Shaibu Amodu returns as Super Eagles coach for the SIXTH time

Veteran Nigerian coach, Shaibu Amodu, will make a shock return to manage the Super Eagles for the sixth time in his career.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is currently in search of a substantive foreign coach to permanently take charge of the three-time African champions.

Amodu, who is also technical director of Nigeria national teams, will lead a consortium of coaches to manage the Eagles for the two international friendly matches against Mali and Luxembourg in France.

According to the NFF, Salisu Ibrahim, under the supervision of Amodu, will head three other coaches consisting of goalkeeper trainer, Alloy Agu, Rangers and Abia Warriors chief coaches, Imama Amakapabo, and Kennedy Boboy respectively.

The NFF technical sub-committee led by Chris Green, which met Wednesday in Abuja, recommended the consortium of coaches to the executive board for ratification ahead of the friendly matches.

A statement from the NFF read in part: “Part of the recommendations we gave to the Executive Committee of the federation is that Amodu will supervise the technical crew to be headed by Salisu.

“We also recommended the drafting of two league coaches into the crew and we went for Rangers and Abia Warriors chief coaches, just as we settled for Agu as the goalkeeper trainer.

“We went for the two league coaches to expose them with those two matches. I know that Nigerians will ask why (Samson) Siasia and (Emmanuel) Amuneke did not continue with the team, but we all know that they are very much engaged and committed with their teams.

“Our plans and expectations will be to provide every help to Siasia to win the Olympic Games trophy. The appointment will be for the two friendly matches, after we will continue with the hiring of a substantive coach for the team.”

Amodu qualified Nigeria for the FIFA World Cups in 2002 and 2006 but was sacked prior to the Mundial.

His first stint in charge of the Eagles was between 1994 and 1995.