TheNewsGuru

Tag: Finidi George

  • Why I struggled with Moses Simon for Pepe’s jersey – Finidi

    Why I struggled with Moses Simon for Pepe’s jersey – Finidi

    Former Super Eagles Right winger and current assistant coach, Finidi George has stated reasons why he struggled with a player for Portugal’s defender Pepe’s shirt after the international friendly game with Portugal in Lisbon on Thursday.

    A video had surfaced online where Finidi was struggling with Moses Simon for Pepe’s jersey after  the Super Eagles 4-0 thrashing in Lisbon.

    Finidi was berated on social media platforms for struggling  for a jersey with a Super Eagles player.

    However, Finidi has now explained that his son had appealed to him to request for either of Ronaldo or Pepe’s Jersey because he’s a fan of both players.

    He said “My son asked me two weeks ago if it’s possible to get the shirt of Ronaldo or Pepe because he’s a very big fan of Real Madrid when they were at the club and I told him I will try.

    “Getting to the field, we knew Ronaldo wasn’t going to start because he was sick. So I told Pepe in the tunnel, please after the game, I would like to have the shirt for my son. So, he told me that was fine. After the game, I saw he was changing his shirt with one of the players and I went to remind him of what we said in the tunnel before the game started.”

    He said he was going to give his shirt to somebody else, a player, a Super Eagles player playing in his club (Porto), and that definitely, I will get the shirt. I was speaking Spanish with him and that was it.”

    Finidi wondered why many people were trying to make an issue where there was none. He said he has long gone beyond being star-struck and jostling for jerseys for his personal use.

    “People just want to twist things and the real reason for me. I’ve had many jerseys in my playing days and I don’t need Pepe’s shirt for myself. Where am I going to keep it? I don’t have a museum. It’s just that my son is a big fan and wanted me to ask …

  • Finidi gives home-based players hope to play for Nigeria

    Finidi gives home-based players hope to play for Nigeria

    Super Eagles new first assistant coach, Finidi George, has revealed that the new technical crew, led by Jose Peseiro, will give more home-based players the opportunity to challenge for shirts in the senior national team.

     

    Finidi, a former Ajax and Ipswich town star, described Nigeria’s forthcoming international friendlies against Mexico and Ecuador as good introductory games for Peseiro.

     

    He assured all Nigerian footballers that everybody qualified to play for the country will get the chance to stake his claim to the team, advised the home-based stars to focus on improving their game.

     

    Nigeria will meet Mexico and Ecuador in two U.S. cities on May 28 and June 2 respectively.

     

    Speaking on plans for the games, which come after Nigeria’s failure to qualify for Qatar 2023 World Cup, Finidi said the process of building a new team wouldn’t have been made easier than with two games against two already established sides preparing for the Copa Mundial.

     

    He added that the games would present Peseiro an opportunity to assess the players available for selection ahead of the Cote d’Ivoire 2023 Africa Cup Of Nations qualifier against Sierra Leone next month.

     

    Expressing delight at being given the opportunity to contribute to Super Eagles’ resuscitation after the failure to qualify for the World Cup, Finidi acknowledged that the task ahead for the Peseiro-led technical crew is enormous, adding, however, that with adequate support from all stakeholders, Nigerians will see an indomitable team.

     

    He assured all the players invited to the national team camp of equal opportunity to fight for shirts in the emerging team, adding that the Super Eagles would soon return to their old glory.

     

    “The friendlies would be used to assess players and work out modalities to transform the Super Eagles to the level it belongs. Because Peseiro is new with the Eagles, we, the assistants, have resolved to guide him where necessary and make him comfortable in the terrain when he arrives in Nigeria.”

     

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports that Finidi still maintains his job at Enyimba.

     

    According to the former Ajax and Ipswich town star, the two roles would not clash because they are well defined.

     

    “Working with Enyimba has opened my eyes to the workings of the local league. Now, we will create more opportunities for NPFL players and ensure that only the best available Nigerians, no matter where they are based, get the chance to play for Nigeria.”

     

    On alleged interference in team selection by Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) officials, Finidi said: “I have not worked with the Super Eagles before, so, I don’t know if such exists. My mission now is to give my best to the national assignment given to me by the NFF. This is another opportunity for me to work for my country after retirement from playing for the Super Eagles years ago,” he said.

  • Meet Peseiro, new Super Eagles’ Head Coach

    Meet Peseiro, new Super Eagles’ Head Coach

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Sunday formally announced the appointment of Jose Peseiro as the new Head Coach of the Super Eagles, the country’s senior national men’s football team.

    Ademola Olajire, NFF’s Director of Communications, in a statement, said Peseiro’s appointment is with immediate effect and subject to the signing of agreed terms between him and the Federation.

    The NFF also announced that former Nigeria international forward, Finidi George, will be the First Assistant to Peseiro, with former Super Eagles midfielder Salisu Yusuf the Second Assistant.

    “Yusuf will also be the Head Coach of the Nigerian team to the Championship of African Nations (CHAN), as well as the Under-23 National Teams.

    “Usman Abdallah is the Third Assistant while Eboboritse Uwejamomere will be the Match Analyst.

    ”Another former Nigeria international, Ike Shorounmu, will be the Goalkeepers’ Trainer,” Olajire stated.

    He also disclosed that José Vitor dos Santos Peseiro, who turned 62 last month, is a Portuguese who played as a striker in his days.

    “He has wide and varied experience coaching clubs and national teams across four different continents, namely Europe, Asia, Africa and South America.

    “An educationist with a degree in Physical Education/Sports Sciences, Peseiro has top-level coaching qualifications/training.

    ”He has coached at Sporting Lisbon, FC Porto, Panathinaikos, Rapid Bucharest, Sporting Braga, Victoria Gumaraes, Al-Hilal, Al-Wahda, Al-Ahly Cairo, Sharjah FC and Real Madrid as an assistant.

    ”The Portuguese also served as Head Coach of the Saudi Arabian and Venezuelan National Teams,” the NFF spokesman said.

    Peseiro is expected to lead out the Super Eagles for the first time during the upcoming tour of the U.S.

    During the tour, the three-time African champions will slug it out with Mexico and Ecuador ‘A’ Teams in prestige friendlies.

    The Eagles will face the El Tri at the AT & T Stadium in Dallas, State of Texas on May 28 before heading to New Jersey to take on Ecuador at the Red Bull Arena in Harrison on June 2.

  • AFCON: Finidi George warns Super Eagles ahead of Egypt clash

    AFCON: Finidi George warns Super Eagles ahead of Egypt clash

    Former Super Eagles player, George Finidi has urged Super Eagles players to not focus their attention on Mohamed Salah alone but focus on other players in the Egyptian team ahead of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations opener.

    Recall that Nigeria will face the Pharaohs of Egypt in Group D opening game on January 11 and Finidi, who won the competition with Nigeria in 1994, has said Salah who is the Premier League highest goalscorer this season, could be a threat to Nigeria but warned the Super Eagles about other Egyptian stars.

    “I don’t think so. I think in football you have eleven players, everybody has his own role.” Finidi told filagoal.

    “Definitely Salah is a key player for the team and even if you stop him there are other players that can do magic, that can do their best as well to make sure that they win.

    “If you add Salah if he has a good day then he’s going to be a problem, if he’s not having a good day definitely you have a chance to win.

    “I think Egypt have been there, they have won the Cup so many times so definitely they have a good team to face Nigeria. I hope Nigeria will have a good day.”

  • Finidi: Why I don’t have confidence in Rohr’s technical crew

    Finidi: Why I don’t have confidence in Rohr’s technical crew

    Former Nigerian international, Finidi George, says he doesn’t have confidence in the Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr’s technical crew.

    Finidi said this in an interview with Channels Television.

    “We have yet to see the team play good football under the current technical crew, so I can say I don’t have confidence in the technical crew led by Gernot Rohr.

    “For the team to do well in Cameroon, they must function as a unit and not the individual brilliance we are seeing now.

    “The current Super Eagles team are not better than the set that finished third at the 2019 AFCON finals in Egypt.

    “I saw them against Sierra Leone when they conceded three goals in the second half, and they drew that game. All we have seen is individual brilliance, but they don’t function well as a team.”

    The Eagles are in Group D alongside Egypt, Guinea-Bissau, and Sudan at next year’s AFCON in Cameroon.

  • [Watch] Ajax legends celebrate Finidi George at 50

    [Watch] Ajax legends celebrate Finidi George at 50

    Former Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal, Edwin Van der Sar, Patrick Kluivert and a host of Ajax legends have sent their wishes to Finidi George on his 50th birthday.

    The former Nigeria international was a key figure in the Eredivisie team that silenced AC Milan to lift the 1994–95 Champions League title.

    And to celebrate his golden jubilee, Ajax compiled a video involving members of the all-conquering side to congratulate their former right-winger.

    Aside from Van Gaal, Van der Sar and Kluivert, others involved were Danny Blind, Kiki Musampa, Ronald de Boer, Marc Overmars, Frank de Boer, Winston Bogarde, and Michael Reiziger.

    Watch video: