NFF Appoints Joseph Yobo As Super Eagles Assistant Coach

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has

appointed former Super Eagles defender and

captain Joseph Yobo as assistant coach of the

team.

 

The former Everton defender will replace

Imama Amapakabo in the technical crew of the

senior men’s national team.

 

He played for the Nigeria U-20 team, the Flying

Eagles – during the FIFA World Youth

Championship (now known as FIFA U20 World

Cup) in 1999.

 

The attack-minded defender won his first cap

for the senior team in an Africa Cup of Nations

qualifying match away to Zambia in Chingola in

April 2001 and played in three FIFA World Cup

finals in 2002, 2010 and 2014.

 

He also played in six Africa Cup of Nations

finals in 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010 and

2013, capping it with leading the Super Eagles

to their third continental title in South Africa in

2013. He played a total of 100 matches for

Nigeria at senior level.

 

A thoroughbred and dedicated professional who

played his club football in five countries,

including sterling appearances for Olympique

Marseille in the French top flight, Fenerbahce in

Turkey and Everton FC in the English

Premiership, Joseph Yobo scored several crucial

goals for the Super Eagles in important

qualifying matches for the FIFA World Cup and

the Africa Cup of Nations. He was also among

the scorers when the Eagles thrashed South

Africa’s Bafana Bafana 4-0 in a group phase

match in Tunisia 16 years ago.

 

Born Joseph Michael Yobo on 6th September

1980, the flamboyant stopper also played club

football in Belgium with Standard Liege,

Tenerife in Spain and Norwich City in England,

having started out with Michellin-Harcourt in

Rivers State in 1996.