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The Nigeria
Football Federation will today decide conditions and emoluments for a
new coach for the Super Eagle when the board meets in Abuja to discuss
issues regarding the federation elections, which are enmeshed in
controversies.

Since last week,
reports have been rife that former U-20 and U-23 coach, Samson Siasia
would be named to replace the Swede, Lars Lagerback as Eagles coach.
Lagerback failed to negotiate a new contract after his deal with
Nigeria lapsed last month.

Meanwhile, a source
within the football federation indicated that the board might decide to
leave the decision of hiring a coach for the country’s national team to
the incoming board of the federation.

“We have the NFF
election to organise and we are doing that to the best of our ability.
For now Siasia’s deal will be sealed by the new NFF board” the source
said.

The Maigari-led
board came into power with the impeachment of erstwhile president Sani
Lulu alongside three other executives of the board on July 4 and have
just a few days to the expiration of its tenure.

“The newly elected
board into the NFF would solely have the responsibility to appoint the
new coach for the Super Eagles” the source continued.

Earlier negotiations

The board had
earlier engaged itself in negotiations with the Beijing Olympics silver
winning coach with the only grey area being the pay packet.

While Siasia tabled
a demand of 15 million naira which he later reduced to 12 million, the
Federation was only willing to part with N2 million alongside a car and
a house.

The expectation of
football fans is that both sides will reach a compromise in which
Siasia could come on board so has to start preparation for the
country’s 2012 Nation’s Cup qualifying match slated for September.

Siasia had earlier
hinted of his willingness to reduce his asking price while also stating
he would not accept peanuts for the job.

“Of course I am not
saying they must pay the 12 million naira; we can negotiate and come to
an agreement but I won’t take peanuts,” he insisted.

Siasia argued that
he needs quality back room staff to complement his efforts and also a
good pay packet to avoid the temptation of being bribed by players.

“When the players
know I am well paid they won’t be coming with five thousand dollars or
whatever to come and bribe me,” he said.

With the deal now
inconclusive, current assistant coach Austin Equavoen is still expected
to pilot the affairs of the team having only recently led the Eagles
against South Korea in a friendly match which Nigeria lost 2-1.
Equavoen was reported to have accepted the offer to coach the country’s
Olympic team.

The last coach of
the Eagles, Lars Lagerback was given 1.5 million dollars for five
months to take charge of the team. And though he was given a semi final
target at the World Cup, the Eagles failed to make it beyond the first
round.