By Daily Sports Nigeria on July 1, 2024
Nigeria’s Sports Minister, John Enoh, has stated that handling the recent outburst by Napoli striker Victor Osimhen against former Super Eagles coach Finidi George is not the immediate priority for the Nigeria Football Federation.
Addressing the situation among both African Player of the Year winners on Eagle7 FM Radio on Sunday, Enoh highlighted the need for the NFF to prioritize other pressing issues within Nigerian football, rather than being sidetracked by the Osimhen-Finidi controversy.
“There has been a plethora of opinions on this. Osimhen is a Trojan for Nigeria, but it was a low,”Enoh said.
“I told the NFF not to make a pronouncement on this before they have engaged Osimhen. This is so especially because these are not the best of times for Nigerian football, and we have to manage a lot of things. The NFF have to be focused and not be distracted.”
The controversy began when Finidi was alleged to have questioned Osimhen’s commitment to the national team after the striker missed the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against South Africa and the Benin Republic.
Finidi reportedly said he couldn’t beg Osimhen to play for the team after the player withdrew from the qualifiers due to injury.
In response, Osimhen took to social media, claiming he had communicated his injury status to Finidi and had offered to join the team in camp without having to take to the pitch, which the former coach declined.
Osimhen expressed his frustration, stating, “I knew things like these would happen and that’s why I have the videos and screenshots of when I called Finidi while I was with the doctor in Germany.
“I asked Finidi George to allow me to stay with the players in the camp, but Finidi asked me not to bother and that I should stay with my family. I’m not addressing anything, everybody knows I play my heart out whenever I’m playing for the club or national team. I’ll share the screenshot and videos of my conversation with Finidi for the sake of those believing what Finidi said.”
Despite the backlash he has received after his comments on social media, Osimhen has not apologized, and ex-Eagles coach Finidi has denied making such comments about the 25-year-old.
Source Punch Ng
Posted July 1, 2024
You may also like...
Arsenal rest SEVEN first team players for Man...
Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang fulfills childhood dream by...
Pulisic strikes as Milan open well at Bologna...
PSG Encouraged As Dele Alli Baffled By Latest...
Exclusive: 2023 AFCONQ: Eagles Showed Hunger, Determination For...
Garba to be appointed Gombe United coach –...

AFCON 2025 Final: CAF Referees' Committee On Trial
Regragui slams referee for poor final officiating
Senegal team returns home, presents AFCON trophy to President
FULL LIST: 10 players who missed crucial penalties on football's biggest stages
‘We witnessed unacceptable, ugly scenes’ - FIFA slams Senegal, praises Morocco over AFCON 2025 final
What Super Eagles And Others Received From 2025 AFCON Prize Pool
Calvin Bassey, Nwabali selected for 2025 AFCON Best XI
Super Eagles enjoy big jump in FIFA Ranking after 2025 AFCON run
Ogbu hails current Eagles as Nigeria’s greatest
Ahmedu backs Oyedeji to steady Nigerian basketball
Gusau backs Chelle to continue as Eagles coach
Osimhen, Ndidi, Awaziem party in Lagos after AFCON third-place finish
Rangers International going, going . . . (63,483 views)
Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (54,777 views)
Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (52,670 views)
Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (52,338 views)
Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (52,265 views)
Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (52,175 views)
Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (52,042 views)
NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (51,599 views)
Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (50,776 views)
Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (49,305 views)
Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (47,694 views)
John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (47,164 views)