Austin Eguavoen’s record of five losses, five draws, and 16 wins in 26 matches as Super Eagles coach has earned him the support of Chikelue Iloenyosi, who blames the players for the dismal year-ending loss to Rwanda.
Super Eagles legend Chikelue Iloenyosi has defended interim head coach Austine Eguavoen following Nigeria’s disappointing loss to Rwanda in their final 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier match in Uyo on Monday, November 18.
The defeat marked the first time in history that Nigeria lost to the Amavubi, and it came in the Eagles’s last match in 2024, a year that began on a high note with a second-place finish at the 2023 AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire.
Reacting to the year-ending disappointment, Iloenyosi told Brila.net, “Eguavoen has never been part of the problem. Even if you bring in someone like Mourinho to coach Nigeria, the team still lacks character.’’
The former Al-Ittihad defender continued, “The pattern we played (against Rwanda), the boys didn’t position themselves well, no passion and character in the national team.
“Losing the game is not Eguavoen’s fault. Even if you bring in another coach, they will still lose that game,” he said.
The loss to Rwanda takes Eguavoen’s record of five losses, five draws, and 16 wins in 26 matches across four stints as Super Eagles coach.
Despite the relatively decent tally, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is expected to hire a permanent manager for the Super Eagles ahead of their next match against the Amavubi in March 2025.
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