Enyeama hints at joining Eagles technical crew

Enyeama hints at joining Eagles technical crew

Former Super Eagles captain and goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama, has dropped a cryptic message on Instagram hinting that he could join the technical crew of the national team when the camp opens on Tuesday (today) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Enyeama made this known on Monday when he reacted to a post about the team’s AFCON preparations on the official Instagram account of the Super Eagles.

They will begin a one-week training camp on Tuesday (today) that will last until January 9.

He wrote, “Let’s go, See you in camp. Time for business.”

Enyeama joins the list of former Super Eagles goalkeepers Alloy Agu and Ike Shorunmu who were appointed goalkeeper trainers of the national team.

His appointment also comes two months after the 42-year-old spoke about how he was poorly treated by the Nigeria Football Federation, leading to his retirement from the team.

The former Lille goalkeeper said he was deeply hurt by the treatment he received from the national team but has moved on from holding any grudges.

Enyeama said in an interview with HotSports, “Sincerely, I have not been following Nigerian football right from the day I left.

“With due respect, I was treated like a piece of used material, so I put up a block between me and the national team.

“It is now that I am beginning to follow what is going on but I put a stop to watching football or watching the national team.

“I was deeply hurt but now I am really at ease. I have moved, I’ve changed chapters, I’ve changed the page.

“This is it, I can’t say much about the national team and the goalkeeping and all of that because I am not watching them.”

Enyeama made his debut for the Eagles in May 2002 and went on to make 101 appearances for the national team, winning the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa.

The 41-year-old is Nigeria’s most successful goalkeeper after playing in five Nations Cup tournaments – in 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2013 – and was part of the Nigeria squad at the 2002, 2010 and 2014 World Cup tournaments.

The Eagles with Enyeama in goal, last won the AFCON title – their third, 11 years ago in South Africa after defeating Burkina Faso by a lone goal in the final.

He retired from the national team in 2015 after a row with former coach Sunday Oliseh.

The Eagles, in their quest for a fourth continental title, will take on Equatorial Guinea on January 14 in their first match of Group A, before further clashes with host nation Ivory Coast four days later. Their final group A game is against Guinea Bissau on January 22.

Nigeria, who will be participating in the Africa Cup of Nations for the 20th time, were champions as hosts in 1980, triumphant in Tunisia in 1994 and crowned winners in South Africa in 2013.