‘No Local Coach Can Handle the Super Eagles Stars’ Big Egos: Abbey George Warns

• The NFF has been advised against appointing a local coach for the Super Eagles
• Ex-international, Abbey George, claims it will be the wrong move
• The NFF has yet to appoint a new coach since the exit of Jose Peseiro

Former Nigeria defender, Abbey George, has kicked against the idea of the Nigeria Football Federation appointing a local coach to succeed Jose Peseiro as the Super Eagles coach.

Finidi George, Emmanuel Amunike, and a host of others recently applied for the vacant position after the NFF called for applications for the position after ending negotiations with Peseiro over a new deal.

According to Score Nigeria, George claims no local coach presently can manage the large egos of the current Super Eagles players and will advocate that a foreign manager be hired instead.

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“There is no local coach who can handle the big egos of the Super Eagles players so that he can earn their respect. It is important that the next coach has the full respect of the players because, without that, you cannot guarantee success.

“And I have looked around for that Nigerian coach who can do this, and I cannot see.”

Over 40 foreign coaches, including former Cameroon coach, Antonio Conceicao, have reportedly been linked with the vacant Super Eagles job.

NFF to meet over new coach

Meanwhile, The NFF’s Technical Committee will meet next Tuesday in Abuja to decide on a new head coach for the Super Eagles after reviewing hundreds of applications for the position, Daily Post reports.

The committee led by Augustine Eguavoen, has already shortlisted seven coaches for the vacant position with former internationals Finidi and Amunike as the two leading candidates for the job.

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The new coach's first priority will be to prepare for the critical 2026 World Cup qualifiers against South Africa's Bafana Bafana and Benin Republic's Squirrels in June.

Amunike speaks on Nigeria’s job

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that Amunike has urged the NFF to select the best candidate for the Super Eagles and indicated his desire to become the national team's next coach.

The 53-year-old tactician highlighted the need for the new coach to have sufficient time to organize the team for optimal results ahead of the World Cup qualifiers slated for June.

Nigeria are currently without a coach since Peseiro exited the position after leading the Super Eagles to the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.