The Baptism Of Finidi George
BY the time you are reading this on Saturday morning ( today), Nigeria would have played the match that would mark Finidi George’s real baptism into the world of Nigerian football.
The long awaited confrontation between Bafana Bafana of South Africa and the Super Eagles of Nigeria after AFCON 2023 would have been settled on the Uyo Township Stadium ground last night. I hope that the Super Eagles won because no explanations would be acceptable for not winning.
That is the lot of coaches – the moment they are hired, their records of success and of failure start to count. Finidi George’s cannot be an exception. No excuses for failure are acceptable.
This morning, the outcome of the match would be front- page, setting the foundation for the relationship between Finidi George and the Nigerian sports media. I am still baffled that in this 21st Century, drawing from history, developments in the world, and the place of the African on earth, there could still be many Nigerian sportswriters that think that indigenous coaches lack the capacity to manage the country’s senior national team despite the abysmal showings of the third- rated, unknown, over- rated and over- paid foreign coaches that come and fail to deliver or add any substance to the country’s football.
So, Finidi carries a new banner with responsibility to justify the confidence many of us have reposed in qualified, knowledgeable and experienced Nigerian coaches drawn from amongst ex- internationals ( as is the practise everywhere else in the world outside Africa) to take charge of Nigeria’s senior national football team.
This first match is a litmus test and provides an early indication of how rough or smooth Finidi’s romance with the Super Eagles will be for the next few years.
I sincerely hope that as you are reading this, the Super Eagles have managed to secure a win in Uyo and eased the difficult passage to the 2026 World Cup.
I do not envy Finidi at all. He is sitting on a time bomb even if I firmly believe that he deserves his new position and should be given the chance to garner the needed experience, by winning and losing matches whilst becoming a better coach, and kick- start an era when Nigerians will accept to sink or swim with their indigenous coaches.
For some unfathomable reason, for the first time, on the eve of yesterday’s crucially important football match that will determine Nigeria’s as well as Finidi’s fate, my crystal ball is blank. I sa w nothing! I could not foretell how the pendulum of fate would swing.
So, I get into the mode of prayer. I pray that the Eagles win, somehow, anyhow.
I pray that Finidi finds a way , somehow, to defeat the South Africans with a ‘ new’ team that should provide an indication of the new Super Eagles under him.
I listened to Finidi in several interviews. He talked glowingly about his time under Jose Peseiro, and gives the man plenty of credit. I hope he is only being diplomatic. My humble advice is that he lea ves Peseiro completely alone. He should not make Peseiro’s era and ‘ success’ at AFCON the barometer , or model, or foundation for his own team. The truth is that, Peseiro, even during his best moments at AFCON 2023, was never convincing.
The Super Eagles were not brilliant. They were luck y. Their performance left six Nigerians dead, from anxiety and tension generated by the hypertension- laden style of the team.
Nigeria was fortunate, riding on the back with plenty of luck. She survived and got away with it till the final match.
Finidi should approach this assignment with a slate full of his own ideas born by his knowledge, vast experience and deep understanding of Nigerian football and Nigerian footballers. T heir effective deployment will make defeating African teams more routine.
The Return Of Ndidi – A Stronger Eagles
The good news is that Nigeria’s midfield ‘ giant’ is back in the ‘ new’ team. I believe that
his absence was badly felt and could have made a big difference to the Eagles’ final game at AFCON 2023, Wilfred Ndidi, is back.
In Finidi’s ‘ new’ team, I believe that Ndidi will close up some of the weakness and porosity in Nigeria’s defence, by providing an additional layer of cover for towering Semiu, a very vulnerable player in the centre of Nigeria’s defense line.
Semiu is only very effective in aerial battles. On the ball he often looks lost, not knowing what to do with it.
In the absence of team leader, William Troost Ekong, Ndidi must rise to the occasion to strengthen the Nigerian defence, link the defence and attack, and also launch fresh attacks.
Eagles Attack… Without Osimhen
Nigeria parades a formidable frontline led by ‘ born- again’ Ademola Lookman.