Former Super Eagles star applies for Golden Eaglets coach role

Former Super Eagles midfielder Sani Kaita has officially applied for the vacant head coach position of Nigeria’s U-17 national team, also known as the Golden Eaglets.

The role became available after the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) opened applications for several youth national team positions as part of its restructuring efforts.

Kaita confirmed that he has submitted his application and is eager to contribute to the development of Nigeria’s next generation of football stars.

“I can confirm that I have applied for the U-17 coaching job. This is the right time for me to give back by developing young Nigerian players within a positive and high-performance environment,” Kaita said.

Reflecting on his transition into coaching, Kaita emphasised that youth development has been his primary focus for years.

He added, “Coaching young players has been a deliberate path for me. I have spent years learning, improving, and working closely with developing talents to help them grow both technically and mentally.”

The Golden Eaglets remain one of Nigeria’s most successful youth teams historically, and Kaita believes the country must continue investing in grassroots football.

“Nigeria has incredible young talents. With the right guidance, discipline, and environment, we can build a team that will make the nation proud again,” he said.

Kaita enjoyed a notable playing career, representing Nigeria on the global stage and featuring for European clubs such as AS Monaco and Sparta Rotterdam.

He was part of Nigeria’s squad at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where the team won silver, and also earned a silver medal at the FIFA U-20 World Cup earlier in his career.