13th October, 2010
Interim Coach of the Super Eagles, Austin Eguavoen says he will be better off with the coaching job of U-23 Eagles than handling the senior national team.
Eguavoen whose star-studded team failed to beat the Syil National of Guinea in an African Cup of Nations qualifier in Conakry last Sunday said his mind is no longer with the Eagles since the day Nigeria Football Federation, NFF announced the coaching job as vacant.
Eguavoen made it clear that he has his eyes set on handling the U-23 team in spite of having been in charge of the senior team since the contract of Swede coach, Lars Lagerback, was not extended after the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
The former Enyimba gaffer also said he is unperturbed if a new coach is named in place of him for the Super Eagles, as he will gladly accept an offer to take charge of the U23 team.
“Like I said earlier, I am favourably disposed to handling the U-23 side. I have also made it clear that I will not apply for the Super Eagles’ job because I don’t see any sense in doing so. If another coach is appointed to replace me, I will accept that and will prefer the U-23 side,†Eguavoen said on Brila FM early today.
Still angry at the attitude exhibited by the players before and during the Guinea match, Eguavoen made it clear that he believes he has given his best to the Nigerian team under the circumstance he found himself.
“I don’t think it will be fair for anyone to use the loss against Guinea to judge me. Agreed we lost that game but no coach will line up his team in a bid to lose a very important game like we did against the Guineans,†he said.