By Daily Sports Nigeria on March 14, 2024

PUNCH Sports Extra has learnt that Finidi George, who assisted former Super Eagles coach Jose Peseiro, will be in the dugout when Nigeria face Ghana and Mali during the upcoming international friendly matches later this month.

The Eagles are scheduled to face archrivals Ghana March 22 before squaring up against Mali four days later at the Grand Stade de Marrakech in Morocco.

Initially scheduled to face Argentina and El Salvador in the United States, the Nigeria Football Federation cancelled those friendlies due to logistic issues.

In what is going to be the team’s first outing since their Africa Cup of Nations final defeat to Ivory Coast in February, the NFF confirmed that the former Ajax star would be in charge of the game as the search for a new coach for the team continues.

After guiding Nigeria to a second-place finish at the 2023 AFCON, Portuguese Peseiro confirmed his departure as coach of the Eagles after his contract officially expired last month.

Immediately after Peseiro penned his farewell message, Austin Eguaveon, the 58-year-old former Eagles coach, was immediately reported to have taken charge of the three-time African champions on an interim contract until the football governing body appointed a permanent coach for the team.

The NFF, however, debunked such claims, raising questions as to who leads the team for the friendly games against the Black Stars and the Eagles.

In a chat with PUNCH Sports Extra on Wednesday, Ademola Olajire, Director of Communications, Nigeria Football Federation, confirmed that the Enyimba boss will be in charge of the team during the international window.

When our correspondent asked Olajire who would be in charge of the team for the friendlies, he replied, “Finidi George.”

The NFF last Friday declared the position of the Eagles head coach vacant while announcing that it was shopping for a new tactician for the team.

In an advertisement on its website calling for applications, the football governing body stated that the prospective Eagles coach “must have proven experience at the elite level of football.”

Finidi is among the coaches in the race for the Eagles head coach job.

Source Punch Ng

Posted March 14, 2024

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