The president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Ibrahim Gusau says the football body has already commenced the process of hiring a foreign coach for the senior national team of Nigeria, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.
Super Eagles will conclude their AFCON 2025 qualifiers campaign with games against Benin Republic and Rwanda respectively, with interim coach Austine Eguavoen taking them to within a point of qualifying for the tournament.
Eguavoen is expected to return to his role as technical director of the NFF after the conclusion of the games, as he has made it clear that he isn’t sold out on the idea of continuing as coach of the team on a permanent basis.
NFF have moved swiftly to begin the process of getting his replacement, which will be a foreign coach but according to Gusau the football body is keen on solving the issue of payment of whoever gets employed as the coach.
He said they have already opened talks with some private entities in Nigeria to foot the bill of the coach when appointed as salaries have always been an issue with previous foreign coaches of the team.
“We are currently in discussion with Dangote Group, BUA, MTN, Baba Ijebu and others on the payment of foreign coach. Though, Eguavoen is doing well, but if we must engage a coach, we must make sure that the issue of payment is sorted. Until last February, the Federal Government did not pay the salary of our former coaches leading to 18-month debt of Jose Peseiro before President Tinubu led government cleared the debt.
