A chieftain of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) says he has nothing to say on reports that 58 year old German coach Bruno Labbadia has been given the nod as the new coach of the Super Eagles, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Nigeria will head into the AFCON qualifiers under an interim coach in Austine Eguavoen, after failing to appoint a substantive replacement for Finidi George who left his role two months ago after a poor showing in the world cup qualifiers.

61 year old Sweden coach Janne Andersson was the clear favorite for the job and in a meeting with the minister for sports yesterday, sources say the NFF were directed to re-open and conclude talks with the coach following breakdown in talks last week.

Recent reports however suggest that 58 year old German coach Bruno Labbadia who lasted four months in his role as coach of VFB Stuttgart last year has gotten the nod, and approved by the minister.

” I know he was mentioned but it’s totally news to me that he is the new coach of the team. I don’t have anything to say until I see a recommendation from the president (Ibrahim Musa Gusau) of the NFF”, a top member of the football body said when contacted.

The minister for sports senator John Enoh has directed the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to bring an end to the drama of appointing a new coach for the senior national team of Nigeria by making Janne Andersson the new coach , OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Super Eagles will head into the AFCON qualifiers under a caretaker coach in Austine Eguavoen following the inability of the NFF to appoint a replacement for Finidi George, who left his role two months ago.

Janne Andersson was picked by the president of the NFF Ibrahim Musa Gusau, but he met stiff opposition from board members as well as the technical committee because the coach wasn’t among the shortlisted coaches for the job.

That impasse brought about a halt in negotiations with the NFF, but in a meeting which lasted around seven minutes according to sources the minister mandated Gusau to go ahead and appoint Andersson as coach.

An announcement is said to be imminent, even though the choice is unpopular with top hierarchy of the board and has strained the relationship between the NFF president and the technical committee members.

They said it’s the second time he is going out of their recommendation to appoint a coach, after doing the same thing in the appointment of Finidi who lasted only a month in the job.

The head coach of French Ligue 1 side Nantes Antoine Kombouaré has heaped praises on Super Eagles star Moses Simon after his goal in their 2-0 win over Auxerre yesterday, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

It means Nantes have started the season without a defeat in their first two games of the season for the first time in three seasons. Simon who missed the majority of last season stole the show and was as expected named the man of the match.

He put Nantes ahead with a curler from the edge of the box after 14 minutes before Bahereba Guirassy ensured all three points for the home side stays with a goal in the sixth minute of time added on after regulation time.

A club legend and also among their longest serving player Kambouare praised the attitude of the Nigeria international revealing that he gives his team the x-factor when he plays, because opponents are scared of him.

“We know the importance of Moses in the club and the team. The opponent fears him and can free up space for his friends. If he finds his efficiency again, it’s all good for the team. He’s still suffering, but with a victory”, he said at the post match presser.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The Super Eagles of Nigeria will return to action on the 7th of September when they take on Benin Republic in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in Uyo , OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Three days after the game in Uyo they will be away to Rwanda for their second game of the series, and both games will be handled by the interim coach of the Nigerian team Austine Eguavoen.

Eguavoen will handle the team in interim capacity following the failure of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in employing a substantive coach for the team as replacement for Finidi George, who left his role two months ago.

Below is the list of players who have been told to report to the team’s camp on the 1st of September.

Expected List

Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa); Maduka Okoye (Udinese FC, Italy); Francis Uzoho (Omonia Nicosia; Cyprus).

Defenders: Chidozie Awaziem (FC Cincinnati, USA); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce FC, Turkey); Kenneth Omeruo ( Kasimpasa; Turkey); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Ola Aina (Nottingham Forest; England); Olisa Ndah (Orlando Pirates; South Africa); William Troost-Ekong ( Al Khaloood; Saudi Arabia).

Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Joe Aribo (Southampton; England); Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Lazio , Italy )

Forwards: Nathan Tella (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Victor Osimhen (SSC Napoli, Italy); Kelechi Iheanacho (Sevilla, Spain); Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy); Ademola Lookman (Atalanta FC, Italy); Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Moses Simon (Nantes, France).

Standby: Leon Balogun ( Rangers; Scotland).

The agent of Nigeria international striker Victor Osimhen has reacted to wide spread reports about Napoli reaching agreement with Al Ahli of Saudi Arabia for the transfer of the 25 year old, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Napoli according to several reports have agreed a fee of €65m with Al Ahli for the transfer of the Nigerian, who is keen on leaving the club but wants to leave on his terms and choices.

Already Napoli have signed his replacement in Chelsea forward Romelu Lukaku, but his departure is still unsure with clubs bulking at the asking price of €130m.

New Napoli coach Conte hasn’t given the Nigerian a minute in pre season, league or cup games since he took over as coach insisting on honoring the agreement reached with the striker, when he signed a new deal in December.

Osimhen’s agent has waded in on the situation of his client at Napoli calling for respect, and suggesting that Osimhen still has a lot to do in Europe subtly dismissing all talks of a move to Saudi Arabia.

“Victor is not a package to be shipped far away to make room for new prophets. We need respect and balance”. “Victor Osimhen still has so much to do ”, Roberto Calenda posted on X formerly known as Twitter.

“Osimhen is a Napoli player, with his contract recently renewed with mutual satisfaction on club/player side. He made history… and when there were major offers (also this year) we always accepted club’s decisions”.

“Victor was elected African footballer of the year, 8th at the Ballon d’Or. There is need for respect and balance”.

Belgium league giants Club Brugge have handed professional deal to 17 told Nigerian forward Kaye Furo, who is the son of former Nigeria international defender Furo Iyenemi.

“Kaye Furo has signed a new agreement with Club Brugge. The 17-year-old striker signs a contract until 2027”, the club announced on their website.

“Furo made the switch from Antwerp to Club NXT in 2017 and signed his first professional contract here in 2022. Since the 2023 – 2024 season, it has been part of the U23 core. Furo is seen as a great talent in the attacking compartment, with proof of his two goals on the opening game day of the Challenger Pro League against Lokeren-Temse last Saturday”.

His father represented Nigeria at the 2000 AFCON playing all of the games for the team who were beaten on penalties by Cameroon in the final. He was subsequently drafted to the U23 team for their campaign at the Olympics the same year.

It remains to be seen if Kaye who has a Belgian mother and was born in Belgium will follow the footsteps of his father in playing for Nigeria, or build his international career with Belgium where he is already a part of their U17 team.

The head coach of the senior national team of Benin Republic Gernot Rohr says he is worried over the state of his team ahead of their AFCON 2025 qualifiers game against the Super Eagles of Nigeria, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Benin Republic will begin their journey towards making it to the next AFCON against the Super Eagles of Nigeria in Uyo , and Rohr who was coach of the Nigerian team for six and half years says his players are not having the best of season coming into the game.

” Some of my players are not that active at club level either because they are out of contract or looking for new teams. Nigeria have a few like that but they are many of them who are already very active and match fit. However we will do our best to put up a fight and have a good game plan to win”, he said.

Rohr who masterminded Benin’s first win over Nigeria in their football history gave thumbs up to the Godswill Akpabio stadium in Uyo, which will host the game on the 7th of September.

” Super Eagles will be happy to play in Uyo again because for two years they didn’t play there while I was there because of politics in the federation. It’s a nice stadium that allows both teams to play good football. Opponents are not comfortable there against us while I was coach of Nigeria, now I have the same feelings facing the Super Eagles in Uyo”.

One of the coaches shortlisted for the job of the senior national team of Nigeria has taken a swipe at the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on the manner which they have gone about looking for a replacement for Finidi George, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Finidi left his role as coach two months ago after a poor showing in the world cup qualifiers, with the NFF making it clear that they will employ the services of an expatriate coach to handle the team via a communique made public.

Interested candidates sent in their application but with two weeks left to the start of the AFCON 2024 qualifiers no coach has been appointed for the Super Eagles, and like we exclusively reported the technical director of the football body Austine Eguavoen will handle the team in interim capacity.

Eguavoen will be in charge for the games against Benin Republic and Rwanda on the 7th and 10th of September respectively. A new coach is however expected to be named after both games ahead of the October and November games in the same series.

” How was I not given the job is something that I can’t understand. I was speaking with my agent who spoke with a top official of the NFF and when we got to speak he confirmed he has my CV with him for review. I was expecting a serious conversation but it was all about stuff that doesn’t appeal to me as a coach”, he told OwnGoalNigeria.com on the condition of anonymity.

” I was so unhappy about it only for my agent to say he is a strong man in the politics of Nigerian football not that he is a technocrat. So my CV that I used years to build was given to a politician to review. Maybe I know why I wasn’t appointed”.

The recent transfer of William Troost-Ekong to newly promoted Saudi Arabia side Al Khaloood has opened the floodgates for many players of the senior national team of Nigeria to move to the high paying league, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Ekong joined the Saudi Arabia outfit shunning the prospect of playing in the UEFA Champions League with Greek side PAOK , who emerged as champions with the 30 year old a key part of their conquest.

His departure according to Remi Salako a young Nigerian football agent in the Gulf region is the first of four transfers that could involve players of the senior national team of Nigeria moving to Saudi Arabia.

” Ekong is the first but I believe you have heard about Victor Osimhen to Al Ahli because it’s in the news here as something that is expected to happen. Ademola Lookman is another who have been mentioned here the past six months, then there is Frank Onyedika but that is complicated because of his agent who wants him in Europe still. Then there is Stanley Nwabali but highly unlikely”, Salako told OwnGoalNigeria.com.

Speaking further he said beyond the huge salary which has been touted as the major reason behind the move to Saudi Arabia by most players, there is also another catch which is the cost of living plus the luxury lifestyle that playing in the Saudi Premier League offers these players.

” Odion Ighlao is a king here and I don’t think he is leaving anytime soon. Henry Onyekuru is here as we speak so also Saviour Godwin and they are doing really well. Living the life that footballers cherish at almost zero or no cost at all. The league can’t be said to be that competitive in all fairness but the other packages that comes bar salary is too good to resist”, he concluded.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have approved the list of players who will represent the senior national team of Nigeria against Benin Republic and Rwanda respectively in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Eguavoen will handle the team in interim capacity after their failure to get a substantive coach to replace Finidi George, who left his role two months ago after a poor showing in the world cup qualifiers.

Talks with Janne Andersson suffered a setback, while Herve Renard was never looking at the option of handling the team despite assurances by his representative to the NFF following his resignation as coach of the women’s team of France.

It leaves the NFF with no choice but to settle for Eguavoen, who is the head of the technical department of the football house to prosecute both games billed for the 7th and 10th of September respectively.

His final list of 25 players drawn from the 35 players who got provisional letter of invitation will be made public next week after the Ibrahim Musa Gusau led board approved the list.