The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has described the purportedappointment of former Nigeria international, Austin Eguavoen, as an interimmanager of the Super Eagles after Portuguese coach Jose Peseiro stepped down at the weekend as ˜a joke taken too far.

Though Eguavoen has been the NFFs Technical Directorsince 2020, he was appointed the Super Eagles manageron an interim basis for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, following the departure ofGerman coach Gernot Rohr.

He later returned to hisTechnical Directors job after the Super Eagles crashed out of the AFCON 2021 following an agonising defeat to Tunisia in the round of sixteen.

Following the exit of Peseiroat the weekend, there has been overflowing news in a section of the main media and social media thatEguavoen has been mandated by the NFF to step in as the interim manager of the Super Eagles. While Enyimba International coach, Finidi George, who was Peseiros assistant to the recently concluded AFCON in Cote dIvore, will serve asEguavoens assistant until the NFF names a substantive manager for the Super Eagles ahead of upcoming international engagements, including the qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup double-header against South Africa in June 2024.

But a decent source at theNFF yesterday dismissedwith a wave of the hand the purported Eguavoens link to the Super Eagles job, adding that the former national team captain is not even being considered to take over on an interim basis.

Theres nothing forEguavoen as far as I know,and, in fact, nobody ever mentioned him in any capacity for the Super Eagles,the sourcesaid, adding that those thrustingEguavoen forward for the job are only jokers.

I think those guys are just joking. Nobody has mentioned Eguavoen as Super Eaglesinterim manager.

Incidentally, some callers on the Lagos-based Sports radiostation, Brila FM, have kickedagainst the possible return of Eguavoen as the Super Eagles manager; theydescribed him as a misfit forwhat is regarded as one of the most high profile coaching jobs in the world.

Please, tell the NigeriaFootball Federation not toappoint Eguavoen as Super Eagles coach; we no go to the World Cup againbecause that Baba dont know anything o. He is not a better coach o and we no go gree NFF o, an angry callersaid yesterday.

Another said: Who did this to Nigeria? Has Eguavoen forced himself upon us? I think we have to blame the NFF, who dont know what they are doing. The NFF has not come out with any categorical statement afterPeseiro ˜s contract expired. I think its the prerogative of Eguavoen to step in as an interim coach since hes the Technical Director of the NFF, but all we want now is for the NFF to do the right thing. (The Nation)