Is New Super Eagles Coach Jan Olof Andersson The Best Choice To Lead Nigeria to Success?

Afrofooty can exclusively confirm that former coach of Sweden Jan Olof ‘Janne’ Andersson will be most unexpected new coach of the Super Eagles.

The 61 years old strategist, planner and tactician was coach of Sweden between 2016 and 2023.

He qualified Sweden to the 2018 World Cup as well as the 2020 Euros, but failed to qualify them for the 2022 World Cup as well as the 2024 Euros.

He has no working experience in Africa.

His immediate assignment will be qualifying Nigeria for next year's Afcon before turning his attention to reviving the West Africans' flailing World Cup hopes from next February.

Lack of experience in working in Africa is an immediate disadvantage of this appointment. Also, recent failures to qualify his country for major tournaments is an obvious red flag.

That said, he started pretty well with Sweden, qualifying them for two major tournaments where they reached the knockout stages.

He also plays a formation traditional to Nigeria and at home with the fans in 4-4-2 double 6 which should take advantage of our dashing wingers and deadly strikers. Perhaps this factor endeared him to some old school stakeholders of Nigerian football who long to see the Super Eagles thrive under this sort of arrangement.

Andersson is hungry for success after the later part of his contract with Sweden when sour.

He is no doubt a high profile coach having once been named the 14th best coach in world football.

I genuinely think he is a marquee appointment. With a stature, background and experience worthy of leading a prestigious team like the Super Eagles, this coach ticks the right boxes.

That said, his handling of the back-to-back Afcon qualifiers will set the tone as to whether or not he actually turned out to be an inspired choice.