Nigeria boss steps down after World Cup failure

The Super Eagles lost out on a spot for the 2022 FIFA World Cup at the hands of their fierce West African rivals Ghana.

Augustine Eguavoen has vacated his role as Nigeria manager with immediate effect.

The 56-year-old stepped in as interim coach last December after Gernot Rohr’s dismissal. He led Nigeria to the last-16 stage of the Africa Cup of Nations and took charge of the two-legged World Cup play-off against Ghana this month.

But the three-time African champions got eliminated on an away goal ruling in Ghana’s favor after Tuesday’s 1-1 second-leg draw in Abuja.

The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) has withdrawn the contracts offered to the entire technical team of the Super Eagles.

Head coach Augustine Eguavoen has also stepped down with immediate effect. #3Sports pic.twitter.com/ZiZU7qm1Bn

— #3Sports (@3SportsGh) March 31, 2022

Eguavoen, who may return to his previous role as technical director of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), has now stepped down.

A brief statement on Thursday also announced that the NFF had withdrawn two-and-a-half-year contract offers to national team coaches and dismissed the rest of the technical staff.

“We thank the coaches and team officials for their service to the nation and wish them success in their future endeavours,” NFF general secretary Dr. Mohammed Sanusi said.

The NFF added that a new management team would be announced ‘after a proper review’.