Finidi George, the head coach of Enyimba in the Nigeria Premier Football League, remains composed regarding the prospect of securing the permanent Super Eagles coaching position.
Earlier this month, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) declared the Super Eagles head coach position vacant following the departure of Portuguese coach Jose Peseiro, who guided the team to a second-place finish at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.
In an official announcement on its website, the NFF called for applications with a deadline of March 13, emphasizing that the ideal candidate “must have proven experience at the elite level of football.”
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Finidi, a former Ajax player who also applied for the role, was appointed as the interim coach for the international window, during which the team secured a victory and suffered a defeat.
In an interview with Modo TV, the 52-year-old tactician expressed his lack of desperation for the permanent position, stating, “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 continued, “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 the team’s recent performance, particularly their 2-0 defeat to Mali, Finidi admitted to errors costing them dearly but emphasized the positives in their play.
“I think we made a few mistakes that cost us the match,” he remarked. “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.”
Finidi praised his team’s overall performance, highlighting their competitiveness despite the loss. He concluded, “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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