By Dipo Olowookere
Former Super Eagles coach, George Finidi, has criticised how the current team’s striker, Victor Osimhen, handled the misunderstanding between them a few months ago.
It was reported in the media that Finidi, while he managed the country’s football national team, questioned the commitment of the former Napoli player to the team. He was accused of saying the player feigns injury to miss games for Nigeria.
Osimhen, who now plies his trade in Turkey with Galatasaray after leaving Italy last season, lambasted the ex-Ajax superstar over the comments alleged to have been made by his former national team coach.
Speaking on the matter with SportsBoom, the Rivers United manager said if he were in the shoes of the Edo State-born goal poacher, he would have handled the same issue differently, though acknowledging the diversity in reactions.
“The way we react to things is quite different. So, I would not know. But for me, I would not.
“For me, you know, people are different. Characters of people are different.
“I wouldn’t have done that. If Keshi, late Keshi, had said something about me, I wouldn’t have talked back; or Christian Chukwu. These were my coaches.
“If they had said something, or I read something in the media that the coach said, I wouldn’t reply to him. That’s my kind of person, you know,” he said.
While commenting on his time as the Eagles manager, Finidi confessed that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) contributed to the issues he had.
“I wanted us to open the camp a little bit earlier because we knew the season had come to an end, so the FA accepted, but later they changed their minds.
“I wanted the team camp to open on the 26th of May, but they said it’s not going to be possible because some players were already on holiday, which was very strange to me,” he stated.
The former Nigerian international also said, “Most players didn’t show up” and lacked fitness because they “were coming from their vacation places to the camp very late.”
“So, if you are at that big stage, if you’re not fit enough, no matter the tactics, you can’t give your best,” he added.
Commenting on his current job with Rivers United in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), Finidi said, “We are quite happy with our run in the league even if not 100% perfect.”
“Every game is difficult in the NPFL people don’t know. They just feel that if you get a draw, you would have won it.
“I must commend my boys so far for the unbeaten run in the league.
“We would be playing against Enyimba. It’s going to be a very difficult game. But so we are going to take every game as it comes.”