Former Nigerian international, Taribo West, has expressed that while Augustine Eguavoen possesses strong coaching techniques, he lacks the grace needed to succeed with the Super Eagles.
Eguavoen, who also holds the position of Nigeria Football Federation’s Technical Director, was appointed as head coach of the senior men’s national team after the planned deal with German coach Bruno Labbadia fell through.
At 59, this marks Eguavoen’s fourth stint leading the team, having previously served as head coach from 2005 to 2007, again in 2010, and in 2022. In his initial tenure, he guided the Super Eagles to a third-place finish at the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt. More recently, despite winning all three group matches at the 2021 AFCON in Cameroon, the team was eliminated in the round of 16 after a narrow loss to Tunisia.
Eguavoen’s career has been marked by close calls. Under his leadership, Nigeria narrowly missed out on qualifying for the 2022 World Cup, losing to Ghana on goal aggregate. Currently, in his fourth spell, the Super Eagles have begun their 2025 AFCON qualifiers on a positive note, securing four points out of a possible six. However, Taribo West believes there’s a crucial element missing in Eguavoen’s coaching approach.
Speaking on Brila FM’s “No Holds Barred with Ifeanyi Udeze,” West, now founder of the Shelter in The Storm Miracle Ministry, said, “Whenever Eguavoen leads the team, he brings a certain flair, reminiscent of the team’s glory days. But when it comes to major tournaments, where success is expected, something always goes wrong. What Eguavoen lacks is grace.”
While West acknowledged that Eguavoen’s tactical approach often brings out the best in his players, he emphasized that the results have not consistently reflected this.
“The team plays well, but the results don’t always go their way,” West added. He also questioned the preference for foreign coaches, suggesting greater investment in local talent.
Eguavoen recently denied stepping down as interim coach following the two 2025 AFCON qualifiers against Benin Republic and Rwanda. He is expected to remain in charge for the upcoming qualifying matches against Libya in October.
