Reports Stipulate that the recently named Super Eagles coach, Bruno Labbadia, has turned down the position only three days after being introduced by the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF).
“Bruno Labbadia will not be the new national coach of Nigeria. The 58-year-old German football coach had been negotiating with the Africans for a week a European sports website reported.
It was not common knowledge by that the NFF announced the coach without a signed and sealed contract.
Read Also: Super Eagles Gets New Coach
Labbadia’s appointment was made public in an early morning tweet on Tuesday via the NFF’s X handle, tweeting as #thenff.
The statement read, “The Nigeria Football Federation has announced that it has reached an agreement with German tactician, Bruno Labbadia, to become the Head Coach of Nigeria’s senior men’s national team, Super Eagles.”
“The NFF Executive Committee has approved the recommendation of its Technical and Development sub-committee to appoint Mr Bruno Labbadia as the Head Coach of the Super Eagles,” according to the federation’s General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi.
Balancing the books has proven to be a major hurdle in finalizing Bruno Labbadia’s appointment as Super Eagles coach. The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) revealed in a statement that tax issues were the primary stumbling block. According to NFF President Ibrahim Gusau, the federation couldn’t agree to cover the significant tax percentage demanded by German tax authorities, ranging from 32% to 40% of Labbadia’s salary. This would have meant shelling out additional funds on top of his monthly wage, which was deemed unsustainable for the NFF.
“The NFF and Mr. Labbadia reached an agreement in principle before we made the announcement that he would become the Head Coach of the Super Eagles. The tax details were never part of our discussions, and he had personally agreed to all terms before the tax issue came up. We were doing our best to be flexible in the discussions but he was adamant that the NFF had to pay the full tax amount as well. We simply cannot do that.”
The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) has announced a strong 23-man squad for the forthcoming qualifiers, marking the welcome return of key players from injury layoffs. Notably, Napoli’s prolific striker Victor Osimhen, Nottingham Forest’s Taiwo Awoniyi, and stand-in captain William Troost-Ekong are all back in the fold, bringing a significant boost to the team’s attacking and defensive capabilities. Their return is a timely injection of experience and talent, setting the stage for a formidable performance in the upcoming qualifiers.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) further made a strategic move by appointing Augustine Eguavoen, a seasoned football veteran and former Technical Director of the Super Eagles, as the interim head coach for the team’s crucial 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers. Eguavoen, who boasts a deep understanding of the team and Nigerian football, will take the reins for the upcoming matches against Benin Republic and Rwanda, bringing his wealth of experience and expertise to the role. This temporary appointment aims to provide stability and guidance for the team during this critical period, ensuring Nigeria’s chances of success in the qualifiers remain on track.
Related Post: Super Eagles Release Squad List For AFCON Qualifiers
