‘I’m Still In Charge’ — Augustine Eguavoen Denies Quitting As Interim Coach Of Super Eagles
Reports claimed that the Indigenous coach announced the end of his job with the Super Eagles on Tuesday immediately after he led the team to a convincing draw in a match against Rwanda.
Augustine Eguavoen has denied stepping down as the interim coach of the Nigerian national football team, Super Eagles.
Reports claimed that the Indigenous coach announced the end of his job with the Super Eagles on Tuesday immediately after he led the team to a convincing draw in a match against Rwanda.
Eguavoen was appointed as interim coach a few days ago after Bruno Labbadia rejected his appointment with Nigerian Football Federation (NFF).
His first match was a convincing 3-0 win against Benin Republic in Uyo last weekend.
It was claimed that the coach linked his decision to step down to the fact that he was only engaged for two matches which he had completed.
“I have been given a mandate to handle two games. I will want to say I am very pleased with the boys and again thanks to the NFF leadership and all the boys supported me in terms of discipline and working hard,” he was quoted as saying by Own Goal.
He continued: “It ends today, which is the two games mandate. I can’t talk about Libya because I haven’t been told but however I can talk about it a little bit in case we have another coach, we can talk about it. I want to be closer to the team as it should be and I can give inside story and inside information that we need to be able to overcome Libya.
“No team is a pushover anymore but with this spirit that these boys have exhibited and from what I have seen, we have a very bright future.”
However, in another interview with newsmen when the team arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Tuesday, the coach claimed that his earlier words were misinterpreted.
He clarified that he did not mean to say he had left his position as the interim coach of the team.
He said, “I only talked about sitting down with the hierarchy of the federation after these two games and we will see how to go about prosecuting the next games.
“But when I saw that story I was worried. Whatever people are reading out there aren’t correct. I’m still very much in charge. I’m the Technical Director of the NFF, saddled with the responsibility of taking the Super Eagles at this moment,” he added.
