Former international, Yakubu Ayegbeni, has said under-fire Finidi George will need plenty of luck to succeed as Super Eagles coach.
The Super Eagles’ 2-1 defeat to Benin in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers on Monday has sparked a wave of criticism directed at Finidi, with fans questioning his tactics and player selection.
The loss, which saw Nigeria fall behind Benin and South Africa in their qualifying group, has left the team’s hopes of reaching the 2026 World Cup hanging.
In an interview with rg.org, the former Portsmouth striker admitted that coaching Nigeria is no walk in the park — and his former teammate will need plenty of luck to succeed in his new role while believing that his success as a player will help him succeed.
“Listen, it’s not easy coaching the Nigerian National Team, and that is the first thing you must know. I like George because he was an unbelievable player. When I came to play with him, he and the likes of Jay-Jay (Okocha) were my seniors, but they were unbelievable. Great guys and proper Super Eagles, as we used to call them,” he said.
Ayegbeni further stated that he is pleased that the ‘proper’ Super Eagle he played alongside is leading his nation’s squad.
“So being a Nigerian, I’m happy he got the role. He has other coaching roles on the side, so it tells you he’s into football. I saw their game against South Africa, and I thought they were a bit unlucky, but he’s a great guy, and I want to send him my best wishes and hope he succeeds because if he does well, we will see the real Super Eagles. Let’s pray for him to succeed,” he said.
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