Michael Nsien Explains Why He Should Be Appointed Super Eagles Coach

Nigerian-born American tactician, Michael Nsien, believes that he has what it takes to be the head coach of the Nigerian Super Eagles.

The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) are seriously hunting for a new head coach for the Super Eagles of Nigeria, as they have been accepting applicants from all walks of life.

Michael Nsien has also applied to succeed Portuguese tactician Jose Peseiro, who announced his departure from the team on March 1, a day after his contract with the NFF expired.

Recall that Peseiro led the Super Eagles to a second-place finish at the 2023 AFCON, and reports claimed that most team players wanted him to continue in his role. However, reports claimed that the two parties couldn’t agree on a salary structure, and hence, the contract extension talks crashed.

This left NFF with no choice but to advertise for his replacement, and Michael Nsien, currently the U.S. men’s Under-19 national team coach, believes he is the right man for the job.

Nsien was raised in the United States and had an active football career that lasted from 1999 to 2003. During this period, he played as a fullback for the University of Dayton. He scored nine goals in 73 games in all competitions before he retired.

Unlike ex-internationals like Emmanuel Amuneke and George Finidi, who are also said to be queuing for the job, Michael Nsien didn’t break into the international scene until his retirement.

He has served as an assistant coach at the US-based Tulsa Roughnecks and as the club’s head coach since December 2018.

Michael Nsien, whose ancestral home is Eket in Akwa Ibom State, became the head coach of the United States Under-16 men’s national team in 2022, and he is now the head coach of the Under-19 team.

“I am the best of both worlds. As a Nigerian-American, I have a passion for the Super Eagles, I also know the responsibilities that come with that position as head coach. I have experience working in an environment that spares no expense in technology, has top scouting infrastructure, and coaching collaboration from top to bottom”, the Punch quoted the 43-year-old American tactician as saying.

He added, “I know where we are at in Nigerian football and I know the gap that exists. I can bridge the gap and help us reach the level that we should be at in world football. It’s time to change course and move forward. I want to put smiles on the faces of our people.”