Amaju Pinnick, the former president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), has voiced his opinion that Super Eagles head coach, Finidi George, should be allowed to select a foreign assistant if he prefers.
Despite being appointed a week ago, Finidi has not finalized his backroom staff. He has reportedly turned down the NFF’s suggestion to work with Emmanuel Amuneke and Daniel Amokachi, two of his former teammates, and instead expressed interest in hiring a foreign assistant.
Pinnick defended Finidi’s decision, stating that the coach has the authority to choose his own assistants. He mentioned past instances where Nigerian coaches had foreign assistants and how it was not uncommon or detrimental to the team.
Pinnick highlighted Finidi’s qualifications for the role, citing his experience playing for Ajax and the developmental football principles he learned there.
Regarding the backroom staff, Pinnick emphasized the importance of their role in a team’s success and the need to provide adequate funding for Finidi to build the team as he sees fit.
Ultimately, Pinnick advocated for Finidi to have the autonomy to make decisions about his coaching staff, while also acknowledging the financial considerations that may come into play.