Former Super Eagles goalkeeper, Idah Peterside, has revealed that Augustine Eguavoen confirmed to him he has not resigned as the coach of the senior men’s national team.
After Nigeria’s 0-0 draw with Rwanda in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Tuesday, rumors surfaced suggesting that Eguavoen, who was recently appointed by the Nigeria Football Federation following the collapse of negotiations with German coach Bruno Labaddia, had stepped down.
However, during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Wednesday, Peterside stated that Eguavoen refuted the rumors during a phone conversation with him.
“Fortunately I spoke to Eguavoen last night and I asked him, did you quit? And he said no, I did not quit. I’m like why are the rumours? Okay you will not understand so much politics,” Peterside said.
“You see, where we are now, there are agents trying to sell coaches, trying to bring in coaches here and there and there are people in the NFF too that are looking forward to bringing their own type of coach they want.
“So, what Eguavoen has done, he has come in and stabled the waters. Now the agents wanted us to lose because if we had lost the game against Benin then those agents would have brought in their own in their own coaches, it is the politics of football.”
‘Eguavoen should be allowed to continue what he started’
Peterside also expressed his support for Eguavoen staying on as the Super Eagles coach, at least until the end of the Nations Cup qualifiers.
“There have been debate everywhere, should Eguavoen be kept? Will Eguavoen leave or do we bring a foreign coach? I think the national team is beginning to stabilise in the last two games we played, that is my take.
“I think we should allow Eguavoen to finish what he has started. Remember he has been with this team for years. We had an issue when we did qualify for the World Cup in the game with Ghana.
“He was in charge and I have always told people we did not lose that game, but people became angry because we did not qualify,” he said.
The former Eagles goalie said that having brought stability to the team in the last two games, Eguavoen continuing with the teal will bring more stability, adding that the players know him well.