Former Nigerian international Victor Ikpeba has urged Nigerians to rally round new Super Eagles head coach George Finidi as the team hopes to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Recall that on Monday, the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) handed Finidi the job after the departure of former coach, Jose Peseiro in February.
However, Finidi’s immediate task will be to guide the Super Eagles to victory in two 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against South Africa and Benin Republic in Uyo and Abidjan, respectively, in a little over five weeks.
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Speaking on Monday Night Football on Super Sports, the Atlanta Olympic gold medalist urged Nigerians to support him in his quest to qualify the Super Eagles for the World Cup.
“What I want to say to our fans and stakeholders, Finidi George, is that Nigeria has to be at the next World Cup in America, Mexico, and Canada.
“In the upcoming matches against South Africa and Benin in June, Nigeria faces crucial fixtures that could define our World Cup aspirations.
“We find ourselves in a challenging position having drawn our initial qualifiers, so securing victories in the upcoming games is imperative. With the talents at our disposal, if Finidi can extract the best from the players, qualification is within our reach.”
The Super Eagles are set to face South Africa on June 7 in Uyo, followed by a clash against Benin in Abidjan two days later.
5 Comments
After making a dumb ass decision which u know in your very heart will backfire in the long run, you now want everybody to rally behind him. How can u rally behind a rookie pilot on his first flight on an aircraft that is already worn out? That’s absurd! So, u want us to rally behind a man whose cv is scanty like a kindergarten exercise book, a man with zero experience in coaching a national team, not even an under 17 cadet team? Not possible. Very soon, the chicks would come to roost and then you’d realize the level of damage u people have already done. You don’t give a damn about the progress of the team, all you know are your pockets and your smelly evil interests. As an ex international, i expected u to bring your experience and professionalism to the table whilst eschewing nepotism and sentiments but your chose to go the way of stupidity and irrationality. You guys are on your own. You put him there, you do the rallying yourselves and leave nigerians out of your matter.
NFF SHOULD HAVE EMPLOY A COACH THAT IS HIGHLY TECHNICAL & CAN BE RESPECTED BY PLAYERS.
THE REASON WHY SOME EX-PLAYERS AND SOME PRESENT SUPER EAGLE PLAYERS ARE IN SUPPORT OF INDIGENOUS COACH(especially Finidi) IS BECAUSE THAT, IT WILL BE VERY EASY FOR THEM TO PENETRATE IN HIM, CONTROLLING HIM & DICTATING TO HIM WHEN IT COMES TO PLAYERS SELECTION, WHICH IT CANNOT BE POSSIBLE ON FOREIGN COACH. ALSO, IT WILL BE VERY EASY TO DO BUSINESS BY INTRODUCING PLAYERS TO INDIGENOUS COACH AFTER COLLECTING BRIBE FROM SUCH BE PLAYERS.
** NOTE: We should not be deceiving ourselves in this country because of the way things work for other countries (e.g. Democracy work well in America, S/Africa, Ghana but it doesn’t work well in Nigeria).
THE WAY THINGS WORK FOR COACH H. SHEHATA(EGYPT), COACH ALIOU CISSE(SENEGAL) BY WINNING AFCON FOR THEIR COUNTY (and also qualified for next AFCON easily) MAY NOT WORK IN NIGERIA DUE TO CORRUPTION, IMPROPER PLANNING, LACK OF STRUCTURES, BAD MANAGEMENT.
IN NIGERIA, WE ARE TOO RELIGIONISTIC, REGIONISTIC, TRIBALISTIC & SENTIMENTAL.
EVEN when Keshi won AFCON in 2013, he failed woefully to qualified for next AFCON due to bad management(Pinnick VS Giwa), sentiment, jealous, hatred towards some players (e.g. Yobo, I.K. uche, V.moses).
**** NFF SHOULD GO FOR THE BEST COACH.***
What matters most is to move our football forward & not celebrating FLUKE WINNING again. We struggle/manage to beat CIV by penalty in group stage. But E/guinea beat CIV 4-0 convincingly.
*** KESHI WON AFCON IN 2013, BUT WE CANNOT BOAST OF PLAYERS, THE TEAM FOR THE FUTURE (for instance: Sunday MBA, Uzoenyi, Oshaniwa, Agbim are nowhere to be found in future football). AND NIGERIA FAILED TO QUALIFIED FOR NEXT TWO CONSECUTIVE AFCON.
WHAT A SHAME!!!!
**** WESTERHOF WIN AFCON IN 1994, BUT NIGERIA CAN BOAST OF FUTURE FOOTBALL (for instance: Oliseh, Okocha, Amokachi, Amuneke shine for future football).
WHAT A BRIGHTER FUTURE!!!!!
### NFF SHOULD HAVE EMPLOY A GOOD DISCIPLINE, TACTICAL, HIGHLY RESPECTED COACH ###
Will a rookie pilot not jump into the captain seat someday. Has he not taken enough training as a player and assistant coach. So what other training should he be seeking. Like have advised you, change nationality, either you support what’s on ground, or switch to Benin republic. Nobody is shoving his appointment down your Throat.
Don’t worry, e go happen very soon and all of you would be jostling to switch nationalities to countries like Ethiopia , jibuti, somalia etc. Na so we talk when rohr was removed and mr board master eguavon was installed. Some, even said we could win the nations cup and qualify for the world cup even with a rookie coach. I hope You can remember vividly how it ended. Just brace yourself once again for another interesting ride. Your own is in charge, so brace up to sink with him.
NFF is a kangaroo organisation. They must all be sacked.