Nigeria must qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, after appointing Finidi George as the new head coach of the Super Eagles. Finidi’s appointment was confirmed by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Monday, April 29.
The Super Eagles are yet record a win in the qualifiers after drawing their opening two games against Lesotho and Zimbabwe, and Victor Ikpeba a member of the NFF technical committee says Finidi must be up to the task in handling the Eagles.
“In the month of June, Nigeria will play the games of their lives against South Africa and Benin,” Ikpeba told SuperSport. “We are on the back foot after we drew our first two World Cup qualifiers and so we have to win the next games. “We have the players and if Finidi can get the best out of them, we will qualify for the World Cup.” Ikpeba also said the new coach will also be expected to give home based players a chance to play for the Super Eagles. “He lives here, he works here (as coach of NPFL champions Enyimba),” he said. “He will give the local players a chance in his team. “He will have to look inwards, that’s how we got the player Finidi George.”
Meanwhile, the NFF has shortlisted former Nigeria internationals, Daniel Amokachi, Emmanuel Amuneke and Michael Nsien for consideration for the post of the Super Eagles assistant coach.
Amuneke, Amokachi and Nsien all applied for the Super Eagles head coach position but the NFF is negotiating with them to choose who will be a suitable assistant to Finidi George who was appointed as Super Eagles head coach on Monday.
The NFF, according to a report by Complete Sports are working on putting together a “formidable backroom staff for Finidi.”
“Amokachi and Amuneke once worked as assistant coaches in the Super Eagles.
The former Everton striker was assistant to late coaches, Shaibu Amodu and Stephen Keshi.” The report adds.
Amuneke worked as an assistant coach to Samson Siasia and Augustine Eguavoen while Nsien, a former Olympic Eagles defender is currently the coach of United States of America U-19 team.
