Festus Onigbinde is clearly a man who enjoys a challenge. Not only was he given just three months to mould Nigeria into a team capable of challenging at the World Cup finals, but he inherits a side renowned for harbouring huge egos amid the undoubted talent.

Kanu is the man to drag Nigerian football away from the self-destruct button threatening to detonate their chances of success in this summer’s Far East football extravaganza.

Arsenal striker Kanu has warned England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson to write off Nigeria at his peril ahead of their World Cup clash next month.

Festus Onigbinde has been appointed as the new coach of Nigeria, one of England’s World Cup opponents.