Finidi George, the interim Head Coach of the Super Eagles, says he will aspire to become as successful as the legendary Stephen Keshi as Super Eagles Head Coach if the Nigeria Football Federation makes him the substantive handler of the Nigeria’s national football team.
Expressing a deep desire to carve out a lasting legacy, Finidi unveils his ambitious vision to secure both personal and team triumphs, with an eye set on emulating Keshi’s remarkable feat of clinching the AFCON title as both player and coach.
Having completed a highly-talked-about African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament in Ivory Coast, Nigeria’s men’s national team, the Super Eagles, have found themselves in a transition period that could swing either side of a pendulum.
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In the spotlight of this transition is Finidi, Head Coach of Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) champions Enyimba, and a key member of the Nigerian delegation that finished as runners-up at the 2023 AFCON tournament after losing 2-1 in the finals to hosts Ivory Coast.
Following the expiration of Jose Peseiro’s contract with the Super Eagles in March, and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) announcing that they were looking for a new man to take charge of the three-time African champions, George, who had served as an assistant under Peseiro, was tasked with managing the team on an interim basis.
“When I was told to take charge, it felt really good,” the former Ajax player told SportsBoom while preparing to engage the Super Eagles in training barely two days after leading them to defeat Ghana for the first time since 2006.
“I’m not new to the team, so it wouldn’t take me so long to adapt and try to do new things. I’ve been with the team for almost two years. I know all the players, their strengths, their weaknesses.
Finidi George
“I’m here to serve Nigeria, I’ve been called upon to do that and I will do it to my best capacity, the way I know how to do stuff. I will just take these 2 games and go back to my club. Whatever decision is taken after, so be it. I’m not under pressure to say ‘It must be me.”
Late Luis Aragones’ brand of football for Super Eagles?
Considering the Super Eagles’ very-fluid-movement-and-exciting brand of football in their international friendly wins over Ghana, and Mali (a contrast to Nigeria’s rigid defensively-compact style employed at the AFCON), speculation already suggest that the Enyimba head coach might be the best option for a hire, for a cash-strapped Nigerian football governing body.
Already, George, who made it obvious that he is not trying to get ahead of himself, is dreaming of replicating the type of football he learnt from EURO 2008 winning coach Luis Aragones – while as a player at Real Betis and Mallorca – in the Super Eagles.
“I’ve worked with so many coaches,” he responded when asked about his coaching inspiration, “…from the late Luis Aragones to [Louis] van Gaal, Guus Hiddink, [Javier] Clemente, [Clemens] Westerhof.
Over the years, I’ve worked with these coaches, but I think it was the former Spanish coach, Aragones, that impacted me the most.
“Aragones’ way of managing players was fantastic because even those that were not playing were happy to be in the team. It is really difficult for a coach to achieve.
“Now, as a coach, I reflect and see it’s not an easy job, managing a team of 25+ players throughout a season without conflict, it’s fantastic,” George said with a light-hearted smile recollecting how he led Enyimba to their ninth NPFL title in just his second season in the league.
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“Coming back to coach in the Nigerian League helped me, all credit to Enyimba. If I had been in Europe, that would be difficult.
“For now, my job is to finish the two games (against Ghana and Mali),” he added.
Finidi’s dream future
Speaking about legacies, George stated that if the NFF gave him the job after his ‘test period’, he would love to walk in the path of Stephen Keshi, the last manager to have had a trophy-laden tenure with the Super Eagles.
“I would like to emulate Keshi and win the AFCON. He won it as a player, and then as a coach which is fantastic. I would like to do the same. The first thing though, is to qualify first.”
While the main rounds of the next AFCON qualifiers might still be a while away from getting underway, the Super Eagles will be required back in action in June when they take on South Africa and Benin Republic in a continuation of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
It is uncertain though, what decisions – whether George continues managing the Super Eagles, or a new head coach gets hired – the NFF will take before then.
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COMMENTS
Nff should take the risk give him the job at least we are not close to any World Cup still 2 years to nation cup.
Finidi is the man for the job. Only recently president Tinubu admonished his citizens to patronize made in aba/okpilla products which are highly indigenous.
You are so right @Greg the hammer Valentine.
Finidi is the best, forget the rest.
Nff tell George Finidi must pick Ahmed Musa as his vice captain that way they understand the boys
Well, my first choice for the job was IPETU MADU.
But as Finidi has been chosen, I no mind. He’s one of our own.
My only advise to Finidi is that he should shave that his beard.
Shaving that beard will automatically make him a better tactician.
Wetin we do u LMAO
Someone help with the link to today’s match.
George has been with an assistant coach, that’s not good.
Who is that?
Finidi, what’s ur plans with Tella and Dele, did u guys just invited them to warm the bench. Because u guys are too sentimental and shallow minded to be trusted with handling a national assignment. For now we Dey watch u.
Nigeria is the LAST country on earth trust me!
What a bunch of cowboys – every single game on today is listed on multiple platforms but the Nigeria game nko? For where!
Kai! Nigeria – In a country with over 200M football loving fans(atics) yet they cannot find it within themselves to make sure that we can watch the match – unh unh! Nepa Nepa , no light! Road road – na lie, Jobs nko e no dey!, ordinary to eat self e nor possible chaii!
The game is allover YouTube and Facebook bro.
Thanks man but I myself have been watching the game from kickoff – I am not talking about myself watching but the fact that Nigeria cannot show the game for people who may not be able to watch via some obscure link, Mali are showing it on their football federation youtube channel and many other links on youtube as you said-
I am actually watching it on a direct link with commentary and all, which I doubt you are, I’m guessing that you’re also watching with no actual commentary also ba? so that was not my point but thanks for trying anyway
Nigeria wey dey collect wotowoto 4rm Mali hand una sure say Finidi fit do dis job….no attempt in d 1st half
Na Finidi bia bia dey cause all this wahala.
If he shaves it now, we will equalize.
Mali 2 Nigeria 0
the game is over. ye ye . they are not serious .
From now on, Finidi is the clown prince of the year lool! The bobo don lose all him marbles kai!
Either this is DEFINITELY one of Nigeria’s B Teams or Finidi is smoking something too strong for him in his pipe lol –
Is this even a team? Who in their right mind would cobble such an 11 together? kai!
Nah! It must be a joke or Finidi is an actual clown, either way, let him continue like this and it will be easier for an Elephant to pass through the eye of a needle than for him to EVER get the Nigeria managers job!
And there was I, giving him props after the Ghana game because I thought that was also a B team, but they still got the job done, which would have been a formidable showing of strength in depth of our team as all or most of our first team starters either didn’t start that game or where out injured and then when I saw this line up, again I immediately thought that he was obviously still experimenting – Playing Nacho as a lone striker supporter by Moses as a false 9 lool! God help us o! And then when poor Moses got injured he brought on Dessers? lool – You could not even make this **** up!
Mehn, if this is a showing of his thoughts and ideas on the Nigerian team then he might as well forget it altogether!
Still I cannot rule out my initial thought that this is some sort of experiment, problems with that view are-
He (Finidi) must be a very brave man to experiment like that in prosecuting a couple of games that will definitely define his future as the SE manager or not as the case is looking, the first game worked out well and he should have learnt a lot about many of the “fringe” players
But the starting 11 he put out tonight is mindbogglingly bad, even as a continuation of the experiment started in his first game against Ghana!
In conclusion, if this is (as I still somewhat suspect) some sort of experiment then we should see almost an entirely new 11 for the second half – a result might no longer be possible but at least we’ll know for sure what his thought process is.
Absolutely nothing else makes any sense!
Siddon look mode!
Finidi is not ready yet…. I have told who ever cares to listen…. He will do well to assist the in comming foreign coach. He can then take over the mantle after 4 years… His time will come…Nigeria 0:2 Mali
Not at this rate it wont lol
Anybody who puts out a team that is this poor deserves NEVER EVER to be allowed near a Super Eagles team EVER again! Not even as an assistant – what a cartoon character! hehe
Finidi is the weakest link.
What a disgrace! See the Malians singing and dancing and mocking the SE’s – all this wotowoto couple with disgrace all becuase of the bald clown? No sir!
I said it. All these local coaches aren’t just ready for the SE. Finidi just proved me right today again.
I’m never a fan of building from the back. If we meet a team with a high press and high rate of ball retention, we are done for. Most of our passes are always going to the back, our marking was so poor and we just allowed the Malans to run riots. It’s such a pity. I can’t believe I stayed up late to watch that nonsense. We are back to square one. And Dessers should be called again.
@PapaFem,you mean’t Dessers shouldn’t be called again?
The Malians are a much stronger team,too powerful for our boys..Our many passes are just at the centre of the pitch,efforts to take it beyond are thwarted by the more mature Malian midfield and defence.
Should the game carry on for another 3 hours we wont find the back of the net instead will concede more.
It’s embarrassing to see our dear super eagles outshone by Mali.
A comfortable victory for Mali.
The moment I saw the lineup I knew the game was over, stupid finidi, these uncivilized morons can’t be trusted with national assignments just like Bosso, you will expect this clown to try Ndidi, Alhsssn,Dele in midfield then Tella, Sadiq lookman up front.