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Tag: Finidi George

  • Finidi, Amuneke to know fate next week as NFF set to decide on new Super Eagles coach

    Finidi, Amuneke to know fate next week as NFF set to decide on new Super Eagles coach

    The Technical Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation, (NFF) will meet next week Tuesday in Abuja to decide on a new head coach for the Super Eagles of Nigeria.

    Reports says that the committee has already shortlisted seven coaches for the vacant position.

    Former internationals Finidi George and Emmanuel Amuneke are the two leading candidates for the position.

    Finidi led the team in interim capacity for the friendlies against Ghana and Mali last month.

    The immediate task of the new coach will be the crucial 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Bafana Bafana of South Africa and Squirrels of Benin Republic in June.

    The games will take place on June 3 and 11, respectively.

    The Super Eagles are yet to record a win in their group after they drew their opening two games against Lesotho and Zimbabwe.

  • Former NFF president, Amaju Pinnick backs Finidi for Super Eagles coaching job

    Former NFF president, Amaju Pinnick backs Finidi for Super Eagles coaching job

    Amaju Melvin Pinnick the former President of the Nigeria Football Federation, (NFF) has backed Finidi George for the vacant Super Eagles coaching job.

    It would be recalled that about 12 local and international coaches applied for the vacant Managerial position but the NFF is yet to name a substantive head coach for the Super Eagles.

    Finidi acted on interim capacity when the Super Eagles played two international friendlies against Ghana and Mali during FIFA international window in March.

    The Super Eagles defeated Ghana 2-1 and lost 2-0 to Mali.

    However, Pinnick has thrown his weight behind the former winger and claimed he is the most suitable candidate for the job.

    “Even though Jose Peseiro started slowly, the end justified the reason we brought him, so I don’t have any regrets,” Pinnick told Arise TV.

    “Under his internship was a player that was once regarded as one of the best wingers in the world, Finidi George, one of the best wingers at a point, a player that had a formal or informal internship as a player under one of the best coaches in the world Luis Van Gaal, a player that at Real Betis, he was excellent. He(Finidi) was at Ajax, and if you know Ajax, they believe in developmental football, where they teach you how to chest, trap, and play the ball again. So he has those virtues, and my opinion is that we encourage him.

    “He played two friendly games, he lost one and made negative history because Mali have not beaten Nigeria in over 40 years, and positive history because Nigeria has not beaten Ghana in over 30 years.”

    Pinnick also named some of the virtues which have endeared him to the former Ajax and Real Betis player.

    “In my opinion, I’ve seen him, I’ve worked with him, I brought him on when I was president as one of the assistant coaches. He has some virtues that we need as a coach. He has leadership, dexterity, and most importantly, humility,” he added.

    Pinnick further stated: “There’s no encumbrance, if you wave Finidi round, you will not see any encumbrance around him. There is a lot of information and many things I know.

    “So what do we do with someone like Finidi that played under some of the best coaches in the world, that also played at that level, and coached one of our indigenous and one of the most successful teams in Africa? We build capacity around him.”

    NFF is expected to name a new head coach for the Super Eagles this month.

    The Super Eagles will next be in action against South Africa and Benin Republic in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in June.

  • Our objective is to get good results against Ghana and Mali – Finidi George

    Our objective is to get good results against Ghana and Mali – Finidi George

    Coach Finidi George has told thenff.com that the principal objective of African vice champions Nigeria is to earn good results in the upcoming friendly games against Ghana and Mali’s senior teams, scheduled for the city of Marrakech in Morocco.

    Looking ahead to Friday’s clash with four-time African champions Ghana, the two-time World Cup star reiterated that the Super Eagles are presently in high station in African football, having finished as runners-up at the Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire, and everything must be done to maintain that status and even exceed it.

    “We finished in second place at the Africa Cup of Nations and everyone expects us to maintain that high rating and be even better in a short while. Our objective is to get good results in these two matches and stay positive ahead of the World Cup qualifiers.

    “They call it friendly matches but there is really nothing friendly when you play, especially Ghana. I have been involved in matches against Ghana since the 1992 Africa Cup of Nations in Senegal. Matches between our countries are serious duels and always seen as battles by our peoples. The Black Stars did not perform that well at the recent Africa Cup of Nations and they will be keen to banish that memory.”

    Finidi George won 62 caps for Nigeria, including featuring at the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cup finals, and won gold, silver and bronze medals from the 1992, 1994, 2000 and 2002 AFCON tournaments. His first AFCON encounter against Ghana was on 23rd January 1992, in a semi-final encounter that the Black Stars won 2-1.

    Afterwards, the pacy winger was involved when both teams played out a barren draw in a friendly in Lagos in March 1994; a 0-0 draw in Accra in a 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifier; a 3-0 win for Nigeria in Port Harcourt that sent Nigeria through to Korea/Japan 2002 World Cup and; a 1-0 win for Nigeria in an AFCON quarter-final match in Bamako in 2002.

    “We will be missing four players who have pulled out due to injury but I have confidence in the team that we have here that they will wear the green-white-green with pride and with patriotic fervour.”

    As of Wednesday morning, only Turkey-based defender Bright Osayi-Samuel was being expected in the Adam Park Hotel of the Eagles in Marrakech, with 21 players having settled in.

    Ghana will also be led by a renowned former international, Otto Addo, who has just been recalled for a second stint in charge of the Black Stars.

    Friday’s match will be the 60th encounter between both countries, since a Jalco Cup match on 20th October 1951 ended 5-0 in favour of Nigeria. Twenty of the previous 59 duels have ended in draws, including their last two encounters (2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches) in March 2022.

    Their last friendly match, in London on 11th October 2011, ended scoreless.

    NIGERIA, GHANA IN HISTORY

     

    20 0ct 1951 (Jalco Cup): Nigeria 5 Ghana 0

    11 Oct 1953 (Jalco Cup): Ghana 1 Nigeria 0

    30 Oct 1954 (Jalco Cup): Nigeria 3 Ghana 0

    30 Oct 1955 (Jalco Cup): Ghana 7 Nigeria 0

    27 Oct 1956 (Jalco Cup): Nigeria 3 Ghana 0

    27 Oct 1957 (Jalco Cup): Ghana 3 Nigeria 3

    25 Oct 1958 (Jalco Cup): Nigeria 3 Ghana 2

    10 Oct 1959 (Olympics Qualifier): Nigeria 3 Ghana 1

    26 Oct 1959 (Olympics Qualifier): Ghana 4 Nigeria 1

    22 Nov 1959 (Jalco Cup): Ghana 5 Nigeria 2

    28 Aug 1960 (WC Qualifier): Ghana 4 Nigeria 1

    10 Sep 1960 (WC Qualifier): Nigeria 2 Ghana 2

    9 Oct 1960 (Nkrumah Cup): Nigeria 0 Ghana 3

    29 Oct 1960 (Zik Cup): Nigeria 1 Ghana 1

    8 Apr 1961 (AFCON Qualifier): Nigeria 0 Ghana 0

    30 Apr 1961 (AFCON Qualifier): Ghana 2 Nigeria 2

    17 Dec 1961 (Friendly): Ghana 5 Nigeria 1

    10 Nov 1962 (Friendly): Nigeria 0 Ghana 0

    23 Feb 1963 (Nkrumah Cup); Ghana 5 Nigeria 0

    30 Oct 1965 (Zik Cup): Nigeria 0 Ghana 4

    7 Nov 1965 (Zik Cup): Ghana 3 Nigeria 0

    23 Jan 1967 (Zik Cup): Nigeria 2 Ghana 2

    12 Feb 1967 (Zik Cup): Ghana 2 Nigeria 0

    22 Oct 1967 (Zik Cup): Ghana 2 Nigeria 1

    23 Dec 1967 (Zik Cup): Nigeria 2 Ghana 2

    10 May 1969 (WC Qualifier): Nigeria 2 Ghana 1

    18 May 1969 (WC Qualifier): Ghana 1 Nigeria 1

    8 Jan 1973 (All-Africa Games): Nigeria 4 Ghana 2

    10 Feb 1973 (WC Qualifier): Nigeria 2 Ghana 3 – abandoned, match awarded 2-0 to Ghana

    25 Feb 1973 (WC Qualifier): Ghana 0 Nigeria 0

    11 Aug 1974 (Festival): Nigeria 1 Ghana 0

    17 Aug 1974 (Festival): Nigeria 0 Ghana 1

    24 Aug 1975 (Festival): Ghana 1 Nigeria 2

    30 Aug 1975 (Festival): Ghana 3 Nigeria 0

    4 Sep 1977 (Ecowas Cup): Nigeria 2 Ghana 1

    8 Mar 1978 (AFCON): Ghana 1 Nigeria 1

    21 July 1978 (All-Africa Games): Ghana 0 Nigeria 0

    1 May 1983 (ECA Anniversary): Ghana 1 Nigeria 0

    15 Oct 1983 (Olympics Qualifier): Nigeria 0 Ghana 0

    30 Oct 1983 (Olympics Qualifier): Ghana 1 Nigeria 2

    5 Mar 1984 (AFCON): Ghana 1 Nigeria 2

    27 July 1986 (Friendly): Ghana 2 Nigeria 0

    2 Sep 1990 (AFCON Qualifier): Ghana 1 Nigeria 0

    13 Apr 1991 (AFCON Qualifier): Nigeria 0 Ghana 0

    23 Jan 1992 (AFCON): Ghana 2 Nigeria 1

    9 Mar 1994 (Friendly): Nigeria 0 Ghana 0

    28 Aug 1999 (Friendly): Nigeria 0 Ghana 0

    11 Mar 2001 (WC Qualifier): Ghana 0 Nigeria 0

    29 July 2001 (WC Qualifier): Nigeria 3 Ghana 0

    3 Feb 2002 (AFCON): Ghana 0 Nigeria 1

    15 Dec 2002 (Friendly): Ghana 0 Nigeria 1

    30 May 2003 (LG Cup): Nigeria 3 Ghana 1

    23 Jan 2006 (AFCON): Ghana 0 Nigeria 1

    6 Feb 2007 (Friendly): Ghana 4 Nigeria 1

    3 Feb 2008 (AFCON): Ghana 2 Nigeria 1

    28 Jan 2010 (AFCON): Ghana 1 Nigeria 0

    11 Oct 2011 (Friendly): Ghana 0 Nigeria 0

    25 Mar 2022 (WC Qualifier): Ghana 0 Nigeria 0

    29 Mar 2022 (WC Qualifier): Nigeria 1 Ghana 1

  • Int’l friendlies: Finidi George opens up on his goal for Super Eagles

    Int’l friendlies: Finidi George opens up on his goal for Super Eagles

    Super Eagles Coach, Finidi George says, his goal is to ensure that his team perform very well in their upcoming international friendly games, so as to make Nigerians proud.

    George will occupy the chief’s corner in the dugout when the Super Eagles confront West African arch-rivals Ghana in an international friendly on Friday.

    This was after he was appointed by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), on Tuesday to hold the reins in the meantime, following the exit of Portuguese coach Jose Peseiro.

    This is coming 21 months after he began to understudy Peseiro, who led the Eagles to the second position at the 34th Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire.

    The African vice champions are expected to also confront Les Aigles of Mali in a second friendly game at the same Grand Stade de Marrakech, Morocco on March 26.

    “As a coach, there’s a huge responsibility that comes with the job, but that’s what we do. You have to be calm and do your job and ensure you do it properly.

    “We know a lot of Nigerians are watching. So, we want to make them proud. The AFCON is gone and these are two games that are very crucial to Nigeria.

    “So we will take it very seriously and make sure we get the best out of these games,” George said.

    George, a former Ajax player will be leading a group of 22 Super Eagles players.

    He will be looking to tune-up their skills, tactics and strategy in this month’s international window ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in June.

    The coach had his first training session with the team on Tuesday in Marrakech as they were put through their paces.

    No fewer than 14 out of the 22 players expected at the team’s Adam Park Hotel in Marrakech, took part in some light work outs.

    However, defenders Gabriel Osho and Tyronne Ebuehi, as well as forwards Victor Osimhen and Taiwo Awoniyi have been ruled out of the friendlies, having been knocked out by injuries.

    “The training has been good even though we are still waiting for some players, but the players that are here now have done a good job in training.

    “It was not that intense because some of them (the players) are just coming in from their travels. But it’s been a good feeling, the team spirit is good. So I am happy about that,” the coach said.

  • Meet Super Eagles interim coach, Finidi George

    Meet Super Eagles interim coach, Finidi George

    Former Nigeria forward Finidi George will occupy the chief’s corner in the dugout when the Super Eagles confront West African arch-rivals Ghana in an international friendly in Marrakech on Friday.

    The 52-year-old former Ajax Amsterdam (The Netherlands) and Real Betis (Spain) winger, who made a scoring debut for fatherland in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Burkina Faso at the National Stadium, Lagos on 27th July 1991, has been appointed by the NFF to hold the reins in the meantime as a group of 22 players take on Ghana and Mali in this month’s international window.

    On his debut in 1991, George, who also featured for Calabar Rovers and Sharks FC in the domestic scene before heading to Europe, scored one and made four assists for legendary ‘goalsfather’ Rashidi Yekini (of blessed memory), and also assisted the latter to score Nigeria’s first-ever FIFA World Cup goal against Bulgaria in Dallas, USA on 19th June 1994.

    Actually, George scored the goal that took Nigeria to her first FIFA World Cup finals, when he put Nigeria ahead against hosts Algeria in a crucial qualifier in Algiers on 8th October 1993. The match eventually ended 1-1 and earned Nigeria a ticket to the finals in America.

    On Friday, George, from a family of football stars (elder brother Alari and younger brother Igeniwari of blessed memory were established players), will bellow instructions from the touchline, 21 months after he began to understudy Portuguese José Santos Peseiro, who led the Eagles to runner-up position at the 34th Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire earlier in the year.

    As at Tuesday lunchtime, 12 of the 22 players expected had arrived in Morocco’s fourth-largest city, with defenders Gabriel Osho and Tyronne Ebuehi, and forwards Victor Osimhen and Taiwo Awoniyi having been knocked out by injury.

    At the team’s Adam Park Hotel in Marrakech are goalkeepers Stanley Nwabali and Olorunleke Ojo, defenders Calvin Bassey, Semi Ajayi, Jamilu Collins, Bruno Onyemaechi and Benjamin Tanimo, midfielders Alex Iwobi, Raphael Onyedika and Alhassan Yusuf, and forwards Moses Simon, Nathan Tella, Cyriel Dessers, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, Sadiq Umar and Ademola Lookman.

    Goalkeeper Francis Uzoho, defender Chidozie Awaziem, midfielders Frank Onyeka and Wilfred Ndidi, and forward Kelechi Iheanacho were being expected in Marrakech by Tuesday. Only Turkey-based defender Bright Osayi-Samuel is being expected on Wednesday.

    The African vice champions will also take on the Les Aigles of Mali at the same Grand Stade de Marrakech on Tuesday, 26th March.

  • Kanu speaks on sacking of Finidi George as Enyimba coach

    Kanu speaks on sacking of Finidi George as Enyimba coach

    Nigeria league champions, Enyimba International Fc of Aba  have denied reports flying around that club coach, Finidi George alongside other staffers of the technical crew have been sacked.

    Newly appointed Sporting director of the club, Ifeanyi Ekwueme through a statement made available to journalists announced the sacking of Finidi and his technical crew members.

    Ekwueme directed all club’s members of staff, management and technical crew members to re-apply within the next 48 hours.

    However, the club’s new chairman, Kanu Nwankwo has denied that Finidi is exempted from the exercise.

    The former winger guided Enyimba to a record ninth Nigeria Premier League title last season.

    He is reportedly negotiating a new contract with the Aba giants.

    It remain to be seen whether Finidi’s assistant will be exempted from clean up at the club as the new sheriff in town Kanu Nwankwo tries to regain the lost glory of the club.

    Kanu Nwankwo and Finidi were both teammates at Ajax and the Super Eagles of Nigeria.

  • Enyimba Chairman, Kanu Nwankwo sacks coach Finidi, others

    Enyimba Chairman, Kanu Nwankwo sacks coach Finidi, others

    Nigeria Premier League champions, Enyimba international  have announced the sacking of their head coach, George Finidi and other management staff.

    Finidi has only spent two years at the helm of affairs and has only guided the Aba giants to a historic ninth NPL title less than a month ago.

    The club on Monday announced the dissolution of the technical crew.

    The Peoples’ Elephant in a statement signed by sporting director, Ifeanyi Ekwueme, however, directed all the coaches to re-apply for their positions within 48 hours.

    The Abia State Government recently appointed former Super Eagles captain, Nwankwo Kanu as new chairman of the club.

    Kanu and Finidi were teammates during their playing days at Dutch club, Ajax Amsterdam.

    Finidi, a Nigeria football legend, won the 2023 NPL title in June after emerging top in the Super 6 Play-off in Lagos.

    However, a source close to the club has explained that the move is not to disengage the sfaff and coaching crew but a ploy to make them re-apply for their positions.

    “For now, there are no issues in the club but I feel the development is not unconnected with the change of government in the state and also leadership of the club.

    “Kanu just came in and he would need to get his own people on board in order to achieve his projections. What he did is not out of place but the issue is that all these are happening too soon especially after a wonderful season,” the source who craved not to be mentioned, informed.

    It could be recalled that both Kanu and Finidi were teammates at Ajax when the duo won the 1995 UEFA Champions League.

  • I want to win the CAF Champions League with Enyimba next season – Finidi

    I want to win the CAF Champions League with Enyimba next season – Finidi

    Enyimba head coach, Finidi George has noted that he will be interested in winning the CAF Champions League for for the Aba based club next season.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Finidi led Enyimba to win the 2022/23 NPFL season in Lagos during the just concluded play-off at the Mobolaji Johnson Stadium.

    The Peoples’ Elephant last tasted success on the continent in 2004 when they defeated Tunisian club, Etoile du Sahel on penalties in the final.

    Enyimba head coach, Finidi George says his next target is to win the CAF Champions League.

    Finidi guided the Aba giants to their ninth Nigeria Premier League title after a 1-1 draw against Rivers United on Sunday.

    The Peoples’ Elephant last tasted success on the continent in 2004 when they defeated Tunisian club, Etoile du Sahel on penalties in the final.

  • I still have my job as Super Eagles assistant coach – Finidi George

    I still have my job as Super Eagles assistant coach – Finidi George

    Ex-Super Eagles winger, Finidi George has said that he still remains the first assistant to Super Eagles head coach, Jose Peseiro.

    Recall that there were rumours that he was fired by the Nigeria Football Federation.

    Finidi, who also doubles as head coach of Nigeria Premier League outfit, Enyimba, was absent in the Super Eagles’ last outings against Guinea-Bissau.

    The former Ajax player, however, stated he is still with the national team.

    “I’m still the first assistant to Jose Peseiro and will come next week. I think the camp opens for the players to come. And I think I’ll be there if things don’t get twisted,” Finidi told a radio programme, Sports Salsa.

    “But first thing first, let me finish this duty with Enyimba, and if things go well, I will be in camp.”

  • Nigeria’s Finidi George rated third best at US 94 World Cup

    Nigeria’s Finidi George rated third best at US 94 World Cup

    Prominent  data companies, Sofascore and Opta, has revealed that former Super Eagles right winger, Finidi George has been rated third best player at the 1994 World Cup.

    Finidi showed flashes of brilliance on the right wing for the Super Eagles of Nigeria in its debut World Cup tournament.

    US 94 has been rated Super Eagles best outing despite being its debut  World Cup competition.

    Nigeria has featured in six World Cup tournament since then with the last being the Russia 2018 Mundial.

    Nigeria arrived in America as the reigning African champions, but not many would have expected Clemens Westerhof’s side to leave their marks at the Mundial in the country’s debut appearance.

    The West Africans stunned many to top the group which had Argentina, Bulgaria, and Greece.

    Nigeria dazzled at US 94 after thrashing European nation of Bulgaria 3-0 with Rashidi Yekini scoring the country’s first-ever goal at the World Cup after getting an  assist from Finidi.

    The winger remained crucial to Nigeria’s progress to the knockout rounds in their first attempt as he also grabbed his first and only goal at the Mundial in the 2-0 triumph over Greece.

    In a stat released by the renowned data companies, Finidi’s exploits earned him a rating of 7.88 – the third-best at the tournament.

    Only Romanian great Gheorghe Hagi (8.00) and Swedish icon Kennet Andersson (7.89) were rated higher than Finidi at USA ’94.

    French ace Florin Raducioiu (7.88) and legendary Brazilian captain Dunga (7.84) completed the top five.