Lemerre keen on Eagles job

Roger Lemerre, former coach of France, Tunisia and Morocco, has stated his willingness to manage the Super Eagles of Nigeria if offered the job.

Amodu Shuaibu and his backroom staff will guide the team through the next two Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers in November then give way to a foreign coach to be appointed by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

Lemerre, who won the 2004 edition of AFCON, said he’s the right man for the job.

“I’m ready to work as Super Eagles coach,” Lemerre told sl10.ng.

“I’m a keen lover of Nigeria football, I’ve studied the Eagles and I must say the potential in that country is enormous.

“I want to work with Nigeria because they are the number one country in Africa and have what it takes to rule the world.”

Lemerre assisted Aime Jacquet in the French team’s 1998 World Cup victory, which paved the way for him to take over as the national coach, winning Euro 2000 co-hosted by the Netherlands and Belgium.

He was fired in 2002 after France suffered a first-round exit in the Korea-Japan FIFA World Cup.

Tunisia soon hired him.

Lemerre guided them to victory in the African Nations Cup in 2004 and led them to qualification for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.

He was sacked in February 2008 following the team’s exit from the 2008 AFCON in the quarter-finals.

Lemerre was named the new head coach of Morocco national team in May 2008.

He was fired on July 9, 2009, for disappointing results.

He currently manages Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 club, Etoile du Sahel.