'There is no way you can say no' - Eguavoen explains why he accepted to coach Super Eagles for Afconq

Austin Eguavoen has revealed why he accepted to become Super Eagles interim coach ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The Nigeria Football Federation had attempted to appoint Bruno Labbadia as the head coach but failed to reach an agreement with the German tactician.

With the position of the head coach being vacant and the AFCON qualification games imminent, the NFF decided to appoint Eguavoen as the interim boss.

The retired Nigeria international has served as coach of the three-time African champions on three occasions before now and his experience could have played a factor in his appointment.

He first served in the position in 2005 and was assisted by Samson Siasia, Daniel Amokachi and Ike Shorunmu and was in charge during the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations.

The 59-year-old last took charge in 2021, before the start of AFCON and led Nigeria to a round of 16 finish and kept his place for the 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifiers against Ghana but couldn't beat the Black Stars to the ticket.

Speaking on his recent appointment with Super Eagles official channels, Eguavoen stated that he didn't lobby to get the appointment but couldn't resist the call.

"I am a member of the Federation, working as the Technical Director Nigerian Football Federation ."

"When situation like this comes and you are being called upon, you can't say no. It is a task that I had performed, it is a duty that falls under my responsibility.

"For the fact that the hierarchy of the Federation now feels and think that I can salvage the situation, why not but one thing should be clear to the public, I didn't ask for this, I didn't lobby for this, I didn't apply for this, it is God's favour.

"So, it is something that I think that I owe football. Football gave me fame, name and everything I have today and it is something that I think that I should be giving back to football and the Federation of course, my employers.

"When an employer call you to do something within, there is no way you can say no. Like I earlier said, it is not that I pressed for this, it just happened.

"So in circumstances that we are in now, I have been called upon to do this, I don't have a choice, I just have to do it. What we want to ask for is commitment from everybody towards the same goal and objective."

His first game in charge comes up on Saturday against Benin at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium before leading the squad for the away trip to Kigali to face Rwanda.

Abdulkareem Abdulhamid

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