Eguavoen Is Yet To Quit As Super Eagles Coach – Idah Peterside
Former Super Eagles goalkeeper, Idah Peterside, revealed that Augustine Eguavoen has confirmed to him that he has not resigned from his role as the head coach of the senior men’s national team.
After Nigeria’s 0-0 draw with Rwanda in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Tuesday, rumors emerged later in the night that Eguavoen, who was recently appointed to take charge of the team by the Nigeria Football Federation after deal with German coach Bruno Labaddia fell through, has quit the job.
But speaking in a Wednesday interview, Peterside said that Eguavoen dismissed the rumors in a phone call with him.
“Fortunately I spoke to Eguavoen last night and I asked him, did you quit? And he said no, I did not quit. I’m like why are the rumours? Okay, you will not understand so much politics,” Peterside said.
“You see, where we are now, agents are trying to sell coaches, trying to bring in coaches here and there and there are people in the NFF too that are looking forward to bringing the type of coach they want.
“So, what Eguavoen has done, he has come in and stabled the waters. Now the agents wanted us to lose because if we had lost the game against Benin then those agents would have brought in their coaches, it is the politics of football.”
Peterside also threw his weight behind Eguavoen remaining with the Super Eagles for at least the end of the Nations Cup qualifiers.
“There have been debate everywhere, should Eguavoen be kept? Will Eguavoen leave or do we bring a foreign coach? I think the national team is beginning to stabilize in the last two games we played, that is my take.
“I think we should allow Eguavoen to finish what he has started. Remember he has been with this team for years. We had an issue when we did qualify for the World Cup in the game with Ghana.
“He was in charge and I have always told people we did not lose that game, but people became angry because we did not qualify,” he said.