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By: Ebenezer Bajela
Atlanta ’96 Olympics winning coach Jo Bonfrere has urged the Nigeria Football Federation to appoint Emmanuel Amuneke as the new Super Eagles, adding that the country doesn’t need a foreign coach to lead the team, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
After guiding Nigeria to a second-place finish at the 2023 African Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, Portuguese coach, Jose Peseiro confirmed his departure as coach of the Eagles after his contract officially expired last month.
The NFF on Friday declared the position of the Eagles head coach vacant while announcing that it was shopping for a new tactician for the team.
In an advertisement on its website calling for applications, the football governing body stated the prospective Super Eagles coach ‘must have proven experience at the elite level of football.’
The 77-year-old Dutch says Amuneke is in a better position to lead the Eagles.
“Yes, I agree Nigeria needs a local coach at the moment. Not a foreigner,” Bonfrere told VON.
“But the country will have everything to gain if the authorities should appoint Emmanuel Amuneke for the job. I know him very well.
“He has a very strong mentality. He has the discipline and technical savvy to achieve results. In fact, if the Federation calls me to provide technical backup to Amuneke, I will gladly accept the task.
“I’m Dutchgerian. I worked so well with Nigerian players, winning great laurels for the country. I still follow Nigeria football, and I’m not happy with the speed of her progress.
“The country needs more speed, and of all the local players I worked with back in the day, I will gladly recommend Emmanuel Amuneke for the job.
“I will comfortably work with him from behind the scenes, and together, we will return Nigeria football to its glorious heights.”
According to journalist, Osasu Obayiuwana, Amuneke, who was part of the team that won the gold medal with Jo Bonfrere in 1996, has declared interest in the vacant position.
“1994 @CAF_Online #AFOTY .@AmunekeEmma9496, the former @ZSCOfficial, @FCBarcelona and @NGSuperEagles player, has confirmed to me that he has put himself in the running to be the next manager of #Nigeria’s national team,’ he wrote on his X account.
The former Barcelona winger has an impressive CV as a player and a coach.
Aside from winning titles in Egypt, Portugal, and Spain, Amuneke lifted the Africa Cup of Nations in 1994 and won the football gold medal at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.
The 53-year-old also led the Golden Eaglets to win the 2015 U-17 World Cup two years after winning the trophy as the team’s assistant coach.
The former Zamalek winger also guided the Tanzanian national team to the 2019 AFCON, the country’s first appearance at the tournament in 39 years.