Newly appointed Super Falcons assistant coach Ayisat Yusuf has expressed delight at joining Nigeria’s senior women’s national team technical crew, revealing that the opportunity came after she had earlier applied unsuccessfully for the Flamingos head coaching position.
The former Nigeria international has now been handed an opportunity at senior national-team level, where she will work alongside interim head coach Augustine Eguavoen as the Super Falcons begin their qualification campaign for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
Yusuf confirmed that she had initially put herself forward for the vacant Nigeria U-17 women’s national team coaching role but was overlooked.
Rather than dwelling on that disappointment, the former Super Falcons defender is excited about the opportunity that has subsequently arrived and says she is ready to give her best for the country.
The Nigeria Football Federation appointed Eguavoen to lead the Super Falcons on an interim basis, with Christopher Danjuma serving as assistant coach, Olatunji Baruwa as goalkeeper trainer and Yusuf also joining the technical crew.
Their immediate assignment is Nigeria’s Olympic qualifying tie against Comoros, with both legs scheduled for the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne-Remo on October 9 and 13.
Nigeria received a bye into the second qualifying round, while Comoros advanced after overcoming Sudan in the opening round.
For Yusuf, the appointment represents another chapter in a long association with Nigerian women’s football.
The former defender represented the Super Falcons during her playing career and was part of Nigeria’s squad at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
She also enjoyed a lengthy club career that included spells in Nigeria and Scandinavia before moving into coaching after retirement.
Her return to the Super Falcons setup now comes in a different capacity, with the former international tasked with helping Eguavoen guide a team undergoing a period of transition.
The immediate objective is clear — put Nigeria firmly on the road towards qualification for Los Angeles 2028.
The Super Falcons returned to the Olympic stage at Paris 2024 following a 16-year absence, and the current squad will be determined to make consecutive appearances at the Games.
Yusuf knows the challenge of Olympic football from personal experience, and she is now eager to use that knowledge to help another generation of Nigerian players reach the global stage.
Missing out on the Flamingos position may have been a disappointment, but an unexpected opportunity has now opened at the highest level of Nigerian women’s football.
From applying to lead the U-17s to helping guide the Super Falcons, Yusuf is embracing her new assignment with one target firmly in sight — Los Angeles 2028.
