Shaibu earns Cup reward

Nigerian fans in Port Harcourt watch a fifth victory in a row for Shaibu

Nigeria coach Amodu Shaibu has earned an instant reward for his achievements with the Super Eagles by being told he will lead the team at next year's World Cup finals.

Shaibu has led the team to five wins in five games in World Cup and Nations Cup qualifying after initially being seen as a stop-gap when he took over from sacked Jo Bonfrere in April.

It is also a sign that the Nigerian Football Association are for once putting their faith in an indigenous coach rather than a foreigner.

Nigerian FA secretary-general Tijjani Yusuf confirmed the coach would be retained the day after a 3-0 win over Ghana in Port Harcourt secured their spot in Japan/South Korea.

"Amodu Shaibu and his assistants will be in charge of the Nigerian team to the 2002 African Nations Cup and World Cup finals," Yusuf told BBC Sport Online.

Locals good enough

"I'm not carried away by the euphoria of victory. By qualifying Nigeria for the World Cup, this is a statement that local coaches are good enough and we will not change the team's coaching crew again.

The three wise men: Keshi, Shaibu and Erico

"We've done enough experiments with foreigners as coaches of our national team," he added.

Nigeria have had 21 foreign coaches since the 1950's. Shaibu is the first Nigerian coach to take the national team to a World Cup finals.

Dutchman Clemens Westerhof qualified the Nigerians for their debut World Cup outing in 1994 in the United States, while Frenchman Phillipe Troussier was in charge when the side reached the 1998 finals in France.

World Cup qualification hopes this time were in tatters following a shock 1-0 defeat by Sierra Leone when Shaibu and his assistants, Stephen Keshi and Joe Erico, took over in April from the sacked Bonfrere.

Remarkable achievement

But they turned Nigeria's fortunes around with victories in their remaining qualifiers against Liberia, Sudan and Ghana for a third consecutive World Cup finals.

Bonfrere left in April after defeat by Sierra Leone

NFA vice-chairman Nwabufor Obiefor said: "You can say this is a remarkable achievement for Shaibu and his assistants. It won't be right to employ another foreigner as coach of our team.

"We're sticking with Shaibu and his assistants all through to the World Cup this time."

Apart from a 2002 World Cup spot, Shaibu's team has also booked a place at next year's 16-team African Nations Cup tournament, to be hosted by Mali between January 19 and February 10.

Yusuf said: "The Nations Cup will be a fitting testing ground for Shaibu and his assistants to prepare for the World Cup finals.

"But before then, we intend to send them on a coaching course to broaden their knowledge in the game."