‘Eguaveon stays!’ - Nigerians pass verdict on the Super Eagles coaching role after AFCON qualifiers

After the drama in June following Finidi George’s resignation as the Super Eagles coach, the Nigeria Football Federation finally settled for Eguaveon on an interim basis.

This is his third stint on the job, having previously occupied the role as a caretaker in 2005 while he took charge on an interim basis in 2021. 

His latest reign has started decently with a 3-0 victory over Benin and a goalless draw at Rwanda in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

However, there is still an air of uncertainty surrounding his role as the Super Eagles coach, as the NFF were actively trying to bring in a foreign coach prior to these set of qualifiers, failing with Bruno Labbadia last month.

After the goalless draw with Rwanda, football-loving Nigerians took to social media, expressing their opinions on whether Eguaveon should retain the job or be replaced immediately.

While many encouraged the NFF to retain him, there are others who feel like he has not faced a real test.

Some fans opined that he needed refresher courses to stay updated in the game, while others want him gone immediately.

In June 2005, Eguavoen was appointed as the interim head coach of the Super Eagles, and he led the team to the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations held in Egypt. The team secured a bronze medal, defeating Senegal in the third-place match. However, Eguavoen's tenure was relatively short-lived, as he was dismissed from his position in April 2006.

In 2010, Eguavoen was temporarily appointed as the head coach of the Nigerian national team, but he declined the permanent position. He also led the under-23 team, aiming for Olympic qualification. However, the team was eliminated in the group stage, leading to Eguavoen's resignation in 2011.

In December 2021, Eguavoen was temporarily appointed as the head coach of the Super Eagles for the Africa Cup of Nations tournament. He took over after the dismissal of Gernot Rohr. 

Despite leading Nigeria to the round of sixteen, a heartbreaking loss to Tunisia resulted in Eguavoen returning to his previous role as the technical director of the team.