‘No Begging Osimhen to Play for Eagles’ — Finidi
Finidi George, Super Eagles coach, criticizes Victor Osimhen's commitment to the national team, saying he can't beg him to play for Nigeria. Finidi alleges influential NFF Board members protect certain players, making discipline challenging.
Finidi George, the embattled Super Eagles coach, has spoken out about the challenges he has faced in his first few weeks on the job. Despite his efforts, he feels he has not received sufficient support from the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), his employers.
In a meeting with Sports Minister John Enoh and NFF officials in Abuja, Finidi expressed his concerns about the team's struggling 2026 World Cup campaign. He criticized the players' commitment to the national team, using Victor Osimhen, Nigeria's top star, as an example to illustrate his point. Finidi believes that Osimhen, like other top players, is not fully dedicated to the Super Eagles' cause.
According to source: “Finidi said the Napoli striker could still have managed to play these matches.
“The coach will go on to say that it appears that Osimhen chooses the games he plays for Nigeria and he cannot beg him to play for his country.”
Victor Osimhen, Nigeria's star player, was conspicuously absent from the two crucial World Cup qualifying matches, with the official reason being an injury that will keep him sidelined for four weeks.
His unavailability has raised eyebrows, as many question the timing and validity of the injury, given the importance of the matches. Finidi George, the Super Eagles coach, has expressed his disappointment and frustration with Osimhen's absence, hinting that the player's commitment to the national team is not entirely genuine.
Finidi George revealed that some players have influential backers among the NFF Board members, making it challenging for him to discipline them. He alleged that he would frequently receive warnings that certain players were “protected” or “sponsored” by powerful individuals within the NFF, implying that these players were effectively untouchable.
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