Paul Le Guen is New Eagles’ Technical Adviser

Duro Ikhazuagbe
As reported by THISDAY monday, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has announced the appointment of Frenchman Paul Le Guen, 52, as the new Technical Adviser of the Super Eagles.

The new Eagles’ boss Le Guen who steered the Indomitable Lions of Cameroun to the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals in South Africa is to be assisted by Nigerian Salisu Yusuf, who takes the role of Chief Coach.

Both appointments are subject to agreement of contract terms with the NFF Executive Committee. Le Guen is believed to be on a $40,000 per month pay while his assistant is expected to be on a N1.5million monthly.

Le Guen played for Brest, Nantes and Paris Saint Germain and won 17 caps for France, before coaching Rennes, Lyon, PSG (in France) and Glasgow Rangers (in Scotland). He also coached Oman.
Yusuf, a former Ranch Bees star player was capped at Under-20 level by Nigeria. He is a former coach of both Kano Pillars and Enyimba of Aba.

After Sunday Oliseh quit the Eagles job and Samson Siasia held forth for two games in the qualifiers for the AFCON 2017, Yusuf stepped in as an interim coach for two international friendly matches in Europe at the end of May, which Eagles won.

Spokesman of the Committee, Paul Bassey, said after the meeting at the NFF secretariat yesterday that Enugu Rangers gaffer Imama Amapakabo and former Super Eagles’ goalkeeper and skipper Alloy Agu, who served as assistant coach and goalkeeper trainer for the games against Mali and Luxembourg in May, retained their places in the technical crew.

The new crew’s immediate challenge is a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Tanzania in the first week of September – a dead rubber, but which would serve as ample preparation for the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying match away to Zambia on October 3.

The committee has also recommended to the NFF Board, the appointment of one-time Super Eagles’ assistant coach, Bitrus Bewarang as the new NFF Technical Director.

Bewarang, who is president of the Nigeria Football Coaches Association, will replace the late Coach Shaibu Amodu.

There is also a recommendation that former Super Eagles’ defender Nduka Ugbade be restored to the Under-17 national team as assistant to Coach Manu Garba.