Bruno Labbadia: 3 Demands That Made the German Tactician Pull Out of Super Eagles Job

• The Nigeria Football Federation recently announced that Bruno Labbadia would no longer be taking over as coach of the Super Eagles
• This comes days after the federation published a statement declaring the 58-year-old as the new coach of the senior men’s team
• A recent report detailing the reasons behind the sudden change in decision between both parties has surfaced

The Nigerian football community has been embroiled in confusion recently over the situation surrounding the Super Eagles' coaching role.

In the early hours of August 27, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) announced that it had reached an agreement with German tactician Bruno Labbadia, who was expected to take over as head coach of the Super Eagles immediately.

The federation followed this announcement by releasing the first squad list for the Super Eagles ahead of the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualification fixtures.

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The image of coach Labbadia was prominently featured, indicating that the selection of the 23-man squad was made with his consent and awareness.

However, by the evening of August 30, reports began to emerge that the veteran tactician was stepping away from what had become a widely publicised appointment as the Super Eagles coach.

The NFF responded to the swirling rumours with a press statement, explaining that the agreement fell through due to issues over a tax arrangement that had not been addressed during the contractual discussions.

However, a recent report from OwnGoalNigeria has further detailed key areas of the contractual terms that ultimately led coach Labbadia to withdraw from the Super Eagles job.

Reason Labbadia pulled out of Super Eagles job

According to the report, the veteran tactician's move to coach Nigeria fell through primarily due to three reasons, the first of which was the contract length.

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Contract Length

When the NFF announced the deal with Labbadia, they notably omitted key details, including the contract's duration. Reports indicate that the proposed contract was for approximately 10 months, which Labbadia felt was too short.

Additionally, the contract included a clause for an extension if he led the Super Eagles to the semi-finals of the next AFCON—terms that did not align with the expectations of the former Bayer Leverkusen manager.

Assistant coaches

Another factor that contributed to the breakdown of Labbadia’s deal with the NFF was the issue concerning his assistants. The German tactician was expected to bring three assistant managers with him to the Nigerian team. However, negotiations hit a snag over their pay structure.

In recent years, the football federation has preferred to compensate assistant managers on a per-game basis—a term that did not sit well with Labbadia, who intended to bring along a match analyst, a first assistant coach, and a physical trainer.

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Work location

Another key factor reported to have halted the deal to appoint Labbadia was the issue of his working location. The 58-year-old was keen on operating from his native Germany, while the NFF insisted that he work from Nigeria.

Labbadia had indicated that working from Europe would allow him to more effectively monitor and scout players for the Super Eagles.

Ijeh questions Labbadia's appointment

In another report by Legit.ng, former Super Eagles forward, Peter Ijeh, expressed concerns over the appointment of Labbadia.

The 42-year-old questioned what guarantees the veteran tactician could provide for the Nigerian team, especially given the precarious situation they face in the upcoming qualification fixtures.

Source: Legit.ng