Labbadia turns down Nigeria’s coaching job

Nigeria’s quest to see German gaffer, Bruno Labbadia, bark out orders to Super Eagles players in next weekend’s AFCON 2025 double-header qualifiers against Benin and Rwanda has hit the rock.

A report from Germany revealed that the German gaffer made a surprise U-turn on his decision to lead the Super Eagles after talks over his take home went up in flames barely three days after he was pronounced as national team manager by the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF).

Besides, German tabloid, Kicker revealed on Friday that the former Hamburger SV, VfL Wolfsburg, and Hertha BSC manager was pissed off by the Nigeria Football Federation’s (NFF) rush to have him in the dugout against Benin Republic and Rwanda.

The German being chosen among some notable tacticians has been the talking point in Nigerian football since Monday when the NFF announced him as the much-awaited successor to Finidi George, who quit the saddle in June after Nigeria opted to hire a foreign coach.

The Super Eagles are in their most vulnerable state in the last two decades, having recently capitulated against the Benin Republic in Ivory Coast.

This leaves Labbadia with the tough task of qualifying Nigeria for the next World Cup.

Already angered by the NFF’s lackadaisical approach to hiring a coach for the team with 2025 AFCON qualifiers at the corner, Nigerians warn no excuse will be tenable if the country fails to secure a ticket to the Mundial.