Fans and readers of PUNCH Sports Extra voted for Atlanta '96 gold medallist, Emmanuel Amuneke, as the next Super Eagles coach after Jose Peseiro's departure last month.
Former Barcelona player Amuneke was chosen over Eagles assistant coach Finidi George, ex-captain Sunday Oliseh, U.S. men's U-19 national team coach Michael Nsien, and others.
Peseiro, the Portuguese coach, left after leading Nigeria to second place at the 2023 African Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast when his contract expired.
The NFF recently announced the vacancy for the Eagles head coach position and revealed they were searching for a new coach.
The football governing body advertised on its website for applicants, stating that the prospective coach “must have proven experience at the elite level of football.”
In a survey by PUNCH Sports Extra, many Nigerians believe Amuneke has the experience and skills for the Eagles job.
Amuneke scored 53 per cent of the 100 votes, making him the top choice, while Finidi received 15 per cent.
Oliseh came in third with 12 per cent, and Nsien had seven per cent.
Other candidates received a total of 13 per cent of the votes.
Voters consider Amuneke to have an impressive track record as a player and coach.
As a player, he achieved significant success, including winning the Africa Cup of Nations and Olympic gold.
As a coach, Amuneke holds the UEFA Pro License as well as the UEFA ‘A’ and ‘B’ coaching badges.
The UEFA Pro Licence is the highest coaching qualification from UEFA.
The 53-year-old led the Golden Eaglets to victory in the 2015 U-17 World Cup and also guided the Tanzanian national team to the 2019 AFCON.
Amuneke, also a member of the FIFA Technical Study Group at the Russia 2018 World Cup, is highly regarded by the country's football community.
Finidi, Amuneke’s national teammate, came second in the poll.
Currently coaching Nigeria Premier Football League champions, Enyimba, Finidi previously worked as assistant coach to Peseiro.
Amuneke's current role and experience have made him the favored choice for the Eagles job.
The 52-year-old became well-known at Ajax in the Netherlands, where he was a key figure in a team that won eight major titles, including the 1995 Champions League. He then moved to Spain and spent several years with Real Betis.
Finidi was a significant member of the Nigeria team in the 1990s, participating in two World Cups.
In his second season with Enyimba, he achieved his first title as a coach by guiding the club to win back the Nigeria Premier League in Lagos.
Former Eagles coach Oliseh is ranked third in the poll.
Considered one of the greatest African midfielders of all time, the former Borussia Dortmund player has been unemployed since August 2022 after resigning from his position as head coach of German club SV 19 Straelen after just two months in charge, following a series of five defeats in five games.
During his time with the Eagles, Oliseh had an impressive record in the seven games he led the team: three wins, one loss, eight goals scored, and three goals conceded.
Just eight months into his role as Eagles coach, Oliseh resigned exactly a month before the team's crucial AFCON qualifier against Egypt, citing contract violations, lack of support, unpaid wages, and benefits for his players, assistant coaches, and himself as reasons for his departure.
Lesser-known American-Nigerian Nsien finished in fourth place with seven votes in the poll conducted by
PUNCH Sports Extra Nsien, in a recent exclusive interview with.
PUNCH Sports Extra , explained why he was the best candidate for the Eagles job.In Nigeria, Nsien's name is not widely recognized in the football community. However, in the United States, it's the opposite – Nsien, whose father comes from Eket in Akwa Ibom State, is one of the leading coaches transforming soccer and elevating the game in the US, his birth country.
The 43-year-old, who holds a US Soccer Pro License (the first African-American to earn it in 2020) and UEFA ‘A’ License, is viewed by his colleagues in the US as a pioneer in a sector with very few black coaches.
Nsien's outstanding work as a youth soccer coach in Tulsa caught the attention of United States Soccer Federation officials, who appointed him as their U-16 MYNT in November 2022.
The coach of Nigerian descent quickly rose to manage their U-19 team last September after leading the U-16 MYNT to a 4-1-1 international record with victories against England, Japan, Nigeria, and Wales before serving as an assistant to interim USMNT head coach B.J. Callaghan during the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
It is therefore not surprising that he was chosen as the Eagles coach by those who have followed his progress.
However, a few fans expressed support for former KF Tirana manager Egbo, Samson Siasia, Andrew Uwe, and South Africa's Mosimane.
Fans and readers of PUNCH Sports Extra have selected Atlanta '96 gold medallist, Emmanuel Amuneke, as the next man to coach the Super Eagles following the departure of Jose Peseiro last month. The former Barcelona winger was chosen ahead of Eagles assistant coach, Finidi George, former Eagles captain and coach, Sunday Oliseh, U.S. […]
