LAGERBACK DUMPS NIGERIA

Siasia
Super Eagles' Technical Adviser to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Lars Edvin Lagerback, has turned down an offer by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for a fresh contract to continue with the job for a four-year deal.

Lagerback's five months contract as Super Eagles' coach expires at the end of this month and the NFF and the PTF who picked his bill were impressed with his performance at the World Cup and were ready to offer him a four-year deal to rebuild the Eagles but the Sweden's former manager, who returned to his native land after the shameful exit of the Eagles, said he was not interested.

Acting President of the NFF, Alhaji Aminu Maigari, told Daily Sunsport that Lagerback after several attempts to speak with him finally called to inform him that he was sorry to reject the offer. 'Lagerback has told me that he could not continue as the coach of Super Eagles because he feared that he might not be able to sign a four-year deal that would keep him in Nigeria for that long. He thanked the NFF for the opportunity given him to take the Eagles to the World Cup.

'He said that the experience was worth it and that he would always remember Nigeria and her good people. He also said that family opinion also made him turn down the job and wished Eagles well', Alhaji Maigari said.

The NFF boss stated further that Lagerback also regretted his inability to come down to Nigeria to say a final goodbye and that he would send his technical report to the secretariat through the internet next week

Alhaji Maigari also disclosed that following the exit of Lagerback that the NFF board has decided to offer Samson Siasia the job to tinker the Super Eagles for the next four years as chief coach.

'We have had talks with Siasia and I must tell you that it was fruitful and all things being equal, he would put pen on paper next month subject to negotiation. Siasia is the coach Nigerians want and we shall give him all the support to succeed in this new job' Maigari stressed.

The finance committee's former chairman of the NFF said that Eguavoen Austin would lead the Eagles to South Korea for the friendly after which he would take charge of the Under-23 squad, while Siasia would be in charge of the Eagles in the Nations Cup qualifying match against Madagascar in september.