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Former Nigerian international Duke Udi has weighed in on the growing public demand for the Nigeria Football Federation to replace Super Eagles head coach Augustine Eguavoen, citing the team’s underwhelming performances as the cause.
Eguavoen, who took over the Super Eagles on an interim basis, guided the team through the 2025 AFCON qualifiers, losing just one match and finishing atop the group table.
However, the sole defeat—a shocking 2-1 loss to Rwanda at home after bottling a 1-0 lead has sparked outrage among fans, who argue that the team lacks proper strategy and relies heavily on individual brilliance.
Speaking on Brila FM No Holds Barred with Ifeanyi Udeze, Udi acknowledged that while Eguavoen has done his best, the fans’ frustrations are justified.
“In football, if a coach is given five years, it all boils down to the results of the 3-5 games he plays. That ‘five years’ is only on paper. Behind the scenes, it might not even last three weeks,” Udi explained.
He highlighted how results dictate a coach’s future, citing examples of other clubs and teams making quick changes when performances falter.
“AS Roma has changed two coaches this season because of results. The fans have every right to voice their opinions. If you are a coach and don’t want to be criticized, then deliver results. When the team performs well, everyone shares the glory.”
Udi further emphasized that in football, the coach bears the brunt of poor results.
“In coaching, once the team is not doing well, the bulk of the blame falls on the head coach. There is no permanent job in this field—it’s all temporary. What makes your job ‘permanent’ is consistent results.”
Although Udi described Eguavoen’s results as “fair,” he was critical of the team’s overall performance and cohesion.
“If we look at Eguavoen’s results, they are fair. But if we look at the performances of the players and as a team, we are not playing anything. In the last game, we couldn’t even make six consecutive passes.”
As the Super Eagles prepare for the World Cup qualifiers, which resume in March next year, the NFF faces a crucial decision: to stick with Eguavoen or seek a fresh start with a new coach.
What do you think? Should the NFF retain Eguavoen or make a change before the qualifiers?
