Coaches tipped for Super Eagles job: Their strengths, weaknesses

Several coaches are being tipped for the Super Eagles’ vacant head coach job.

DAILY POST reports that the coaches are Janne Andersson, Herve Renard, Steve McClaren, Tom Saintfiet, Austine Eguavoen and Samson Siasia.

Andersson is a former head coach of the Sweden national team.

He handled the team from 2016-2023. He also managed Sweden clubs, Örgryte IS, IFK Norrköping and Halmstads BK.

Renard last coached the France Women’s national team from 2023-2024.

The Frenchman also coached some national teams like Ivory Coast, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Zambia and Angola in the past. He also managed some club sides like Lille, Sochaux and USM Alger.

McClaren is currently the manager of the Jamaica national team. The Englishman had coached club sides like Queens Park Rangers, Derby County, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest, Twente, VFL Wolfsburg and Midlesbrough in the past. The 63-year-old has also managed the England national team between 2006-2007.

Saintfiet is the current head coach of the Philippines national team. The 51-year-old has coached other national teams like Togo, Gambia, Malta, Trinidad and Tobago, Bangladesh, Malawi, Yemen, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe and Namibia in the past.

Siasia, who recently expressed his desire to manage the Super Eagles again, is free to return to the dug-out after serving a five-year ban for match-fixing.

The 57-year-old has managed the Super Eagles twice in the past. He succeeded Swedish’s Lars Lagerback in November 2010 but was fired in October 2011 after failing to take the team to the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

Siasia also had a brief stint with the team again in 2016 after the resignation of Sunday Oliseh.

Eguavoen has managed the Super Eagles both as head coach and interim manager in the post. The 59-year-old has also coached clubs like Gombe United, Sunshine Stars, Bendel Insurance Sharks, COD United and Zakynthos.

Eguavoen is currently the Technical director of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). He is expected to unveil the Super Eagles squad for the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Benin Republic and Rwanda in September.

DAILY POST reports that the NFF are still working to appoint a new coach for the Super Eagles since Finidi George resigned in June.

Speaking with DAILY POST on Monday, respected journalist, Femi Fabunmi, said: “These are just average coaches with the exception of Herve Renard and MCclaren who have shown the quality they are made of.

“Renard is familiar with the African terrain having guided Zambia and Cote D’Ivoire to AFCON glory after many years that the trophy has eluded the two countries.

“Steve McClaren is another wonderful gaffer that can take the Super Eagles to football eldorado.

“Although he couldn’t do much with the Jamaican national team, his antecedents in the EPL [English Premier League] cannot go unnoticed.”

Fabunmi added, “Tom Saintfiet had a good stink with the Malian national team with about 70% win rate, he could replicate even more with the Super Eagles.

“Austin Eguavoen could lead the Super Eagles when they play against Benin and Rwanda in the forthcoming AFCON qualifiers.

“Of course Siasia needs a job but I believe it is too early after his ban to trust him with the Super Eagles job.

“He can start with club sides in Nigeria or outside. Local club side, Mighty Jet are ready to hire him.”

Coaches tipped for Super Eagles job: Their strengths, weaknesses