Vogts is a former coach of Germany and Scotland

German coach Berti Vogts has been appointed as the new boss of Nigeria's Super Eagles.

The 60-year-old takes over from local coach Austin Eguavoen, who has been at the helm for the past two years.

According to the Nigeria Football Association (NFA), Vogts, who led Germany to the 1996 European Cup, beat Frenchman Philippe Troussier to the job.

"After a long week of hard work and deep discussion, we are pleased to announce that Berti Vogts has agreed to coach our national side," NFA chairman Sani Lulu told BBC Sport on Monday.

"We have entered a memorandum of understanding with him and other details of the contract will be made public very soon.

NFA is seeking to revive the fortunes of the national team after recent setbacks.

The Super Eagles, who finished third at the African Nations Cup last year, failed to qualify for the World Cup in Germany in June.

"The most important thing is that we have found the person to take our football to the next level," Lulu said.

606 DEBATE: Is Vogts the right man for the job?

Vogts, whose last job as manager of the Scottish national side ended in a sack, is expected to take charge of the Super Eagles starting with their 2008 African Cup of Nations qualifier against Uganda in March.

Lulu says despite keen interest from former Nigerian coach Philippe Troussier, Vogts previous achievements were too good to be ignored.

"He has a very strong track record, he won the World Cup with Germany as assistant coach to Franz Beckenbeur.

"Vogts also won the European Cup with Germany in 1996 and such a landmark put him miles above others," Lulu added.

Former international defender Eguavoen, who has been caretaker boss since June 2005, is expected to assist the new foreign coach.

It has been a long drawn chase by Nigeria for an expatriate coach since Dutchman Jo Bonfrere was dismissed in April 2001.

In the past six years, the poor finances of the NFA and government interferences have scuttled the drive to hire a foreign coach.

Troussier, who qualified Nigeria for the 1998 World Cup in France, declined the job in July 2005 after insisting that the Eagles did not stand a chance of overtaking group leaders Angola in the qualifying tournament for the 2006 World Cup.

Former England World Cup star Bryan Robson was also appointed coach by the NFA on the eve of the 2004 African Nations Cup in Tunisia only for the country's sports ministry to veto the appointment.

Nigeria's biggest glories in international football have all been achieved under foreign coaches.

Bonfrere was in charge when the country became the first African team to win Olympic soccer gold in 1996 while compatriot Clemens Westerhof led the Eagles to a second Nations Cup triumph in Tunisia in 1994.