Nigeria Super Eagles interim manager and Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) technical advisor Augustine Eguavoen has confirmed the addition of a new coach to the coaching staff of the national team.
Augustine Eguavoen, on Tuesday confirmed that a new coaching staff will be joining the team to help with video analysis in order to help the Super Eagles develop that tactics against opponents.
Emmanuel Amuneke joined the team officially last month after the NFF announced him as the first assistant head coach of the Super Eagles. Eguavoen already has his technical team on lock, however, the new coach will be coming in an expert role and will be providing assistance to an already establish technical team.
The new coach will be coming to join the video team made up of Terry Eguaoje and Paul Aigbogun, according to the interim boss who spoke to local media Elegbete TV on the issue.
“We have video analysts Terry and Paul,” Eguavoen said. “However, there is a guy coming to join us from the United Kingdom. He will assist us in the area of video analysis for the game against Ghana.”
The name of the coach was not revealed by the boss in the interview and the duration of the contract was not revealed as well. However, fans will be glad to know that the Nigerian Football Federation is leaving no stone unturned in Nigeria's bid to qualify for the 22nd edition of the FIFA World Cup.
Eguavoen speaks on Akpoguma: “He is not as good as the other options”
The interim boss was also questioned on why Kevin Akpoguma has failed to make Nigeria's squad since he took over as interim manager.
The 26-year-old Hoffenheim defender has been one of Nigeria's best performing centre backs in Europe this season. However, since switching nationalities from Germany to Nigeria a few years ago, Akpoguma does not have up to five Super Eagles caps to his name.
His last appearance for the Super Eagles came under Gernot Rohr and since then, he has been frozen out of the squad. His performances in the Bundesliga, however, continue to be good for his team Hoffenheim, who are currently sixth in the Bundesliga.
Eguavoen claims that Akpoguma is not as good as the other players jostling for the centre-back position, which is why he did not call him up for the African Cup of Nations and the doubleheader qualifier against Ghana.
“I’m a very reserved person, because our people, not just Nigeria alone, the entire world. People twist words. Yes, Akpoguma was out of the list that went to the Africa Cup of Nations,” Eguavoen told Elegbete TV.
“But slightly after the list was released, we still had opportunities to bring in one or two, and then Balogun was hurt – he couldn’t go because of his injury, and then we sent for Akpoguma to come. He didn’t, his club said no.
“I want people to know that if you miss a call-up, that does not mean that you can not be recalled. I think I’ve not worked with Akpoguma, but I have seen him closely. He is a very good player, no doubt, but for me, he couldn’t replace Balogun, Troost-Ekong, or Omeruo.”
Eguavoen explains Dessers absence from Ghana squad
Elegbete TV also asked the interim manager about his choice not to call up Cyriel Dessers, who has been in hot form in Europe.
Dessers hasn't been invited to the Super Eagles since making his international debut in a friendly against Tunisia on October 13, 2020.
The Feyenoord Rotterdam striker, on loan from Belgian club KRC Genk, has scored 12 goals in 28 appearances for the Dutch side despite coming off the bench in most of those 28 appearances.
In a recent interview, his agent claimed that the striker is still very much interested in playing for the Super Eagles, for whom he declared in 2018 after switching nationalities from Belgium.
His agent also claimed that Dessers is motivated by the snub to continue performing at the highest level and hopes that his goalscoring exploits will finally convince the handlers of the team to take a chance on him.
The 30-man shortlist is an expanded list from the squad that travelled to Cameroon for the African Cup of Nations and Eguavoen still did not find a place for the Belgium-born striker.
He explained Dessers omission: “Talking about Cyriel Dessers where is he playing? NPFL? The answer is no. So am I going to take a train from here to Holland? The answer is no, so the time has to be right.
“When I say I haven't watched the players I'm talking about having watched them live. On television, of course I follow.
“That brings me back to Etebo whom I have worked closely with, I have seen, interacted with. “
This article was most recently revised and updated 1 year ago
