‘Formation Is Not That Important’

Super Eagles coach Finidi George has stressed that his philosophy is to win games and won’t focus on maintaining a particular formation.

Finidi George, who has been touring media houses across Nigeria in the last couple of days, also stressed that his philosophy will depend on his players knowing when to attack and when to defend.

Recall that Finidi has been a part of the Super Eagles managerial setup in the last 23 months which was one of the reasons why the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) appointed him the team’s permanent coach after Jose Peseiro’s exit.

During the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the Super Eagles were fond of using the 3-4-3 formation which was more defensive-minded than attacking. Despite the criticism against such a tactic, the Nigerian side were able to push themselves to the final of the tournament where they lost to the host, Ivory Coast with a 2-1 scoreline.

In an interview with Brilla FM on Wednesday, May 22, Finidi George said, “My philosophy is to win, for me formation is not that important because if players interpret when to attack and when to defend, and they do it well, there will not be any problems.

“We can play 3-5-2, 4-4-2 but if the players know they have to attack and defend, a team will not have any problems. That is what every team does but the players must recognise these moments.”

Most football enthusiasts will be anxiously waiting to see how Finidi George will implement his favoured style of play when the Super Eagles take on South Africa on June 7 and the Benin Republic on June 10. The two games are must-win matches for the Eagles as they continue with their push for a 2026 FIFA World Cup ticket.