Now that the Afcon 2023 frenzy has worn off, next is a member of the Super Eagles of Nigeria 1991 squad Finidi George leading as manager in view of facing both Ghana and Mali in football friendlies.

Early evening Tuesday, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) made an announcement via its Instagram, which confirmed who the next gaffer would be. The terms is to shepherd the February Afcon runners-up to their next international matches while the organisation concludes a process of screening the applicants seeking the role of Super Eagles team manager.

It is perhaps fitting that Finidi George has been asked to take the reins in the meantime. While at Afcon, he was the able assistant helping Portuguese coach Jose Peseiro to debate tactics and ensure they are applied judiciously. That obviously got the Super Eagles far into the final with sleepy for a moment Ivory Coast who was tournament host and went on to win the trophy.

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The Instagram statement by the NFF on Tuesday 19 March reads, former Nigeria forward Finidi George will occupy the chief’s corner in the dugout when the Super Eagles confront West African arch-rivals Ghana in an international friendly in Marrakech on Friday.

Mr George, as a former Ajax Amsterdam (The Netherlands) and Real Betis (Spain) winger, comes with great experience. This is no doubt why he has been appointed by the NFF to hold the reins in the meantime as a group of 22 players take on Ghana and Mali in this month’s international window, in the Tuesday announcement.

To back up his credibility to lead the Super Eagles, the NFF made it a point to note that George scored the goal that took Nigeria to her first FIFA World Cup finals, when he put Nigeria ahead against hosts Algeria in a crucial qualifier in Algiers on 8th October 1993. The match eventually ended 1-1 and earned Nigeria a ticket to the finals in America.

Interim manager Finidi George has already laid his bet to become the next permanent Super Eagles boss. His name is noticeable among a list that includes credible candidates like Daniel Amokachi, the U.S. U19 football team coach, Michael Nsien, among others.

Choosing the most suited among them is still far in the future compared to Nigeria’s friendly on Friday against Ghana at the Grand Stade de Marrakech. After that friendly in Morocco will be the subsequent faceoff with another West African opponent, Mali on Tuesday 26 March.

So far, 16 players including exceptional Ademola Lookman have arrived at the camping site in preparation for the game.

But there won’t be any Victor Osimhen for the games because he is out with injury. In total, the update reads that the Super Eagles and Finidi George are seven short of the footballers that have been invited for the friendlies. It is anticipated that the likes of Frank Onyeka and Kelechi Ihenacho, the Senior, will join soon.

Ayodele Johnson

Ayodelé is a Lagos-based journalist and the Content and Editorial Coordinator at Meiza. All around the megacity, I am steering diverse lifestyle magazine audiences with ingenious hacks and insights that spur fast, informed decisions in their busy lives.