Many woke up on Tuesday morning to the shock announcement of a certain 58-year-old German, Bruno Labbadia, as the new manager of Nigeria’s flagship soccer team, the Super Eagles, by the country’s football federation.
Many were quick to ask: “Bruno who”? Where on earth did he come from? What is this stranger’s pedigree in the world of football?
Nobody in his right senses will be surprised at these kinds of questions in a soccer-mad nation like Nigeria where the passion for the round leather game is second only to that of Brazil.
While Labbadia may not be a household name in the world of football, he is not a novice either. His records as a player and manager in the German Bundesliga, one of the top five leagues in Europe, speak for him.
Afterall, he is not called a “firefighter” in his homeland for nothing.
The two-cap German international was a prolific striker in his playing days where he mustered over 200 goals in a distinguished career that took him to Arminia Bielefeld and Bayern Munich, among others.
As a manager, Labbadia handled some of Germany’s biggest clubs, including Bayer Leverkusen, Hamburger SV, and VfL Wolfsburg with moderate success.
After more than two months of suspense and horse-trading, the journeyman has been handed the reign of the three-time African champions. Naomisophyblog highlights below five things that may have endeared him to the NFF
· Tactical flexibility
Throughout his storied career, Labbadia forged a reputation as a manager with the capability to tailor his tactics to suit his squad’s strengths.
READ ALSO:BREAKING: NFF appoints German Bruno Labbadia as Super Eagles head coach
He has demonstrated the unique ability to shift between different formations and playing styles in a tough and demanding league like the Bundesliga
· Familiarity with Osimhen
The 58-old was the African Footballer of the Year, Victor Osimhen‘s first manager in Europe. He was in charge when VFL Wolfsburg signed the then 16-year-old after his exploits at the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
He nurtured the now-established Super Eagles’ number-one striker and tried to develop his all-round game by taking advantage of his speed and physical attributes.
· Records at top clubs
Labbadia’s ability to take teams through difficult periods and achieve results points to his competence at the highest levels of the game.
This will be required in the Nigerian national team who are presently short of confidence and in danger of missing the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.
· A no-nonsense manager
Although an excellent manager, Labbadia is a disciplinarian who will bring sanity to the Super Eagles. He will also command the respect of the players who are aware of his records as a prolific striker and one of the best in the trade during his playing days.
· Squad depth
The new manager’s influence in the German soccer circle will ensure that Nigerian-eligible players in the Bundesliga get the chance to don the country’s Green-and-White shirt.
This will ensure healthy competition for shirts in the team and improve the squad depth.
However, the coming months will determine if the engagement of the experienced German is a masterstroke or another expensive gamble by the NFF.
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