The Super Eagles are on the lookout for a new coach after parting company with Gernot Rohr ahead of the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations, with president of the Nigerian Football Federation Amaju Pinnick targeting a manager who can bring the trophy home again. And during that search, a surprising name came out as an option for coaching the Nigerian national team – three times Champions League winner Jose Mourinho. Despite only joining Roma in the summer, the 58-year-old manager spoke with Pinnick about leading one of the biggest African football nations towards success.Napoli’s Osimhen ‘available’ for Nigeria at Africa Cup of NationsIn his interview with Nigerian outlet the Daily Trust, Pinnick spoke about the reasons behind wanting to hire someone like the former Real Madrid, Chelsea and Tottenham boss.’The emphasis on the new coach is discipline,’ he said. ‘We will also look at how hungry he is to win trophies because if they are hungry it supersedes so many things and if he wants to win he will instil discipline. ‘Of course Mourinho – I am not going to tell you we didn’t talk to Mourinho because we did and the (sports) minister also talked to Mourinho and there is nothing wrong with it.’If the coach will give us the Nations Cup, he will be drafted in immediately. I am not going to tell you that it will be later, because of what essence is the recruitment? If the executive committee says yes and we are ready, what are we waiting for?’Tue, 11/01, 19.00: (3.40) NIGERIA (2.85) EGYPT (2.45)Mourinho joined Roma in May, signing a three-year deal. The Portuguese expert is eager to build a ‘winning project’ over the next few years with the Giallorossi. With his side sixth in Serie A and 14 points off leaders Inter Milan, Mourinho’s tenure at Stadio Olimpico has not got off to the best start but it doesn’t seem likely he will leave the Italian capital soon. Along with Mourinho, other candidates also spoke with Pinnick. Former Porto and Sporting Lisbon boss Jose Peseiro and Serbian manager Mladen Krstajic.’We have spoken to three top coaches and Peseiro, whose name has been going around, is one of the coaches and I can tell you he is a top coach. ‘We also talked to Krstajic but after talking to him he got a job with a top club in Israel, Maccabi Tel Aviv. You can see these are coaches that are hungry and ready to take Nigeria as a home; they are people that we know are ready to face the challenge from the 200 million Nigerians.AFCON: Ethiopia name squad’They are coaches who the players cannot be bigger than and I believe we are doing everything we can and that’s why we interface with the ministry on every level. ‘When I spoke with one of the coaches on Tuesday, he was already scouting our players and was telling me things I didn’t even know about our players. It was quite impressive and he told me the strength of each player and he took me off guard. We are not going to experiment and if he can win the Nations Cup, no problem.’We know [interim coach Augustine] Eguavoen can do it, but we also want someone who can do it better. If we are unable to sign him soon, then we will work with the current team. But I am not going to tell you that if we have him signed today, he is not going to lead the team to the AFCON.’AFCON: Crystal Palace talisman to help the ElephantsRight after the Nigeria Football Federation and Rohr officially reported they are parting ways, Austin Eguavoen was announced as an interim boss of the Super Eagles and will lead the squad at the Africa Cup of Nations.
