
I hope after today's match against Tunisia some pessimists will forever hold their breath.

drDoom3:
Tunisia and Mali are forming a Nigeria-Argentina relationship. Mauritania too.

All drawn together in 2019 AFCON.

All drawn together in 2021 AFCON.

All drawn together in 2022 World Cup Qualifiers.

Tunisia go here am na

drDoom3:
I feel the same way about Ghana as I do about Tunisia (and I did about Egypt too before our first game).

Two top teams with good history, but currently pretenders. Teams like that are overhyped and easy to beat, and when you beat them it will boost your confidence, add to your momentum, increase your rankings and make you more feared.

Only Cameroon should one be scared about.

I'm so happy we were matched with Ghana. They've been making much noise about the past two decades. But have been dodging us. Time to shut them up for good as we did to South Africa. Thankfully SA would support now

JohnBullMySon:
Only Cameroon should one be scared about.

I'm so happy we were matched with Ghana. They've been making much noise about the past two decades. But have been dodging us. Time to shut them up for good as we did to South Africa. Thankfully SA would support now

Wetin Dey Cameroun wey Dey scare una ?

Country wey no fit scare capeverde

The only team I am not too confident about us meeting. We will need very bullish and sharp strikers to outwit them.
Add to that, playing the final against them in their home.. That one no go easy. Anyways somebody else will do the work

andrewbaba44:


Wetin Dey Cameroun wey Dey scare una ?

Country wey no fit scare capeverde

JohnBullMySon:
But they beat us when they had better players.

Think again. Everton hardly wins it's rivalry Liverpool. Why?

In 2006, Taiye Taiwo thunder strike was the difference, In 2008, we matched them man for man in all departments but lost with a single goal margin.

No matter how poor or limp the SEs can be, when it's time to face these countries, expect nothing but the best from them.

Argentina
Ghana
Cameroon

If you want to see the best of Eagles, pair them against the above national team and these countries knows this and come prepared.

I am in no way writing off our chances, mine is this, its a 50/50 duel. It could go either way. Banking on our current form and their recent woes and thinking it's going to be a walk in the park for us could be our undoing. Approaching the two legged WCQ games with the right mindset is key to our qualification.

Good Morning folks

I just want to thank all those that have expressed optimism about our game at hand today, it does so much for psyche.

I would rather not linger on the World Cup Qualifier Playoffs against Ghana just yet, it's quite far off and we do have a tournament to win after all, we do not have the luxury of fully delving into that match like our Ghanaian brothers do.

That being said, I look forward to a great game against Tunisia, I expect them to look for a penalty by any means necessary, and I hope our players are not complacent enough to give them that.

May God bless the Super Eagles and fortify every person that will be stepping on that field to represent the Green White Green today.

Some folks on this thread said,
"I don't care if the Super Eagles get kicked out right now out of the competition, their improved style of play is enough for me" .
We all know hell is gon' be let loose if the Super Eagles get kicked out lolz. Just support the team 100%. Nigeria we'll conquer and win

Joebie:
The only team I am not too confident about us meeting. We will need very bullish and sharp strikers to outwit them.
Add to that, playing the final against them in their home.. That one no go easy. Anyways somebody else will do the work

Cameroun and Ivory Coast will give us a hard game. But it's about time we retaliate the Afcon 2000 finals in Lagos. Meeting Cameroun in the finals and besting them in Yaounde will heal the wounds but that said, we have a terrible record against them in AFCON finals.

Icon4s:


It is very hard to see a Yoruba man born and raised in Nigeria that cannot speak Yoruba. Infact I have never seen one.

Come to Lekki even Ikeja I've met some that can't even speak Pidgin.

I met a few at university in England that left Nigeria but couldn't speak any Nigerian language.

However, you use the word man they are mostly youths .

drDoom3:
I feel the same way about Ghana as I do about Tunisia (and I did about Egypt too before our first game).

Two top teams with good history, but currently pretenders. Teams like that are overhyped and easy to beat, and when you beat them it will boost your confidence, add to your momentum, increase your rankings and make you more feared.

Ghana is like Arsenal and Tottenham although Arsenal may have the upper hand , anything could happen.

Ghana will never be easy to beat we must come highly prepared. Ghana at the moment is a wounded Lion, very dangerous.

They will have Salisu in defence, yesterday he was not just outstanding but AMAZING against Manchester city yesterday.

JohnBullMySon:
Games that were played in 08 and 09 when they had a better squad. I don't think it's a proper comparism.

Man to man on paper we are not comprehensively better than them.

The one area we are arguably better is in the goalkeeper department.

Apart from that everything else is up for debate.

humility33:


Well said pessimist
So that Salisu balls the midfield more than Ndidi

Look before you leap and show your prejudice.

Salisu is a 22 year old Central defender with Southampton not a Midfielder.

I expect him to be on the wanted list of every top EPL club if he continues.

The Fans have hailed a lot of players prior to today's game. And trully they have complemented each other. Ekong was rescued by Ndah. To some, Ndidi is d reason why the defence is tight. To others Nwakali brings out the best in Ndidi. While to some, he overworks Ndidi, For me, na how our MF perform today I go dey watch. For sure Awo go bury a quarter chance today. Make we all pray say Today match no reach penalties.

TheGoodJoe:


Say the number of things but the fact is that when the news broke out, he was nobody in the game.

Secondly, do you know all the guys that participated in the program?

Remember, his agent is Babawo Mohammed. Like the man who discovered Mikel on the streets. I think the man that discovered Awaziem.

So leave that side.

Let me reiterate that I don't think they were on trial, I don't want to say it's a lie. But I am about 95% certain they were not on an official club sanctioned trial.

The agent whatever his name is, has completely misrepresented the situation, it's very normal with agents particularly coming from Africa.

I know the structure and format of an official trial at Liverpool FC, in depth.

jihday:
absolutely not true

On what basis ❓ your emotive sensibilities.

Have you read the podcast I screen shot and posted ❓

Please, someone who knows, what's this guy's name?