Austin Eguavoen Archives - The Athletic NG

Austin Eguavoen responds to Tosin Adarabioyo’s Super Eagles’ switch report

Super Eagles interim coach, Austin Eguavoen, has responded to speculations regarding Chelsea centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo’s possible decision to switch allegiance from England...

Nigeria's hopes for a perfect start to their AFCON qualifying campaign were halted as the Super Eagles were held to a goalless draw by Rwanda in Kigali on Tuesday.

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Eguavoen’s predicted 24-man squad for Libya clash

Nigeria prepares to face Libya in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and interim coach Augustine Eguavoen is expected to announce...

Why Eguavoen should remain Technical Director after AFCON

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Latest News

Coach Adedeji Adeyemi advises Eguavoen to resign as NFF Technical Director before taking Super Eagles Job

Nigerian coach Adedeji Adeyemi Anthony has advised Super Eagles head coach, Augustine Eguavoen, to resign from his role as the Nigeria Football...

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‘Eguavoen is like Ancelotti’ – Mikel Obi

Nigerian football legend John Mikel Obi has showered praise on Augustine Eguavoen, the Super Eagles’ interim coach, drawing a surprising comparison between...

Super Eagles’ caretaker coach, Augustine Eguavoen, has offered insights into his decision to bench Victor Osimhen and Taiwo Awoniyi during Nigeria’s goalless AFCON 2025 qualifier against Rwanda, as reported by Soccernet.ng. Despite Osimhen being the reigning African Player of the Year, he started the game from the sidelines for the second consecutive match. Eguavoen opted to bring him on as a substitute in the second half, replacing Victor Boniface. Osimhen, who recently joined Galatasaray on loan, struggled to make an impact, unlike his previous game against Benin, where he found the net. Osimhen’s Fitness Concerns In the post-match press conference, Eguavoen explained that his decision was influenced by Osimhen’s fitness issues after a challenging summer, which included a failed transfer to Chelsea and a falling out with Napoli. “Osimhen is our brother, you can’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. We know what he is going through in Napoli. He just moved to Galatasaray and has not been playing active football for a while now,” Eguavoen said. He further emphasized the need to manage Osimhen’s fitness carefully, stating, “We are trying to manage his fitness. He played the last 25 minutes in the previous game, and today we had a word with him that he can’t play 90 minutes or else he will get injured.” Awoniyi and Squad Rotation Eguavoen also addressed his decision to limit Taiwo Awoniyi’s playing time, explaining that squad rotation and player fitness were key factors. “Awoniyi had a few minutes at his club before joining us. We have 23 to 40 players to choose from, but only 11 can start. It’s frustrating, but the bonding is there, and everyone is on board,” Eguavoen remarked. Formation and Tactical Challenges The Super Eagles coach acknowledged the difficulty of making tactical changes given the limited preparation time, having had only a few days of training before facing Benin and Rwanda. “We trained for three or four days before the Benin game and then had to come here. It’s very difficult to change formation,” Eguavoen explained. Confidence in Qualification Despite the challenges surrounding fitness and tactics, Eguavoen expressed confidence in the Super Eagles' ability to secure qualification for AFCON 2025

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Eguavoen reveals why he named Osimhen and Awoniyi on the bench vs Rwanda

Super Eagles’ caretaker coach, Augustine Eguavoen, has offered insights into his decision to bench Victor Osimhen and Taiwo Awoniyi during Nigeria’s goalless...

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Super Eagles head coach highlights selection headache ahead of Benin Republic clash

Super Eagles interim boss Austin Eguavoen has shared insights into Victor Osimhen’s role in Nigeria’s upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier...

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‘Not revenge’ – Eguavoen reveals Super Eagles target against Benin Republic

Super Eagles interim coach Austin Eguavoen has set clear objectives ahead of Nigeria’s crucial World Cup qualifier matches against Benin Republic and...

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Super Eagles