Super Eagles lead trainer, Finidi George, has resigned after an unfortunate run of games in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Channels Television in Nigeria obtained confirmation of the former Nigerian international’s resignation.
“Yes, it is true. I have resigned,” he wrote in response to enquiries.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), on the other hand, is yet to respond to this development.
Finidi led the Eagles to a 1-1 draw against South Africa at home in Uyo and a 2-1 loss to Benin Republic in Abidjan, placing Nigeria’s capability to the World Cup in serious gamble.
The two results broadened Nigeria’s winless run in the qualifiers having recently played two draws under former coach Jose Peseiro.
Numerous fans have demanded that George be fired due to the poor performance of the Nigerian team in George’s two games.
Now, the Super Eagles are faced with the potential of missing out on another World Cup after the failure of Qatar 2022. After the last game, the NFF and the Sports Minister had a crisis meeting with George after the South Africa and Benin Republic games.
After the meeting, the country’s football-governing body saved George, but uncovered that it will soon hire an expatriate coach for the Super Eagles.
It was, however, unclear what role George will play in the Super Eagles going forward.
“The Executive Committee of Nigeria Football Federation held a meeting on Wednesday, 12th June 2024 in hybrid mode to deliberate on important issues in Nigeria Football and resolved as follows:
“The Executive Committee wholeheartedly apologized to Nigerians for the dismal output and subsequent very poor returns of the Senior Men National Team, Super Eagles, in four out of 10 matches in the ongoing qualification series for the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals, and pledged to work assiduously and put necessary measures in place to ensure a better-prepared squad ahead of the AFCON 2025 qualifiers in September this year and the resumption of the World Cup qualifiers in March 2025,” the NFF said.
“Further to (1) above, the Executive Committee resolved to employ an expatriate Technical Adviser for the Super Eagles in the coming weeks, ahead of the AFCON qualifiers and the remaining FIFA World Cup qualifying matches.”
Following the expiration of his contract with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Portuguese coach Jose Peseiro left the Super Eagles team during the 2023 Nation’s Cup in Ivory Coast, where they lost to the hosts in the final.
George, who worked as the Portuguese’s assistant for 20 months, filled the vacancy left by Peseiro’s departure after a few weeks.
The declaration of his appointment in April flagged Nigeria’s return of a native coach which many had clamored for.
Before his appointment as the meaningful lead trainer, George who was additionally filling in as the lead trainer of Nigerian association side, Enyimba had assumed responsibility for the team in a break limit during two friendly matches in Morocco in Spring.
He was in charge of the team when they beat Ghana 2-1 in the first match, snapping an 18-year losing streak to the Black Stars, but Mali beat them 0-2 in the second match.
In George’s four games in charge of the Super Eagles, the team’s only victory came in a friendly match against Ghana. He recorded two losses against Mali and Benin Republic and one draw against South Africa.
After losing 2-1 to Benin, which left the Super Eagles winless in their first four games, Nigeria’s sports ministry has demanded an explanation for the country’s poor Fifa World Cup qualifying campaign in 2026. It has labelled the situation as “unacceptable.”
Following draws with Lesotho, Zimbabwe and South Africa, Monday’s results implies Nigeria sit fifth in Group C with three points from a potential 12.
Only the group winners are guaranteed a place at the World Cup finals, which will be jointly hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
“Our supporters are passionate and devoted,” senator John Owan Enoh, minister of sports development, said in a statement. They deserve an explanation for why our national team has not been performing to the expected standards since after the last Africa Cup of Nations. The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) must provide a comprehensive technical report explaining the reasons behind this poor showing and give cause why there mustn’t be consequences. The recent results are unacceptable”, he said.
Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, losing on away goals to Ghana in the end of the season games, but reached at the final of this year’s Africa Cup of Nations under former coach Jose Peseiro, losing to host Ivory Coast.
In April, Finidi George was named Peseiro’s replacement, but he was unable to improve the team’s performances against Benin and South Africa.
Since November 2021, when Gernot Rohr, the current Benin coach, was in charge, the Super Eagles have not won any of their seven World Cup qualifiers.
The game against Benin, which was played in neutral Ivory Coast, got off to an ominous beginning for Nigeria when a wrong national anthem was played.
President Bola Tinubu’s controversial decision to return to the nation’s previous anthem two weeks ago was clearly misunderstood by Abidjan’s organizers.
The NFF communicated its dismay at the misstep and undermined not to take the field for the second time frame until the right anthem was played.
African World Cup qualifiers are set to continue in Spring one year from now, with 2025 Africa Cup qualifiers booked to be held in September, October and November.
Not only are there concerns about the Super Eagles’ performance, but also about how the team has performed under new coach Finidi George.
The Super Eagles have failed to win any of their past seven World Cup qualifiers dating back to November 2021 – a time when Gernot Rohr, now coach of Benin, was in charge.
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