Former president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick claimed newly appointed Super Eagles head coach, Finidi George is right to insist on foreign assistants.
Finidi has reportedly turned down the chance to work with some of his former teammates.
The 53-year-old has instead opted to bring in an expatriate to help him on the job.
Pinnick said Finidi has the right to pick his assistants.
“For his assistants, it is very tricky. It is normal for him to demand foreign assistants if he desires one. Bonfrere Jo was foreign assistant to Westerhof and later took over the job. Oliseh had foreign assistant, Siasia had foreign assistant. It is not new and it is not also bad for him to demand same,” Pinnick said in Arise TV.
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“Finidi is well equipped; he played for Ajax and they over there have developmental football mentoring in kicking the ball, trapping and all that. I think he is well positioned for the job.
“For Amuneke, he is also technically sound but I am talking of the seamless transition from Peseiro; it will benefit the team much for Finidi to have the job and thank God he is there.
“Backroom staffing is more scientific right now. If he says he needs three back room assistants, perhaps one for goalkeeper training, the others are for other positions.
“The assistant coaches are the engine room of the success of any coach because they see what the coach can’t see.
“But then, it depends of funding from the federation but I think it is not out of place. Finidi should be allowed to do what he wants to do. But if there is paucity of funds, they can discuss it with him.”
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COMMENTS
Why should Nigeria be talking about funds for assistant coaches whether local or foreign? Does it mean we don’t have funds at all to pay for good coaches? Then why do we have a federation running our football? Please our administrators should be up and doing.
That money with efffcc. Way oyinbo from school send came be collected from efffc and c and be useaage to pay the assistwhite man for one year before we say money finish
IF WE WATCH & STUDY SENEGAL TEAM THAT WON 2021 AFCON, THEIR TRAINERS ARE FOREIGNER TOGETHER WITH TONY SILVA AS GOALKEEPER TRAINERS. LIKEWISE ALSO CAMEROON TEAM TUTOR BY R.SONG, HIS ASSISTANT & TRAINERS ARE FOREIGNERS.
IF FINIDI GEORGE CAN DO THE SAME THING BY BRINGING GOOD FOREIGN ASSISTANT & TRAINERS, 100% HE WILL SURELY COMMAND RESPECT FROM PLAYERS. AND THERE WILL BE NO SENTIMENT BECAUSE THE FOREIGN TRAINERS WILL THE ONE THAT WILL SUBMIT THE REPORT OF PLAYERS PERFORMANCE IN TRAINING TO COACH FINIDI.
** INFACT, IT IS HIGH TIME FOR FOREIGNERS TO BE WORKING UNDER BLACK. ALTHOUGH SIASIA & KESHI ALSO DID THAT.
Hehehehe…..we don’t need foreign coaches, our local coaches are better….and the the local coach runs to Europe to get assistants….LMAOoo.
If he trusts the capabilities of his fellow local coaches why is he running to Europe to bring foreign assistants…LMAOoo
Who the hell are we deceiving….? When do we intend to stop deceiving ourselves…?
Kenneth leave am if him no attack you na…. Our fight most of the time is because of unwarranted attacks but say make person just dey attack like this no too nice. Abeg free am make we no turn this forum to piece of garbage like Ghanaweb!
I’m in your corner…So, why did we appoint Finidi? We wanted a coach that we can call our own, so why are we going back to our vomits…Na wa o…We are bunch of confused people….
If you ask me, na who make I ask…?!
Even Finidi does not trust the competence of local coaches….LMAOoo
Reality is like your shadow, no matter how far your run away from it, it will keep following you.
Pinnick is so eloquent about Finidi’s appointment, and why the NFF picked him (though he was never shortlisted for the job).
He also seem to have all the inside information about Finidi’s intentions.
Yet he denies being the one who influenced his appointment.
We are not fools!
The NFF has the money to employ 3 assistants but do not have the cash for one head coach.
I dey laugh.
Pinnick is a politician that is why he doesn’t come clean on these matters my only worry is that he shouldn’t be selecting players for Finidi his boy.
Did he call you on this? You need to respect yourself, are you Bomboy? Complete Sports can not be allowing Children to be using abusive words like this. Adults in a civilised society will not act like this. You saw the other fellow caution Kenneth and you come out to break hell. Stop this nonsense stop it we are not here for this.
The qualifiers is around the corner i hope the coach chooses whoever he trusts and succeed. We should be talking about team list by now.
“Finidi is well equipped; he played for Ajax and they over there have developmental football mentoring in kicking the ball, trapping and all that. I think he is well positioned for the job – AMAJU PINNICK.
Hahahahaha!
Bomboy, let me join you in laughing.
So according to Pinnick, what makes a coach well equipped for a job as tough as national team football coach is knowledge of kicking and trapping a football?
YOU DEY WHINE?
That means at least 50% of forumites here on this forum are “well equipped” for the SE coaching job, according to Mr. Pinnick.
In fact, you don’t even need to have played professional football, or have any coaching experience. Who needs coaching badges? People that study to get their badges, na mumu dem be. Dem no sabi anything.
All you need is just to know how to kick and trap a football, and you are SE coach material.
Hahahahaha! No wonder these pipo don’t take the job of hiring SE coach seriously! No wonder they don’t even want to pay coaches’ salaries. They don’t see the job of SE coach as a big deal. Anybody can do it. All you need is knowledge of how to kick and trap ball, and voila, you’re qualified for the SE coach job!!!
Pinnick also mentioned that everything depends on Federation funding. Funding from where? What happened to the $4m we got from the Afcon? Why can NFF not generate even ONE NAIRA of revenue from Nigerian football, which is one of the biggest football markets on the planet? So what funding is this man talking about?
Let me laugh. It’s better than crying.
Hahahahaha. Laff wan tear my belle.
Walahi, me sef, I suppose apply for that job o cos I sabi trap ball wella for my street and community field football that time o. In fact, I dey dribble dey score with my head sef.
I just dey look Finidi and Pinnick with my bombastic sideeye with all these their smeh smeh every day. Time dey go, but guy man and him paddies for NFF dey waste time on assistants. mMke he just mess up the whole thing June 7 penren, him go hear am from fans. Nobody go tell asm scores. Men no go remember say nah him goal qualify us for the first World Cup.
South Africa and Benin just dey corner dey laugh and rub their palams with glee.
Hahahahaha Kel.
I jus read about your career for internet now. I hear say only your trapping that time na assist….not to talk of if you just by mistake kick the ball.
You are indeed the stuff of legends and should be considered for the CHAN or U23 job.
Sometimes you only need to listen to the daftness in the opinions of some of these so-called administrators to understand why we aren’t progressing in that part of the world.
These were the say people who said Yobo was qualified enough to take Nigeria to the World cup….LMAOoo
Imagine the “CV” a whole former FA chairman is reeling out as qualification criteria for appointing the coach of a brand as big as the Super Eagles.
Pinnick, the defacto NFF chairman and spokesman, while the supposed current chairman has neither been seen nor heard from in recent days.
Not surprising though. Was it not the same Pinnick who appointed Yobo as the fashion assistant (sorry assistant coach) to Rohr? Yobo’s coaching CV is so impressive he’s gone on to several first team coaching roles in major clubs in and outside of Nigeria. Lol.
I really have little to no confidence in Finidi until I see the assistants.
Fashion assistant.
Abeg make unu free Yobo.
My guy get DRESS SENSE die.
Hahahaha!
Hahhahaha….Yobo’s CV back then according to this same Pinnick was his 100caps…LMAOoo
“The assistant coaches are the engine room of the success of any coach because they see what the coach can’t see.” Amaju Pinnick.
I agree. I honestly think a lack of capable assistants sinked the ambitions of Eguavoen against Senegal and Ghana in 2022.
By insisting on assistants with specific competencies and requirements, Finidi to me is showing awareness in his own shortcomings. I am inclined to believe that he wants to select someone whose counsel he is willing to listen to and ready to act upon.
What was the point of Eguavoen surrounding himself with discredited Salisu Yusuf and controversial Emmanuel Amuneke when he has no regard for their input?
When asked by a Punch Newspaper Journalist when to expect the unveiling of his assistants, Finidi simply said: “very soon”.
Not soon enough because he has to get on with the job, if you ask me. With most fans now resigned with the decision to gift Finidi the role, what is now left is for him to get to work and justify faith in the appointment.
“The assistant coaches are the engine room of the success of any coach because they see what the coach can’t see.” Amaju Pinnick.
I disagree. Mo disagree pa.
The coach and his assistants ARE A TEAM, WORKING TOGETHER.
There is nothing like engine room here. The coach can’t succeed on his own, and the assistants can’t succeed on their own either. ALL MUST WORK TOGETHER.
The success of any coach partially depends on the quality of his assistants, but depends a lot more on the competence and tactical awareness of the coach himself.
Mind you, the quality of the players available also matters a lot. Ask Jurgen Klopp to qualify Sheffield United for the Champions League, and see if he will not run for the hills. He is a very competent coach, but he also needs a certain calibre of players to achieve his deliverables!
What is the meaning of “ASSISTANTS CAN SEE WHAT THE COACH CAN’T SEE?”
Pray tell, what does that mean exactly?
Is the coach dugout some kind of shrine, and the assistants are consulting oracle?
Are the assistants wearing some kind of special glasses? If yes, the coach should be supplied one as well, so he too can see. What are the assistants seeing that a competent coach can’t see? No be the same football match all of dem dey watch?
SHEY UNU DEY WHINE ME NI?
So the players that informed Ogun Efon that Ghana had switched to a back five in our ill fated WCQ match, are they now qualified for the positions of assistants? After all, they saw what Ogun Efon could not see. Ahmed Musa should be drafted in immediately to assist Finidi.
Who do us like this?
Oga pompido I dey hail u sir dis ur write up dey on point ah swear wetin assistant dey see wey coach no dey see abi d assistant sabi pass coach? Omo dis country of ours na confusion full am.
Bomboy,
I have always said it that Pinnick is the Puppet Master behind the scenes in the NFF. No soon had he endorsed the appointment of Finidi before he was announced as coach.
These guys just like playing Russian Roulette with Nigerian football.
Anyways, we can only hope for the best and my ultimate prayer is the Finidi surrounds himself with a management team whose counsel he is willing to listen to and act upon. His assistants are the engine room while he is in the driving seat to ultimately take key decisions that will navigate the team on the road to success.
Every member of the management team has their unique roles to play.
@deo, now that Pinnick has his man in the top seat, he should.make sure he doesn’t distract the coach with “suggestions” on strategy and player selection.
Fingers crossed my brother Bomboy.
Pinnick has always been an advocate for foreign coaches. I was rather surprised when he pushed for Finidi to get the job. Now that he is talking about “foreign assistants”, his real colours are coming out.
So, he is still pushing his foreign coach agenda but this time as assistants.
Again, my prayer is that Finidi surrounds himself with intelligent and tactically astute assistants who can see what he doesn’t see in certain circumstances. If that happens, he will be on a path to success.
Good luck to Finidi.
I know Finidi George’s work is cut out for him as the Super Eagles manager. And it’ll be absurd for him to think he can have a go at the role with a tactically sound backroom staff of assistants, who’ll be able to give him a technical assessment of the team and the psychology of the players.
One thing is to have a job entrusted and another thing is to have a retinue of assistants who are astute enough to improve your quality and performance as a coach. And that’s why it’s no surprise to see foreign managers, insisting on the choice of their backroom staff for efficiency on the job.
I think Findi George’s assistant should not be imposed rather should be given a freehand to choose who’ll best suit him.
The likes of Samson Siasia had a certain Caraka who worked with him and the partnership yielded a great results.
Having a team assistants of like mind is a critical success factor, especially at this crucial moment in the senior national team.
As a matter of fact, having foreign nationals of great quality will help to enhance Finidi George emotional competence and by extension his tactical awareness.
As this rate, a Dutch assistant with a pedigree of the Dutch football league where Finidi first cut his professional football career would not be out of place.
We all wish him well notwithstanding his limited coaching experiences at the senior level but we’ve to optimistically cautious.
No doubt he has the tools to work with with the avalanche of personnel in the attack from Victor Osimhen, Victor Boniface, Kelechi Iheanacho, Paul Onuachu, Ademola Lookman, Simon Moses to Terem Moffi and the young Tella Nathan, and not forgetting Chidera Ejuke.
The Eagles midfield boast of sprinkle of quality in the defensive midfield with a gang of experienced Ndidi Onyinye, Frank Onyeka, the last AFCON breakout star and the hardtacklimg, Raphael Onyedika as well as Alhassan Yusuf. Alex Iwobi remains the only well known attacking midfield option at the team’s disposal, who’s adjusting to the role.
Kelechi Nwakali, the former under 17 world cup captain and winner, is another central midfield option who’s yet to get the nod of the national team handlers in recent years despite his regular game time with little known Chaves in the elite division in Portugal. It remains to be seen if the newly constituted coaching crew will give him a look in.
Following the paucity of creative midfielders in the squad,many football fans have started to inquire about the possibility of young Carney Chukwuemeka representing the senior national team following his eye-catching performances with the Blues in few of the games he had featured.
The new manager will find solace and confidence in the resurgence of quality displays from the cohort of Ola Aina, Bright Samuel Osayi, Bassey Calvin who have been fine form in recent games. The prospect of Luton centre half joining the Super Eagles in upcoming games should excite coach Findi George as a number of key Super Eagles defence players are ageing and out injured, notably Leon Balogun, Kenneth Omeruno and team captain, Troost Ekong who’s out injured.
Gabriel Osho brings a lot of football experience in EPL and so much versatility having played in wing back too. Many still look forward to seeing TOSIN Adarabioyo team up with Calvin Bassey in the heart of the Super Eagles defence like we have in Craven Cottage.
Good write up Fidelenny.
I decided not to say much about Super Eagles issues but you Pinnick Amaju have come again.
Some of us believed Nigeria is a failed state but is that true?
I believe Nigeria is not but the people that running the affairs of our nation are the failure and educated illiterates.
Amaju pinnick a former politician who knows nothing but propaganda.
No wonder they called Nigeria a failed state. But I won’t say that kę.
This kind of people are not deserves to be among us but again Nigerians are the problem of Nigeria kę. Am I lying ba?
Those in power are the problem that Nigeria is facing as a country. If not, EFCC by now would have used Amaju pinnick as an example.
We should be talking about the list of the players bn invited for the world cup qualifiers not something like this.
NFF and Amaju have wasted a lot of time to pick a coach for Eagles and now, they are still talking about local/foreign assistants. It is a shame that we are having incompetent people running affairs of Nigerians.
But Amaju is there now enjoying life and talking just any how while those that are doing the good things for Nigeria have been arrested. Hmmmm, what a country.
I know it may take longer than expected but we will get it right one day.
So, Amaju pinnick do whatever you want but history will remember you.
All the best to Finidi. No hard feelings. Ire o. God bless Nigeria and Nigerians!!!
“The assistants are the engine room of the success of any coach”.
No be only engine. His assistants are also the KEKE NAPEP, while Finidi is the driver, driving the whole team to God knows where.
This journey we’ve embarked upon, let us see where it will lead us to.
As a hardcore SE fan, I support the team, the coach and his assistants. I just hope we will not be disappointed yet again. 2030 is too long to have to wait for the next world cup.
Make we kuku dey go. SAFE JOURNEY!
Simple English is so difficult for some to understand on this platform, why come here and display your stupidity.
So Guardiola’s assistants are the ENGINE ROOM of his success?
What is the meaning of ENGINE ROOM OF SUCCESS?
You can say a TEAM has an ENGINE ROOM. But success? How can you say success has an engine room? Success is an OUTCOME, not a PROCESS.
Who looks stupid now between you and I?
Na Lampard I pity, whose name you have dragged into disrepute with your stupidity.
Hmmmmm, seems English language is very hard for you to comprehend. May i suggest you read back what you stated here, will not drag issues with you. You assertion clearly shows your level of reasoning. Quite unfortunate, Lampard is obviously not confused as you are when comprehending simple English
If English is hard for me, no wahala na.
It’s kuku not my first language.
English may be hard for me, but TELLING THE TRUTH AS I SEE IT is not hard.
English professor Lampard, I’m still waiting for you to explain how SUCCESS can have ENGINE ROOM.
OLUYA LASAN LASAN.
The oracle has spoken!!!!
SE assistance coach will be a foreigner
Oracle. Hahaha. Nice one Mercy. I will call him the Ventriloquist with Alhaji Gusau being his doll. 🙂
If SUCCESS has ENGINE ROOM, FAILURE too must have ENGINE ROOM.
MEDIOCRITY too has it’s own ENGINE ROOM.
What was the engine room of OGUN EFON’s woeful failure against Ghana?
What is the engine room of NFF ONIGBESE’s mind boggling mediocrity and incompetence?
Oya English professor, your students are eagerly waiting!
@Kenneth, you seem to be very abusive. Na wetin dey bite you?
Here is what some of us are saying:
1) They appointed Finidi because they didn’t want foreign coaches. But after appointing him, they are now canvassing for the same foreign coaches (3 of them!) as assistants. This makes us doubt their sincerity.
And, if they appointed him with selfish motives, we fear that the outcome will be very bad.
2) We are not against Finidi! If he does well, we will all be glad! We are all die-hard Super Eagles fans.
3) Finidi appears to be Pinnick’s “candidate”. And we know how it works in Nigeria: if I help you get an appointment, I become the god father you listen to.
If they let Finidi do his job without influencing his selections and strategy, that will be fine. But, Nigeria being what it is, I doubt this very much.
And, by the way, WHAT ARE THE DETAILS OF FINIDI’S CONTRACT?
When they appointed Rhor and Paseiro, the details of the contract were published. How much is Finidi going to earn, etc? Did I miss it when it was published?
All these are signs that all is not well.
@Kenneth, I have tried to explain to you in a civil manner (in addition to what others have been saying). You can continue with your insults now!
@Bomboy hope you clearly see what am saying. CSN would not delete this, but the moment i reply, they quick not to publish my comment. Hope you have the balls to call him out now. Since you saw me as he trouble maker.
Hope you got my response before CSN decided to remove my comment.
My own is that Finidi should not drag shirt of opposition with his team players. Hopefully, he still commands respect of the players.
Missing a 48 teams world cup where Africa have at least 9 reps will be a disgrace and no hiding for all players involved
I still think NFF set up finidi to fail to do away with local coaches for good.
Here we go gain, well i want to believe you just kidding. The question is will the players respect the coach. Some of the ex-players have complained about the attitude of the current players in the squad. Well i know siasia is very professional. Am just worried that some of this players will want to sabotage his effort, i pray he detects that asap.
Ah Sylvester,
He will drag shirt with whoever he likes. Next match he will ask for the shirt of the female referee.
Finidi is the eye of the tiger. The Rocky Balboa of Nigeria.
Lol. I have just read something. Zimbabwe have decided to play their remaining home matches in South Africa of all countries. Gang up against lackadaisical Nigeria never start so? Hmm! Something is fishy oh
Amaju pinnick is a disgrace to Nigeria football simply said,,!!
If you are confused about things happening around you and short of words, you don’t have to comment just for the sake of talking,just keep mute and watch proceedings, you don’t have to try and justify rubbish.
We are clamouring for a local coach, “WE WANT OUR OWN TO LEAD OUR TEAM-IF WE FAIL, LET’S FAIL WITH OUR OWN” This is some of the songs going viral on here a couple of days ago.
Now we employed a local coach who is now scouting foreigners as assistants, and we are still looking for a way to justify that?.
Even some of these so-called ex footballers said our local coaches are better
So why are we going to a foreign assistant when there are thousands of local coaches around? All this makes no sense.
Anyway, what do you expect when you have an accountant as your football federation president
Well done CSN for deleting my response. Now i see why some forum members say crap about you. You pick and choose whose messages you want on your platform. Rubbish
It seems Finidi has no minds of his own. If he so much rely on his
yet to appoint assistant like this? Just my honest take, in all of this.
Please let us sheath the sword, I also did not want Finidi but he has been selected . Let us rally around him and give him support because he will need it.