Former Super Eagles striker Chukwu Ndukwe has called on the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to keep Augustine Eguavoen as head coach ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers set to resume in March.
The Super Eagles currently lack a permanent head coach, with Eguavoen serving as an interim manager during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
The year 2024 saw significant upheaval in Nigeria’s coaching setup. José Peseiro guided the team to the 2023 AFCON, while Finidi George managed the World Cup qualifiers in June. The NFF briefly pursued German coach Bruno Labbadia in August before entrusting Eguavoen with the AFCON qualifiers.
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Under Eguavoen’s guidance, alongside assistants Daniel Ogunmodede (Remo Stars) and Fidelis Ilechukwu (Rangers), Nigeria secured their spot at the 2025 AFCON with a game to spare. While Eguavoen has expressed his desire to continue, he has also urged the NFF to make a definitive decision on appointing a permanent head coach.
Chukwu Ndukwe, a former Bari and Çaykur Rizespor forward, believes hiring a new coach—whether local or foreign—would disrupt the team’s progress. Instead, he advocates for continuity and full support for the current technical crew.
“Our priority should be qualifying for the World Cup, and for that, we need stability in the team,” Ndukwe told Brila FM.
“Sometimes, the coach needs time to understand the squad, experiment with players, and build a solid team. I think Eguavoen and his technical crew should continue instead of bringing in a new coach and starting afresh.”
Nigeria faces a daunting challenge in their World Cup qualifying campaign. The Super Eagles are currently fifth in Group C with three points, trailing Rwanda, South Africa, and Benin, each on seven points, and Lesotho, with five points.
The team’s campaign began with three consecutive draws against Zimbabwe, Lesotho, and South Africa, followed by a 2-1 loss to Benin.
Their quest to secure a World Cup spot resumes on March 17 with an away match against Rwanda in Kigali, followed by a home game against Zimbabwe on March 24.