Former Nigeria senior men’s national team head coach, Finidi George, is now the coach of Nigeria Professional Football League Club, Rivers United.
The club unveiled the ex-international as the club’s new manager on Wednesday, July 3, ahead of the upcoming 2024-25 Nigeria Professional Football League season.
In footage making the rounds on social media, Finidi George beamed with smiles as he posed with the club’s officials to confirm his new job.
Finidi George’s appointment as Rivers United manager is coming barely a month after he left his role as Super Eagles of Nigeria head coach.
Recall the 53-year-old was appointed as Super Eagles head coach in April 2024, replacing former manager and Portuguese gaffer Jose Peseiro.
He previously worked with Jose Peseiro as an assistant before taking charge of the team on an interim basis and was then appointed a permanent manager. He only took charge of four games before resigning from the role.
Why Finidi George resign from Super Eagles job
Finidi George played his first game as Super Eagles manager against Ghana in an international friendly in March. He led the team to victory but lost the second friendly against Mali a few days later. After the Mali loss, he drew his first competitive match against South Africa in the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers in Nigeria.
His second competitive match – another World Cup Qualifiers match against Benin Republic – ended in a shock defeat.
Meanwhile, after the draw against South Africa, George was set for a deadlocked spell in the Super Eagles dugout. He made an infamous comment after the game, taking a swipe at Nigeria football officials for favouritism and encouraging indiscipline among Super Eagles players.
After the loss against Benin Republic, Nigeria football’s governing body, NFF, resolved to appoint a foreign technical adviser for the Super Eagles while Finidi George was still in charge of the team.
The decision to hire a foreign technical adviser was seen as a demotion of George as the Super Eagles’ manager, and technically a sack. Reacting to the move, the former Mallorca player resigned from the role just barely two months after his appointment.
His resignation came barely days after he clashed with Super Eagles top forward Victor Osimhen, who did not make a single appearance for the team in his four matches as Super Eagles manager.
When asked why Osimhen was not playing for the team, Finidi said he could not beg Victor Osimhen to play. His comment sparked a row with the Napoli frontman, who went on Instagram Live to defend himself and blast the ex-international.
According to the CAF Footballer of the Year, he wanted to join the Super Eagles squad for the team’s World Cup qualifiers in June but he (Finidi George) restrained him due to his fitness problems.
With a disappointing run of results and the fallout with Victor Osimhen, it was evident Finidi George’s days in the Super Eagles dugout was numbered.
Away from the uneasy short stint as Super Eagles manager, he will hope to get off the mark As he begins a new chapter at Rivers United. It is the second time he will manage a club in the Nigeria Professional Football League after he led Enyimba to the 2022-2023 Nigeria Premier Football League title.
