The National Orientation Agency (NOA) of Nigeria has taken to their social media handle to announce the appointment of Emmanuel Amuneke as the new coach of the senior national team of Nigeria, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.
Jose Peseiro left his role as coach following the expiration of his contract in February, a few weeks after leading the team to a second place finish at the AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire. His replacement is yet to be officially named by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) but the NOA has gone ahead to announce his hiring.
On it’s official handle on X formerly known as Twitter, the agency which is an arm of the federal government of Nigeria sent their message of congratulations to the former Nigeria U17 coach , who is a among the favorites to replace the Portuguese.
The statement has caused confusion as the NFF has long dismissed the news of the appointment of Amuneke insisting that a decision is yet to be made, and when it’s right, they will make it public.
Below is the statement from the NOA.
“Emmanuel Amunike, a revered figure in Nigerian football, contributed to the 1996 Olympic men’s football team that clinched the gold medal for Nigeria, notably scoring the decisive goal. His illustrious career spanned clubs like Zamalek, Sporting CP, Barcelona, and Albacete. With 27 appearances for Nigeria and nine goals, he notably stood out in the 1994 FIFA World Cup, netting against Bulgaria and Italy. That same year, he played a crucial role in Nigeria’s Africa Cup of Nations victory in Tunisia and was later honored as African Footballer of the Year. The Nigeria Football Federation has now formally named Amunike as the new head coach of the national team, the Super Eagles”
