Pinnick upgraded Nigerian football, ex-Super Eagles goalkeeper claims

Pinnick upgraded Nigerian football, ex-Super Eagles goalkeeper claims

Peterside Idah, former Super Eagles goalkeeper, claimed that the under-fire president of the Nigerian Football Federation, Amaju Melvin Pinnick, made Nigerian football better.

The former chief of the Delta State football association has been inundated with resignation calls from Nigerians and figures in the Nigerian football scene after the failures of the Super Eagles in the past few months.

Pinnick, however, continues to win on a personal and career front after being nominated to a new committee within the world football governing body FIFA, where he is already a member of two key groups which determine the state of football in the world.

Idah, who retired from active football quite early in 2002 after stints in Nigeria and South Africa, was in the Super Eagles dynamics from 1998 to 2001 but failed to make an appearance. He has since moved on to football media where he has enjoyed considerable success.

Speaking on one of his programs on SuperSport, Soccer Africa, Idah claimed Pinnick made the NFF independent which led to the successes enjoyed so far by the team.

”He (Pinnick) changed the face of Nigerian football. He brought integrity into Nigerian football,” Idah said.

However, the former goalkeeper also noted that Pinnick should step down and not listen to any ‘calls' from his supporters for a third term at the helm of the NFF, despite his declaration that he will not be seeking re-election.

”He (Pinnick) once said any NFF President that can’t qualify for the World Cup should resign. So it’s enough reason for him not to contest again,” Idah said.

Meanwhile, Pinnick has appointed former Super Eagles star Finidi George as the Super Eagles assistant manager pending the appointment of a new manager.

Finidi George left his job as the manager of Nigerian Professional Football League club Enyimba FC and was announced alongside a few other appointments for the age-grade sides of Nigeria's football team.

A statement by the NFF announcing George's and the other appointments said; “The NFF Executive Committee has also approved the recommendation of the Technical & Development Sub-Committee for the new Head Coach to work with Coach Salisu Yusuf (whenever he is available from Super Eagles B/U23 Team duties) as 1st Assistant.

“Former Nigeria international Finidi George will be 2nd Assistant, with Usman Abdallah as 3rd Assistant. Eboboritse Uwejamomere will be the Match Analyst and another former Nigeria international, Ike Shorounmu will be the Goalkeepers’ Trainer.”

Nigerians are not as excited for the string of new appointments, however, and are hoping that the Pinnick-led NFF will get it right this time.

This article was most recently revised and updated 3 years ago

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