Former Sweden national team coach Janne Andersson has confirmed that he is in discussions with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) regarding the vacant Super Eagles head coach position.
The 61-year-old, who has been without a coaching job since leaving his post with Sweden in November last year, is now emerging as a strong contender for the Nigerian role.
The Super Eagles have been without a permanent head coach since Finidi George departed two months ago.
Recent reports suggested that Andersson was in the running for the position, and the experienced tactician has now verified these claims in an interview with Expressen.
“I can confirm that I have had a dialogue with the Nigeria Football Federation. It’s a huge footballing nation so I’m extremely flattered to be in the running to be their next national team captain. Dialogue is ongoing and I don’t really want to say more than that,” Andersson said.
He added, “I have been in this industry for so long and know that things can happen in different ways. So we’ll see what happens in the future.”
When pressed on whether anything was finalized, Andersson remained cautious, saying, “There is nothing that is clear at the moment. We’ll see.”
Also read: Hat-trick hero Chuba Akpom credits perseverance despite Ajax struggles
Reports had suggested that Andersson would only be available from mid-September due to “private reasons,” which coincidentally aligns with the conclusion of his participation in a sailing program on Kanal 5. However, Andersson dismissed these claims.
“It doesn’t add up. It has never been relevant now. I’m very flattered by the contact and then we’ll see what happens,” he said.
The Super Eagles begin their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers at home against Benin Republic on September 7, before travelling to Rwanda for their second game against their hosts three days later.