Amuneke Tipped to Emerge as New Super Eagles Head Coach
Tanzania's coach Emmanuel Amunike reacts during the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) football match between Senegal and Tanzania at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo on June 23, 2019. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP)
Femi Solajawith agency report
Former Nigerian international, Emmanuel Amuneke, has been tipped to step into the Super Eagles job vacated by Portuguese gaffer Jose Peseiro.
The former FC Barcelona winger is believed to top the list of coaches the Technical Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) examined their resumes during their meeting in Abuja yesterday.
Although the committee’s duty ends at recommending to the executive committee of the federation, the Ibrahim Gusau led board has the final say on who takes over the Super Eagles top position.
According to SCORENigeria, “This is a chance to give Amuneke a decent chance with the national team.
“Yes, he has been assistant coach at least twice, but now is the time to give him the team.”
Top officials of the NFF contacted last night declined to speak on the committee report, stressing that “we all wait for a formal announcement from the federation.”
Amuneke who also won various honours with Egyptian giants Zamalek, Sporting Lisbon as well as Barcelona, qualified the Taifa Stars of Tanzania to the 2019 AFCON, 39 long years since their last appearance in the tournament proper. He has previously worked in Sudan, Zambia and Egypt as well.
The 53-year-old former Eagles player led Nigeria to win a record fifth FIFA U17 World Cup in Chile in 2015 with Victor Osimhen, Samuel Chukwueze and Kelechi Nwakali the standout players at that competition.
As a player, he was named CAF Player of the Year in 1994, won an historic Olympic football Gold in 1996 and his double handed Nigeria the 1994 AFCON at the expense of Zambia.
He has worked on the technical study group of both FIFA and CAF in recent times.
Enyimba coach Finidi George is the other candidate who also scored high in the technical committee report. The former Eagles player assisted Peseiro at the recent AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire.
Like Amuneke, Finidi enjoyed a decorated career in Europe with the likes of Ajax, Real Mallorca and Real Betis.
His biggest claim to the top position is that he will bring continuity to the Super Eagles having worked closely with the team until the 2023 AFCON final last month.
Daniel Amokachi, Sunday Oliseh, Salisu Yusuf, Samson Siasia are some of the other coaches who also applied to lead the Super Eagles.
