COACH Abdu Maikaba has dismissed reports suggesting that he has already been appointed head coach of Nigeria’s men’s U-20 national team, the Flying Eagles.
News Point Nigeria reports that Maikaba, who previously handled Wikki Tourists, said although he applied for the position, he has not received any official communication from the Nigeria Football Federation confirming his appointment.
Speaking with journalists, the coach stressed that the reports circulating about his appointment were premature.
“I have applied but nobody has told me that I have got the job officially,” he said.
The clarification comes as the NFF Technical Committee continues to review applications for several national team coaching positions across different age-grade teams.
As part of the ongoing restructuring, the federation recently approved a new backroom staff for the Flamingos, Nigeria’s U-17 women’s national team, with Akeem Busari leading the technical crew.
Similarly, Moses Aduku has been appointed as head coach of the Falconets, Nigeria’s women’s U-20 team.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that former Super Eagles stars Samson Siasia and Daniel Amokachi are among the leading contenders for the national U-23 coaching position ahead of preparations for the qualifiers for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Nigeria, which won football gold at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games and later secured bronze at the Rio 2016 Olympics, has failed to qualify for the tournament since the Rio outing.
The race for the Golden Eaglets coaching position is also said to be gathering momentum, with several coaches reportedly under consideration.
Among those linked with the role are Shola Adegun, Olumide Ajibolade, Eboboritse Uwejamomere, and former Super Eagles midfielder Sani Kaita.
Adegun and Ajibolade are widely recognised for their developmental work at Sporting Lagos Academy and Beyond Limits Football Academy, while Uwejamomere has previously worked with the Super Eagles as a match performance analyst.
The search for a new Golden Eaglets coach comes amid growing concern over the team’s recent struggles, with Nigeria five-time winners of the FIFA U-17 World Cup failing to qualify for the tournament in two consecutive attempts.
The Nigeria Football Federation is expected to make official announcements regarding the various coaching appointments in the coming days.