Former Barcelona winger Emmanuel Amunike has taken the first step towards becoming the head coach of the Super Eagles, Soccernet.ng reports.
The head coach position of Nigeria men’s national team became vacant after Jose Peseiro left the role following the expiration of his contract after the conclusion of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Peseiro was in charge of the Super Eagles for 22 months, the highlight of his tenure being Nigeria’s impressive second-place finish at the AFCON in February.
However, less than 48 hours after the Nigeria Football Federation announced that it was taking applications for the position of the Super Eagles head coach, Amunike has applied.
According to Nigerian sports broadcaster Charles Anazodo, Amunike has submitted his application, concretising his interest in taking up the Super Eagles’ number-one coaching job.
Amunike, 1994 Africa Player of the Year, is one of Nigeria’s most successful players and a key component of the national team’s greatest achievements.
The retired winger scored twice in the final as the Super Eagles won the 1994 AFCON.
He also netted the winning goal as Nigeria defeated Argentina to win the gold medal at the 1996 Olympic Games.
Amunike scored two goals at the 1994 World Cup, including the Super Eagles’ only strike against Italy that nearly secured Nigeria’s passage to the quarterfinals.
At the club level, he won major titles with Egyptian giants Zamalek, Portugal’s Sporting Lisbon, and Spain’s Barcelona.