NPFL: Finidi highlights what Rivers United will prioritise in the next season's Champions League
Rivers United technical adviser, Finidi George, has revealed that he will strengthen his team with experienced players for the CAF Champions League.
Finidi stated that six players will be recruited to boost the team’s chances of doing well in the competition.
The former Super Eagles winger said that he doesn’t want to repeat the mistakes that his former team, Enyimba, made during their continental engagement against Wydad Casablanca where the players faltered due to inexperience.
“Four, five or six additions isn’t bad for a group like this. We won’t just bring in players, we will recruit trusted players with continental experience as well,” Finidi told Rivers United’s media.
“It’s not just to bring players, and when it gets to the continent, they shrink. I know what I saw in Enyimba against Wydad Casablanca in Morocco. Some players couldn’t cope with the noise in the atmosphere.
“We need a couple of experienced players in that field so we don’t get to the continent and struggle. We know the CAF Champions League will be difficult, we have to prepare properly and get the right legs.”
Finidi said that hard work was key to his team’s second-place finish in the 2024-25 Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL, season.
Finidi said his team responded to his technical demands but lost concentration, which gave NPFL winner Remo Stars a chance to overtake them on the league table.
“Our success story this season is all about hard work,” Finidi told the club’s media.
“The players responded we had that moment but we lost a little bit of steam in the campaign, Remo Stars pushed they were consistent they kept on with the lead till the end of the campaign.
“I said it at the start of the season that we would get the continental ticket now, here we are.”
