Amuneke reveals why he lost the Super Eagles head coach role

Emmanuel Amuneke, the former Super Eagles star, has disclosed the reasons he believes cost him the position of the Super Eagles head coach

Emmanuel Amuneke was considered a frontrunner to replace Jose Peseiro as the head coach of the Super Eagles of Nigeria. Peseiro's contract with the NFF expired in February after leading Nigeria to a second-place finish at the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2024) in Ivory Coast.

However, the NFF announced on Monday that another Super Eagles legend, Finidi George, would take over as the new head coach. Before the announcement, George had been serving as an interim coach and had led the Super Eagles during March's international friendlies against Ghana and Mali.

In a recent interview with Nigerian publication Punch, Amuneke opened up about his experience with the selection process and shared his thoughts on what he believed were attempts to tarnish his reputation in the media. Despite his disappointment at not being selected, Amuneke remained diplomatic and professional in his approach, as he has always been known for his sportsmanship and integrity.

He said, “They succeeded in smearing my name in the media because of the Eagles job. They can continue with their propaganda, but I will remain disciplined. It’s not do-or-die job. All those allegations made in the media online because of the Eagles job are obviously not true, but those who recommended candidates for the job know I will not be easily bullied. I know there is still bad blood with these officials, but it’s fine.”