The former Super Eagles winger also criticised what he called an outdated style used since 2002 and urged a plan involving all stakeholders.
Want our football coverage to show up first?
Add FootballInNigeria as a preferred source and our stories get a "Preferred" badge in your Google Top Stories, AI Overviews, and AI Mode results.
Former Super Eagles winger Emmanuel Amuneke says the team lost 3-0 to Guinea-Bissau on Tuesday because the players weren’t committed to the task. The Heartland head coach added his voice to the debate on the way forward for Nigeria’s national team.
He said everyone who comes into the national team must know he is “there for serious business” and that many people depend on him. Playing for a big club like Milan, he said, gives a player a privilege, but it doesn’t replace a winning mentality.
What He Wants Changed
Amuneke criticised what he called an outdated style used by the Super Eagles since 2002. He believes the current approach was adopted after the 2002 World Cup and hasn’t brought success.
That is a debatable claim. Nigeria won the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations and took bronze at the 2025 tournament in Morocco in that period.
He wants an end to the split between home-based and foreign based players, saying all players are the same wherever they come from. He pointed out that most of his generation, the 1994 AFCON and 1996 Olympic winners, came from the domestic league.
He also took a swipe at the way NPFL players are treated as not good enough for Super Eagles shirts. The Russia friendly squad includes NPFL-based players such as Michael Atata and Aderemi Adeoye. Fans who want to test their forecasts for Tuesday’s game can predict the Russia friendly on Super9ja.
A Plan, Not a Patchwork
Amuneke said the National Sports Commission’s recent reforms looked half-hearted to him. He called for a solid plan involving everyone who can contribute, with a stronger structure built on ideas from various stakeholders.
He asked a blunt question: do Nigerians really want to move forward, or will they keep the old method? He said someone should take real responsibility and that tougher competition for places should be created.
He wants young players given years to grow gradually, build confidence and step into the main team later. Condemning a player who hasn’t been given the chance to prove himself, he said, isn’t fair. Fans following the national team can check the YOHAIG Bet9ja sign-up deal before the next window.
Who Is Amuneke?
Amuneke won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations and the 1996 Olympic gold medal with Nigeria and was named African Footballer of the Year in 1994. He later played for Barcelona.
Amuneke has coached Heartland since August 2024, after the Imo club were relegated from the NPFL.
As a coach, he led Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets to the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup and took Tanzania to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. He was Augustine Eguavoen’s assistant with the Super Eagles in 2022. New bettors following the national team can read the Bet9ja promo code in plain English.
Will the debate lead to action? Nigeria play Russia on Tuesday, October 6, then face Tanzania in a November double-header.
📌 Did You Know?
- Tanzania’s qualification for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations under Amuneke ended a wait of almost 40 years.
- Heartland won four consecutive league titles from 1987 to 1990.
- Amuneke worked as a consultant for Heartland and oversaw open player trials before becoming head coach.
- He began his coaching career in Spain, where he obtained his licences and coached youth teams.
- He previously served as a director at Zanaco FC in Zambia.
- In 2024, he was linked with the Super Eagles head coach job, which went to Finidi George.
