Potential Candidates for Super Eagles Coaching Role: Their Strengths And Weaknesses
Several coaches are being considered for the vacant head coach position of the Super Eagles.
Among the candidates are Janne Andersson, Herve Renard, Steve McClaren, Tom Saintfiet, Austine Eguavoen, and Samson Siasia.
Janne Andersson
Andersson is the former head coach of the Sweden national team, serving from 2016 to 2023. He also has experience managing Swedish clubs such as Örgryte IS, IFK Norrköping, and Halmstads BK.
Herve Renard
Renard most recently coached the France Women’s national team from 2023 to 2024. The Frenchman has a rich history with African national teams, having led Ivory Coast, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Zambia, and Angola. His club experience includes managing Lille, Sochaux, and USM Alger.
Steve McClaren
Currently managing the Jamaica national team, McClaren is an experienced coach with a track record at clubs like Queens Park Rangers, Derby County, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest, Twente, VFL Wolfsburg, and Middlesbrough. He also managed the England national team from 2006 to 2007.
Tom Saintfiet
Saintfiet is the current head coach of the Philippines national team. The 51-year-old has previously coached national teams including Togo, Gambia, Malta, Trinidad and Tobago, Bangladesh, Malawi, Yemen, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.
Samson Siasia
After serving a five-year ban for match-fixing, Siasia has expressed interest in returning to manage the Super Eagles.
The 57-year-old has managed the Super Eagles twice before, though his tenure included missing qualification for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.
Austine Eguavoen
Eguavoen, currently the Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), has managed the Super Eagles both as head coach and interim manager. He has also coached various clubs including Gombe United, Sunshine Stars, Bendel Insurance Sharks, COD United, and Zakynthos.
He is expected to unveil the Super Eagles squad for the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Benin Republic and Rwanda in September.
Despite the various strengths these coaches bring, the NFF continues to search for a new head coach following Finidi George’s resignation in June.
Renowned journalist Femi Fabunmi said, “These are mostly average coaches, except for Herve Renard and Steve McClaren, who have demonstrated their quality. Renard, with his experience in African football, and McClaren, known for his work in the Premier League, stand out.”
He added, “Tom Saintfiet also had a successful tenure with the Malian national team, achieving a win rate of about 70%. He could bring similar success to the Super Eagles. As for Siasia, it’s too soon after his ban to trust him with the national team; he might do well to start with a local club, such as Mighty Jet, who are reportedly interested in hiring him.”