Finidi George: Former Ajax Star to Lead Super Eagles in Friendlies Against Ghana and Mali

• Finidi George will lead the Super Eagles in the friendlies against Ghana and Mali
• The former Ajax star was one of the longest-standing assistants to Jose Peseiro
• The 52-year-old coach will temporarily step away from Enyimba to coach Nigeria

The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) has temporarily appointed Finidi George to take charge of the Super Eagles in their forthcoming international friendly encounters this month.

Scheduled as part of their preparations for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, Nigeria is set to face off against the Black Stars of Ghana and the Eagles of Mali.

The clashes are slated to occur at the Grand de Stade in Marrakech, Morocco, with the Ghana match kicking off on Friday, March 22, followed by the Mali fixture four days later.

Having served as a long-time assistant to Jose Peseiro, the Portuguese former head coach, Finidi will bring a wealth of experience and familiarity with the team dynamics, which is deemed as advantageous.

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Following the conclusion of Peseiro's tenure after the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the coaching vacancy necessitated deliberation.

Initial speculations hinted at the NFF Technical Director possibly taking on the interim role alongside Finidi, but the latter has been entrusted with the responsibility, as reported by Soccernet.

With preparations already underway, the team has commenced their training camp in Marrakech. Notable players, including Cyriel Dessers, Jamilu Collins, Nathan Tella, and Moses Simon, are among the initial 10 participants who have joined the camp at the time of filing this report.

However, one significant absence looms as Napoli's star striker, Victor Osimhen, will not be available for the friendly ties.

As reported by Complete Sports, Osimhen, who remained an unused substitute in Napoli's recent 1-1 draw against Serie A leaders, Inter Milan, has been nursing an inflammation in an old injury scar, hampering his training sessions.

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Sports Brief also previously reported that Dominic Torrent was interested in managing Nigeria at a national level.

It was detailed that the NFF had received over 40 applications from foreign managers to lead the Super Eagles.

Most notably, Portuguese coach, Antonio Conceicao, was among the foreign coaches who were top contenders.