“Because if I talk, definitely I’m leaving this league.” That was Finidi’s comment after a highly controversial match day 15 fixture of the 2021-2022 NPFL season game between Heartland FC and Enyimba in Owerri. 16 months later, the former Mallorca man go from that statement which got him a reprimand from LMC to winning the league.
Few years ago, Finidi was among favourites to land the Golden Eaglets job. However, he did not get the job and he would make a life-changing decision, that of coming home to be the coach of Nigeria’s most successful football club. Some scorned at the idea of him, a relatively experienced manager, being at the helm at Enyimba and at a time the club needed redemption. He took the challenge though not fully knowing the terrain and the peculiarities of coaching in Nigeria. He was ready to adapt and prove his worth.
Soon, he was faced with the realities of coaching elite teams in Nigeria. In one of such games, as mentioned at the outset, he could not saw what he saw; that was just one of the many realities he would later see and experience. Finidi knew that for him to succeed, he needed to talk less about the problems and look at the positives and solutions.
In his first few games, his team had the best of times and the tone was set for success. However, his team bowed out of the CAF Confederation Cup due to issues beyond his control and from then, the team’s morale became so low but he had to do his job. Enyimba had turbulent season and finished 7th on the league table. This led to outcry from a section of fans who wanted him out. Do you blame them? They are used to trophies and playing on the continent. He must meet the expectations of the fans and to show that his relative inexperience in handling such a job would not impede through club’s growth.
Finidi is not just a manager, he has become a friend to the players who support them individually and as a group. The connection with his players can be clearly seen in the emotional way they celebrate their wins and how they share the pains of disappointments together. He became the glue that held the boys together.
He refined some of the players like three dazzling Ekene Awazie, the beautiful Chibuike Nwaiwu, the entertaining Philip Ozor and the ball winning Ikenna Cooper.
When the season started, he said his aim was to return the team to the continent, where he said they rightly belong. He wears the technical shoe at Enyimba and knows where it pinches and at time would not dare to say “because if I talk.” He persevered the, making personal sacrifices for the team outside public view, to get his team moving and this gesture, the management of the club greatly appreciate.
In the first half of the season, the team had a difficult time but as the manager, his job was to keep the team steady and focused on the goal. Then came the second stanza where the team got into their strides and qualified for the Super six on the last day of the regular season. He showed tremendous courage in taking a journey into the unknown and now, he has seen light at the end of the tunnel.
Many times his team was pegged back and he had to take responsibility. He could have made mistakes which cost a game or even more, but he rose above those moments and focused on the goal. In different interviews, he always believed in his boys and had given some players opportunity to shine, even when some may disagree. An example is the trust he had on Ekene Awazie and nurtured him and what a relief it is for his as the winger scored the decisive goal that handed the trophy to the People’s Elephants.
