Coach Stephen Keshi is now in pole position to lead hosts Equatorial Guinea in the 2015 AFCON after the island-country did not renew the contract of the Spaniard Andoni Goikoetxea.
Media reports now suggest that Keshi, who has yet to be given a new contract by Nigeria after it ran out after the World Cup in Brazil, is ahead of former Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac to lead the AFCON hosts at the tournament, which gets underway on January 17.
Keshi is the front runner, according to Afrik-Foot, and has reopened serious talks with Equatorial Guinea football association.
This discussion is believed to have been the reason Goikoetxea was axed.
‘Big Boss’ was at the draw for AFCON 2015 in Equatorial Guinea late last year to spark off speculations about his future.
He led Nigeria to win the 2013 AFCON in South Africa, but he failed to qualify the same team for this year’s tournament with top coaches and the majority of the fans demanding he walk away from the Super Eagles.
It is believed that his main backer is a member of the First Family in oil-rich Equatorial Guinea.
Both he and his agent have long claimed the AFCON hosts are keen on offering the coach a contract.
The Nzalang National, who are currently in Portugal preparing for the Nations Cup, are yet to announce a final squad for the competition.