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Indications emerged on Wednesday that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is condering hiring West Ham manager Sam Allardyce as Super Eagles coach should contract talks with Stephen Keshi fail.
A report by The Sun on Wednesday suggested that the NFF was tracking Big Sam, as Allardyce is fondly called. Recall that Minister of Sports had also charged the NFF to get a world class foreign coach if the need to hire a foreign coach arose.
Hiring Allardyce may not be difficult afterall because of Delta FA chairman, Austin Okocha’s influence in the NFF as well as his working relationship with Amaju Pinnick. Allardyce was coach to Okocha when he duo were coach and player respectively at Bolton Wanderers.
There has however been no report of interest from Allardyce camp.
NFF vice president, Seyi Akinwunmi, had said two weeks ago that the glass house had a plan B if the unending talks with Keshi collapsed. Daniel Amokachi has been in temporary charge since the end of last year but the NFF officials are expected to appoint a substantive coach before the African Nations Championship qualifiers begin in June.
Allardyce, 60, is also been considered to take up the vacant position at Sunderland while he is also wanted at Queens Park Rangers. It is believed that he may be set to leave West Ham in the summer, with his role in the East London club under threat and his contract expiring.