Sports

Eguavoen to lead Super Eagles as German tax laws foil Labbadia deal

The deal between the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the new Super Eagles Coach Bruno Labbadia has been aborted.

The NFF had, on Tuesday, August 27, 2024, announced an agreement with German tactician Labbadia to become the head coach of the Super Eagles.

However, the NFF, in a statement issued by its Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire, on Friday, August 30, quoted President Musa Gusau as saying that the deal between the federation and Labbadia had been botched.

Gusau stated that stringent regulations of German tax authorities conspired to abort the agreement between the NFF and Labbadia.

The NFF President said: “We have been on the tax issue for the past three days.

“I told him clearly that there was no way the NFF will agree to offset the concomitant tax percentage on his salary that will be demanded by German tax authorities.

NFF appoints Bruno Labbadia as Super Eagles coach

“It is not possible for us to shoulder the responsibility of shelling out another money, between 32 per cent to 40 per cent of his salary, after paying the agreed monthly wage.

“The NFF and Labbadia reached an agreement in principle before we made the announcement that he would become the Head Coach of the Super Eagles.

“The tax details were never part of our discussions, and he had personally agreed to all terms before the tax issue came up.

“We were doing our best to be flexible in the discussions but he was adamant that the NFF had to pay the full tax amount as well. We simply cannot do that.”

Gusau added that with the latest development, the NFF Technical Director, Augustine Eguavoen, will take charge of the Super Eagles.

Augustine Eguavoen

Eguavoen will lead the team for the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying matches against Benin Republic in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, on September 7, and Kigali in Rwanda on September 10.

This would be Eguavoen’s fourth stint in charge of the three-time African champions, after earlier experience in 2005 to 2007, 2010, and 2022.

The Star

Segun Ojo

Recent Posts

Tinubu kept subsidy removal secret to avoid pushback — Shettima

Vice President Kashim Shettima has revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu deliberately kept his decision…

1 hour ago

37 dead, over 3,000 cases recorded as cholera outbreak hits Borno

The Borno State Government has raised alarm over a cholera outbreak that has infected more…

2 hours ago

NNPC revenue jumps to N4.97trn in April

Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited recorded a sharp increase in revenue in April 2026, with…

2 hours ago

AbdulRazaq seeks N100,000 minimum wage review, lauds Tinubu for subsidy removal

Kwara State Governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has called…

4 hours ago

2027: Jonathan emerges PDP faction’s presidential candidate

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has been adopted as the presidential candidate of a faction of…

5 hours ago

Liverpool sack Arne Slot, mull Bournemouth’s Iraola as new coach

Liverpool have parted ways with head coach Arne Slot with immediate effect following a review…

5 hours ago

This website uses cookies.