Sophia Michaels
Colin Udoh, a well-known journalist and sports presenter, has confirmed authoritatively that the former coach of Nigeria’s football team, Super Eagles, Finidi George, did not make the alleged remarks against Nigeria and Napoli striker, Victor Osimhen.
SaharaReporters on Saturday reported that Osimhen berated Finidi for allegedly accusing him of lacking commitment, deliberately refusing to play in World Cup Qualifier matches and being above discipline.
Finidi had allegedly said that it was impossible to sanction some players who belonged to some “big men.”
Reports said he allegedly these when he along with chieftains of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) met with the sports minister, John Enoh, in Abuja to review the Super Eagles’ tottering 2026 World Cup campaign after they were held to a 1-1 draw by South Africa in Uyo before being beaten 2-1 by Benin Republic.
Osimhen was not available for the two World Cup qualifiers with an official explanation that he was injured and sidelined for four weeks.
But Finidi was alleged to have said that Osimhen could still have managed to play the matches.
Finidi, who has now resigned as the head coach of the Super Eagles, also reportedly said that he could not beg Osimhen to play for the national team after the player withdrew from their last two 2026 World Cup qualifiers due to injury.
Reacting to the reports, Osimhen, who appeared to be visibly infuriated in an Instagram live video, lambasted Finidi, saying he had lost respect for the former Enyimba coach.
Osimhen in the live Instagram video on Saturday opened up on the circumstances that led to his withdrawal from matches.
He said that Finidi was adequately briefed by him and his doctor.
However, Udoh in a video posted on his Instagram page said he confirmed from Finidi and a couple of senior personalities who were at the meeting between Finidi, the NFF and the minister, that Finidi did not say any of the things he was accused of saying.
Udoh said, “I called a couple of people who were at the meeting between the NFF, Finidi and the minister to confirm whether what is alleged to have been said was actually said.
“These people are really very-very senior and reliable people, and I was told categorically that Finidi did not say the things he is alleged to have said.
“He did not say he was not going to beg Osimhen, he did not say that Osimhen was not committed.
“In fact, he did confirm when he was asked about Osimhen’s absence, that Osimhen called him from Germany and that is why he was excused.
“It was when the issue of players’ commitment was raised that he said he was not going to beg anybody to play for Super Eagles, but he did not mention any player by name specifically.
“I also called Finidi himself to ask if that was the case and he also confirmed to me that he never said any of those things and that he would have no reason to call out any player, whether in public or in private, and that he would address issues with the players himself if there were any issues.
“That as soon as the video was brought to his attention, he reached out to Osimhen to let him know that he never said those things, and that even if he had, Osimhen should have reached out to him first to find out if he said what he was alleged to have said rather than going to the public with such disrespect.”
On Finidi’s resignation, Udo said Finidi told him his reason for resigning was that they held a meeting with the NFF on Thursday and talked about the things to do going forward and they told him they were going to back him.
However, Finidi said at no point during the meeting did anyone tell him they were going to appoint a Technical Adviser.
The NFF board had met on Wednesday where they decided to get a Technical Adviser but they did not mention that at Thursday’s meeting.
Finidi said it was when he got to Port Harcourt, Rivers State after the meeting with the NFF that someone called him and told him what was going on. He stopped and read the memo and saw it was true.
He said he waited for two days to know if anybody would contact him to inform about what was happening but no one contacted him.
Based on that, he felt if that was the case, they did not want him anymore and that was why he decided to resign.
