Former Super Eagles player, Mobi Okparaku, has voiced his concerns regarding the Nigerian Football Federation’s (NFF) approach to assessing Finidi George’s ability to handle the national team.
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Mobi Okparaku emphasized that using the upcoming friendly matches against Ghana and Mali to gauge Finidi’s performance shows a lack of a proper succession plan on the part of the NFF.
In an exclusive interview, Okparaku urged the NFF not to put unnecessary pressure on Finidi by evaluating his coaching capabilities solely based on the outcomes of these two friendly matches.
He emphasized that Finidi should be given a proper contract and made to feel comfortable as the coach of the national team, rather than being scrutinized under the pretext of friendly games.
“They cannot use the two friendly games to analyze who he is. They have to call him and give him a contract and make him feel free as the coach of the national team.
They shouldn’t put pressure on his ass and ask him to perform. Don’t they know who he is?” Okparaku questioned, expressing his disappointment with the NFF’s approach.
Mobi Okparaku stressed that if the NFF truly believes in Finidi’s capabilities, they should offer him a contract without subjecting him to undue scrutiny during the friendlies.
He warned that placing such pressure on Finidi could hinder his ability to perform at his best.
“If I’m Finidi, I will leave. I will throw the job in there and leave. They shouldn’t assess him with the two friendlies because he must be under pressure,” Okparaku asserted, highlighting the detrimental effects of evaluating a coach under such circumstances.
Okparaku called on the NFF to recognize the human element in coaching and avoid placing unnecessary burdens on Finidi.
He urged the federation to demonstrate confidence in Finidi’s abilities by offering him a proper contract, rather than subjecting him to evaluation through friendly matches.
In conclusion, Mobi Okparaku reiterated the importance of providing support and stability to coaches to enable them to perform at their best.
