Sven, Hoddle on Nigeria shortlist

Published Feb. 25, 2010 7:19 p.m. ET

foxsports

Former England managers Sven-Goran Eriksson and Glenn Hoddle are on a five-man shortlist to be the new coach of Nigeria.

Hoddle managed England at the 1998 World Cup, where they reached the last 16 before being knocked out on penalties by Argentina, who are Nigeria's first opponents at the 2010 World Cup.

Eriksson led England at the 2002 and 2006 finals, and was most recently employed as director of football at Notts County.

Nigeria Football Federation spokesman Ademola Olajire said: "We have five candidates and Glenn Hoddle is one of them. He took his turn (for interview) on Wednesday and we will make a decision on Friday evening."

Olajire confirmed Eriksson among the names of the four other candidates.

Nigeria have been without a coach since Shaibu Amodu was sacked shortly after his side's disappointing African Nations Cup campaign.

Olajire insisted the circumstances of Hoddle's dismissal from the England job did not concern the NFF.

Hoddle was sacked after comments he made about disabled people in a newspaper interview.

Olajire added: "Coaches are hired and fired at any time, it depends from one field to another, one society to another. We cannot judge people's competence against different professional environments.

"He took England to the World Cup round of 16 in 1998 and he was a very good player."

Bruno Metsu, the French coach who took Senegal to the World Cup quarter-finals in 2002, is also on the NFF's list along with former Sweden coach Lars Lagerback and former Ghana boss Ratomir Dujkovic, who took the Black Stars to the last 16 in 2006.

The decision of the NFF board is expected to be announced at 6pm GMT on Friday evening.

The Super Eagles have been without a coach since Shaibu Amodu was sacked following the team's third-placed finish at the African Nations Cup.

Eriksson's representative Athole Still confirmed the Swede had met with the NFF on Thursday and that they plan to stay in Nigeria until Saturday morning.

"We've looked around and studied all the potential of Nigeria," Still said.

"Sven met with the federation today. It was a general discussion rather than an interview I would say. We will see what happens."

Still said the NFF have not discussed the terms they are prepared to offer to the new coach, so it is unclear whether they are just looking for someone to lead the team in South Africa or for a more long-term appointment.

Eriksson, who coached Mexico during the qualifying stages of the 2010 World Cup, would relish a third crack at the World Cup after reaching the quarter-finals twice with England.

Still added: "The clear big attraction at this present moment is the World Cup, but also, if it went beyond that, there is the attraction of a country that has a population of almost 150 million and has hundreds of thousands of young players."