The current interim coach of the Super Eagles, Austin Eguavoen, has reassured fans that the recent public disagreement between his two assistant coaches, Daniel Ogunmodede and Fidelis Ilechukwu, has not affected their working relationship.
The disagreement arose after a match between Remo Stars and Enugu Rangers, where Ilechukwu criticized Ogunmodede’s behaviour during the game, which ended 2-1 in favour of Remo Stars.
In response, Ogunmodede suggested that Ilechukwu’s frustration was due to the nature of the defeat.
This exchange raised concerns among football enthusiasts as the two coaches are expected to collaborate for national duties.
In an attempt to ease these concerns, Eguavoen confirmed that there is no animosity between the two coaches, and shared a video of them hugging to illustrate their strong bond.
He emphasized that such tensions are normal in competitive sports and assured everyone that the coaches are focused on their duties for the Nigerian national team.
The head coach said, “Ilechukwu came in after Rangers’ games, and Ogunmodede came in as well, and they hugged each other. There is no fight between them and it is normal for teams to go against each other and tensions rising. Things like that are expected, and that is by the way, but we are here to do a job for Nigeria.”
Eguavoen’s reassurance comes as a relief to many fans, especially with Nigeria’s important Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Libya approaching. The Eagles will face the Mediterranean Knights in a two-legged clash, with the first match scheduled to take place at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium at 5 p.m. on Friday, October 11.
