Eguavoen sets conditions for permanent role amid World Cup qualifying struggles

• Augustine Eguavoen hints at setting his terms for accepting the Super Eagles coaching role full-time
• The coach reflected on his previous stints, emphasising that he never had more than six months at the helm
• Nigeria has performed well under Eguavoen in recent AFCON qualifiers but is struggling in World Cup qualifying

Augustine Eguavoen, the current caretaker coach of Nigeria’s Super Eagles, has revealed the conditions he would require before accepting the role permanently. 

Eguavoen, who took over after the departure of compatriot Findi George, has guided the team in recent matches, including the 2025 AFCON qualifiers, but remains cautious about committing to a full-time position.

Eguavoen’s cautious approach comes from his belief that the Super Eagles coaching job requires time, planning, and support. 

“The Super Eagles job I’m doing right now… If I were to switch permanently, I’d need to sit down and think deeply because it’s not a small job,” he said in an interview.

He has stated that his decision would be dependent on a long-term contract with specific conditions. 

“It will be a tough one. You have to give me a long-term contract with patience and clauses, winning is not guaranteed every week, you will give me time to tweak the team till I find what I want.”

Having previously headed Nigeria's U23 and Golden Eaglets, Eguavoen is no stranger to leading Nigeria’s national teams. However, he pointed out that in his previous stints with the Super Eagles, he never had more than six months on the job. 

“In 2006, I was there for six months; other times, it was two months or three games,” Eguavoen recalled. 

He also compared this with Clemens Westerhof, who had five years in charge, and Gernot Rohr, who was coach for six years. “I never got straight two years,” he said.

In the meantime, Eguavoen has been tasked with qualifying Nigeria for AFCON 2025 and overseeing the home-based Eagles' qualification for CHAN. 

Despite the challenges, the coach remains hopeful of improving Nigeria’s poor start in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. With just three points from four games, the Super Eagles sit second from bottom in their group, behind Rwanda, South Africa, and Benin Republic, who all have seven points.

But Eguavoen believes the team can still turn things around, 

“We have to approach every game like a cup final and we have a big chance once we keep winning these remaining games, even if it’s by 1-0,” he said, stressing the importance of a positive mindset.

Super Eagles star’s future in doubt amid performance issues and international interest

Previously, TheRadar reported that Nigerian forward Samuel Chukwueze’s move to AC Milan seemed full of promise, but the Nigerian international was yet to replicate his stunning form from Villarreal in Italy. 

However, sources have reported that Chukwueze “could be on his way out of Milan,” with La Liga and Premier League clubs keen to offer him a fresh start. Atletico Madrid, in particular, seems interested in bringing him back to Spain. Premier League sides West Ham United and Aston Villa are also monitoring the situation.