'A plus for the national team' - Ex-Wolfsburg striker admits Eguavoen would be better than Rohr

Former Wolfsburg attacker Jonathan Akpoborie has suggested that newly-appointed Super Eagles interim boss Austin Eguavoen would do a better job than dismissed coach Gernot Rohr at the upcoming African Cup of Nations.

Akpoborie was one of those people that fought for Rohr to be appointed Nigeria manager in 2016 but he stopped endorsing the German after the country crashed out of the 2018 World Cup in the first round.

The Nigeria Football Federation on Sunday appointed Eguavoen as Super Eagles manager on an interim basis, supported with a consortium of local coaches as assistants.

Akpoborie noted that an ideal Super Eagles coach should have a lot of experience, something Eguavoen is not lacking having previously coached the national team twice and worked as Technical Director at the Nigerian Federation.

Speaking to Channels TV, Akpoborie said : "Bringing Austin Eguavoen now is a plus for the national team. Any experienced coach would be better than Gernot Rohr right now.

"Austin comes with a lot of experience, his first handling of the Super Eagles we would say he was learning on the job but right now he has a whole lot of experience to handle the Nigeria team not just on the field but also the political issues that could bring pressure into the team.

"I have to say at this point there would be unnecessary pressures because all of those things are the factors that would want you to have a foreigner to handle the Super Eagles not a Nigerian."

A two-time World Cupper, Eguavoen was the on-field captain for the Super Eagles when they won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1994.

Igho Kingsley