Former Nigeria international, Samson Siasia has denied the news flying around that he has applied for the vacant Super Eagles head coach job.
The former Flying Eagles coach disclosed this in an interview with Completesports, stating that the Super Eagles job came too soon as he is still serving FIFA suspension. He stressed that if the job was to come after August when his suspension will expire, he would have joined the race.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has declared the position of the Super Eagles head coach vacant, following the expiration of the contract of former coach, Jose Peseiro after the AFCON in Ivory Coast.
“I did not apply for Super Eagles coaching job because I know FIFA has yet to lift the suspension on me,” Siasia said.
“I don’t know where those who reported that I applied got their story from. It’s common sense, I cannot be suspended and be applying for a job. I know I would not even be considered for it.
“The opportunity came too soon because I am still suspended until August 2024. If it had come after August this year, I would have been in contention to lead the Super Eagles.
“I feel bad, but I cannot help the situation I found myself in. I wish whoever gets the job best of luck.”
In August 2019, world football governing body, FIFA banned Siasia from all football activities for life (later reduced to five years, following a match-fixing investigation. The adjudicatory chamber of FIFA’s independent Ethics Committee alleged that he is guilty of “bribes in relation to the manipulation of matches in violation of the FIFA Code of Ethics”
The 56-year-old is a silver medal winning coach with Nigeria’s Olympic team at 2008 Beijing Olympics. He had two previous stints as Super Eagles’ coach, from 2010 to October 2011, and was reappointed in 2016.
