‘It wasn’t about salary’ – Labbadia explains rejection of Super Eagles job

Following his rejection of the Super Eagles coaching role in August, German technician Bruno Labbadia has recently offered an explanation.

Recall that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) had officially announced the recruitment of the 58-year-old only for him to turned around three days after to reject the offer.

Labbadia, 58, said he needed time to concentrate and to have a feel of Nigeria before resuming the job, but the NFF made the announcement too quickly and that somewhat disorganised him.

He said: “I wanted to go abroad now. The basic premise for me was, i have to go to Nigeria to see everything firsthand.That didn’t happen anymore after it was announced“, Labbadia told Flatterball podcast.

Read Also: Labbadia makes U-turn, backs out of appointment as Super Eagles coach

“It wasn’t about the salary anymore either. There were several organizational issues, which were problematic. It then got worse and worse, so I didn’t have two days left to meet the national team. Then I pulled the reins because the feeling was getting worse and worse.

“I wanted to be in Nigeria four, five days ahead of time, before the players arrives, to look at the experiences.” That didn’t work.”

He added: “They were good conversations (with the NFF). And it matters to me: It was one and only my feeling that I didn’t have the time I needed to 100-percent concentration. That’s why I said goodbye.”

Meanwhile, the Nigerian team is currently being led by Austin Eguavoen on an interim basis. The NFF has said that a new substantial coach for the team will be recruited in due course.

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