Despite the Super Eagles’ inability to qualify for the Qatar 2022 World Cup, Austin Eguavoen remains optimistic about the team’s future.
Before taking over as interim coach in 2010, following the resignation of Lars Lagerback and before Samson Siasia was hired, Eguavoen led the team to a bronze medal at the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations.
The 56-year-old, who stepped down as the Eagles’ interim coach after archrivals Ghana drew Nigeria 1-1 in Abuja to qualify for Qatar 2022 on the away goal rule, insisted he was still one of the country’s greatest managers.
“If there is still an opportunity for me, I will want to coach the Eagles again, but not at this moment, maybe later,” Eguavoen said during SuperSports’ program, Monday Night Football.
“If I’m called upon to lead the team again, I will definitely take up the job. I’m still one of the good coaches in the country. I can still prove a point it’s just a matter of time.
“No regrets taking up the job. When you are called to serve the nation I could not refuse them.”
In the second leg in Abuja, Eguavoen cited his team’s lack of character and courage as a major factor for their defeat.
“We lacked the character, zeal to beat Ghana when it mattered most,” he added.
“The Ghanaians showed they wanted it more than our boys and that was why it ended that way. We didn’t do any of that. We did not fight or push enough for the winner and how do you do that? It is with fast-paced football, creating chances but that didn’t happen.
“In Kumasi, the Ghanaians were better but in Abuja, the Eagles were the better side but could not win.
“The games between Ghana and Nigeria are always very difficult. If we had lost in Kumasi or in Abuja, I would have regarded myself as a failure but we lost on away goal. We didn’t lose the game but we lost the ticket to qualify for the World Cup.”
He also refuted accusations that he was sacked by the NFF, claiming instead that he resigned.
“After the game, there were lots of emotions running through and after 48 hours I wrote to the NFF thanking them for the opportunity they gave me to lead the team. The target was to qualify for the World Cup but we did not achieve that, hence I stepped down and went back to my office as Technical Director of the NFF.”
During his three-month tenure as Eagles coach, he won four games, drew two, and lost one.
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