In an interview with OwnGoalNigeria at the Kigali Airport,
the Nigerian coach stated that he was assigned to manage the Eagles' games
against Benin Republic and Rwanda as part of the ongoing qualifiers for the
2025 Africa Cup of Nations, and that his responsibilities would conclude after
these matches.
He said, “I have been given a mandate to handle two games. I
will want to say I am very pleased with the boys and again, thanks to the NFF
leadership and all the boys who supported me in terms of discipline and working
hard.
“It ends today, which is the two games mandate. I can’t talk
about Libya, because I haven’t been told but I can talk about it a little bit
in case we have another coach, we can talk about it.”
Nevertheless, he mentioned that if the Nigeria Football
Federation appoints another coach, he would be willing to provide strategic
counsel on how to defeat the Eagles’ upcoming opponent, Libya.
“I want to be closer to the team as it should be and I can
give inside story and inside information that we need to be able to overcome
Libya. No team is a pushover anymore but with this spirit that these boys have
exhibited and from what I have seen, we have a very bright future,” Eguavoen
stated.
The Eagles managed a lackluster 0-0 draw against Rwanda's
Amavubi in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers on Tuesday.
Eguavoen’s squad, which had previously secured a 3-0 victory
over Benin Republic on Saturday, found themselves frustrated by their missed
opportunities and the exceptional performance of Rwandan goalkeeper Fiacre
Ntwari.
Eguavoen made a single adjustment to the lineup, bringing
Fisayo Dele-Basiru in for Alex Iwobi.
Victor Boniface continued to lead the attack, while Victor
Osimhen, who had impressed as a substitute against Benin, remained on the bench
to start this match.
In a statement released on Friday, August 30, 2024, the NFF
announced Eguavoen's appointment as the interim coach of the team, following
challenges in securing German coach Bruno Labbadia due to strict tax
regulations in Germany.
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