Austin Eguavoen implored critics to be more reasonable when speaking about the number of times he has coached the Super Eagles.
Super Eagles interim head coach Austin Eguavoen recently fired back at his critics, who regularly bring up the number of times he has had the National Team job.
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Eguavoen: 4 times in charge
Immediately after retiring from football, the 59-year-old went into coaching. After stints with Maltese side Sliema Wanderers and Bendel Insurance in the NPFL, he was trusted with the Nigerian U-20 job.
In June 2005, he was named as Super Eagles caretaker coach, his first stint in charge, and he led the team to a bronze medal finish at AFCON 2006 in Egypt. He was fired in April 2006.
His second stint came in 2010 when he was at the helm for a brief stint after Lars Lagerback. The third came in 2021 when he coached the team in another AFCON, a second-round exit to Tunisia.
He is in his fourth stint in charge, having been saddled with the responsibility following the NFF’s inability to name a permanent replacement for Finidi George.
What Eguavoen said
While this is technically his fourth go at the helm, Eguavoen attempted to apply context. He explained that he never had an extended run in charge, and all his spells were brief.
“The general question to the country, will they be patient with me? Because people now say this is Eguavoen’s fourth stint as the Super Eagles coach, well agreed,” Eguavoen told Brila FM on No Holds Barred with Ifeanyi Udeze.
“But to let the people know, the first time I ever coached the Eagles in 6 months was in 2006. And every other time, it was either two months, 2 games or 3. Then in Cameroon AFCON, it was from December to March also covering the World Cup. Then people say fourth stint of Eguavoen coaching; it is not 100% correct.”
“How can people just say Eguavoen’s fourth stint with the Super Eagles? Have I ever coached the team for straight two years?
“All those saying fourth stints should sit down and reflect; the only time I did six months was in 2006. Let us be objective in our criticising.”
The former Gent defender’s current stint began encouragingly, as he led the team to collect four points from a possible six in their opening two AFCON qualifier games. He is set to lead be team through a double-header clash against Libya this coming international break.