Nigeria abandon 2-Time AFCON winner, eye move for former England manager to replace Finidi George

Finidi George’s departure has left the Super Eagles with a huge vacancy that could be filled by a former England manager

The Super Eagles of Nigeria’s search for a new manager has led them to former England boss Steve McClaren. Currently working as Erik ten Hag’s number two at Manchester United, McClaren is now reportedly a contender to replace the departed Finidi George, who left the role in June.

Nigeria consider McClaren for vacant job

According to TalkSPORT, McClaren has been spoken to about the vacant role after Finidi’s June resignation but faces competition for the job from other candidates for the job.

In addition to McClaren, former Ivory Coast and Zambia AFCON-winning boss Herve Renard and Belgian coach Tom Saintfiet have also been pencilled as potential options for Nigeria.

Both Renard and Saintfiet bring valuable experience in African football, potentially giving them an edge in the selection process. Renard, in particular, has a proven track record with national teams on the continent, having led both Zambia and Ivory Coast to AFCON victories.

Nigeria aims to have a new head coach in place by September when their AFCON qualification bid gets underway.

McClaren’s managerial career

While McClaren has been spoken to, NFF chiefs have already expressed concerns over the fact that he has not managed in Africa before. Despite this, his rich managerial history is hard to overlook.

McClaren returned to Old Trafford two years ago to act as Ten Hag’s assistant, marking his second stint in this role, having previously worked under Sir Alex Ferguson in 1999, helping Manchester United to the famous treble.

His first managerial role came in 2001 with Middlesbrough, where he won the League Cup in 2004 and led the team to the UEFA Cup final in 2006. His tenure at Dutch side Twente was particularly successful, winning the Eredivisie in 2010.

McClaren’s extensive managerial experience also includes his time with the England national team, from 2006 to 2007, even though it ended abruptly after failing to qualify for Euro 2008.