Ex-Nigeria international Ifeanyi Udeze, has faulted the decision of Finidi George to quit the senior national team.
Finidi threw in the towel last weekend, following the decision of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), to appoint a new foreign coach, less than two months into Finidi’s appointment as the head coach.
The former Enyimba manager had failed to impress in his first two matches in charge of the team. The Eagles forced the Bafana Bafana of South Africa to a 1-1 draw at Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on June 7, in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, after which it went from bad to worse for the three-time champions.
They suffered a 2-1 defeat in the hands of the Cheetahs of Benin Republic, at Stade Felix Houphouex-boigny in Abidjan. Nigeria have only three points from four matches and are fifth in a six-team group. Their hope of qualifying for the next finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico, is to win all the remaining six matches and pray the group leaders falter in the race.
Finidi walked away from the job after claiming he was not informed by the NFF, of their decision to replace him. He said he waited for two days after the news and still did not receive any information from his employers.
Speaking on radio on Wednesday, Udeze who won 36 caps for Nigeria, disclosed that he sent a message to the former Real Betis winger asking why he resigned. He said he should have waited to be fired by the federation and collect his playoff.
“When I heard about it, I sent a message to Finidi and asked why he resigned. That is where I stand. If the NFF wants to being in a new foreign coach, Peseiro wanted $80,000 but they did not pay him. That is about between N100 to N110million every month, and Finidi earned N15million every month. May be there was an agreement between him and the NFF and perhaps they said don’t worry, just resign, we’ll settle you. May be there was an agreement. That is why I said if I were Finidi, I wouldn’t have resigned. That my one-year deal, we will negotiate it,” he said.
