The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) has appointed Bruno Labbadia as the new head coach of Nigeria’s Super Eagles, a decision that has sparked a wave of reactions from soccer fans and critics alike. Labbadia replaces Finidi George, whose tenure ended after a lackluster performance, including a home draw against South Africa and an away loss to Benin Republic.
The search for a new coach had included several high-profile names such as Swedish coach Janne Andersson, two-time Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) winner Hervé Renard, and Englishman Steve McClaren. However, Labbadia’s appointment has raised eyebrows, with many expressing skepticism about his managerial credentials.
Critics have voiced their concerns about Labbadia’s track record, with some questioning his suitability for the role.
An X user, @sunday3810644, remarked, “Why this man? The man is an old timer. Football has changed, and I doubt if this man can offer anything good to the Super Eagles. Anyway, I wish them the best, but I still have my doubts about this man.”
Another user, @Wewe_Of_Lagos, expressed discontent, saying, “This man with bad management records, always wins 4 matches, draws 4/2, then loses the remaining games. Super Eagles reject him. We Nigerians reject him.”
@JosephOnuarah criticized the choice, writing, “Thoroughly disappointed with this recruitment. Why not sign an Amunike, who has tasted glory with age-grade teams, or Samson Siasia? What is NFF’s interest in signing no-result and no-impact foreign coaches for the past two decades?”
The sentiment was echoed by @Bjoj1985, who questioned the rationale behind hiring a German coach, stating, “Where do they get all these German guys? What is the connection between Nigeria and Germany? Scam everywhere.”
@K_6toolz humorously criticized the decision, saying, “NFF just goes to Europe to pick a PE teacher. Chai 😂😂😂”
@TvslEspana expressed frustration with the preference for foreign coaches, questioning, “Have you ever seen Spain looking for a foreign coach? What is wrong with our country’s leaders that we don’t know what to do? Why must we use foreigners as our national coach? Does that sound very good?”
@The_Khemist was blunt, stating, “We’ve signed an 11th-tier coach for the biggest footballing nation in Africa. It’s appalling. This man is no better than Amunike or Siasia.”
Some users, however, showed support for the new coach. @AdebayoOnGod wished Labbadia success, saying, “May his reign lead us to success. Let’s all back him up, Nigerians. 🇳🇬🇳🇬🇳🇬”
@IamDONEAVE congratulated Labbadia with a hopeful message, “Congratulations!!! I hope you won’t let him go after a tournament.”
Bruno Labbadia is set to lead the Super Eagles in their upcoming qualifiers against Benin Republic on September 8 and Rwanda three days later.