BY OJEIKERE AIKHOJE
Unveiled in April.... Resigned in JuneAustin Eguavoen needs no introduction considering his position as former captain and coach of the national team, the Super Eagles.
Eguavoen’s best moments as a footballer will certainly be as
match day captain when Nigeria won the Tunisia ’94 Africa Cup of Nations.
Like every footballer, he switched to the dugout after
hanging his boots.
In fact, he entered the history books as the first player
from the glorious 1994 Afcon winning squad to coach the Eagles and his move to
Sunshine Stars made him the only player from that set managing a team in the
Nigeria Professional Football League.
However, the celebrated defender has experienced endless
troubles since becoming a coach.
Against all expectations, Eguavoen left struggling Sunshine
Stars after five match days.
In this report, naijaleaguez.com.ng chronicles Eguavoen’s many
troubles as a coach.
Super
Eagles: 2006
Eguavoen worked as assistant to head coach Christian Chukwu
at the 2004 Afcon and was elevated after his boss failed to win the title.
For two years, he was head coach and led the Eagles to a
poor outing at the Egypt 2006 Afcon.Like his former boss, Eguavoen lost his job.
Under
23: 2011
As coach of the Under 23 team, Nigeria failed to qualify for
the London 2012 Olympics.
The former Nigerian International resigned after the team’s
failure to qualify in Morocco.
In a resignation letter, Eguavoen cited the qualifying failure
for the London Games as his reason to quit.
"I hereby resign my post as coach of the national U23 team
despite all the support I received from the NFF," Eguavoen told the NFF
Clubs
Enyimba:
2009
Eguavoen started his career as club coach with Enyimba in
2009.
Although he lost the domestic title in his first season,
Eguavoen made instant impact in the Federation Cup win victory over Sharks.
After his Cup success in 2009, Eguavoen left Enyimba for a
coaching course.
Enyimba:
February 2012
Eguavoen returned to Enyimba to begin a second spell in
February 2012.
However, this turned out to be turbulent as he had a running
battle with the club management.
Amazingly, by July 2012, the ‘marriage’ between club and
coach was dissolved.
Before he exit, the former Super Eagles captain and coach
was suspended by the club.
Sharks:
2012
Back in October 2012, Eguavoen returned as head coach of
Sharks.
Unlike his initial success with Enyimba, the romance with
Sharks sooner than expected.
Promises made to win the League and Cup were unfilfulled.
Eguavoen’s reign as Sharks’ boss has been dogged with
controversies from day one.
Interestingly, this reached an all-time high when he refused
to lead his team to League opener against Warri Wolves but was sighted at
Owerri watching home side Heartland play Nembe City at a time his club was
playing at home.
And in March 2013, Eguavoen left the club under cloudy
circumstances.
The celebrated defender eventually left due to a string of
poor results following loses to Kwara United, Kaduna United and Gombe United, respectively.
City of
David United: April 2013
To many, it was a wrong move but the former Nigerian International defended his decision to work in the lower division.
"I
actually see this as a great move for me. This is a hugely ambitious club. It
is well run by intelligent people and all the structures even the so called
premier league clubs lack are all in place here.
I am
definitely positive this is a good move for me and I am sure come end of the
season when we gain promotion, I would be proved right,” he said.
Promotion wasn’t achieved and Eguavoen left the club.
Bendel
Insurance: November 2013
The former Super Eagles gaffer returned to the second-tier
league for the second time as head coach of home town club, Bendel Insurance,
in 2013.
Attempts to return the team to the top flight proved
unproductive due to the poor funding of the club and he left for greener
pastures.
Gombe
United: July 2014
Unveiled at a time Gombe
United were placed 19th on the 20-team Glo Premier League table with
20 points from 19 games, Eguavoen promised to salvage their top flight status
following the exit of Maurice Cooreman.
Despite his efforts, the
club dropped to the lower division and for the third time the former Eagles
coach had to work in the second tier league.
The former Nigerian International resigned after a futile
attempt to return the Gombe side to the top flight.
Akwa
Starlets: 2016
For the fourth time in his career, Eguavoen moved down as
head coach of Akwa Starlets.
The move to Uyo turned out to be uneventful.
Sunshine
Stars: 2017
Austin Eguavoen tried his luck again when he was contracted
by struggling top flight side, Sunshine Stars, ahead of the second round of the
season.
Despite promising to fulfill his short term contract,
Eguavoen walked away from the club after losing 1-2 at home to table topping
Plateau United.
Eguavoen lasted just five match days as Sunshine Stars’
supremo with two wins and three defeats, including two at home.
Interestingly, he made his debut with a victory over
champions, Rangers.
Secretary of three-man Committee managing the club, Elder
Mike Adeyeye told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that Eguavoen left due to
what he described as “frustrating performance of Nigerian referees”.
Sunshine Stars 2-0 Enugu Rangers (Rescheduled)
MD: 20: Sunshine Stars 0-1 Lobi Stars
MD 21: Sunshine Stars
1-0 FC Ifeanyi Ubah
MD 22: Shooting Stars 1-0 Sunshine Stars
MD 23: Sunshine Stars 1-2 Plateau United
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