National Teams
Peter Ijeh voices disappointment over NFF’s treatment of Finidi George
By Saheed Afolabi
Former Nigeria international Peter Ijeh has expressed deep disappointment over the handling of Finidi George’s tenure as head coach of the Super Eagles by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
Finidi recently resigned from his position after the NFF decided to appoint a foreign technical adviser without consulting him, a move that sparked controversy within Nigerian football circles.
Speaking out on the matter, Ijeh criticized the NFF for what he perceived as unfair treatment towards Finidi, especially in comparison to previous foreign coaches who also struggled initially with the team.
“From the beginning, I believe the NFF had already made up their mind on who they wanted. Two foreign coaches before Finidi lost their first five matches. They should have handled the situation better,” Ijeh stated in an interview with Brila FM.
He further expressed frustration over the lack of transparency regarding the contractual details between Finidi and the NFF, suggesting that the public was kept in the dark about the specifics of their agreement.
“Writing a contract is one thing; the clauses of the contract are another. Who knows what he signed or what the agreement was?” Ijeh questioned.
The former striker highlighted what he perceived as a double standard, emphasizing that similar treatment would not have been meted out to a foreign coach.
“Everything that happened, they can’t try it with a white man,” Ijeh concluded, reflecting his concern over the disparity in treatment based on ethnicity within Nigerian football.
The fallout from Finidi’s resignation has sparked debate and raised questions about the NFF’s handling of coaching appointments and contractual obligations moving forward.
