THE snub by German tactician Bruno Labbadia notwithstanding, the love for tacticians from that part of the world by the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) appears undying as another German is said to be having a pre-contract talk with a view to taking up the coaching job of the Super Eagles.
74-year-old Schäfer could be the man the NFF will eventually settle for after being jilted and disgraced by Bruno Labbadia.
It is said that while the Augustine Eguavoen-led technical crew was prosecuting the two Africa Cup of Nation (AFCON) qualifiers against Benin Republic and Rwanda, the NFF officials were still hunting for a foreign coach through their agents.
With a win and a draw against the Benin Republic and Rwanda, respectively, in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers, some Nigerians pleaded with the NFF to retain the present crop of Indigenous coaches and stop the search for a foreign coach.
Recall the search for a foreign coach commenced after the defeat of the Super Eagles by the Benin Republic in Abidjan in the 2026 World Cup qualifier. George Finidi led the team but decided to quit when reports filtered in that the NFF had decided to hire a foreigner to boss him.
Schafer played 403 Bundesliga matches and scored 46 goals in the old (West) German top flight.
He left Cameroun 20 years ago after handling Indomitable Lions for three years between 2001 and 2004.
He was in Thailand in 2011 and left two years later, precisely in 2013. He coached Jamaica between 2013 and 2016.
He started his coaching career with Borussia Monchengladbach between 1982 and 1986, handling the B Team of the Bundesliga club, and was later a scout to the senior team. He was at Karlsruher between 1986 and 1998 and VFB Stuttgart for just a few months in 1998.
The last time he was involved in coaching was three years ago when he handled Al-Khor of Qatar.
Winfried Anton Schäfer left Al-Khor of Qatar 36 months ago, and within the same year, he was employed. That was in 2021.
Eighteen-Eleven Media