Ex-international thumbs up Eguavoen-Amuneke combo for Super Eagles

The NFF is yet to announce the appointment of the two home-grown tacticians, but many cannot wait to have them steer the affairs of the senior national team

1980 Africa Cup of Nations-winning star Henry Nwosu is convinced that the Nigeria Football Federation has made the right decision by appointing Augustine Eguavoen and Emmanuel Amuneke as joint-head coaches of the Super Eagles.

The three-time African champions are currently without a handler after Eguavoen stepped down from his interim role following the team's early elimination from the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.

The 56-year-old had taken charge after long-serving German Gernot Rohr was sacked in December following a string of uninspiring performances.

The NFF initially lined up Portuguese manager Jose Peseiro as the substantive head coach, but Eguavoen impressed at the Afcon, guiding the Super Eagles to three group stage wins.

The local media is awash with reports that the Sapele-born coach has been chosen to take charge of the Eagles alongside former Tanzania head coach Amuneke. Both were members of the Super Eagles side that lifted the 1994 Nations Cup and appeared at the FIFA World Cup for the first time later that year.

The NFF is yet to confirm or deny the reports.

But former Nigerian midfielder Nwosu believes it is a step in the right direction if the reports are accurate.

“The truth is that both Eguaveon and Amuneke played this game enduringly and would formulate deadly strategy now that NFF has given them the green light to handle the national team at last,” the former Golden Eaglets coach told Daily Sports.

“Now that it is settled, an eye must be on the ball so as to make great result from Nigeria/Ghana Qatar 2022 World Cup pay-off coming up next month.”

Eguavoen's coaching CV includes leading the Super Eagles to win the bronze medal at the 2006 Afcon.

1994 African Footballer of the Year Amuneke also led a Victor Osimhen-inspired Golden Eaglets to glory at the 2015 FIFA u-17 World Cup before guiding Tanzania to their second-ever appearance at the Afcon in 2019.