NFF Begins Fresh Scout for Foreign Technical Adviser for Eagles

• Gives Technical Committee one week to recommend new coach for Nigeria

Duro Ikhazuagbe

Smarting from the embarrassment caused the country by Frenchman, Paul Le Guen, the Executive Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) wednesday ordered its Technical Committee to recommend another top foreign coach to step into the vacant Super Eagles job within the next one week.

Le Guen snubbed the Eagles job because he was not willing to accept NFF’s conditions that include his coming to stay in Nigeria, accept back-up staff made up of indigenous coaches in addition to being given a target.

Rising from its meeting in Abuja wednesday, the executive committee of the NFF approved the appointment of Salisu Yusuf as Super Eagles chief coach, Bitrus Bewarang as technical director and Nduka Ugbade as Goden Eaglets assistant coach as recommended by the Chris Green led technical committee.

According to the communiqué of the meeting signed by Hon. Suleiman Yahaya-Kwande, the search for a new technical adviser for the senior national team needs prompt action given the matches ahead for the Super Eagles in the road to the 2018 World Cup in Russia whose qualifiers begin in October.

“Executive Committee instructed the Technical and Development Sub–Committee to, within the next seven (7) days, recommend a candidate for the post of Technical Adviser of the Super Eagles,” read the communiqué in part.

“It noted that the refusal of Mr. Paul Le Guen, earlier recommended by the Sub-Committee, to accept to be given targets as well as unwillingness to live in Nigeria, made his candidature unacceptable to the Board.

“Committee also disapproved of Mr. Le Guen’s desire to come to the job with two assistants, which would make Nigerian coaches redundant.

“The Committee noted that it was the desire to show transparency that made the Technical and Development Sub-Committee to make public its recommendation in the first place.”
The statement added: “The Committee further resolved that any candidate that would be so recommended by the Technical and Development Sub-Committee must have accepted to be handed targets and must also be willing to live in Nigeria.
“In addition, such a candidate must agree to undergo other internal evaluation.”

The Executive Committee also approved that henceforth, only the Head Coaches of the various national teams will be on monthly salary, while assistant coaches will receive only bonuses and allowances.

“The assistant coaches presently in the NFF’s employ have been given till the end of this year to secure substantive employment elsewhere, as the federation deals squarely with its financial constraints,” concludes the communiqué.