In a surprising development, Bruno Labbadia, who was recently appointed as the manager of Nigeria’s Super Eagles, has turned down the position. This unexpected decision comes less than two weeks before critical Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying matches against Benin and Rwanda.
According to the German publication Kicker, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) had previously confirmed Labbadia’s appointment as the successor to Finidi George, who resigned in May. The NFF’s statement had announced, “Bruno Labbadia will be the 37th head coach of the Super Eagles. The NFF confirms an agreement with the German coach to lead the senior national team.”
However, despite the NFF’s confidence, the appointment appears to have been premature. Reports indicate that while the financial terms were largely settled, unresolved organizational matters led Labbadia to withdraw from the role.
Negotiations between Labbadia, the former Stuttgart coach, and the NFF reportedly began last weekend and initially seemed promising. However, it has been revealed that Labbadia never formally committed to the job, nor did he sign any contract. Although the sporting potential of the role attracted him, the unresolved issues proved too significant to overlook.
Breaking: NFF Appoints German Bruno Labbadia as New Super Eagles Coach
With the AFCON qualifiers approaching in September, the NFF now faces the urgent task of finding a new head coach. Prior to Labbadia’s withdrawal, there had been speculation that Austin Eguavoen, a former coach of the Super Eagles, might temporarily step in. Additionally, Samson Siasia, another former coach who recently completed a five-year ban from football, was also considered as a possible interim solution.
Meanwhile, the NFF has called up 23 players for the upcoming qualifiers, including key figures like Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, Nottingham Forest forward Taiwo Awoniyi, and stand-in captain William Troost-Ekong, all of whom are returning to the squad after recovering from injuries.
