Eguavoen: Pushing into Nations Cup Coaches Hall of fame
Predictions and permutations are tumbling in following Super Eagles jolly cruise into the round of 16 in the ongoing 33rd Nations Cup in Cameroon.
The Eagles are seeking to win the title for the fourth time having clinched it previously in 1980 under Brazilian Coach Otto Gloria, 1994 under Dutchman Clemens Westerhof and 2013 under late home boy Stephen Keshi.
Nigeria has been tipped in some quarters as favorites to emerge champions even as predictors and pundits alike recognise the cup is not just there for the Eagles to pick as other contenders neither came to Cameroon to sight- see nor to just congratulate Samuel Eto who was elected Fecafoot President just before tournament kickoff.
Super Eagles as a team are not the only ones chasing history; Coach Austin Eguavoen is also searching for history to join the hall of fame of Coaches who have won the Nations cup on one hand and as both player and coach on the other having won as player in 1994 under Westerhof.
He came close in 2006 as a Coach with a third place finish in Egypt. The former Enyimba and Gombe United Coach interestingly is getting support from within and even among his non-Nigerian friends, and is not being distracted by the fact that a standby foreign coach Jose Peseiro has been appointed by the Glass House to take his place no matter the outcome of the jolly dance in Cameroon.
In the course of the group stage Former Ghana International and Bayern Munich legend Samuel Osei Kuffour was at the Eagles camp to meet and greet his friend Eguavoen in what could pass for solidarity visit.
The Eagles face Tunisia in the knockout on Sunday a hurdle that must be crossed before eyeing other dreams.
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At the last edition in Egypt 2019 Eagles defeated their Tunisian counterparts by a lone goal to clinch the third place behind Senegal and eventual Champions Algeria.
It will be safe to urge the team to at worst, repeat the third place run against Tunisia in Egypt on Sunday and move on.