The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has given the green light to the recommendation put forth by its Technical and Development Committee to appoint Finidi George as the Head Coach of the Super Eagles.


George, who served as an assistant to coach José Santos Peseiro for 20 months, stepped into the role temporarily after Peseiro's departure following the team's achievement of the runner-up position at the Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire 2023. In this interim capacity, George led the squad in two friendly matches in Morocco last month.


In the first match, George's team secured a 2-1 victory over Ghana, breaking an 18-year winless streak against the Black Stars. However, they faced a setback in the second game, losing 0-2 to Mali.


George, a key member of the 'Golden Generation' that clinched the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations title in Tunisia and made a memorable debut at the FIFA World Cup in the USA the same year, brings a wealth of experience to his new role. With 62 caps for Nigeria, including appearances at the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cup finals, George has also earned gold, silver, and bronze medals from the 1992, 1994, 2000, and 2002 AFCON tournaments.


The 52-year-old former forward for Ajax Amsterdam (The Netherlands) and Real Betis (Spain) had a remarkable career. He made his scoring debut for his country during an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Burkina Faso at Lagos' National Stadium on July 27, 1991. Prior to his European ventures, he showcased his skills with Calabar Rovers and Sharks FC domestically.


One of his memorable contributions was assisting Rashidi Yekini (of blessed memory) in scoring Nigeria’s first-ever FIFA World Cup goal against Bulgaria in Dallas, USA on June 19, 1994.


His own goal against hosts Algeria in Algiers on October 8, 1993, secured Nigeria's qualification for their debut FIFA World Cup appearance in America. The match ended 1-1, clinching Nigeria's ticket to the finals.


Now, George faces the immediate challenge of guiding the Super Eagles to victory in two crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against South Africa and Benin Republic, scheduled in Uyo and Abidjan respectively, in just over five weeks.


These matches are pivotal, as the Super Eagles currently trail in third place in Group C of the African campaign, trailing behind Rwanda and South Africa.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7wqa6CCM2k&ab_channel=GistArena

Finido George is not capable of coaching the super eagles, Emmanuel Amunike would have been much more preferable.