Ranking the best Super Eagles coaches of all-time
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Top 10 Best Super Eagles Coaches of All-time

SUPER EAGLES Ranking the best Super Eagles coaches of all-time

Jidechi Chidiezie 19:55 - 17.03.2023

Gernot Rohr, 'the big boss' Stephen Keshi, and a Brazilian named Gloria all make it to the list of the best Super Eagles coaches of all-time.

A popular Nigerian sports saying goes, 'there are over 20 million coaches for the Super Eagles, with every football fan having a say,' so it can be a task choosing the best Super Eagles coach of all-time.

However, there have only been 26 'actual' Super Eagles coaches since the inception of Nigeria's senior national football team in 1949.

Of this lot, a few have been considerably successful on the job while many others, did not get enough time to achieve said success.

Here are the best Super Eagles coaches

This list includes both domestic and foreign coaches to have managed the Nigerian national team.

10. Augustine Eguavoen

Eguavoen helped Nigeria to a bronze finish at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament in 2006.

Austin Eguavoen's first stint as coach of Nigeria gets him on the list of the best Super Eagles coaches of all-time.
Austin Eguavoen's first stint as coach of Nigeria gets him on the list of the best Super Eagles coaches of all-time. Austin Eguavoen's first stint as coach of Nigeria gets him on the list of the best Super Eagles coaches of all-time.

It was the sixth time the Super Eagles had achieved such a feat. He made a return in 2021 and stayed on till 2022 but it was not as successful as the first.

9. Christian Chukwu

Christian Chukwu started his coaching career in Lebanon and also had a coaching stint with the Kenyan national team in the 1990s'.

Christian Chukwu's tenure as Super Eagles coach ended during the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers
Christian Chukwu's tenure as Super Eagles coach ended during the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

He was appointed coach of the Super Eagles in 2003 and lasted till 2005. In his two-year stint with the Super Eagles, Chukwu led Nigeria to a third-place finish at the 2004 AFCON.

His tenure would end with his major role in Nigeria failing to qualify for the 2006 World Cup but he gets a spot on the list of the best Super Eagles coaches because of his AFCON achievement.

8. Gernot Rohr

Nigeria's longest-serving manager helped the country to its 8th third-place finish at the 2019 AFCON in Egypt.

Gernot Rohr is the longest-serving coach the Super Eagles of Nigeria has ever had
Gernot Rohr is the longest-serving coach the Super Eagles of Nigeria has ever had.

The German also helped Nigeria qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup but failed to make it out of the group stages. Gernot Rohr was ousted a few days to the 2021 AFCON finals after being in the position for five years (2016 - 2021).

7. Festus Onigbinde

Onigbinde was the head coach of the national team between 1981 and 1984. He makes it to the list of the best Super Eagles coaches of all-time for leading the Super Eagles to a second place finish at the 1984 AFCON held in Ivory Coast.

Festus Onigbinde had two stints as coach of the Super Eagles with bis first stint ending with an AFCON silver medal.
Festus Onigbinde had two stints as coach of the Super Eagles with bis first stint ending with an AFCON silver medal.

He returned shortly in 2002 for the World Cup but couldn’t make it out of the group stages.

6. Bora Milutinovic

Of the three times, Nigeria made it out of the group stages of the FIFA World, Milutinovic boasts of one. This relative global success earns him a place on the list of the best Super Eagles coaches so far.

Bora Milutinovic took the Super Eagles to the Round of 16 at the France '98 World Cup
Bora Milutinovic took the Super Eagles to the Round of 16 at the France '98 World Cup

The Serbian was in charge of the Super Eagles when the team made the round of 16 at the 1998 World Cup in France.

5. Shuaibu Amodu

Amodu is the first and only Super Eagles coach to qualify Nigeria for three FIFA World Cups: 2002, 2010 and 2014. He, however, never attended any due to new hires or issues with the NFF.

Amodu Shuaibu enjoyed considerable success as one of the best coaches the Super Eagles has ever had
Amodu Shuaibu enjoyed considerable success as one of the best coaches the Super Eagles has ever had

Asides from that feat, Amodu also earned two third-place finishes with the Super Eagles at the 2002 and 2010 AFCONs. He also finished 4th with Nigeria at the 1995 FIFA Confederations Cup (then King Fahd Cup).

4. Jo Bonfere

One of the most popular Super Eagles coaches, Bonfere led Nigeria to its first and only Olympic gold medal in 1996. It was Nigeria's fourth football appearance at the summer games, and the first, that ended with a medal. Thus, earning a deserved spot on the list of best Super Eagles coaches of all-time.

Jo Bonfere coached Nigeria to its first and only Olympics gold medal in football at the Atlanta '96 Games
Jo Bonfere coached Nigeria to its first and only Olympics gold medal in football at the Atlanta '96 Games

During a second stint with the national team between 1999 and 2001, the Dutchman led the Super Eagles to a runner-up finish at the AFCON in 2000. It was the fourth time Nigeria placed second.

3. Otto Gloria

Gloria led Nigeria to its first-ever AFCON title in 1980. It is to date, one of the three times the Super Eagles have gone all the way to clinch the most important trophy on the African continent.

Little-known Otto Gloria is one of few Super Eagles coaches to have won the AFCON
Little-known Otto Gloria is one of few Super Eagles coaches to have won the AFCON

The Brazilian also led Nigeria to its second-ever Olympic appearance in 1980, although, the ticket to China was not earned but offered to Nigeria after Ghana pulled out, following an American-led boycott.

2. Stephen Keshi

Keshi won Nigeria its third AFCON title in 2013: the last Nigerian national team manager to do so.

Stephen Keshi is unarguably one of the best Super Eagles coaches of all-time
Stephen Keshi is unarguably one of the best Super Eagles coaches of all-time

'The Big Boss' also led the Super Eagles to the round of 16 of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, making it the first time Nigeria achieved such a feat since 1998.

Keshi is one of the two Super Eagles managers to have ever helped Nigeria win the CAF Team of the Year award, by doing so in 2013.

1. Clemens Westerhof

Nigeria achieved its largest spell of football success under Westerhof, between 1989 to 1994.

Clemens Westerhof oversaw the most successful period in Nigerian football history
Clemens Westerhof oversaw the most successful period in Nigerian football history

Following a runners-up medal at the 1990 AFCON and a bronze finish in 1992, Westerhof in 1994, led the Super Eagles to its second-ever AFCON title.

The Dutch also took Nigeria as far as the round of 16 during the country's first-ever appearance at the FIFA World Cup in 1994.

Under his term, Nigeria once ranked 5th in the FIFA rankings - the highest FIFA ranking position ever achieved by an African football team - and was named by CAF in 1992, 1993 and 1994 as the African Team of the Year. Deservedly the best Super Eagles coach of all-time.

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