TheCable

Kenneth Omeruo, Super Eagles defender, says Finidi George should be named the team’s head coach permanently. 

Omeruo spoke in a chat with BBC on Thursday.

Finidi was the Eagles’ interim head coach for two international friendlies against Ghana and Mali in March.

He was named in the role after Jose Peseiro exited the position just a few weeks after leading the team to second place finish at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote d’Ivoire.

Finidi led the Eagles to a 2-1 victory over Ghana in his first game at the helm but lost 2-0 to Mali in the second game.

Despite the mixed results in Finidi’s first set of games in charge, Omeruo said the Enyimba FC manager “deserves to be given” the Eagles job on a permanent basis.

The 30-year-old defender added that Finidi “wants us to play good football,” and there is a “difference” to him.

“One difference is he wants us to play good football, and I like that,” Omeruo said.

“I actually think he knows what he is doing, and he deserves to be given the job.

“The training programs were very good, and players were giving 100 percent in training.

“I think we played very good football [in the] second half [against Mali]. We weren’t waiting to be attacked. If we converted our chances, we could have done the job.”

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) continues the search for Peseiro’s permanent replacement.

The Eagles’s next set of games will be the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against South Africa and Benin Republic in June.

Nigeria drew Zimbabwe and Lesotho in the first two games of the qualification campaign.