'Social media will not pick a new coach for us'

Suggestions that a manager-less African giant already has a new coach lined up have now been strongly refuted.

Ex-Super Eagles star and Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Technical Committee member Victor Ikpeba has insisted that the national side needs to rid itself of tribalism in order to achieve better results. 

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The footballing body's hunt for a new manager comes after its contract with Portuguese manager Jose Peseiro expired at the end of February after he led the team to the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. 

Reports suggest that the NFF is currently reviewing applications for its vacant managerial positions, after the window to apply was said to have closed on Tuesday, 12 March. 

It has also been rumoured that the association already has a preferred candidate, but Ikpeba has suggested that this is far from the case. 

"If the NFF had an anointed candidate, they would not have thrown open the selection. They would have quickly named such a coach and nothing would have happened," he said, per SCORENigeria.  

"Social media will not pick a coach for Nigeria. There is a lot that has to be considered before you appoint a coach, you have to go beyond what many see or think.

"It is not the colour of the skin of a coach that should be considered. We deserve a coach who will get us results.

"Tribalism is one of the biggest problems in Nigeria. Can a local coach be above this problem?

"Yes, football unites the country, but we are a country of many tribes and whether we like it or not, we are often inclined to favour those from our tribes.

"We first won the AFCON with a Brazilian (Otto Gloria), we then won it with another foreigner (Clemens Westerhof),