Peter Ijeh Warns That a Foreign Coach May Not Guarantee World Cup Qualification for Super Eagles

• The Super Eagles of Nigeria risk missing out on the 2026 FIFA World Cup following their poor qualification results
• The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is considering appointing a foreign manager to address the worrying situation
• Former Super Eagles star, Peter Ijeh, has explained why a foreign coach will not guarantee World Cup qualification

The Nigeria Football Federation's (NFF) choice to seek a foreign manager for the Super Eagles appears not to be widely welcomed by many across the country's footballing community.

The federation had earlier announced its decision to seek a foreign tactician for the national team after the Super Eagles recorded disappointing results in their FIFA qualification fixtures against South Africa and the Republic of Benin.

However, former striker of the Nigerian team, Peter Ijeh, has warned that the appointment of a foreign tactician may not translate to the immediate qualification success the NFF seeks following the departure of Finidi George.

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Ijeh speaks on the NFF appointing a foreign manager

In an interview with Brila.net, the former Malmo forward emphasised that parting ways with Finidi might not have been the best decision by the NFF.

He also expressed doubt that appointing a foreign tactician would lead to the qualification success the federation aims for.

"From the start, I think the NFF had a preference. Two foreign coaches before Finidi lost their first five matches. They should have handled the situation better," Ijeh said.

He stressed that a coach's success depends on the environment he works in, saying,

"I think we can train a Nigerian for the job because we have qualified coaches, even abroad, with modern certifications who can do it. It just depends on the Glass House supporting the coach."

The 47-year-old advised the NFF to rethink their approach, stating,

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"Mentioning names should not happen now. It's just to advise the NFF: What is the guarantee that bringing in a technical adviser would win the remaining six games? What if he doesn't win? What next? Where are we going?"

The Nigerian team is currently linked with three foreign managers, including Marc Brys, as reported by Dutch outlet Het Nieuwsblad.

Why NFF cannot hire an elite foreign coach

In another report, Sports Brief stated that former Nigeria striker, Julius Aghahowa, has shed light on why the NFF might struggle to appoint a top-tier coach for the national team.

The former Wigan striker alluded to the financial situation of the federation among other factors.