As Nigeria begins to plan for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, the future of the Super Eagles’ technical bench has become a major talking point.
After missing out on the 2026 World Cup, there have been rumours that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is already looking for a new head coach to replace Eric Chelle.
But former Super Eagles striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni believes that rushing into another coaching change is not the solution and he is very clear about the two coaches the NFF must not consider.
Chelle took charge after Finidi George stepped down, with a strong mandate to lead Nigeria to the World Cup. His record so far, six wins, three draws, one loss, shows steady progress.
He also pushed Nigeria to a second-place finish in their World Cup qualifying group, even though the team eventually fell short after a penalty shootout loss to DR Congo.
For Yakubu, this is enough reason to keep things stable. He argues that replacing Chelle now would disrupt preparations for AFCON, especially since the tournament is only weeks away.
The 2 Coaches Aiyegbeni Says Nigeria Should Avoid
Yakubu didn’t hold back when naming the two coaches he believes should not return to the Super Eagles dugout: Augustine Eguavoen and Samson Siasia.
He explained that Nigeria has already moved past the era of recycling these names. According to him, neither coach is the right fit for the present squad or the modern direction the national team needs.
Eguavoen has had multiple stints in charge of the Super Eagles, and while Yakubu admitted that the former defender achieved some good results, he insisted the overall impact was not strong enough to justify another appointment.’
Siasia, on the other hand, is respected for his work with youth teams and previous contributions, but Yakubu believes the Super Eagles need new ideas, fresh energy, and a coach who can manage today’s players at the highest level.
“We Should Be Moving Forward, Not Backward”
Yakubu made it clear that his criticism is not personal. Eguavoen coached him during his playing days, and both men are from Benin City. Still, he stressed that sentiment should not guide the NFF’s decisions.
In his words, Nigeria must look ahead, not go back to coaches who have already had their time. With AFCON around the corner, he believes maintaining stability under Chelle is the best route to building a stronger and more confident team.
Yakubu also used the moment to remember two tacticians he still considers among the best in Africa: Amodu Shuaibu and Christian Chukwu.
He praised their ability to listen to players, manage dressing-room dynamics, and bring calm into the squad during difficult tournaments. For him, their leadership style is the benchmark modern Nigerian coaches should aspire to.