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June 16, 2024
According to him, Osimhen should apologise to Finidi George and ex-Super Eagles players or should be banned from the Nigerian national team.
Former Nigerian goalkeeper, Idah Peterside has weighed in on the controversy surrounding the outburst of footballer Victor Osimhen against the ex-national team coach, Finidi George.
According to him, Osimhen should apologise to Finidi George and ex-Super Eagles players or should be banned from the Nigerian national team.
He said this in a viral video that surfaced online. According to him, the attitude of Osimhen should not be allowed and his outburst is disrespectful.
“Because these players have access to smartphones and have access to social media, they think that they can act anyhow they like.
“Osimhen should not talk the way he did and he needs to apologise to the ex-players and Finidi George,” Peterside said.
“The NFF should rise up to the occasion and ban him from the national team if he fails to apologise because this kind of attitude must not be allowed to go down within the team,” he added.
He opined that Finidi George is a football legend who deserves respect.
George had expressed frustration over the lack of support from the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) during a meeting with Sports Minister John Enoh in Abuja.
He claimed that some players, backed by influential individuals, were untouchable and impossible to discipline.
George cited the example of Victor Osimhen, Nigeria's top player and current African footballer of the year, who missed two crucial World Cup qualifiers due to injury but was seemingly fit for club duties.
This raises questions about the commitment of Nigeria's top stars to the national team. The meeting was held to review the Super Eagles' struggling 2026 World Cup campaign, which has seen disappointing results against South Africa and Benin.
Osimhen fired back at Finidi George in an Instagram live video, expressing his anger and disappointment.
He claimed that Finidi George was fully informed about his injury and withdrawal from the Super Eagles' World Cup qualifiers.
Osimhen explained that he got injured in Napoli's game against Lecce, underwent an MRI scan, and called Finidi George to brief him on the situation. He requested to join the camp to be with his teammates but was advised to prioritize his family instead.
Osimhen declared that he has lost respect for Finidi, stating that he always shows respect before expecting it in return. He vowed to share evidence of their conversation to set the record straight.