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Here is a list of every foreign coach to have managed the Super Eagles of Nigeria and their achievements for the country.
The Super Eagles have had 22 foreign coaches in history, which is more than the number of indigenous coaches that have been at the helm.
The first two African Cup of Nations triumphs were overseen by foreign coaches, as was Nigeria’s first-ever World Cup qualification, leaving some of them ranking highly for achievements with the national team.
Following several arguments on foreign vs. indigenous coaches by lovers of the Nigerian national team, we take a look at the list of foreign coaches who have managed Nigeria and how their tenure played out.
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Jose Peseiro (2022-2024)
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José Peseiro is a Portuguese football manager who took the reins of the Super Eagles in May 2022. His appointment came after a series of disappointing results under previous coaches, and his tenure was marked by a mix of successes and setbacks.
On the positive side, Peseiro's tactical acumen and ability to instill discipline were evident. He implemented a style that took the Super Eagles to the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and earned him the Order of the Niger award by President Bola Tinubu.
However, Peseiro's tenure was also marred by controversy. His decision-making was often questioned, particularly his selection of players and tactics. Some fans and pundits criticised his perceived lack of connection with Nigerian football culture and his reliance on foreign players.
Gernot Rohr (2016-2020)
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Gernot Rohr, a German football manager, was appointed as the head coach of the Nigerian national football team in August 2016.
Rohr guided the Super Eagles to a third-place finish at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, which was the highest point of his tenure.
However, he faced criticism for his perceived lack of progress in developing local talent and for his team's inconsistent performances in some matches.
Despite qualifying for both the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations and the final round of the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Rohr was ultimately sacked in December 2021, after which he accused the Nigerian Sports Minister of disrupting his training session.
Las Lagerbäck (2010)
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Lagerbäck, a Swedish manager, was appointed on 26 February 2010 and helped Nigeria qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, where he was also in charge.
However, Nigeria's performance was disappointing, as the country was eliminated from the tournament with just one point, leading to the termination of his contract.
READ MORE: Bruno Labbadia: How previous German coaches have performed on the Super Eagles job
Berti Vogts (2007-2008)
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Vogts' is a German manager who saw his four-year contract with Nigeria end after just 13 months.
The former Bayer Leverkusen manager resigned following the team's poor performance at the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana, where they were eliminated in the quarterfinals by the hosts.
Thijs Libregts (1998-1999)
Libregts, from the Netherlands, took the Super Eagles job in August 1998 but was fired after winning only two games in five matches during the build-up to the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations.
Bora Milutinovic (1997-1998)
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Milutinovic, the Serbian, who is often referred to as the "Miracle Worker," took the Nigerian head coach role ahead of the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France. He helped the Super Eagles reach the second round of the competition but did not last beyond the same year.
Philippe Troussier (1997)
Troussier, a French football coach known as the "White Witch Doctor," was appointed as Nigeria's coach in 1997 and oversaw qualification for the 1998 World Cup. However, he was let go of later that year before the competition began.
Johannes Bonfrere (1991-2001)
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Bonfrere, another Dutch coach, managed the Nigerian Olympic football team in 1995 and led them to gold at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
This success saw the Nigeria Football Federation appoint him as the coach of the Super Eagles in 1999, and he guided the national team to a second-place finish at the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations.
Jo was offered a 3-bedroom flat by the Nigerian government in 2018, fulfilling the promise made by the late General Sani Abacha after he led the Under-23s to the gold medal at the Atlanta Olympics.
Clemens Westerhof (1989-1994)
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Westerhof's appointment brought about major success for the Super Eagles. The Dutch football coach was appointed after Nigeria failed to qualify for the 1990 FIFA World Cup, and his impact was instant, as he led the team to the final of the 1990 Africa Cup of Nations, where they lost to Algeria.
However, the ultimate success came in 1994, when he helped the country reach its first ever FIFA World Cup while also winning the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations.
Manfred Hoener (1988-1989)
The German led the Super Eagles to a second-place finish at the 1988 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. His tenure was marked by a strong performance and a promising future for Nigerian football.
Gottlieb Göller (1981)
Another German coach, Göller, was appointed as the Super Eagles coach after a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Algeria in a World Cup qualifier, and he managed the Super Eagles for just one game.
He had prior experience in Nigerian football after managing club Julius Berger F.C. in the 1970s.
Otto Glória (1978-1982)
The experienced Brazilian was the first ever coach to lead the Super Eagles to a historic first-ever Africa Cup of Nations triumph in 1980, defeating Algeria 3-0 in the final.
However, his tenure ended on a sour note following poor performances at the 1982 Nations Cup.
Jelisavic ‘Tiki’ Tihomir (1974-1978)
The man from the now split federation of Yugoslavia was known as "Father Tiko," and he managed Nigeria for four years.
Jelisavic narrowly missed leading Nigeria to the 1978 World Cup after a heartbreaking own goal in a crucial match against Tunisia.
However, he guided the Super Eagles to two third-place finishes in the Africa Cup of Nations tournament in 1976 and 1978.
Othman Calder (1974)
Calder's appointment as Super Eagles coach in 1974 was short-lived. The German abruptly left the country after disagreements with his employers, the National Sports Commission, over contract terms.
Karl-Heinz Marotzke (1973-1974)
German coach Marotzke, who had previously coached Ghana, led the Super Eagles during the 1970s in a deal that lasted for a year. However, his tenure did not leave much memory for the national team.
Sabino Barinaga (1968-69)
Born in Spain, Barinaga moved to England as a teenager when the Spanish Civil War started. The former Real Madrid forward managed the Super Eagles for one year, but there was no significant tachivement under him.
Joseph Ember (1965-1968)
Hungarian football coach Ember failed to lead the Nigerian national team to the African Cup of Nations in two consecutive editions (Tunisia 1965 and Ethiopia 1968).
This failure led to his assistant, Peter ‘Eto‘ Amaechina, taking over the job.
Jorge Penna (1963-1964, 1972-1973)
Penna has two stints with the Super Eagles, the first of which was in 1963, when he led the team for one year before making a return to manage the team between 1972 and 1973.
There are rumours that he passed away after his second stint, but nothing has been confirmed till date.
George Vardar (1961-1963)
George Vardar's time as coach was a challenging period for Nigeria. The team faced difficulties against Ghana and Sudan under the Hungarian. His departure paved the way for Daniel Anyiam's second stint with the team.
Moshe Jerry Beit haLevi (1960-61)
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Beit haLevi, an Israeli coach, took charge of Nigeria in 1960, but his tenure began with an initial setback after the Super Eagles lost 3-0 to Ghana in Lagos.
Despite several calls from journalists for his dismissal, he persevered and won over the press.
Jerry led Nigeria to four wins, five draws, and three losses, including victories over Egypt and Tunisia.
Les Courtier (1956-1960)
Englishman, Courtier, was in charge of the Super Eagles for four years. Prior to the 10-0 thrashing of Sao Tome in 2022, Nigeria’s biggest win happened under him, a 10-1 victory over Dahomey (now Benin) on November 28, 1959.
John Finch (1949)
The dawn of international football for Nigeria began in 1949 under the guidance of John Finch. He led the team to its inaugural match against Sierra Leone, a 2-0 victory, and this marked the beginning of a journey that would see Nigeria evolve into a formidable force on the African continent.
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