The
Nigeria Football Federation’s (NFF) search for a new
Super Eagles coach is set to hit a snag, with Barcelona
currently courting one of the leading candidates for the job.
Nigeria have been without a substantive head coach
following the exit of Jose Peseiro, who led the Super Eagles to a
runners-up finish at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2024) in
Ivory Coast.
The NFF subsequently advertised the vacant role in March,
encouraging interested coaches to apply for the job. However, the
Federation appointed Finidi George as a caretaker manager for last
month’s international friendlies against Ghana and Mali.
Recent reports suggest the NFF has narrowed down its list of
applicants to a final shortlist, which is said to include
ex-Nigeria international Emmanuel Amuneke, Spanish tactician
Domenec Torrent and Portuguese manager Toni Conceicao.
Torrent, who has previously managed New York City, Flamengo and
Galatasaray, could however, be ruled out of the race in light of
strong interest from La Liga giants Barcelona.
Barcelona want to make Domenec Torrent
Xavi’s assistant
Barcelona were resigned to losing manager Xavi after
the former midfielder announced that he’ll be stepping down from
his post at the end of the current season. Xavi’s shocking
announcement came in January, forcing the club into the search for
a new manager.
However, Xavi held talks with Barcelona’s hierarchy on
Wednesday, after which he rescinded his decision and decided to
stay and honour the remainder of his contract until June 2025.
Sport
“Xavi wants to develop his project that is being forged with the
young people who are coming up. I am very happy about its
continuity. Deco trusts Xavi 100%. This season I am left with the
enthusiasm that we have awakened in the culer fans,”
Barcelona vice-president Rafa Yuste said afterwards, as quoted by
Barca Blaugranes.
“Losing must have consequences, yes, but with nuances. We have
competed and the game has been improved. With Xavi there is
friendship and we are culers. We want to make history again,
and we will. This project continues, above all, with people from
home.”
Barca Universal, however, reports that the agreement to stay on
comes with some conditions from sporting director Deco, who wants
Xavi to remove his brother, Oscar Hernandez, as the assistant
manager. The report suggests Deco wants Torrent to work with Xavi
as Barcelona’s assistant coach for next season. Torrent previously
worked with Pep Guardiola when he managed the Spanish giants and
was the latter’s number 2 during his spells at Bayern Munich and
Manchester City.
Barcelona approach could
complicate Super Eagles’ hopes of landing
Torrent
It remains to be seen whether Xavi would be willing to fire his
brother and work instead with Torrent, who remains on the radar of
the NFF for the vacant Super Eagles coaching role. The 61-year-old
also has a big decision to make over whether to return to being an
assistant or continue carving his own path as a head
coach.
Sport
Torrent won so much as Guardiola’s deputy but hasn’t achieved
much success since becoming his own man. He spent just a year at
New York City in the Major League Soccer (MLS), and was in charge
of Brazilian side Flamengo for just three months before being
sacked.
Torrent later joined the Turkish club Galatasaray in January
2022 but was again relieved of his post after six months and has
been without a job for the last one-and-a-half years. Until now, he
was only focused on becoming the next Nigeria head coach but
Barcelona’s approach, although dependent on Xavi’s approval, could
turn his head.
Should the former Girona boss decide to return to Barcelona in
the capacity of an assistant, then the NFF would have to quickly move on to
other alternatives, especially with the 2026 FIFA World Cup
qualifiers coming up in June.
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