Rivers United head coach Finidi George and captain Stephen Manyo have declared the team ready for their CAF Champions League preliminary round first-leg clash against San Pedro of Côte d’Ivoire, Completesports.com reports.
The duo spoke at the pre-match press conference in Côte d’Ivoire on Friday, stressing the importance of securing a positive result away from home.
Finidi admitted that the Pride of Rivers are going into the competition with a largely rebuilt squad following the departure of several players from last season.
The former Ajax star, however, insisted that the Nigerian side remain ambitious and determined to compete strongly on the continent.
“We have a new, young team. Last season, we played in the group stage of the CAF Champions League,” Finidi said.
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“But the majority of those players are no longer with the team. So, we have a new squad now and we are also looking forward to gaining that experience.
“We don’t have players with three or four seasons of CAF Champions League experience. In that sense, we are also new because there are a lot of new players in the team.”
Finidi Recalls Nigeria-Côte d’Ivoire Rivalry
Finidi also reflected on the long-standing football rivalry between Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire, recalling his playing days with the Super Eagles.
“I played for the Nigerian national team. In 1994, I was part of the Super Eagles team that won the Africa Cup of Nations,” he added.
“We played Côte d’Ivoire in the semi-final.”
Nigeria defeated the Ivorians 4-2 on penalties after the encounter ended 2-2 in regulation time.
Manyo Demands Total Focus
Rivers United captain Manyo also underlined the importance of approaching the encounter with maximum concentration.
Read Also:CAFCL: Rivers United Captain Manyo Vows ‘Cup Final’ Approach Against San Pedro
He warned that San Pedro possess talented and energetic young players and must not be underestimated.
“We want to take the match very seriously because San Pedro are a team with young players who want to play. They have energy, so we have to approach the match with seriousness,” Manyo said.
“They are not pushovers. Nobody is a pushover. Football is not mathematics where one plus one automatically gives you two.
“Every game is decided on the pitch and after 90 minutes, we will know who wins or loses. We are not pushovers as well.”
Rivers United Players Motivated
Manyo further revealed that the mood in the Rivers United camp is positive, with the players determined to make the most of the opportunity to compete on Africa’s biggest club stage.
“Everybody is ready. We have a young team full of talented players who want to showcase themselves and possibly move to bigger leagues,” he explained.
“This is a platform for them to show what they can do. That is a big motivation.
“As a player, you have to be motivated because this is the biggest platform you can play on in Africa. You have to take the opportunity when it comes.”
By Sab Osuji
