REVEALED: Untold story of how NFF cabal outsmarted Sports Minister over anointed candidate Emmanuel Amuneke

Insiders at the Nigeria Football Federation have disclosed details about the selection process for the new Super Eagles coach.

It has been revealed that former Super Eagles winger Finidi George was chosen over the choice of Sports Minister’s anointed candidate,  Emmanuel Amuneke, shedding light on the decision-making process within the organization.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) recently announced that Finidi George has been appointed as the new Head Coach of the Super Eagles, the national football team of Nigeria.

The untold story about the drama in the appointment is that even though some media sections are craving for former Golden Eaglets handler Emmanuel Amuneke, the NFF cabals felt that the appointment of Amuneke could be a regrettable action to their rackets having the backing of Sports Minister John Enoh who believed Amuneke is his choice of coaching candidate for the Nigeria senior team.

“Nobody has said the truth about why Amuneke was not picked, all that you are seeing in the media is just propaganda. The NFF boys have seen the moves of the Sports Minister interested in the appointment of Amuneke, and some sincere football administrators also believe Amuneke is the best choice. But the NFF boys know that if Amuneke should get the Super Eagles job with the backing of the Sports Minister, things could change in the Glass House. Amuneke will not give room for some rackets, he will not listen to them and they know. NFF does not want a coach that will have the backing of Federal Government, they want someone that will be loyal to them,” a top football administrator told ThePapers.

The source also revealed that appointing Daniel Amokachi as Finidi assistant is political.

“There are many coaches far better than Amokachi, even some ex-players frown at the appointment of Amokachi as assistant coach of the team. Amokachi does not have anything to offer the team, instead, he could be a major problem in the dressing room. In the late Stephen Keshi team, Amokachi had open confrontations with some senior players, so on what basis was he appointed as an assistant coach?” he questioned.

With only a few weeks to go before the Super Eagles’ crucial matches, the NFF believes that Finidi’s appointment is the right decision to ensure the team’s success and the 1994 AFCON winner will be looking to make his mark and prove that the NFF made the right decision in appointing him as the new head coach.

George, who spent 20 months as assistant to coach José Santos Peseiro before the Portuguese voluntarily left the post following the accomplishment of the Africa Cup of Nations runner-up position at Cote d’Ivoire 2023, took charge of the squad in an interim capacity during two friendly matches in Morocco.