A close confidant to coach Finidi George has given an insight on why the former Nigeria International resigned his appointment as the Super Eagles’ Head Coach barely two months on the job.
The confidant said seeming lack of support from his employers, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) as well as mounting family pressure might have forced him out.
News broke Saturday afternoon that the former Ajax Amsterdam winger reportedly sent his resignation via a terse message to the NFF President Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau.
His exit was confirmed by former Super Eagles media officer Toyin Ibitoye who is a close friend of the immediate past Enyimba coach, via his X (formerly Twitter) account.
Ibitoye wrote: “News just in: Finidi George @FinidiGeorge_FG has resigned from his @NGSuperEagles manager position.”
It is believed Finidi took the decision after the NFF announced it would bring in a foreign technical adviser.
Though the top echelon of the NFF could not be reached to confirm the veracity of Finidi’s resignation, one of his close allies told The Nation that his decision to walk away might not be unconnected with the seemingly lack of support from NFF as well as pressure from close family members.
“It is true that Finidi has resigned and we spoke about this all through yesterday because he felt betrayed by the attitude of the NFF after the two matches against South Africa and Benin,” the source who pleaded anonymity told NationSports.
“ Finidi was not just happy that the NFF failed to jump at his defense during the meeting held with Minister for Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh, on Wednesday even when they knew the poor attitude of some of the players.
“Aside all the shenanigans by the NFF, his family especially his mum can no longer bear the whole noise around his son over the Super Eagles job as if he had ‘killed’ somebody.
“These are some of the reasons I think made him to quit the job. This is very unfortunate because he was really ready to bend his back to work for the Super Eagles,” he further said.
George, a 1994 AFCON winner with the Super Eagles, assisted Coach Jose Peseiro to win Silver at the AFCON 2023 in Cote d’Ivoire.
He was first named as the interim coach of the Super Eagles after the Portuguese left in February and was formally appointed the team’s substantive coach only on April 29.
Aside from the two friendly matches against Ghana and Mali in March in an interim capacity, the former Real Betis Youth Team Coach oversaw a 1-1 draw with South Africa and a 2-1 defeat to Benin Republic, both in the 2026 World Cup qualifying series.
Credit: thenationonlineng.net
