Kelechi Iheanacho backs Finidi George for Super Eagles coaching job
Super Eagles striker Kelechi Iheanacho has thrown his support behind George Finidi to be appointed as the next head coach of the Nigerian national team.
Finidi George was Jose Peseiro’s with the Super Eagles for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), where Nigeria finished as runners-up to host Cote d’Ivoire.
Under Peseiro’s management, Iheanacho faced limited playing time due to the coach’s preference for a front three attacking set-up consisting of Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, and Samuel Chukwueze or Moses Simon at the AFCON.
However, Peseiro left his role in March, leading to Finidi being named as the interim head coach while the Nigeria Football Federation continues search for a permanent replacement.
Although Finidi is reportedly one of the candidates who have applied for the Super Eagles job, former Barcelona winger Emmanuel Amunike is considered by many as the favorite for the position.
Other contenders include Michael Nsien and Ndubuisi Egbo, who have also shown interest in the job.
In Finidi’s debut game as the national team’s interim head coach, he included Iheanacho in the starting eleven for the first time in 2024.
The Leicester City forward impressed as Nigeria defeated Ghana 2-1 at the Grande Stade de Marrakech in Morocco, delivering a performance that surpassed his showing in the AFCON final.
Iheanacho expressed his satisfaction with Finidi’s management style and philosophy during the encounter, praising the Enyimba FC coach’s handling of the team in the days leading up to the Ghana game.
“The coach (Finidi) has done a great job,” Iheanacho commented on Finidi’s short stint as interim coach, as per Afrik-Foot. “It’s a short time for him to work with us. It’s just only him at the moment. Hopefully, he will get more chance with the team.”
Nigeria’s next match is against Mali in Morocco on Tuesday, providing Finidi with another opportunity to showcase his readiness for the Super Eagles job.
