Osimhen vs Finidi, Oliseh vs Enyeama, and 4 notable clashes between Super Eagles players and coaches

The Nigerian football community was thrown into turmoil when Victor Osimhen criticised Finidi George on social media over comments attributed to the manager regarding his decision not to play for the national team.

The Napoli star, who missed the crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches due to injury, expressed his discontent with the 53-year-old, stating he had lost respect for the coach after the defeat against the Benin Republic.

According to a report by Score Nigeria, Finidi had allegedly described Osimhen as unmanageable while explaining some reasons behind the team's failure to secure a victory in the match.

However, while the authenticity of the report remains unconfirmed, it must be stated that this incident is not an isolated one, as there have been multiple instances where players of the Nigerian team have clashed with their coaches.

In light of this, Sports Brief highlights a list of times Super Eagles players have had conflicts with their managers.

Nigerian football drama unfolds! Victor Osimhen went live minutes ago, visibly angry, responding to Finidi George's claims that he wouldn't beg Osimhen to play for the Super Eagles in the World Cup qualifiers despite being injured. 🚀👀 pic.twitter.com/DtFObBXK4T

— Africa Soccer Zone (@AfricaSoccer_zn) June 15, 2024

Clashes between Super Eagles players and managers

Vincent Enyeama vs Sunday Oliseh

The 2015 clash between Vincent Enyeama and Sunday Oliseh remains a notable episode in Nigerian football history, particularly impacting the latter's legacy within the national team.

According to a report by Premium Times, the then Super Eagles coach expelled the shot-stopper from the team’s training camp after Enyeama questioned his decision to appoint Ahmed Musa as the national team captain, despite the presence of more senior players, including Mikel Obi.

This incident marked the end of Enyeama's stint with the Nigerian team. A few months later, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) also parted ways with Oliseh.

Mikel vs Siasia

Another notable clash between a Super Eagles player and manager involved Mikel John Obi and Samson Siasia.

The former Super Eagles coach recently opened up about the altercation he had with the retired midfielder.

As reported by Punch Sports, the 54-year-old Siasia described Mikel as one of the most arrogant players he has ever worked with.

Siasia also discussed the issues they faced leading up to the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil.

Taribo and Onigbinde

Another notable clash in Nigerian football history was between Taribo West and coach, Festus Onigbinde.

The pair engaged in several heated arguments leading up to the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea/Japan.

In a 2016 interview reported by Daily Post, Onigbinde alleged that Taribo had sabotaged Nigeria's World Cup campaign by deliberately allowing Sweden's Henrik Larsson and Argentina's Gabriel Batistuta to score easy goals, ultimately ensuring Nigeria's failure to advance from the group stages of the showpiece.

Iheanacho and Peseiro

The Super Eagles team at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Ivory Coast experienced its share of in-camp drama.

Reports had detailed that Kelechi Iheanacho and then-coach, Jose Peseiro, had a heated argument, leading to the forward's exclusion from the team.

Iheanacho, who had initially entered the tournament nursing an injury, recovered in time to play for the Super Eagles. However, the reported argument with Peseiro resulted in his temporary exclusion from the squad.

Nevertheless, both parties eventually settled their dispute, allowing the former Leicester City star to feature for the Super Eagles during the semi-final and final of the tournament.