Hoddle and Eriksson on Nigeria short list

Former England managers Sven-Goran Eriksson and Glenn Hoddle are on a five-man short list to be the new coach of Nigeria, a spokesman for the national federation has confirmed.

Hoddle managed England at the 1998 World Cup, where they reached the last 16 before being knocked out on penalties by Argentina, who are Nigeria's first opponents at the 2010 World Cup.

Eriksson led England at the 2002 and 2006 finals, and was most recently employed as director of football at Notts County.

Nigeria Football Federation spokesman Ademola Olajire told Press Association Sport: "We have five candidates and Glenn Hoddle is one of them. He took his turn (for interview) yesterday and we will make a decision tomorrow evening."

Olajire confirmed Eriksson among the names of the four other candidates.

Olajire insisted the circumstances of Hoddle's dismissal from the England job did not concern the NFF.

Hoddle was sacked after comments he made about disabled people in a newspaper interview.

Olajire added: "Coaches are hired and fired at any time, it depends from one field to another, one society to another. We cannot judge people's competence against different professional environments.

"He took England to the World Cup round of 16 in 1998 and he was a very good player."

Bruno Metsu, the French coach who took Senegal to the World Cup quarter-finals in 2002, is also on the NFF's list along with former Sweden coach Lars Lagerback and former Ghana boss Ratomir Dujkovic, who took the Black Stars to the last 16 in 2006.

The decision of the NFF board is expected to be announced at 6pm GMT tomorrow evening.

The Super Eagles have been without a coach since Shaibu Amodu was sacked following the team's third-placed finish at the African Nations Cup.