August 31, (THEWILL) – The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has announced that Bruno Labbadia will not become the new head coach of the Super Eagles due to tax complications.
The German coach and the NFF had previously reached an agreement in principle but the deal fell through when Labbadia insisted that the NFF should cover the tax demands from German authorities.
NFF President, Ibrahim Musa Gusau, explained that the Federation cannot afford to pay an additional 32% to 40% of Labbadia’s salary to meet German tax requirements. Gusau stated that these tax details were not part of the initial discussions and that Labbadia had agreed to all terms before this issue arose.
With Labbadia’s appointment now off the table, the NFF has turned to Augustine Eguavoen, the Technical Director of the Federation, to lead the Super Eagles. Eguavoen will oversee the team for the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Benin Republic in Uyo on September 7 and Rwanda in Kigali on September 10.
This will mark Eguavoen’s fourth stint in charge of the national team, following previous periods in 2005-2007, 2010, and 2022. The NFF’s decision to appoint Eguavoen comes as a quick solution to ensure the team’s preparation for the important qualifying matches is not disrupted.
The sudden change in coaching plans highlights the complexities of international football management, where financial and regulatory issues can have a significant impact on team operations. The NFF will now focus on supporting Eguavoen and the Super Eagles as they begin their campaign to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
