The race for who will be the next coach of the senior national team of Nigeria seems to be tilting in favor of an indigenous coach according to the agent of one of the foreign coaches who applied for the job, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.
Both indigenous and foreign coaches applied for the vacant role of the coach of the senior national team of Nigeria, a post made vacant by the exit of Jose Peseiro following the expiration of his contract in February, a few weeks after leading the team to a second place finish at the Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire.
As many as 40 foreign coaches applied for the job alongside some indigenous coaches. A screening of the list of candidates was done last week and a shortlist was drawn by the technical committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
An agent to one of the applicants for the job told OwnGoalNigeria.comthat his client was told by a member of the committee that the decision favours an indigenous coach, forcing his client to dump his interest in the job.
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” The news we heard is that it’s likely an indigenous coach and that came from one of our sources in the camp of the hierarchy of the NFF. My client has ended his interest and now looking at other options”, he told OwnGoalNigeria.com in an exclusive chat.
Meanwhile a member of the technical committee revealed that their recommendation favors a foreign coach and not an indigenous coach , but he admitted that finances could sway it the way of an indigenous coach which is likely going to be Emmanuel Amuneke.
” Amuneke is like plan B to be honest with you. Plan A is still a foreign coach and talks are underway with his camp. If that fails on account of his wages which the ministry of sports say isn’t their cross to bear then we will have to look inwards, that is where Amuneke comes in because of his coaching qualifications and also experience on the African continent.
” The board won’t be swayed by the viral reports of campaigns. It is what is best for Nigeria that we will go for and I am sorry someone else is it for now and he isn’t a Nigerian”, he stated.
Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman
