Nigeria’s Sports Minister, John Enoh, has expressed his disappointment over the failed appointment of German coach Bruno Labbadia as the Super Eagles’ head coach, calling the situation “embarrassing.”
In August 2024, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) announced Labbadia’s appointment, but just days later, the former German international publicly withdrew, stating that he would not be taking on the role.
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The NFF later explained that the deal fell apart because they refused to pay Labbadia’s taxes to the German government. In an interview with Arise TV, Enoh shared that he immediately sought answers from the NFF after the situation unfolded.
“This was very embarrassing and regrettable,” the sports minister stated. “I quickly reached out to the NFF to ask why they announced the coach’s appointment before finalizing everything. Their response was that they had received a commitment from the coach.”
With Labbadia’s sudden withdrawal, Augustine Eguavoen stepped in as interim head coach, marking the fourth time he has led the national team. Under Eguavoen’s leadership, the Super Eagles recently secured a victory against Benin Republic and an away draw against Rwanda in the ongoing 2025 AFCON qualifiers.
