Ready to help rejig Nigerian football, Eguavoen meets with NFF

Nigeria Football Federation’s (NFF) new technical director, Austin Eguaveon, says he is ready to help the country rediscover its lost glory in the game. Eguavoen was scheduled to meet with officials of the NFF to discuss his role and other things attached to the new assignment yesterday.

Speaking with The Guardian on Sunday, an elated Eguaveon said he turned down his other appointment as the coach of Mali’s Club Malien de Bamako because of his interest in the development of Nigerian football at all levels.

The former Super Eagles coach said the appointment has given him an opportunity to apply the knowledge he gained as an ex player and an experienced coach, who has been in the business of football all his life.

“I just came back from Mali where I was about to resume as coach of one of the clubs in the country. I had already been announced as the coach of the club on their radio station when I was in the country. But I had to turn down the appointment because I need to serve my country.

“The Malians were not happy, but I still have a cordial relationship with them. I didn’t want to turn down the technical director’s job because it would look like the NFF is giving an ex international a job and he is turning it down. I want to work in developing Nigerian football at all levels. It is a call to service that I could not turn down,” he said.

On yesterday’s meeting with the NFF, Eguavoen said, “It will be to know the scope of my duty. Right now, I don’t know what the NFF expects from me as technical director, but as an exposed ex player and experienced coach, I know what is expected of me. Even at that, I want my employers, which is the NFF, to streamline my duties for me.

“I thank those that made this appointment possible and I assure football loving Nigerians of changes in the NFF technical department.”