Eguavoen Denies Stepping Down, Asserts He’s Still in Charge as Super Eagles Coach

Super Eagles coach Augustine Eguavoen dismisses rumors of his resignation, confirming that he remains in charge of the national team and committed to his role.

Austin Eguavoen, the Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation, refutes claims that he will be resigning as interim coach for the Super Eagles following their two 2025 AFCON matches against Benin Republic and Rwanda.

Due to the NFF’s failure to secure German coach Bruno Labbadia due to strict tax laws, Eguavoen was appointed by them and put in charge of two games.

“Coach Augustine Eguavoen, the Technical Director of Nigeria Football Federation, has been appointed to lead the Super Eagles in their upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Benin Republic (Uyo on September 7) and Rwanda (Kigali on September 10),” said a statement announcing his appointment.

Last Saturday, the 59-year-old guided Nigeria to a dominant victory of 3-0 against Benin Republic in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. However, on Tuesday during the second game of the series against Rwanda, they were unable to score and finished with a draw.

Eguavoen was rumored to have resigned as interim coach following a goalless draw in Kigali on Tuesday, but he has refuted these claims and is preparing for the AFCON qualifiers against Libya next month.

Eguavoen expressed his disappointment that individuals tend to incite inaccuracies. He emphasized the current need for positive narratives, stating “The circumstances we face do not benefit from negative accounts,” during a media conversation upon arrival at Abuja’s Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.

“After these two games, my plan is to discuss with the federation’s leadership and determine our approach for future prosecution of subsequent games.”

He expressed concern upon reading the story, stating that what people are consuming as information may not be entirely accurate. He emphasized his position as the Technical Director of NFF and highlighted his obligation to lead Super Eagles currently.