No one has contacted me on Super Eagles job, says Amuneke
Ex-Barcelona winger Emmanuel Amuneke has revealed he was aware about Nigeria Football Federation’s intention to hire him as assistant coach to Austin Eguavoen.
Officially, the senior national team is at present without a substantive head coach.
Eguavoen took over as interim boss when German tactician Gernot Rohr was sacked in December. But Eguavoen stepped down from that role immediately after the
Eagles’ premature elimination from the Africa Cup of Nations, reverting to his position as the Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation.
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The NFF had in late December announced the appointment of Portuguese manager Jose Peseiro, with the former Sporting Lisbon gaffer expected to take over after the Afcon.
But Peseiro is yet to be unveiled even with the Afcon concluded and Senegal emerging as champions of the continent.
It is looking increasingly unlikely that the Portuguese will become the Eagles’ head coach, with reports suggesting that Eguavoen has been offered the job permanently with Amuneke to support him.
But the former Zamalek forward has poured cold water on the stories, insisting that no one from the federation has contacted him concerning any offer.
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“I’m not aware of any appointment with the Super Eagles or any job with the Nigerian government,” Amuneke told the Sun.
“I just returned to my base in Spain from the CAF Technical Study Group duty at the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, and I read the story of my appointment from the Internet.
“I was in the team’s hotel in Cameroon countless times, and there was no time the appointment was discussed with me.
“Right now, nobody has contacted me, not even the NFF or the Sports Ministry. Until an offer is made, I will rather not talk on that.”
Amuneke began coaching in 2008 after bringing an end to a 13-year playing career.
The 51-year-old handled Julius Berger and Ocean Boys before taking charge of the Golden Eaglets, leading the cadet team to win the 2015 FIFA u-17 World Cup.
Amuneke then guided Tanzania to qualify for their second-ever appearance at the Afcon in Egypt 2019.