Former Super Eagles coach Finidi George has shared the reasons behind his brief and unsuccessful stint as head coach of Nigeria’s national football team.
After taking over from Portuguese coach Jose Peseiro, Finidi‘s reign lasted just 47 days and ended in disappointment. In an interview with SportsBoom, the Rivers United manager, who had served as an assistant to Peseiro for over 20 months, discussed the challenges that led to the Super Eagles’ disappointing results against South Africa and the Benin Republic.
Reflecting on his time in charge, Finidi emphasised that fitness issues and a lack of preparation were major factors in the team’s poor performances.
“I wanted to start the training camp earlier because we knew the season had ended, and the FA initially agreed but later changed their minds,” Finidi said.
“I wanted the camp to begin on May 26, but they said it wasn’t possible because some players were already on holiday, which I found very strange.”
Finidi highlighted that many players arrived at the training camp late and out of shape after coming straight from their vacations. “Most players arrived at camp late, straight from their vacations,” he revealed. This affected the team’s readiness for their World Cup qualifiers.
“If you’re not fit enough at that level, no matter the tactics, you can’t perform at your best,” Finidi explained, adding that the team’s concentration was lacking, which resulted in them conceding easy goals.
The 1994 Africa Cup of Nations winner also pointed out that players’ intensity during friendly matches did not translate to the crucial World Cup qualifiers.
“Most players didn’t show up. The intensity in friendly matches often differs from crucial qualifiers,” he noted.
Since Finidi’s departure, Augustine Eguavoen has been appointed interim coach of the Super Eagles, leading the team to a 3-0 win over Benin Republic and a goalless draw with Rwanda in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers.
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