By Kayode John
Two Nigerian football icons, Finidi George and Emmanuel Amuneke, will collide in the Nigeria Football League (NPFL) on Saturday in Port Harcourt, when Rivers United host Heartland.
Former Super Eagles teammates Finidi and Amuneke were appointed as head coaches of Rivers United and Heartland respectively last summer, and will face off at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium.
Finidi, the former Super Eagles and Enyimba coach, earned a draw away to Bendel Insurance last weekend, at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, a ground he admitted after the game is always a difficult place for him to get three points.
The clash with Heartland is Finidi’s home debut as Rivers United boss and he is looking forward to the battle with his ‘friend’ Amuneke.
“He is a colleague; he is a friend of mine, and there is nothing special about us being on the bench. We will just do our jobs. No extra pressure on my own part, and I hope that will be the same on his part too,” the former Super Eagles winger said.
“They lost at home, so I think they will come here like wounded lions, but we at home will be focused on getting the maximum points. It’s going to be a difficult game, but at the end of the day we want to win, and they will also want to get something out of it.
“We want to play good and balanced football, so the support will be huge for us.”
Amuneke was taught a hard lesson last weekend by Enyimba on his bow as coach of Owerri-based Heartland.
The People’s Elephant sent their hosts home in sorrowful mood with a 3-1 victory at the Dan Anyiam Stadium.
Both coaches have a lot to prove in the encounter. It is Finidi’s first game at home as coach of Rivers United, while a draw or another defeat will put Amuneke, who was touted to secure the Eagles job months ago, under early pressure on the job.
As players, Finidi and Amuneke were buddies on the pitch as key members of Nigeria’s ‘golden generation’ that earned the country’s first-ever World Cup ticket in 1994 and won the Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia the same year.
At Port Harcourt on Saturday, they will be foes, at least for 90 minutes.
