Nigeria’s Eguavoen dismisses resignation reports after AFCON exit

Nigeria’s senior national team still has a manager in the person of interim coach Augustine Eguavoen.

The former player was widely reported as having resigned on Sunday following the Super Eagles shock exit at the Round of 16 at the African Cup of Nations.

He has dismissed the report in an interview with BBC Sport stressing that he continued to hold his role as technical director of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF.

“I came here as an interim manager because of what’s been played out. Our former coach (Gernot Rohr) was relieved of his duties and it was just weeks before the Africa Cup of Nations.

“As technical director, anywhere in the world that is what is obtainable. If there is a vacancy, it is the technical director that steps in before the coach has been appointed.

“So that’s why you see me taking this role and an interim man.

“Some of our journalists sometimes they change words, which is not too good. But we will manage it,” the 56-yar-old stressed.

Nigeria succumb to Tunisia

Nigeria were defeated 1-0 by the Carthage Eagles in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations round of 16 clash in Garoua which promoted the former international defender to throw in the towel.

Eguavoen had led the three-time champions to three straight wins against Egypt, Sudan, and Guinea-Bissau sparking hopes that the Super Eagles were coasting to their fourth title.

However, they shockingly booted out of the competition by a Tunisian side that has been negatively affected by the Covid-19 outbreak among their squad that left their squad weakened but still managed to eliminate the African giants which prompted Eguavoen to fall on his sword.

“What happens next is that I’m the interim coach and Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF),” Eguavoen said in a post-match press conference.

“I will go back to my position and allow the NFF (to) make a decision on the way forward.”

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Eguavoen was appointed as the interim coach of the Super Eagles after Gernot Rohr was sacked last month and the team’s group stage performance prompted calls for him to be made the permanent coach.

The NFF had already named Jose Peseiro as the new permanent coach of the Super Eagles before the AFCON started in Cameroon.

Nigeria will face Ghana in March in two World Cup playoff matches to decide one of the five African slots at the tournament to be played in Qatar.

With additional files from Ghana SoccerNet report