Ndubuisi Egbo who previously managed KF Tirana, has revealed his dream of winning the World Cup with Nigeria national team.
The 47-year-old made Africa proud when he guided Tirana to win the Albanian league in the 2019-20 season. And he also qualified them to the Champions League. Egbo has thus become the first African coach to do so in Europe.
Currently without a job, Egbo has now expressed his readiness to coach the Super Eagles when the opportunity comes. And he has set his target for the West African side.
“Like I have said in many interviews, it is like a military service that you do for your country. When you are called upon you don’t have any choice, unless I’m in a contract with another team. And it is difficult to go away from there.” Egbo told Punch.
“I’m always open to help my country because I’m a dreamer. And I always want `to achieve something to fulfil those dreams that I had.
“I always remember what Pele said that he dreamt that one day an African country would win the World Cup. I’m seeing Nigeria winning the World Cup.
“That is one of the dreams I want to achieve for my continent. I will do my maximum best not only to make Nigerian football but African football move ahead.
“Just like how Pitso Mosimane of South Africa is doing, he won with Sundowns and then went to Egypt and won the Caf Champions League with Al Ahly.
“Those are the things that we need to be doing to move African football up. Al Ahly is the club of the century in the whole world and that is something coming from Africa. I’ve won one trophy on a continent, why not win the World Cup or at least get to the final first of all.”
The highly respected manager also bemoans a lack of support to Nigerian coaches by their employers. He cites the example of Sunday Oliseh, who was not given the needed time while in charge of the West African side. As he was in sharp contrast to the current coach Gernot Rohr who is enjoying a second spell despite his inability to win a single trophy for the side.
“We need to start giving our own coaches the opportunities to prove their talents and also time. Because we will make mistakes in the beginning and we will learn.
“Just like they are giving opportunities and time to [Super Eagles coach] Gernot Rohr. After five years he has not won any major trophy. And he is still there. But Emmanuel Amuneke and Sunday Oliseh were not given enough time.” He regretted.
In November, the Super Eagles laboured to back-to-back draws against lowly-rated Sierra Leone in the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. Result that resulted in high criticism on Rohr’s performances.