Finidi: Former players who have coached Super Eagles

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May 14, 2024

Finidi: Former players who have coached Super Eagles 

By Ayobami Okerinde 

The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, on Monday, unveiled former Ajax star, Finidi George, as the new head coach of the Super Eagles. 

NFF also revealed that Finidi would be assisted by his former Super Eagles teammate, Daniel Amokachi, and former Shooting Stars player Benjamin James, who is based in Germany. 

With his appointment, Finidi became the 41st manager of the Super Eagles, joining a plethora of ex-players who have coached the Super Eagles. 

Here is a list of former players who have coached the Super Eagles. 

Christian Chukwu 

Regarded as one of Africa’s football greats, Christian ‘Chairman’ Chukwu has led the Super Eagles as a player, coach, and administrator. 

Chukwu led the then Green Eagles, becoming the first captain of the team to lift the African Cup of Nations, AFCON, title, when the team defeated Algeria 3-0 at the National Stadium in Lagos. Before this feat, he led the team to win bronze medals at the 1976 and 1978 editions. 

Before he was appointed as coach between 2002 and 2005, he was an assistant to Clemens Westerhof and was part of the crew that won the AFCON in Tunisia and qualified Nigeria for the first-ever World Cup finals at the 1994 edition in the USA. 

Augustine Eguavoen 

A member of the illustrious 1994 team, Augustine ‘Cerezo’ Eguavoen played as a fullback for the Super Eagles, forming a strong defensive partnership with the late Uche Okafor, Uche Okechukwu, and Ben Iroha at the tournament. 

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He was the captain during the final game against Zambia after skipper Stephen Keshi was ruled out with injuries. 

During his playing days, he featured for Belgian sides Gent and K.V. Kortrijk. 

Eguavoen has had four stints with the Super Eagles. He was first appointed coach between 2005 and 2007. He came on an interim basis in 2010, as technical director in 2020, and again between 2021 and 2022. 

Samson Siasia 

Another member of the AFCON 1994 winning team, Siasia appeared 51 times, scoring 16 goals in a career that spanned 15 years for the Super Eagles. 

Siasia played most notably for French team FC Nantes, where he became league champion in the 1994–1995 season. He also appeared for Belgian side KSC Loreken. 

Siasia coached the U-20s and U-23 teams at the 2005 U-20 FIFA Youth Championship and 2008 Beijing Olympics, where he lost on both occasions to Argentina in the final. 

In 2010, he was appointed coach of the Super Eagles to succeed Swedish coach Lars Lagerbäck. He was sacked after the team failed to qualify for the 2012 AFCON tournament. He was reappointed as coach in 2016. 

Stephen Keshi 

Stephen ‘the big boss’ Keshi is one of the best center-backs Africa has ever produced. 

Keshi, a central defender, represented the Super Eagles 64 times, scoring nine goals. He led the 1994 team to AFCON glory. During this period, Nigeria reached the fifth position on the FIFA world ranking, the highest ever achieved by an African team. 

He was appointed as coach of the Super Eagles between 2011 and 2014. In 2013, he wrote his name in the history books, becoming the second man to win the AFCON as a player and coach (1994 and 2013), along with Egypt’s Mahmoud El-Gohary. 

Keshi died of cardiac arrest on June 7, 2016, in Benin City. 

Sunday Oliseh 

Sunday Ogochukwu Oliseh was known for his combative style as a defensive midfielder during his playing days, appearing 63 times for the Super Eagles and scoring on three occasions. 

Oliseh played for several top European clubs, including Juventus, Borussia Dortmund, and Ajax Amsterdam, as well as featuring at two World Cups with Nigeria. 

He was appointed coach of the Super Eagles in 2015 but resigned seven months later, saying he took the decision “due to the inability of the NFF to honor the terms of his contract.” 

Finidi George 

The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, announced on Monday, April 29, the appointment of Finidi George as the new coach of the Super Eagles. 

George had a successful club career with Ajax, winning eight major titles, including the 1995 Champions League. 

He made his international debut for Nigeria in 1991 and earned 62 caps, appearing at the 1994 and 1998 World Cups. 

Following his appointment, George stated that he has a task to qualify Nigeria for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after missing out on the 2022 edition in Qatar