Super Eagles winger Moses Simon explains why he prefers Eguavoen over a foreign coach 

Nigeria winger Moses Simon has shared his concerns about the previous appointment of a foreign manager particularly when compared to the interim coach Augustine Eguavoen.

Simon's remarks reflect a sense of uncertainty among players regarding Labbadia's approach and tactics.

The Nigeria Football Federation  initially appointed Labbadia as the technical adviser for the Super Eagles ahead of their matches against Benin Republic and Rwanda. 

However, Labbadia could not agree terms with the Nigerian Federations due to tax issues, leading to Eguavoen's reinstatement as interim coach.

In a recent interview, Simon contrasted the current situation with in comparison to having Bruno Labbadia in the dressing room. 

"The mood is a little bit up because coach Eguavoen knows some of the players, he knows the role he has to play," Simon said. 

"He gives confidence mostly to the players. But we don't know the foreign coach (Labbadia), we don't know his tactics, we don't know how he works. You can find the best player on the bench, but we don't know."

Simon emphasized that Eguavoen's familiarity with the team and his understanding of the players' dynamics have been beneficial.

"But with coach Eguavoen, I think he knows everything about what is going on in the nation and what is going on within the team," Simon added. 

"He was not actually out of the team because he is not the coach, but he is within the team because he is working with the federation."

As the Super Eagles prepare to face Benin Republic on Saturday at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium , Simon stressed the importance of securing a win to please the fans.

"This is our job. We know what is at stake. Of course we lost against them 2-1, I believe we don't want to lose against them.

"The guys know what they have to do to win. We don't want to draw; we just want to play our game and do our best to win, to give a smile to Nigerians.

"You feel sad especially when you're in Nigeria watching the game, you can feel the tension and anger in people when you don't win," he said.

Nigeria will face Republic of Benin on Saturday, September 7, 2024, at Godswill Akpabio International Stadium by 5:00 pm. 

Adeyemi Adewale

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