'I feel good and happy about winning di League' - Finidi George

During im time, e make waves and news. Till today, many dey refer to am as one of di best number seven Nigeria don ever get.

Finidi George during im time as a football player win di Africa Cup of Nations wit Nigeria and also win di Champions League wit Ajax for 1995.

Years afta im retirement, di former player don make di switch to coaching. Im be di current Head Coach of Nigerian club, Enyimba Football Club and assistant coach of di Super Eagles.

Afta im first season wey no start on a fantastic note wit Enyimba, Finidi finally get sometin to brag about as di People's Elephants rise from dia last season poor performance wia dem finish seventh to become champions of di 2022/2023 Nigeria Premier Football League season.

"I feel good, dis na my second season and as we come try, push to win am, I feel very very happy about di victory and winning di championship." Finidi George tell BBC Pidgin, just days afta dem lift di trophy.

Winning di trophy mean say Enyimba go compete for di Caf Champions League. Competition, wey Nigerian clubs never really perform well in recent seasons.

Di last time Nigerian club win am na for 2004 and na Enyimba win am den.

On weda dem go fit extend dia winning streak on di continent, Coach George say: "We go make some changes to fortify di team, some players we know don finish dia contract, we go tok to di ones wey we want.

"If dem go stay e go help us well, But di ones wey we no need too we go let dem know. We go bring in one or two or three we know go fit help us.

"If we get those players, I tink we go compete. Wit di players we get dis season, if we can add some oda good players, we go fit compete for Caf".

Di coach also chook mouth inside some of di challenge wey come wit coaching for Nigerian League and di struggles players dey face wey fit contribute to poor performance sometimes.

Before orgarnisers of di NPFL change di league format of playing 38 matches per season to an abridge League, Football Clubs for Nigeria dey usually travel many miles inother to complete di requirement of playing 19 away matches per season.

"Di travelling no easy, sometimes you travel from di East, Aba, to Maiduguri to play a match, its not easy. Sometimes you go spend three days. Me I fit fly but I no go do am cos I no go get voice to tell di boys to give dia best, so me too I dey travel wit dem wit di bus or di official car so I fit get voice wit dem.

"Also, di training pitches wia we dey play sometimes, Enyimba synthetic dey much beta dan oda teams, but na struggle. Europe na all grass but here you play on synthetic. But wit all di challenges you must find a way to enjoy doing your job, some day e go dey beta." E tok.

'I bin get my time'

Finidi retire from playing for 2004 afta 15 years career, wey include im winning di 1994 Africa Cup of Nations as well as three league titles and di 1995 European Champions League with Ajax.

Im play wit oda ogbonge Nigerian footballers like Jay-Jay Okocha, Nwankwo Kanu, Emmanuel Amuneke, Sunday Oliseh and Daniel Amokachi among others.

Di former Real Betis man bin also play for Nigerian clubs like Calabar Rovers, Iwuanyanwu Nationale and Sharks of Port Harcourt before im move go Netherlands for 1993.

"Winning di Afcon for Nigeria, being part of di team na sometin great, qualifying for di world cup also and winning di Champions League. Na dream of every player but no be every player go fit win am. E bin dey great, dis na my high moments in football. I dey always tink about those moments.

On if e miss di 'fame and glory' George say not anymore.

"No. You know wen na your time na your time, you do your best and make sure say you win. Afta I retire, di first two or three years I bin dey feel am but I don retire e don tay now so now I no even get feelings of dat.

"Di memories definitely once in a while wen you see your clip for TV or social media you go enjoy am you like am but my time. I enjoy my time wen I dey play, so now na different time, I no dey feel am anymore." E tok.

On im journey to becoming a coach, e say na sometin e bin see for im future afta e retire.

"Becos of my IQ, di way I tink about football, I always tink ahead even wen I dey play. I know I fit do oda tins apart from being a coach, I get my businesses but dis na wetin I know best. Infact I bin wan go into coaching immediately but some procedures dey even I bin wan do am for Spain." E tok.

On coaching di Super Eagles

Asides from being di Head Coach of Enyimba, Finidi na also di Assistant Coach for di Nigeria National team, di Super Eagles. For am, no be challenge at all to combine di two.

"Here I only be assistant, I go only try to help, di pressure no dey like wia you be head coach. Enyimba eveytin dey on me." E tok.

As to if e see imsef coaching di team in future e say: "E no dey good to rush in life, I believe say wetin go be go be. If e go be my own e fit delay, take couple of years but you go defintely get am.

"Now wey I dey here dey assist and support dat go be my job, I go do my best to support dis man and make sure say e succeed." George tok.