Newly appointed Super Eagles’ Head Coach, Finidi George, says Nigeria going to the 2026 FIFA World Cup is a task that requires all hands on the deck, Completesports.com reports.
The outgoing coach of Enyimba International of Aba said in a brief chat that he is happy with his appointment as Super Eagles Head Coach and pledged to give it his best shot and ensure that Nigeria qualifty the next World Cup.
“I am happy with my appointment as Super Eagles Head Coach and I believe with the support of NFF and Nigerians, we shall achieve a lot. I still have to meet with the NFF and tidy up things before I have a formal media chat,” Finidi stated.
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The Nigeria Football Federation on Monday announced Finidi George as the Head Coach of the Super Eagles.
Finidi takes on the onerous task of leading the Super Eagles out of their current tight corner in the 2026 FIFA World Cup African qualifiers and qualify to feature in the final tournament that will be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Nigeria is currently third in the Group C with two points from two matches – two points behind group leader, Rwanda, and one point behind second-placed South Africa. Nigeria, Lesotho and Zimbabwe are tied on the number of points. Benin Republic brings up the rear with one point.
Finidi will lead the Super Eagles to face Bafana Bafana of South Africa in Uyo on June 3, 2024 and the Squirrels of Benin Republic in Abidjan on June 10 2024.
By Richard Jideaka, Abuja
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COMMENTS
Absolutely, be rest assured you will have Naija Fans support 100% but that of NFF, I can not guarantee that. Even though we did not get the caliber of a coach that we think can take us there, but committed fans will still do whatever to make sure our team lacks nothing in terms of support. Power in your hands now, please use it well…Please do not use sentiment in your selection of players…listen to advice and be wise enough to know which advice to follow. The bucks stop at your table. Good luck to you and the entire Super Eagles team.
You are so right @Olu. NFF Barawo, NFF 419, these people are a joke. They don’t know how to run football. Which way Nigeria???
Let’s face facts, it’s very wrong of anyone to indulge in tarnishing national asset like the NFF, whether on the media or anywhere mostly when there’s no justification for that. Even when it’s justified and ofcourse backed with facts, the court is there because, you can’t be hiding behind your keyboard throwing derogatory innuendos at the NFF, -that’s Nigeria. Remember, the same NFF appointed the most qualified among the applicants plus including looking at their current form. Finidi having served under coach Peseiro for several months and also very active on the local scene, doing very well, has the first instance to accept/reject Super Eagles top job. Even the constitution clearly states that it’s the responsibility of the NFF to appoint a coach for the national team and that responsibility must be respected. Going forward, be admonished to be respectful to constituted as I will not hesitate to join you in giving them the short end of my social media cane, keypad.
Can you pls keep quiet? You’re not making any sense!!!
Even the one they call social media miscreant is responding too.
Yeye dey smell aboki park well.
The guy is probably an NFF ONIGBESE board member.
Orisirisi. E don dey pepper dem!
@Terry………..I will forgive your total ignorance for you know not what you are talking about.
NFF is like an OLOSHO that got paid for her service but ran back to her PIMP for wardrobe allowance whereas she never give her pimp any percentage of her earnings. And she always do a shoddy job most times
I recommend Findi George to go away from sentimental relationships and taking bribes from players to summon them to Super Eagles squad,also he should play SE style of playing we know about them that means SE should play strong attacking style with considerate of tight defensive control , so he should play with 4-2-3-1 or 3-5-2 with chaning it to 4-5-1 when SE in defensive position. Finidi must nutures SE with NPLF players with also nurturing SE with new faces like Ajax player Chuba Akpom , Moses Usor instead of Simon Moses, Odion Ighalo ,Ebibe Duru instead of Zaidu Sanusi.
Are you the coach to tell him the formation he should play? I know in Nigeria that everyone is a coach. Please leave Finidi to perform his task and choose his formation.
Did you mention Odion Ighalo as one of the players the new coach should invite? You can also ask him to continue to invite Ahmed Musa to camp
If na me, na Emmanuel Emenike I go invite.
Whether he likes it or not, he must come. We need him.
Hahaha, a retired Emenike would have scored some of those chances our strikers missed at the last Afcon! Hahahaha!
Personally l do not support the appointment of an indigenous coach to lead the super eagles because of their dubious and corrupt ways of handling things, lack of man management as well as tactical deficiencies on the big stage. For example (1) how could we lost to Tunisia after performing well at the group stage
(2) How could have lost the World cup ticket to Ghana at home after holding them to a goalless draw in their place.
However, that as it may, let give you the benefit doubt as l stand to be proven wrong this time around. I will be the happiest person to see this generation of Victor Osimhen & co qualify and play at the world cup.
I will advise that you borrow a leaf from EMERSE FAE the Ivory coast coach. How he put heads together with other of his colleagues during training in all departments.
All being said, l wish you success, God-given wisdom, knowledge and protection. The word of God told us that “It’s not by might nor by power but by his grace” So l pray and believe that God will help you to achieve your heart desires.
And how many of them have collected bribes from you or those you represent. Please bro stop making up stuff in your clouded brain if you have nothing important to add. So because we lost the world cup ticket to Ghana that means all indigenous coaches are incompetent. The foreign coaches that didn’t take us to the world cup, what did you do to them?
Which foreigner no carry us go WC cos I can’t see any o?
WHich year were you born. Will suggest you go look it up online before you start displaying your stupidness.
Personally l do not support the appointment of an indigenous coach to lead the super eagles because of their dubious and corrupt ways of handling things, lack of man management as well as tactical deficiencies on the big stage. For example (1) how could we have lost to Tunisia after performing well at the group stage
(2) How could we have lost the World cup ticket to Ghana at home after holding them to a goalless draw in their place.
However, that as it may, let give you the benefit doubt as l stand to be proven wrong this time around. I will be the happiest person to see this generation of Victor Osimhen & co qualify and play at the world cup.
I will advise that you borrow a leaf from EMERSE FAE the Ivory coast coach. How he put heads together with other of his colleagues during training in all departments.
All being said, l wish you success, God-given wisdom, knowledge and protection. The word of God told us that “It’s not by might nor by power but by his grace” So l pray and believe that God will help you to achieve your heart desires.
NFF are shit. They lie too much. NFF bandit
NFF JIBITI.
NFF ISONU.
NFF CHOP AND QUENCH.
THE CHRONIC DEBTORS.
THE CORPORATE BEGGARS.
INSTEAD OF DOING FOOTBALL BUSINESS, NA SO SO BEGGY BEGGY DEM DEY BEG GOVERNMENT.
PAY COACHES, FOR WHERE? PAY PLAYERS, WHICH SIDE?
NA TO DEY DRAG MONEY WITH PLAYERS AND TO DEY SHARE MONEY, EHEN, NA DAT ONE DEM SABI.
YEYE UNLIMITED!
Oga do your work and stop looking for nigeria support. What exactly go you want to do with Nigerian support.
You had better start scouting for good players and avoid favoritism in the choice of players cos it is d reason your nigeria colleagues failed.
Sit tight , do your job well and stop looking for anybody support.
When your job is done adequately, you will definitely see support.
You have my support by God’s grace Nigeria I believe we re going to see Good football, by God’s grace Nigeria will qualify to the world cup!!!!!!
1994 class still reigns supreme!
Who no know go know.
@Tony yes 94 class must reign Supreme in our minds while in actual fact in reality other countries are surpassing us in Football but at least we can hold on to 94 class achievements forever and God forbid the current generation try to outdo them.. You are so right @Tony how wonderful clap for yourself.. Mtcheeew!
Uncertified finidi looking for support! Finidi have become a convenient Nff puppet and Nigerians can expect bribery and whole bodies corruption in tune and alliance with Nff whole family! He can’t fight for players unpaid wages and dues, he will invite players dubiously, tactics will be second best, camp will be a mess and result and result will nosedived and finidi will be sacked and they will local not good and go for oyibo coach again! Business as usual per oyibo salary kick back. Useless Nff Jamboree president gasua!
The biggest problem of Nigeria football is those bunch of mediocre in NFF. Surely, Those NFF guys will undermine, underrate and act inappropriately as usually. They will not release fund and they lack professional manners to handle things. I do really wish the current EFCC should focus on the dealings of those mediocre. We Nigerian also should respect ourselves and come off that slave mentality, thinking always that Oyinbo get sense and thereby relegating our very own
Shame on a system that hates truth, professionalism and due process.Our Federation always want pple they can manipulate and order around.The maladministration, vindictiveness and incompetence of pple in the Glass House smells.They talk with two sides of the mouth.Today Benjamin Fredrick is going to play for Brentford Fc,yet a certain player from a YUM YUM FC ended up getting invited to the Super Eagles under A technical committee/Director ….Messrs Equavon and ikpeba una do well.While I wish finidi well for the sake of the country I come from;he is by no means the best person for the Job.Nff suddenly forget the criteria they asked for on application because of selfish interest and lack of moni.I join my voice with those who think EFCC shd look the way of the GLASS HOUSE.
@Chris Ekwere Your comment is a breathe of Fresh air but Nigerians hate the truth especially the Blind Patriotic ones Mind you Patriotism is an Asset and good quality to have in any country, but Blinded Patriotic’s are a danger to any society and we seem to be dominated by such in the masses hence the People in charge of running this country can literally get away with Murder.
@Chris , and what is wrong with a player from YUM YUM FC, Must we parade foreign based players all time. A lot of your so called professionals still play like they are un-developed.
Problem of Nigeria football is NFF guys who doesn’t know football. They should give people that knows football in this country to Manage it, everything is not politics! People like Mutiu adepkoju, sheyi Olofijana, JJ okocha, those people that played the game to international standard should manage football in nigeria just like Brazil but black people inability to reason well is the problem. That’s why white people call blacks Animals
You so not need to have played the game to be a good administrator. The problem with the knuckle heads at NFF is that they are more concerned about the funds they can steal than administering football in the country.
Finidi’s selection is a head ache however because he will follow the direction of the clueless lot at the NFF. Insanity is the definition of doing things repeatedly wrong and expecting a different outcome. Will he work on the midfield? Time will tell. I am almost certain he will continue with the same midfield, using girlie iwobi in attack; who likes shopping and and going to fashion shows.
Expect lots of strange players from strange leagues. Expect him to be compelled to play players based on the insistence from powerful individuals at the glass House. I hope this is not the case but let’s admit, the handwriting is on the wall. They are already planning on camping home based players. They make it seem as if the league is played in Iran; if there was a rare gem in the league, I am pretty sure we all will know about them. This lot will waste the talents at our disposal. Good thing is that I have 0 expectations.
We are not supporting anything that is not transparent.
Yes we patriotic Nigerians were clamoring for an indigenous coach but not Finidi.
We wanted Amunike but NFF president, Amaju pinnick and the entire NFF picked Finidi. So, if anything goes wrong, We Nigerians will hold Amaju pinnick, Gusau and the entire NFF for it.
I do not hate Finidi but he is not qualified to be the next Super Eagles coach. Ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!
@Omo9ja it’s okay at least we don talk our own finish but las las we knew we will have no option than to accept Whatever NFF gives us. Even if they give us Ladan Bosso as SE coach….. Now it’s time to support and pray that Finidi does well, let us move on accept him and genuinely pray he succeeds as patriotic Nigerians. We have aired our displeasures at their politics and it’s time to move since the qualifiers is just around the corner.
I’m sorry I will never be part of this shabby stuff.
We don’t know how many years his contact is going to be and how much is he going to be earning each month and is Finidi the best indigenous coach?
We all know that Amunike is way ahead of Finidi but why Amunike did not get the job?
On what criteria Finidi were chosen ahead of Amunike?
NFF still have so many questions to answer. We can’t just leave NFF and government officials like that. We have to ask them questions.
Mba, this is a new Nigeria. Everything must be transparent if we have to achieve a great nation and be among the best in the world.
I stand for the truth, by the truth and this is why I am omo9ja.
I don’t want to know if you are Yorubas, Hausas or Igbos. As long as you are a Nigerian, that is all matters.
And you want me to pray and accept whatever NFF throw at us? Mba. Who does that kę.
We put them there to serve us and if what they are doing doesn’t make sense then we replace them shikena.
Until we do things according in this country if not, we will keep complaining every day.
More so, EFCC is for the poor but not for the rich people.
If throughly EFCC must do their job, Amaju pinnick must be arrested fir the atrocities he has committed in the past.
Although, government has seized his properties in Lagos few years back but they need to do more.
He Amaju should stay away from our sports. Diko, Seyi and the past NFF members should be probed as well.
I have nothing against Finidi. I want our own to be successful at the national team but we have to do things in a normal way.
I can accept Finidi on one condition. If he proves his worth and select the best players we have and play good football then I can support him but with what I saw against Mali Kai, hmmm, fingers crossed.
Oh sorry I forgot to say ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!
Friendly match is different from real match. Friendly match is an opportunity to try News things and also a room to make safe mistakes. Let us allow Finidi to believe in himself, leave NFF their days are numbered but the Finidi you see has the opportunity to make his name as well. Destiny has won him the race through The NFF and if he succeeds then that is God’s plan and kudos to The NFF but if Godforbid he repeats the corrupt practices of The NFF then he will only shame himself and his Bosses.
@Chima E Samuels and Kel, well said.
Let’s keep educating them. I know one day, their eyes will open wotowoto lol.
Amunike a “serial failure” really?
Nibonimo tunwajasi bayio lol.
Well, fingers crossed. Ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!
@omo naija who are your we that wanted Amunike. Am not part of your we that want a serial failure who is so desperate that even sport minister was threatening NFF. Please count me out of your we. Personally I want a foreign manager to lead us. Besides what makes the appointment of Finidi not transparent.
Calling Amuneke serial failure doesn’t make any sense and a turn off. Let us let this case closed we wish Finidi well but stop using derogatory terms for a world junior gold medalist coach and also former Caf best. I don’t know what you have achieved in life but respect yourself as your username or nickname.
Most of them don’t even realize their “serial failure” singsong has become stale, boring, and sounding like a broken record. You know it’s malicious and bad when people keep repeating the same line. They’ve run out of logical arguments and resorted to name-calling to give a bad name to hang it.
A FIFA World Cup-winning coach, a former African Footballer of the Year, a former coach of a foreign national team, and a couple of clubs outside Nigeria. A man recognized outside the shores of Nigeria, a FIFA technical study group member – a group headed by Arsene Wenger. A “serial failure”??? Lol.
Which living Nigerian coach has his profile? NONE. Not even Eguavoen, NFF’s technical director. On that simple basis, those of us clamoring for him are doing so. He towers above every single local coach. If we have to go local, it is him.
Let’s see the records of the “serial success” of their local champions. Let’s put their records side by side by side with Amunkike. I’m sure their “serial success” coaches are in the NPFL and have never stepped out to even Benin Republic to coach a local club, let alone been interviewed and selected as a national team coach of another country. Should we talk about even FIFA U-12 World Cup (let’s assume it exists)? Forget it. They won’t even qualify from West Africa.
We know them. It’s all about names. I’m sure their “best” indigenous coaches have names that sound like theirs. Even though they’ll try to convince themselves (not me), they’re arguing on merit.
“bad belle and malicious…”
Follow Follow fans are mostly the ones using that term because they don’t understand what it means to be a serial failure before disgracing themselves on social network. Amuneke would be reading this and be laughing from his chambers with pity on such underachieving critics.
Finidi deserves our support. we should encourage our people to succeed . the foreign coach we are clamoring for was encouraged . Gods grace we will make it to the world cup and some of you will swallow your words ! Finidi we are behind you.
This coach is a bit similar to Frank de Boer tactically they both want to play swirling possession based football but lack the ability to set up their various teams in a solid and organized way.
Possession without Compression is always going to lead to Depression.
The foreign coach versus local argument should be considered from perspective of African countries. Best World Cup performance is Morocco led by a native. Last two Afcons were won by Ivory Coast managed by a native and Senegal by their native. Factually, one cannot assert that foreign is better than native AKA local. Nigeria won Afcon last in 2013 led by a native and he achieved equal best result of reaching the 2nd round. Equal to that was a foreigner in 1994 who won Afcon and reached 2nd round of WC. Other coaches do not match Keshi and Westerhoff. Exceptional is Olympics victory in 1996 with bulk of 1994 team with foreigner coach who was assistant in 1994. Thus continuity of success.
Amunike was outstanding winner of under 17 World Cup. FIFA praised the technical set up of his team! I repeat, FIFA praised the technical set up of his team. He was invited to FIFA technical team! I repeat, FIFA invited him on board.
Finidi has been appointed Super Eagles senior coach; after one iffy win against a 10 man Ghana and a poor loss to Mali. With same squad that just achieved 2nd at Afcon. The team was wide open and looked very beatable. Sadly and worryingly a reflection of the Enyimba team coached by Finidi over last two seasons.
Clearly Pinnock did not want Amunike and preferred Finidi. Recall it was same Pinnock that disparaged performance of Keshi. Keshi patriotically took over Eagles on a temporary basis and we lost 2 – 3 to South Africa for first time in a competitive match. It was caused by a fractured NFF. Siasia was also undermined by NFF when asked to take over as acting coach. As Peter Odemwingwe stated, the technical team wrongly advised the platers and coach about result needed against Guinea in Abuja, and we lost out. The technical team could not do simple arithmetic! Shocking. Sad. Pathetic.
Clearly appointing Finidi instead of Amunike is not in the best interests of Nigerian football and our prospects for World Cup qualification. We are already minus 4 points after 2 draws whilst South Africa are minus 3 after 1 loss. So, we are already having to do catch up. With coach Peseiro and assistant Finidi; playing uninspired football.
NFF and other influences should be held accountable if Nigeria does not qualify.
This is all rather sad and deplorable.
Finidi I admired as a player and a star for Nigeria. Was one of the best right wingers from 1993 to 1995, able to play from the midfield and beat opponents with speed and team cohesive play. Now he has been asked to do a difficult job; made harder by his alienating a few key players already. From the two friendly matches.
As a Nigerian, I want us to qualify. But my enthutiasm is dampened. Maybe the players can influence the coach and the FGN can persuade the NFF to do the best under the prevailing circumstances.
God bless Nigeria and Nigerians. Amen.
Great write up.
Thanks Olujimi. If you don’t mind I will repost this on my social media and internet handle.
Do reach out to me if you think we can collaborate.
Oh yes, Finidi can definitely make a success of this appointment. But of he fails, we only have one entity to blame: the NFF.