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By Abiodun Adewale
It’s a reunion of two former club teammates as former Super Eagles captain, Nwakwo Kanu, was confirmed supervisor of nine-time NPFL champions, Enyimba, who are currently coached by Finidi George, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Kanu’s appointment eventually takes effect after protracted rumours of him taking over from Nigeria Football Federation’s vice president, Felix Anyansi-Agwu, who has been in charge of the club for over two decades. The club won nine league titles and two CAF Champions League titles in that period.
The board of the People’s Elephant was dissolved by the Abia State Government last week, while Kanu’s appointment was contained in a statement released by the Abia State commissioner for information, Okey Kanu, on Monday.
“A sporting legend and former Super Eagles star, Kanu Nwankwo, has been appointed to supervise Enyimba Football Club to strengthen the team and make it win more laurels for the state,” the statement read in part.
As Kanu prepares to take over, he will work with former Ajax and Super Eagles teammate, Finidi, who led the club to their ninth NPFL title last month in his second season in charge.
The pair were part of Louis van Gaal’s Ajax team that won the UEFA Champions League in 1995 following a 1-0 triumph over Serie A giants AC Milan inside Ernst-Happel Stadium in Vienna.
Kanu started his professional career in the domestic league with Iwuanyanwu Nationale (now Heartland) in the 1992/93 campaign after impressing at Holy Ghost College in Owerri.
At Ajax in 1995, he began the campaign as a starting striker, and seemed entirely in tune with what was required by the system, but came on as a substitute in the 53rd minute in the final against Milan, while Finidi played the entire duration of the game.
Patrick Kluivert scored the only goal in the 85th minute as Ajax won the title.
A year later, they were both in the starting line-up when Ajax faced Juventus in the 1996 final. The dream to win another UCL title together fell short, as Juventus won on penalties. It was the last time a Champions League final featured two Nigeria internationals.
Finidi narrowly missed out on a move to Real Madrid, before joining Real Betis, while Kanu moved to Inter Milan afterwards.
Now Enyimba’s coach, Finidi scored 18 goals in 85 appearances for the Dutch side, while Kanu scored 25 goals in 54 games.
After winning the league at the end of the Super 6 last month, Finidi spoke glowingly of attracting other ex-internationals to take up coaching roles in the league. Before he can have his first managerial influence, he now has an ex-teammate as the administrator of his team as they return to the CAF Champions League in August.
Fans of the club and football enthusiasts would be hoping to see both ex-players reignite their glory days as players — when they won the highest club football competition in Europe 28 years ago — at two-time CAF Champions League champions Enyimba.