The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has officially appointed Fidelis Ilechukwu and Daniel Ogunmodede as assistant coaches for the Super Eagles, working under Austin Eguavoen.
The appointments were confirmed on Monday morning, which is a step in restructuring the national team’s coaching staff.
Ilechukwu, who led Enugu Rangers to victory in the Nigeria Premier Football League last season, and Ogunmodede, who successfully qualified his team for the preliminary stage of the CAF Champions League, will now bring their expertise to the national team.
Austin Eguavoen, the Technical Director of the NFF, was granted the authority to select his assistants following the breakdown of contract negotiations with German coach Bruno Labbadia.
Last week, News About Nigeria reported that Labbadia was announced as the new head coach of the Super Eagles, but the deal fell through due to complications involving German tax laws.
Labbadia clarified that while an agreement in principle was reached, no official contract was signed.
In light of the situation, Eguavoen has been tasked with leading the Super Eagles in the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Benin Republic and Rwanda, scheduled for September 7 and 10.
The NFF has yet to decide whether to reopen negotiations with Labbadia, seek another foreign coach, or appoint Eguavoen as the permanent head coach for what would be his fifth stint.
Meanwhile, the NFF has announced a 23-man squad for the qualifiers, featuring the return of key players such as Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, Nottingham Forest forward Taiwo Awoniyi, and stand-in captain William Troost-Ekong, all of whom are returning from injury.
