The seasoned German coach and former participant would be the third man to take cost of the Nigerian crew this 12 months.
Nigeria have appointed Germany’s Bruno Labbadia because the nation’s new coach, making him the third appointment to the publish in a tumultuous 12 months within the African nation’s males’s soccer crew.
The previous German worldwide’s appointment was introduced by the Nigeria Soccer Federation on social media on Tuesday, saying his appointment was “with rapid impact” however with out giving any particulars of the contract period.
Labbadia takes cost 12 days earlier than Nigeria kick off their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying marketing campaign with a Group D tie dwelling match to neighbours Benin in Uyo. The crew additionally play away in Rwanda three days later.
The 58-year-old is a seasoned Bundesliga coach with spells at Bayer Leverkusen, Hamburg, VfB Stuttgart, VfL Wolfsburg and Hertha Berlin. This might be his first job outdoors Germany.
As a participant, Labbadia was a prolific scorer, notching at the very least 200 targets in a profession that included a spell with Bayern Munich.
He replaces Finidi George, who was in cost for 4 matches earlier this 12 months.
German, Bruno Labbadia, turns into thirty seventh Head Coach of the @NGSuperEagles
The Nigeria Soccer Federation has introduced that it has reached an settlement with German tactician, Bruno Labbadia, to turn into the Head Coach of Nigeria’s Senior Males Nationwide Staff, Tremendous Eagles. pic.twitter.com/AKq92upW4g— The NFF 🇳🇬 (@thenff) August 27, 2024
Labbadia, who received two caps for his nation, will spend the remainder of the 12 months specializing in qualifying the Tremendous Eagles for the subsequent Cup of Nations finals, which might be hosted in Morocco in late 2025.
Nigeria are high seeds in a bunch that additionally consists of Libya, with the highest two groups qualifying.
However from subsequent March, the German could have a a lot harder activity as Nigeria resume World Cup qualifying.
They’re winless after their opening 4 video games in African qualifying Group C and sit fifth out of six groups, though they nonetheless have one other six matches to play of their bid to win the group and take a berth on the 2026 finals in North America.
It has been a surprisingly poor begin, particularly after the nice kind Nigeria displayed in reaching the Cup of Nations remaining within the Ivory Coast at first of the 12 months.
Their Portuguese coach Jose Peseiro was not provided a renewal of his contract regardless of their greatest efficiency on the two-yearly African championship since successful the Cup of Nations in 2013, and left instantly after the event.
Nigeria have employed a protracted record of international coaches, together with former German World Cup winner Berti Vogts, well-travelled Serb Bora Milutinovic and Brazilian Otto Gloria, however the job has a repute as one of many hardest in African sport with demanding followers and common administrative foibles.
Nigeria are three-time African champions and have certified for six of the final eight World Cups, though they missed out on the final finals in Qatar in 2022.
