Coaching Job: Amuneke, a man of integrity, says international integrity Czar

By Harry Awurumibe, Editor-in-Chief , Abuja

With the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) set to unveil the name of the new head coach of Super Eagles, another international football administrator has given a vote of confidence to one of the candidates for the plum job, coach Emmanuel Amuneke who he said is “as white as snow” as far as football integrity is concerned.

According to the internationally recognised football administrator who pleaded anonymit, Amuneke’s integrity is not in any doubt as he is one of the top coaches the Confederation of African Football (CAF) respects hence he has been working as a member of the reverred CAF and FIFA Technical Study Group (TSG) for some time now.

“I have to be frank with you,  Emmanuel Amuneke is one of the few number of respected coaches in Nigeria with proven track records of integrity in African football. If he is not, of course, CAF will not touch him with a long spoon because the organisation does not deal with people who lack integrity. In football integrity is key and I can tell you Amuneke has it.

“Even those who attended the CAF A License Course with Amuneke can testify to the fact that he stood out in answering some tricky integrity questions on match-fixing and bribery. It is on record that he answered his questions to the satisfaction of the examiners by insisting that it is unethical to be involved in such underhand business in football”, the administrator stated.

He said Amuneke was the first participant in the lecture to say that it is an anathema for coaches to receive gratifications on the job they do and will not be involved in such shady deals no matter the pressure, adding that the coach has gone ahead to prove himself since then.

Also, a Lagos-based football coach Mr. Jamiu Abolade disclosed that he has interacted with some coaches who attended the CAF A License Course with the former African Footballer of the Year and the testimonies of his integrity is massive.

Said he: “Sincerely speaking, I am a coach and I have interacted severally with others who were Emmanuel Amuneke’s course mates and they said he was brilliant in handling the integrity questions to the extent that the examiners were impressed of his answers “.

NFF declared Super Eagles head coach post vacant on March 8, 2024 after former gaffer Jose Peseiro left the position on February 28 even as the federation also gave Tuesday,  March 12, 2024 as the deadline for submission of applications by interested applicants.

Expectedly, over a dozen indigenous and foreigners applied for the job including former head coach of Tanzania senior men’s team, Taifa Stars and ex-coach of 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup winning team, Golden Eaglets of Nigeria.

António Conceição da Silva Oliveira, a former head coach of Indomitable Lions of Cameroon is among foreign coaches who applied too.

Meanwhile, NFF is faced with the task of appointing a new coach for the team before their next FIFA World Cup African qualifiers in June.