EXCLUSIVE! Super Eagles Job: CAF TSG Membership is advantage for Amuneke, Amokachi

By Harry Awurumibe, Editor- in-Chief, Abuja

As Nigerians await the appointment of a new head coach for the senior men’s football team Super Eagles, an international football administrator has advised the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) that working as a member of Confederation of African Football (CAF) Technical Study Group (TSG) is a huge advantage for any of the applicants for the vacant position.

According to the credible source who pleaded anonymity only top quality coaches with proven track records of performance and credibility are appointed by CAF as members of its TSG, pointing out that the membership is formed based on recommendations from the CAF Technical Development Division.

He therefore argued that Super Eagles need a coach who is a member or has served as a member of TSG whose primary responsibility is to make technical analysis in the course of CAF tournaments and present reports to CAF to develop a technical report of the tournaments.

“If the federation is serious about appointing top quality coaches to handle the Super Eagles they should look towards coaches who are working with the continental football governing body, CAF as members of the Technical Study Group. This is because football has gone scientific and only those coaches who are conversant with the new technology and the use of the technological devices can succeed with the team”, the international football administrator stated.

He also argued that with the current trends in world football any coach who does not improve his technical and tactical skills with the use of technology will be left behind, saying that the membership of CAF TSG is a huge advantage for coaches who applied for Super Eagles top job.

 Said he: “I am a big  advocate of technically sound individuals with both playing and coaching certification to become Super Eagles coaches. I believe Nigeria has them so a combination of Emmanuel Amuneke,  Daniel Amokachi and the current assistant coach Finidi George will be the right way to go”.

Interestingly, only two indigenous coaches who applied for the vacant post of Super Eagles head coach, ex-internationals Emmanuel Amuneke and Daniel Amokachi are CAF TSG Members just as Amuneke is also a Member FIFA TSG, a role he has played creditably

 for some time now including at the last FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

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,  Emmanuel Amuneke and Finidi George who was Peseiro’s assistant coach.

Others who filed their applications before the deadline are Sylvanus Okpala,ex-Super Eagles assistant coach under late Stephen Keshi;  Samson Siasia, former Super Eagles head coach whose FIFA ban will soon be lifted Sylvanus Okpala, ex-Super Eagles assistant coach under late Stephen Keshi and Michael Nsien, ex- USA U-16 team coach of Nigerian descent.

Also, seeking for the Super Eagles plum job are ex-international goalkeeper, Ndubuisi Egbo who is first Nigerian coach to lead a European team to a league title after his team were crowned 2019/20 Albanian League champions and also qualified for the UEFA Champions League and

António Conceição da Silva Oliveira, a former head coach of Indomitable Lions of Cameroon.

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.