Finidi George, the head coach of Enyimba, a Nigeria Premier Football League side, has revealed that he is not overly concerned about securing the Super Eagles job on a permanent basis.
Recall that the Nigeria Football Federation had announced the vacancy for the position of the Super Eagles’ head coach following the departure of Portuguese manager Jose Peseiro, as reported by PUNCH Sports Extra.
Peseiro guided the team to a second-place finish at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast. The football governing body set a deadline of March 13 for applications, stating that the prospective coach “must have proven experience at the elite level of football.” Finidi George, a former Ajax player who also applied for the position, served as the interim coach for the international window, securing one win and suffering one defeat during his tenure.
In an interview with Modo TV, the 52-year-old coach expressed that he wasn’t eager for the job permanently. He stated, “I felt really good when I was told to take charge of the team. I have been with the team for almost two years, I know all the players, their strengths, and their weaknesses but I am only here to serve Nigeria the way I know how to do stuff.” He added, “I will just take these two games and go back to my club. Whatever the decision is taken after, so be it. I’m not under pressure to say I must get the role permanently.”
Reflecting on their recent 2-0 defeat to Mali, Finidi acknowledged the team’s errors, stating, “I think we made a few mistakes that cost us the match.”
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“It wasn’t a bad game, good intensity was exhibited and we created a couple of chances but failed to score. In a game like this when you make mistakes and fail to score you get punished but I was happy with the entire play.
“The formation wasn’t bad at all; this is a team that keeps the ball very well. Using two strikers helped us and forced them to play wide. We could have pressed a bit more but overall, we weren’t bad. We know football is all about victory but I am looking at other aspects.
“Not a bad performance, lost one, won one. We were not outplayed and that is a good thing. I think we did so well in the first, half, although I would have loved a different outcome in the second but the players performed well.”
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