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Former international player Finidi George has been announced as Nigeria's new manager, replacing Jose Peceiro.
The 53-year-old was appointed interim manager of the Super Eagles after the Portuguese stepped down following Nigeria's defeat to Ivory Coast in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations final in February.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) approved his appointment on Monday after approving the recommendation from the Technical Development Committee.
Former Ajax and Real Betis winger George spent 20 months as Peceiro's assistant and is expected to continue coaching Enyimba, who led Nigeria to the title last year, until the end of the season.
George played 62 international games for Nigeria, scoring 6 goals, and was part of the “golden generation'' that won the Nations Cup in 1994, the same year the Super Eagles participated in the FIFA World Cup, which was held in the United States for the first time. did.
He is expected to produce results quickly, as Nigeria's next match in June is a potentially important qualifier for the 2026 World Cup, which will also be held in North America.
The NFF has described the home match against South Africa and the neutral match against Benin as “must-win games”.
George is ahead of a number of contenders for the highest-profile role in African football, including former Super Eagles teammate Emmanuel Amuneke and Spaniard Domenech Torrent, former analyst and coach of Manchester City manager Pep. It is believed that he defeated the competition.guardiola
The NFF has not announced the length of his contract.
Achieve success on the pitch and in the dugout
One of the best wingers in Nigeria's history, George had an illustrious career at both club and international level.
He won three league titles with Ajax, which he joined in 1993, and won the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and Intercontinental Cup with the Dutch giants in 1995.
This was followed by Betis, who finished runners-up in the Copa del Rey in 1997, Mallorca and England's Ipswich Town.
However, he also had some achievements for the Super Eagles after scoring on his international debut against Burkina Faso in 1991.
George scored the goal that sealed Nigeria's place in the 1994 World Cup, and scored his country's first goal in the final against Bulgaria.
He was part of the team that also participated in the 1998 French Championships.
George was part of the team that helped Nigeria defeat Zambia 2-1 to win the Nations Cup trophy in 1994, were runners-up in 2000 and bronze medalists in 1992 and 2002. was.
He took over as manager of Enyimba, Nigeria's most successful club, in 2021, winning the league two years later and leading the team to their first title in four years.
Super Eagles expect new style under George
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BBC Sport Africa's Isaiah Akinremi analyzes in Lagos
The NFF's decision to select Finidi George was not that surprising, but Emmanuel Amuneke was a fan favorite and a leading candidate to replace Jose Peceiro.
Recent friendlies against West African rivals Ghana and Mali were a successful audition for the new manager, albeit with mixed results, and George will now have some lofty demands to meet.
First up is the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, which have become even more important after the Super Eagles missed out on the finals in Qatar last time out.
George is tasked with assembling a team that can improve on this year's second-place finish in Ivory Coast and claim a fourth Nations Cup title.
During his playing days, he was an exciting winger who is expected to bring a new style of play to the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL), not only developing players but also utilizing and effectively managing the talented squad at his disposal. ing.
George will continue to balance his role as national team coach with his role as manager of defending NPFL champions Enyimba, who are second in the standings with six games remaining.
Meanwhile, the fact that the NFF missed out on Amuneke again will cause debate among Super Eagles fans
The 1994 African Player of the Year helped Nigeria win the U-17 World Cup in 2015, along with players such as Victor Osimhen and Samuel Chukwueze, and is now an integral part of the first team.
The former Barcelona forward also helped Tanzania qualify for the 2019 Nations Cup.
