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Nigeria Football Federation’s new Technical Director, Austin Eguaveon, has declared that his desire to help the country rediscover its lost glory in the game of football made him to turn down coaching job offer in Mali

Eguavoen, who was scheduled to meet with officials of the NFF to discuss his role and other responsibilities attached to the new assignment yesterday spoke with elation about turning down his other appointment as the coach of Mali’s Club Malien de Bamako because of his interest in the development of the sport at all levels.

The ex-Super Eagles coach speaking about his appointment noted that it had provided him an opportunity to apply the knowledge he acquired as an ex-player, an experienced coach and as one who has been in the business of football all his life to the betterment of Nigerian football.

“I just came back from Mali where I was about to resume as coach of one of the clubs in the country. I had already been announced as the coach of the club on their radio station when I was in the country. But I had to turn down the appointment because I need to serve my country.

“The Malians were not happy, but I still have a cordial relationship with them. I didn’t want to turn down the Technical Director’s job because it would look like the NFF is giving an ex-international a job and he is turning it down. I want to work in developing Nigerian football at all levels. It is a call to service that I could not turn down,” he explained.

Concerning the meeting with the NFF, Eguavoen clarified saying, “It will be to know the scope of my duty. Right now, I don’t know what the NFF expects from me as technical director, but as an exposed ex-player and experienced coach, I know what is expected of me. Even at that, I want my employers, which is the NFF, to streamline my duties for me.”

The 55-year-old did not fail to express his appreciation for the responsibility.

“I thank those that made this appointment possible and I assure football loving Nigerians of changes in the NFF Technical Department.”

The Gurdaian