The former coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Finidi George has revealed the way he was treated by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in the event that led to his departure from his role in June, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.
Finidi lasted just two games following his permanent appointment as replacement for Jose Peseiro after the AFCON. He left after playing a draw against South Africa in Uyo and losing 1-2 away to Benin Republic in the world cup qualifiers.
Super Eagles on Saturday put the disappointment behind by beating Benin Republic 4-0 in Uyo under interim coach Austine Eguavoen, who is the technical director of the team.
Speaking on his final days as coach, Finidi who is now the coach of Nigeria Premier League side Rivers United revealed how he was badly treated by the Nigeria Football team (NFF) making him to throw in the towel.
“When you don’t win games there is pressure. We were expected to draw one game and win one that would have been much better because the difference in points wouldn’t have been much but if we drew against South Africa and lose to Benin Republic that’s not good enough”, he told Nigeria Info in a radio interview.
“For me not having the support of the federation (NFF) I just felt was not good enough. They would have given me that support and we would have moved on because the result is the same, the result will not change but the support from the Federation would have been much better to allow me to do the job, to allow me to stay but I didn’t get that from the federation only for me to hear that they are looking for a new coach.
His statement should serve as a warning to Eguavoen, who is currently at the helm with some section already calling for him to be made the permanent coach of the team. Particularly the part where he said he felt disrespected.
“At that moment I felt it was a big disrespect from my own part and I won’t sit down there and be watching what is happening, what they decide and what they didn’t decide so I had to quit.
” We had a meeting with the minister and I was expecting in that meeting they would have told me coach we support you despite the result. We have to look for a way forward for better results and that would have eased a little bit my own thinking but when I didn’t hear that from them only for me to hear that a day before my meeting they already held a meeting they are looking for a new coach. A foreign coach which I was not informed.
” Too many things going behind me which I didn’t know and in front of me nobody came to say we support you. So I just felt I was not needed , I was not given the fullest support and I will not be in a place where I am not wanted. I am not hungry so I had to leave.”
