Super Eagles stand-in coach, Finid Goerge, has reacted to Nigeria's 2-0 loss to Mali last night at the Stade de Marrakech in Morocco, Soccernet.ng reports.
The 52-year-old tactician is the current head coach of the defending NPFL Champions, Enyimba FC, but was called in by the NFF to stand in temporarily as Nigeria's coach for the March International friendlies, following the departure of Jose Peseiro.
In his first game in charge, Nigeria cruised to a 2-1 win in the Jollof derby, defeating Otto Addo's Ghana, before falling to a defeat against Mali last night, in a display that was far from entertaining.
Speaking in his post-match interview, the former Ajax winger revealed that he was pleased with his team's performance despite being on the losing side.
“We made a few mistakes that cost us the match. It was not a bad game, good intensity and we created a couple of chances and didn't score, and in games like this, if you don't take your chances and make mistakes, you get punished. We were not outplayed so that is a good thing and in the first game I think we did so well,” Finidi Told OgaNla Media.
The 1994 AFCON winner maintained that his team played better, but in football, that doesn't always guarantee success.
“I would have loved a different result, but it was not meant to be. That's how football is, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. It's a friendly game, so you just check to see some players that can be used in the future. That's the most important thing,” the former Super Eagles winger added.
Nigeria will resume action again in June as they prepare for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. They will take on South Africa and Gernot Rohr's Benin Republic.
N.B: We want to know your thoughts. Do you agree with Finidi, or do you think the Super Eagles were poor? Let us know in the comments.
No need for talks, Our CLUELESS NFF SHOULD GET AMUNEKE ON BOARD ASAP and let finidi assist amuneke, nsien can be a third assistant for starters! That nsien is tight good.. anything than this will mean Nigeria will be out of qualification for world Cup yet again because of Nff incompetency! A white oyibo coach is good but time is short to know our players before June! NFFJAMBOREE WE CAN C… we might frankly speaking not go to yet another world Cup because of that Hugely incompetent Nff… IT IS AMUNEKE TIME AND DESTINY, ANY MANIPULATION WILL BE ANOTHER DISASTER… THAT NIGERIA TEAM IS A 4-4-2 AND 4-2-3-1 TEAM ALTERNATIVELY AT BEST,.. we can also wait for siasia ban to be cleared and reward him with the Super Eagle job as thank you for his many victorious team he gave Nigeria. Amuneke to b assisted by finidi or wait for siasia… time is at disaster-class and disadvantage for a foreign coach to get up to speed. We now need a miracle to go to the world Cup again. Very incompetent NFF
Very insightful contributions from Bestsports to which I agree totally: Amuneke is the man for the job! There’s no need to beat about the bush! Also, please give him a younger assistant. No need for all this Sylvanus and Salisu before they sabotage him because of age and respect. I won’t want Finidi for the reason that he brings nothing new and his two matches has shown that. Give Nsien and Egbo the chance to assist Amunike! Siasia is not ready so no need to consider him now, unless if NFF decides to add him later in August as an assistant. But will the NFF’s avarice for foreign contracts and the cut-corners that go with it allow them to consider our competent indigenous coaches?
I’m also interested in getting insights to the reading behind Jay-Jay’s preference of Mosimone of South Africa to our indigenous coaches. His view might be authoritative considering that Masimone is not just a foreigner: he’s a an award-winning South African coach and we will be facing South Africa in the World Cup qualifiers.
As that suggestion may be injurious and threatening to South Africa’s bid, it is good because South Africa is doing same to a Nigerian defender who is being threatened not to play for Nigeria but South Africa instead.