Amaju Pinnick backs Finidi for Super Eagles coaching job

Former President of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, Amaju Pinnick has backed Finidi George for the vacant Super Eagles coaching job.

The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, is yet to name a substantive head coach for the Super Eagles after declaring the position vacant last month.

The NFF made the decision after erstwhile handler of the team, Jose Peseiro, left the post following the expiration of his contract.

Finidi handled the Super Eagles in the international friendlies against Ghana and Mali last month.

The Super Eagles defeated Ghana 2-1 and lost 2-0 to Mali.

Pinnick has thrown his weight behind the former winger and claimed he is the most suitable candidate for the job.

“Even though Jose Peseiro started slowly, the end justified the reason we brought him, so I don’t have any regrets,” Pinnick told Arise TV.

“Under his internship was a player that was once regarded as one of the best wingers in the world, Finidi George, one of the best wingers at a point, a player that had a formal or informal internship as a player under one of the best coaches in the world Luis Van Gaal, a player that at Real Betis, he was excellent. He(Finidi) was at Ajax, and if you know Ajax, they believe in developmental football, where they teach you how to chest, trap, and play the ball again. So he has those virtues, and my opinion is that we encourage him.

“He played two friendly games, he lost one and made negative history because Mali have not beaten Nigeria in over 40 years, and positive history because Nigeria has not beaten Ghana in over 30 years.”

Pinnick also named some of the virtues which have endeared him to the former Ajax and Real Betis player.

“In my opinion, I’ve seen him, I’ve worked with him, I brought him on when I was president as one of the assistant coaches. He has some virtues that we need as a coach. He has leadership, dexterity, and most importantly, humility,” he added.

Pinnick further stated: “There’s no encumbrance, if you wave Finidi round, you will not see any encumbrance around him. There is a lot of information and many things I know.

“So what do we do with someone like Finidi that played under some of the best coaches in the world, that also played at that level, and coached one of our indigenous and one of the most successful teams in Africa? We build capacity around him.”

NFF is expected to name a new head coach for the Super Eagles this month.

The Super Eagles will next be in action against South Africa and Benin Republic in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in June.