Finidi George, who leads Enyimba in the Nigeria Premier Football Leagues, has expressed his calmness about not being anxious to secure the Super Eagles coaching position permanently, according to a report from PUNCH Sports Extra.
Following the departure of Portuguese Jose Peseiro, who guided the Super Eagles to a runner-up spot at the 2023 Africa Cup Nations in Ivory Coast in February, the Nigeria Football Federation announced an open position for the head coach role earlier this month. They specified that the potential coach for the Eagles “must have proven experience at the elite level of football.”
The former Ajax player, Finidi George, had applied for the role and was temporarily appointed as the Eagles’ coach for the recent international games, achieving a victory and a defeat during this period.
During an interview with Modo TV, the 52-year-old coach mentioned that he did not have a desperate need for the permanent role.
“I felt honored when asked to lead the team. I have been involved with the players for nearly two years, understanding their capabilities and weaknesses, but my focus is on serving Nigeria to the best of my abilities.
“I will fulfill my duties in these two matches and then return to my club. Whatever decision is made afterwards, I will accept it. I do not feel pressured to secure the position permanently.”
Reflecting on their recent 2-0 loss to Mali at the Stade de Marrakech in Morocco, Finidi acknowledged that his team suffered due to their errors.
“There were some mistakes made that led to our defeat,” the 52-year-old coach shared with Modo TV.
“Despite the loss, the match wasn’t poor in performance. We displayed good intensity, created opportunities, but fell short in converting them into goals. In such situations, mistakes are punished if goals are not scored. Nevertheless, I was satisfied with the overall performance.
“Our tactical setup was satisfactory; the team controlled possession effectively. Deploying two strikers was advantageous for us and compelled the opponents to widen their play. While we could have applied more pressure, the overall display was commendable. We understand the essence of winning in football, yet I also value other aspects.
“It wasn’t a poor performance; one loss and one win. We were competitive and not overshadowed, which is positive. The first half performance was impressive, though a different outcome in the second half would have been preferable, the players executed well.”