After months of uncertainty on who will be the head coach of Nigeria’s Super Eagles, the Technical and Development Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation today named Frenchman, Paul Le Guen as the country’s technical adviser.
This disclosure was made in Abuja by a member of the technical committee, Paul Bassey, stating that Le Guen is to be assisted by Salisu Yusuf and Imama Amapakabo. Alloy Agu is the goalkeeper’s trainer.
The 52-year-old steered the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon to the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals.
He played for Brest, Nantes and Paris Saint Germain and won 17 caps for France, before coaching Rennes, Lyon, PSG (in France) and Glasgow Rangers (in Scotland). He also coached Oman.
Yusuf, capped at U20 level by Nigeria, led the Super Eagles in interim capacity for two international friendly matches in Europe at the end of May, which the Eagles won.
The new crew’s immediate challenge is a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Tanzania in the first week of September – a dead rubber, but which would serve as ample preparation for the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying match away to Zambia on October 3.
The Committee has also recommended to the NFF Board, the appointment of one –time Super Eagles’ assistant coach Bitrus Bewarang as the new NFF Technical Director.
Bewarang, who is president of the Nigeria Football Coaches Association, will replace the late Coach Shaibu Amodu.
There is also a recommendation that former Super Eagles’ defender Nduka Ugbade be restored to the U17 National Team as assistant to Coach Manu Garba.
The appointments are subject to agreement of contract terms with the NFF Executive Committee.
