Sports

December 20, 2011

Eguavoen eyes Enyimba return

Eguavoen eyes Enyimba return

Eguavoen

Coach Austin Eguavoen is in line for a sensational return to two-time African champions Enyimba.

The immediate past Nigeria Olympic team coach and Niger Tornadoes coach Justin Tenger are the main candidates to be named technical adviser by the six-time NPL champions.

Enyimba have already elevated assistant coach Audu Maikaba as chief coach of the Aba club.

Last season fell far below Enyimba’s high standards as they failed to win any major trophy.

They crashed out in the semi-finals of the CAF Champions League, were beaten in the final of the Nigeria Federation Cup by regional rivals Heartland and only finished seventh in the Nigeria Premier League (NPL).

Eguavoen

Tenger is a highly experienced, head-strong coach who has again ensured modest Tornadoes stay put in the Nigerian top flight after a poor start to the season. They placed 14th with 50 points from 38 matches.

While Eguavoen has already posted a spell at Enyimba and led them to win the Federation Cup in 2009.

Eguavoen, who has left the country to rejoin his family in Belgium for the holidays, informed that he has already got offers from clubs in the NPL but would wish to take his time before considering his next move.

”I am already getting offers, which I would not want to discuss on the pages of newspapers. I want to go see my family in Belgium and after which you would get to find out where I would be going,” he said.

Eguavoen, who has had brief coaching stint in South Africa, also said that he would not rely completely on foreign-based players if he had another chance at handling the country’s Olympic team.

”If I had another chance at the Dream Team, I would not rely completely on foreign-based players. However if we must use home-based players we need to camp these players for a minimum of six months,” he stated.

Eguavoen has coached all Nigeria national sides with bronze medal at the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt his highest achievement.