NFF Clears Air on Finidi, Shorounmu’s Absence from Eagles’ Bench

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), has said that the news making the round that it has sacked the duo of Finidi George and Ike Shorounmu from the technical team of the Super Eagles as untrue. 

In a statement issue by the Head of Media Department of NFF, Ademola Olajire yesterday, it read: “As part of cost-cutting measures instituted at the beginning of the new administration, we established a rotation policy among the assistant coaches, based on the high number, which was agreed with all of them. The last time that the team had a programme, Mr. Finidi George was the person who travelled for the friendly match in Portugal. This rotation policy is only for matches. When there is a tournament, all of them will be with the team.

“He (Finidi) knew at that time that the next trip would be that of Mr. Usman Abdallah. Abdallah is simply taking his turn to be in the camp for the programme of Super Eagles Vs Djurtus of Guinea Bissau, and Mr. George will be around for the next programme,” observed Olajire.

He stressed that the other coach who ought to be in contention for the trip, Salisu Yusuf has been seconded to the U23 team.

“The other person who could have been contending, Mr. Salisu Yusuf, has been sent to the U23 team. There was no victimization, sleight of hand or any disrespect meant to our illustrious ex-international players.

“The case of goalkeepers’ trainer, Ike Shorounmu is somewhat peculiar, as the former Nigeria goalkeeper showed a clear lack of desire to be in camp for the matches against Guinea Bissau.

“We do not want to go into any details because we have the utmost respect for all our ex-internationals, including Mr. Shorounmu. It was only when we got the clear signal that he was unwilling to come, and the Head Coach was in a quandary, that he (Coach Peseiro) requested for the services of Olatunji Baruwa, who he had seen at work during the U20 AFCON in Egypt, to help do the work of training the goalkeepers,” he concluded