Former Nigeria international Sani Kaita has formally entered the race to become head coach of the Golden Eaglets, Footynaija reports.
Nigeria’s football authorities recently opened applications for several national youth-team positions as part of a wider restructuring programme led by the Nigeria Football Federation, following a difficult period for age-grade football.
The U-17 side, historically one of the most decorated youth teams in world football, has failed to qualify for recent major tournaments, including consecutive editions of the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
Kaita believes his experience as both a former international player and youth developer makes him ready for the challenge.
“I can confirm that I have applied for the U-17 coaching job,” he told ThisDay. “It is time for me to share my expertise and develop our youth players within a positive, high-performance environment.
“I have spent the last few years working specifically with young players, focusing on player development and success,” he noted.
“I am confident in my ability and promise to assemble a team that Nigerians will be proud of.”
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Kaita’s playing career provides strong credentials. He first rose to prominence with Nigeria’s Flying Eagles at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2005, where Nigeria finished as runners-up. That performance launched a professional journey across Europe, including spells with AS Monaco and Sparta Rotterdam, alongside stints at Lokomotiv Moscow, Metalist Kharkiv, Iraklis, Enyimba, and RoPS.
He also represented the Super Eagles and was part of Nigeria’s silver-medal squad at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, experiences he believes shaped his leadership philosophy.
Currently involved with youth development at Hellenic FC, Kaita says his focus is firmly on nurturing young talent rather than short-term results.
