SportsNews

World Cup Qualifiers: I can’t beg Osimhen to play for Super Eagles — Head coach Finidi George

Published

1 year ago

June 15, 2024

Super Eagles’ head coach, Finidi George has said he can’t beg the team’s poster boy, Victor Osimhen, to play for the team in the ongoing World Cup qualifiers.

This comes amidst widespread backlash following Super Eagles ‘underwhelming’ performance that saw the team taking the fifth place in the six-team table.

Recall that the Super Eagles failed to win any of their first four games against Lesotho, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Benin in the ongoing World Cup Qualifiers.

Opening up on the turmoil he faced in his first few weeks in charge of the Super Eagles, Finidi said he has not received much support from his employers the NFF and he did not hesitate to fault the commitment of the players to the cause of the national team.

A source told SCORENigeria that Finidi used Osimhen to drive home his point that the country’s top stars are not fully committed to the Super Eagles.

Osimhen was not available for the two all-important World Cup qualifiers with an official explanation that he was injured and sidelined for four weeks.

“Finidi said the Napoli striker could still have managed to play these matches.

The coach will go on to say that it appears that Osimhen chooses the games he plays for Nigeria and he cannot beg him to play for his country,” the source said.

The former Enyimba coach also bemoaned the complete breakdown of discipline in the team and was totally disappointed with how the players strolled into training camp for the crucial World Cup qualifiers.

He said many of these players have the backing of some powerful NFF Board members and that it became increasingly difficult to sanction them because he would often be warned that a player “belonged” to a certain “big man”.

SportsNews

EPL: Aina sidelined for three months with injury

Published

8 hours ago

September 12, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

Nottingham Forest defender Ola Aina will be sidelined for three months with a hamstring injury, Ekwutosblog reports.

Aina sustained the injury on international duty with Nigeria this week.

The 27-year-old was replaced in the 10th minute of Nigeria’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against South Africa on Tuesday.

According to the Telegraph, the versatile full-back is not expected to return to action until the end of the year.

Aina’s long-term injury will be a big blow for new Forest manager Ange Postecoglou, who is hoping to make an instant impact at the club.

Forest will be away to Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday.

SportsNews

EPL: Rio Ferdinand names only team that will challenge Liverpool for title

Published

11 hours ago

September 12, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

Former Manchester United defender, Rio Ferdinand, has said only Arsenal can challenge Liverpool in the Premier League title race this season.

The Reds are the only team with a perfect record after three games so far.

Before the current campaign kicked off, Ferdinand said only Liverpool and Manchester City would be in the running to emerge champions.

But he has now replaced City with Arsenal.

Arsenal began the season with wins over Manchester United and Leeds United before losing 1-0 to Liverpool before the international break.

Manchester City have however lost two of their three opening matches.

“I think the only team who will be anywhere near Liverpool this season is Arsenal,” Ferdinand told MailSport.

“They’ve got a great squad, real good depth with who they’ve bought.

“I don’t think we’ll see anyone else. Anyone you think might be a surprise, a Newcastle or a Chelsea, I think European football hinders them a little bit in that respect. Just the demands it puts on the squad.”