Former Barcelona winger Emmanuel Amunike has emerged as the frontrunner for the head coach position of the Super Eagles, Nigeria’s national football team.
According to reports, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has chosen Amunike to be the substantive head coach of the team.
This appointment marks a significant challenge for Amunike, who has a mixed coaching record. Notably, he excelled as the coach of the Golden Eaglets, leading the Nigeria U17 national team to victory in the FIFA U17 World Cup.
He also impressed as the head coach of the Tanzanian national team, guiding the Taifa Stars to qualify for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, their first qualification in nearly forty years.
However, Amunike’s coaching record with clubs has been inconsistent. While he had success with the Golden Eaglets and the Tanzanian national team, his stints with Egypt’s Misr Lel Makkasa and Zambia’s Zanaco were less successful.
Additionally, his tenure as the coach of the Flying Eagles, the Nigeria U20 team, saw the team fail to qualify for the AFCON in 2017.
Amunike faced competition for the Super Eagles head coach position from other experienced coaches, including USA U20 national team coach Michael Nsien, former Manchester City assistant manager Domenec Torrent, and Fortuna Sittard coach Danny Bruijs. However, the NFF ultimately decided to go with Amunike for the role.
