Former Super Eagles head coach Finidi George has opened up about why he didn’t succeed in his role.

After taking over as head coach of the Super Eagles on a substantive basis, the former Enyimba boss stepped down after just two matches in charge, following Nigeria’s disappointing results against South Africa and Benin Republic in the World Cup qualifiers.

The Super Eagles were held to a 1-1 draw at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium before losing 2-1 away to Benin Republic in their next encounter.

In a surprise move, the 53-year-old later announced his departure after just 46 days at the helm—a decision influenced by the NFF’s choice to hire a foreign technical director for the team.

Speaking about his time as head coach of the three-time champions, the current Rivers United gaffer noted that the Super Eagles players didn’t give their best during his short spell, citing late arrivals to team camp as one of the reasons.

“Most players didn’t show up. The intensity in friendly matches,” he told SportsBoom, “often differs from crucial qualifiers.”

“I wanted us to open camp a little earlier because we knew the season had ended, and the FA initially agreed but later changed their minds,” he said.

“I wanted the camp to open on May 26, but they said it wasn’t possible because some players were already on holiday, which was very strange to me.”