Nigeria international Juwon Oshaniwa is convinced that Finidi George is the right man to lead the Super Eagles as head coach, Soccernet.ng reports.
Finidi is currently coaching the Super Eagles on a short-term interim agreement as the Nigeria Football Federation shops around town for a permanent manager.
Several top local and foreign coaches are repeatedly interested in handling the Nigerian national team, including Emmanuel Amunike and South Africa’s Pitso Mosimane.
However, Finidi, who has also applied for the job, appears to have jumped to the top of the queue following the latest boost in his CV.
The former AFC Ajax winger was the assistant coach to Jose Peseiro during Nigeria’s impressive run-up to the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire last month. Even more impressively, in his first game in full charge of the Eagles, he led the team to a commendable 2-1 win over Nigeria’s eternal rivals, Ghana.
Former Kwara United and Lobi Stars defender Oshaniwa believes Finidi has shown enough capacity and character to be handed the reins of the three-time Africa Cup of Nations winner.
Oshaniwa, who won the 2013 AFCON with the Super Eagles, is backing Finidi to bring his experience to bear on the national team.
“The fact still remains, he’s a good man,” Oshaniwa said, as per Sports247.
“He’s been in the course of the job so far, doing well in it as well. I know it’s a different ballgame entirely, club side and national team.
“But notwithstanding with the kind of experience that he’s got playing in the national team as well, playing that level of football across the globe, I think he is ripe and okay for the job.”
Finidi will have the chance to bolster his chances of becoming the next Super Eagles head coach when he leads the team against Mali tonight (Tuesday).
Another victory in March could convince the NFF of his quality and readiness to handle the Super Eagles.
Nigeria have not lost to Mali in any of their last eight matches, dating back to 1975.