The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) yesterday announced the permanent appointment of Finidi George as the coach of the senior national team of Nigeria, a position he has held in interim capacity before now.

Finidi according to the announcement will fill the void created by the exit of Jose Peseiro who left his position upon the expiration of his contract, a few weeks after leading the team to a second place finish at the AFCON with Finidi among his assistants.

Following the announcement by the NFF, OwnGoalNigeria.com picked five key areas that weren’t covered in the announcement of the 51 year old as the coach of the Super Eagles.

1. Length of contract  – It’s very unusual to announce a deal without the duration it will last, particularly one that the NFF wants people to believe wasn’t an afterthought. It took two months to appoint Finidi and it was done without the length of time he will spend in his new designation.

2. Date of resumption  – Nothing was said in the area of when he is to take over as coach of the team considering that in a little over five weeks the team will be involved in a world cup qualifiers and Finidi is still pre occupied with helping Enyimba fight for the league title.

3. Enyimba’s Role – Again in the press release it wasn’t stated that he will quit or remain in his role as coach of Enyimba leaving many unanswered questions on how he will shuffle both commitments with the Aba side gunning for the NPFL title and the Super Eagles needing at least 4 from the 6 points available in their next two games in the world cup qualifiers.

4. Assistants – The idea from what we gathered is for the new coach to pick his assistants but considering that negotiations were held with Finidi prior to his engagement. He should have applied or gone for the interview with the names of those he wish to have as his assistants. It’s very rare to name a new coach without clarity on how the backroom will look like.

5. Targets – While this can be treated as a thing of confidentiality. It is not out place to include the immediate goal set for the 51 year old with the AFCON set to hold in June at a time when the world cup 2025 qualifiers is still on .

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The Board of Nigeria Football Federation on Monday approved the recommendation of its Technical and Development Committee to appoint former ace winger Finidi George as Head Coach of the Senior Men National Football Team, Super Eagles.

George, who spent 20 months as assistant to José Santos Peseiro before the Portuguese voluntarily left the post following the accomplishment of Africa Cup of Nations runner-up position at Cote d’Ivoire 2023, took charge of the squad in interim capacity during two friendly matches in Morocco last month.

His squad edged Ghana 2-1 in the first match, ending an 18-year winless streak against the Black Stars, but then lost 0-2 to Mali in the second game.

George, a member of the so-styled ‘Golden Generation’ that won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Tunisia and emerged the second most entertaining team in Nigeria’s debut at the FIFA World Cup finals in USA the same year, won 62 caps for Nigeria, including featuring at the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cup finals. He also won gold, silver and bronze medals from the 1992, 1994, 2000 and 2002 AFCON tournaments.

The 52-year-old former Ajax Amsterdam (The Netherlands) and Real Betis (Spain) forward, who made a scoring debut for fatherland in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Burkina Faso at the National Stadium, Lagos on 27th July 1991, also featured for Calabar Rovers and Sharks FC in the domestic scene before heading to Europe. He assisted Rashidi Yekini (of blessed memory) to score Nigeria’s first-ever FIFA World Cup goal against Bulgaria in Dallas, USA on 19th June 1994.

George had actually scored the goal that took Nigeria to that FIFA World Cup debut, 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.

George’s immediate task will be to guide the Super Eagles to victory in two 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against South Africa and Benin Republic in Uyo and Abidjan respectively, in a little over five weeks. The matches are must-win encounters, with the Super Eagles lagging behind in third place in Group C of the African campaign behind Rwanda and South Africa.

The executive board of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has rejected the choice of Emmanuel Amuneke as the coach of the Super Eagles, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Amuneke is the leading favorite for the job after an endorsement from the minister for sports senator John Enoh, but the NFF never warmed up to the idea and insisted on hiring Finidi George, who is the current interim coach of the team.

Their original choice as recommended by the technical committee of the federation was a foreign coach , but the plans were halted by the minister who was clear in saying the ministry won’t pick up the wage bill of the new coach.

It made the NFF to draw up a new plan by going for an indigenous coach, but the entire process suffered a setback when the minister insisted on Amuneke against the choice of the board, which is Finidi George.

The choice of Amuneke was put forward to the board and they unanimously rejected his candidacy in favour of another Nigerian coach , whose name our source refused to reveal.

” Amuneke can’t be the coach of the Super Eagles with the way things are going. His choice was put forward and we rejected it. Nobody can force us into appointing a coach because if the coach fails it’s on us”, he told OwnGoalNigeria.com.

” I don’t know if it is Finidi but it will definitely be a Nigerian coach and not Amuneke. However Finidi will be in the setup and probably Daniel Amokachi as one of the assistants. It’s over and Nigerians will know shortly”, he concluded.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

29 year old Nigeria international forward Paul Onuachu marked his return from a two months injury lay off with an a hattrick and an assist to power his loan side Trabzonspor to a 4-2 win over Gaziantep.

Onuachu bagged his treble in the 50th, 66th and 68th minute respectively before setting up the fourth goal in the win that helped his team to have a firm grip on third spot.

The goals took his count for the season to 12 and put him in a strong position for another chance at Southampton or a possible permanent switch to the Turkish side.

His future will be decided in the summer as he will not be short of suitors although his age could possibly be a huge factor with top teams, who won’t be keen on signing a player who has little or no resale value.

Ade Emmanuel

Italian Serie A side Lazio has identified one cap Nigeria international Fisayo Dele-Bashiru as one of the players to boost their squad in the summer,  OwnGoalNigeria.com understands.

23 year old Fisayo who plays for Turkish side Hatayspor has caught the eyes in his debut season with six goals and three assists operating as a midfielder or as a right sided forward.

Hatayspor are not opposed to his departure but have made it known that he will leave on their terms, which is for a fee in the region of €10m plus a potential sell on clause which could see the fee rise to around €20m.

Lazio will attempt to lower the fee, but they are well aware that other teams are also looking at the Nigerian which could force a bidding war. They want the deal wrapped up in time for him to be available for pre season training.

Capped by Nigeria in the 3-2 win over Mozambique on the 16th of October last year,  He was also called up for the recent friendly games against Ghana and Mali respectively, but didn’t get to play in any of the games.

Daniel Martins

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) will in the coming days confirm the appointment of Emmanuel Amuneke as the new coach of the senior national team of Nigeria,  OwngoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Amuneke has emerged as the front runner for the job on the backing of the minister for sports senator John Enoh and other top government officials.  He is also riding on the recommendation made by former players of the team picking him as the most suitable indigenous coach for the team.

He was picked ahead of Finidi George,  who is the preferred candidate of the NFF after the minister halted their plans of hiring a foreign coach. They agreed to accommodate Amuneke as assistant, but they will now shift ground and move their preferred choice to the role of assistant.

Daniel Amokachi has also forced his way into the conversation using his connections in the Nigerian government. He will now be a part of the technical crew as one of the assistants to Amuneke,  the same role he played in 2013 when Nigeria lifted the AFCON with late Stephen Keshi as coach.

An announcement is said to be imminent, when the NFF finish the process of drafting the contracts of the technical crew by Monday.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) will in the coming days confirm the appointment of Emmanuel Amuneke as the new coach of the senior national team of Nigeria,  OwngoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Amuneke has emerged as the front runner for the job on the backing of the minister for sports senator John Enoh and other top government officials.  He is also riding on the recommendation made by former players of the team picking him as the most suitable indigenous coach for the team.

He was picked ahead of Finidi George,  who is the preferred candidate of the NFF after the minister halted their plans of hiring a foreign coach. They agreed to accommodate Amuneke as assistant, but they will now shift ground and move their preferred choice to the role of assistant.

Daniel Amokachi has also forced his way into the conversation using his connections in the Nigerian government. He will now be a part of the technical crew as one of the assistants to Amuneke,  the same role he played in 2013 when Nigeria lifted the AFCON with late Stephen Keshi as coach.

An announcement is said to be imminent, when the NFF finish the process of drafting the contracts of the technical crew by Monday.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The senior national team of Nigeria will likely get a new face in their setup in the coming years with Brighton defender Odel Offiah committing his international future to Nigeria, OwngoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

21 year old Offiah has taken the opportunity of the injury situation at Brighton to force his way into the first team making his first start yesterday in the 0-3 loss to Bournemouth in the English Premier League.

Offiah lasted 75 minutes in what was his second appearance at this level with his baptism coming in the 0-4 loss to Man City on Thursday. He has played both games as a right back even though he is most composed and used as a centre back for the U23s.

Born in the English town of Camden to Nigerian parents, his international future is one that many were keen to know about following his breakthrough this year, which will likely see him establish himself next season at the Amex.

” He (Offiah) hasn’t played for England at any level and he is 21 years old already.  It’s a no-brainer to know where he stands a better chance of having a fulfilled international career.  Offiah will play for Nigeria if he gets invited as early as the next international break”, his representative told OwngoalNigeria.com.

The idea of getting a foreign coach for the senior national team of Nigeria has been jettisoned by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) , OwngoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

As we exclusively reported the president of the NFF Ibrahim Musa Gusau met with the minister for sports senator John Enoh to brief him on the progress they have made in the search for a replacement for Jose Peseiro,  who left his role following the expiration of his contract in February.

Gusau submitted the name of the foreign coach who have agreed to be the next coach, but failed to provide guarantee on how the NFF intends to meet up with the obligation of paying the monthly wages of the coach,  because the ministry has made it known that it won’t foot the bills of the new coach.

Prior to the meeting with Gusau , the minister had a meeting with former players of the Super Eagles who were there to register their displeasure about the proposed move by the NFF to hire a foreign coach ahead of one of their own in Emmanuel Amuneke.

Amuneke was at the meeting and it appears like their visit had an effect on the minister, who overruled the proposed hiring of a foreign coach advising the NFF to instead get an indigenous coach from one of the duo of Finidi George and Emmanuel Amuneke.

” I have nothing to tell you other than say we will be announcing a coach,  who isn’t our preferred choice and wasn’t recommended by the technical committee when they sat to screen the list of candidates who applied for the job”, a chieftain of the NFF told OwngoalNigeria.comearlier today.

” The meeting we had yesterday changed everything we planned and we just have to protect relationships by shifting grounds. As soon as we are able to sort out the backroom staff and terms of their engagements.  We will make it public”, he concluded.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The long awaited decision on who will be the next coach of the senior national team of Nigeria is being held up over a decision on who will be the assistant coach of the team, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

A decision to hand the job to an indigenous coach has been taken by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on the account of the fact that they couldn’t provide a guarantee on regular salary payment for their preferred choice, who happens to be a foreigner.

As at the time of this report, the major obstacle in concluding the process is on who will be the head coach and assistant coach between the duo of Emmanuel Amuneke and Finidi George.

While the NFF are pushing for Finidi, who is the current interim coach to continue in his role, the minister for sports senator John Enoh is leaning towards Amuneke.

That impasse is responsible for the delay, but it is now possible that an agreement will be reached in the coming hours with sources pushing Amuneke to shift ground and accept to be an assistant for a third time.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman