Emmanuel Amuneke criticized the selection process that led to the appointment of Finidi George as the new Super Eagles coach.
Amuneke, a former assistant coach of the Super Eagles, was considered a top contender for the Super Eagles job due to his success with the Nigeria under-17 team, which he guided to victory in the 2015 FIFA under-17 World Cup.
Despite speculation that he was the frontrunner for the position, Finidi, who had been the Super Eagles assistant coach for 20 months, was appointed on Monday, April 29.
Expressing his disappointment with the selection process, Amuneke revealed that he was not interviewed or contacted by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) despite submitting an application for the coaching role.
“There was no interview (for the job), nor was there any talk about the job with the federation. There was no contact from the federation, nor was there an offer to take the job. They have chosen a new coach, who is one of us, we just need to move on and support him,” Emmanuel Amuneke said, according to quotes from Punch.
Amuneke criticized propagandists who tarnished his reputation through the media.
The former African Player of the Year winner refuted allegations of having conflicts with NFF officials during his time as the Under-17 and Under-20 coach.
“They succeeded in smearing my name in the media because of the Eagles job,” Amuneke said.
“They can continue with their propaganda, but I will remain disciplined. It’s not a do-or-die job.
“All those allegations made in the media online because of the Eagles job are obviously not true, but those who recommended candidates for the job know I will not be easily bullied. I know there is still bad blood with these officials, but it’s fine.”
