NFF Deal With Bruno Labbadia Falls Through Due To Tax Complications.
The agreement between the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and Coach Bruno Labbadia to become the new Head Coach of the Super Eagles has been called off due to stringent tax regulations imposed by German authorities.
The NFF had initially reached an agreement in principle with Labbadia, but discussions were derailed when the issue of taxation arose. According to NFF President Ibrahim Musa Gusau, the German coach was adamant that the NFF should cover the entire tax burden on his salary, which could range from 32% to 40% of his agreed wages.
“We have been negotiating this tax issue for the past three days,” said Gusau. “There is no way the NFF can agree to offset such a large percentage of his salary for tax purposes. We were flexible in our discussions, but the financial implications were simply too significant.”
With Labbadia’s appointment now off the table, the NFF has turned to its Technical Director, Augustine Eguavoen, to lead the Super Eagles for their upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Benin Republic in Uyo on 7th September and Rwanda in Kigali on 10th September. This will mark Eguavoen’s fourth stint as the head of Nigeria’s senior men’s team, having previously managed the Super Eagles in 2005-2007, 2010, and 2022.
The NFF is expected to continue its search for a long-term solution to the Super Eagles’ coaching role following the conclusion of these qualifiers.
