The Nigeria Football Federation on Monday named named Frenchman Paul Le Guen as Super Eagles’ Technical Adviser.
Le Guen will be assisted by Nigerian Salisu Yusuf, who takes the role of Chief Coach.
The 52-year-old steered the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon to the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals.
He led Cameroon to the 2010 World Cup and has coached top French
clubs Lyon and Paris Saint-Germain, as well as Scottish side Rangers,
with his last job being with Oman, who sacked him in November 2015 after
a difficult start to their World Cup qualifying tournament.
Le Guen has been linked with the Nigeria post for several months
after Sunday Oliseh walked out on the Super Eagles in February,
following what the former Nigeria skipper claimed were several breaches
to his contract, including the non-payment of his salary for several
months.
The NFF have assured a regular payment of the new coach’s salary,
believed to be about $50,000 a month, as it will be covered by a private
company after the government said it would not bankroll it.
The immediate task for Le Guen, who led Lyon to three Ligue 1 titles
between 2002 and 2005, is to help the Super Eagles qualify for a sixth
World Cup, beginning in October with a tricky visit to Zambia.
The coach takes over a team that failed in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying for the second successive time in March.
Yusuf, capped at U20 level by Nigeria,
led the Super Eagles in interim capacity for two international friendly
matches in Europe at the end of May, which the Eagles won.
Enugu Rangers gaffer Imama Amapakabo and
former Super Eagles’ goalkeeper and skipper Alloy Agu, who served as
assistant coach and goalkeeper trainer for the games against Mali and
Luxembourg in May, retain their places in the technical crew.
The new crew’s immediate challenge is a
2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Tanzania in the first week
of September – a dead rubber, but which would serve as ample preparation
for the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying match away to Zambia on October
3.
The Committee has also recommended to
the NFF Board, the appointment of one –time Super Eagles’ assistant
coach Bitrus Bewarang as the new NFF Technical Director.
Bewarang, who is president of the Nigeria Football Coaches Association, will replace the late Coach Shaibu Amodu.
There is also a recommendation that
former Super Eagles’ defender Nduka Ugbade be restored to the U17
National Team as assistant to Coach Manu Garba.
The appointments are subject to agreement of contract terms with the NFF Executive Committee.
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