Austin Eguavoen has been appointed to take charge of the Super Eagles for the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Benin Republic and Rwanda in September. This decision follows the breakdown of negotiations between the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and German manager, Bruno Labbadia, who was initially set to become the head coach.
Labbadia, who had been in advanced discussions with the NFF, withdrew from consideration after final details concerning salary and entitlements could not be agreed upon.
According to a report from Kicker, these unresolved issues led the former Wolfsburg and Hertha BSC manager to end discussions, leaving the Super Eagles without a head coach just weeks before their crucial qualifiers.
The NFF had been optimistic about finalising the contractual terms with Labbadia by Friday, which would have allowed him to oversee the team’s preparations for the September fixtures. However, the breakdown in talks has forced the NFF to turn to Eguavoen, a familiar face in Nigerian football, to step in on short notice.
Eguavoen, who has previously served as the head coach of the Super Eagles on multiple occasions, will now be tasked with leading the team through these important qualifiers as Nigeria aims to secure their place in the 2025 AFCON tournament.
The Super Eagles are set to face Benin Republic on September 7th in Uyo, followed by an away match against Rwanda on September 10th in Kigali. With Eguavoen at the helm, the team will be looking to put the disappointment of Labbadia’s failed appointment behind them and focus on securing vital points in their AFCON qualifying campaign.
