The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) reveals no target has been set for Nigeria’s interim coach Austin Eguavoen at the ongoing 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.
Eguavoen – who represented the Super Eagles for 11 years – was named as interim manager of the Super Eagles last December following the sack of Gernot Rohr after five years.
Rohr will be formally replaced by Portuguese tactician Jose Peseiro after the 33rd AFCON in Cameroon.
Following victories over Egypt and Sudan, Nigeria landed in the round of 16 with a match to spare.
NFF’s Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire, asked if the NFF has set a target for Eguavoen in the ongoing AFCON said there is nothing of such.
“He [Eguavoen] is on an interim basis, he has just been handed the mandate to do his best, and we know what his very best is.
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“Sixteen years ago, he led the team to a bronze medal in Egypt and of course, he is the coach with the highest percentage of wins in matches for Nigeria – 12 wins in 14 games over three stints is not something to sneeze at.
“So, we [NFF] believe that we will go all the way to lead the team to the final,” Olajire told GOAL.
Nigeria defeated Egypt 1-0 in the group opener and on Saturday hammered Sudan 3-1 to book a place in the knockout phase.
Olajire expressed the NFF’s delight with this development while hoping Eguavoen and his men don’t rest on their oars.
“The NFF is quite happy and delighted with this because you know all the circumstances in which we got here, such as the new technical crew having only a few days to train with the team.
“There was so much pessimism here and there, but we are happy with that first we took the three points from Egypt in the first match was a good starting point before the three points against Sudan – also very good.
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“We are looking forward to another three points in the game against Guinea Bissau. It is a very excellent start and we just hope that the team keeps up to that momentum and goes all the way to the final.”
Since their first participation in Ghana 1963, Nigeria have made 19 appearances in the tournament – winning it on three occasions – 1980, 1994 and 2013.