Eguavoen, who is due to meet with the acting Secretary-General of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme, on his future with the national team and the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, now in doubt, said he was stunned when he heard the news on radio.

“I am really unhappy with this situation particularly with just a few days to our match against Guinea. But I will speak to the football federation Secretary-General, Dr Ikpeme, about the situation. It is after that that I can be sure of what next to do because this is not an encouraging situation for us, the coaches and even the players. We, the coaches and players, are waiting and hoping that the crisis comes to an end very soon so that we can return to international football,” he told journalists in Abuja.

He further said the reactions of Nigerians have shocked him the more, as so many of his countrymen are delighted over FIFA’s sanction on the West African nation.

Eguavoen, 45, said he will discuss with the NFF scribe to know the true situation of things before he decides on what to do in this period of non-activity for the country’s national team.

The former KV Kortrijk defender hopes that the crisis that has engulfed Nigerian football since the country’s ouster from the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa this year will come to an end soon.

Some observers of Nigerian football have noted that the FIFA sanction, coming on the heels of Nigeria’s celebrations of 50 years of independence is not a good birthday gift to the country.