Nigeria And Ghana Will Survive Group Stages - George Finidi

George Finidi, 38, was part of the Ajax squad that won the 1995 European Champions League. He played at the USA 1994 and France 1998 World Cups with the Super Eagles of Nigeria. He later played for Real Betis, Mallorca and Ipswich Town.  He remains one of the best wingers Africa has ever produced.

Goal.com: What have you been doing after retiring from football in August 2004?

George Finidi: Just relaxing, mostly. I'm sometimes asked for advice, and I try to answer honestly.

Goal.com: South Africa 2010 is three months away; do you think African teams are set?

George Finidi: I don’t think so, I’m not so sure from what I see. The five [sic] African representatives still need some homework before the World Cup. Egypt are arguably the best footballing side from the African continent, but they have failed to make the finals. Algeria will present England with a different set of problems than Egypt mustered at Wembley. But possibly, the best chance of progress from the group stages lies with Nigeria and Ghana.

Goal.com: You played with Nigeria in the 1994 and 1998 World Cups; do you think African teams today may do better than your days?

George Finidi: It’s hard to say but I think there were more forceful engagements in our days. Beyond talents, you need some rage to get to the front in football, especially in a World Cup. You don’t find that thing easily these days.

Goal.com: African representatives are seemingly in huddles. South Africa have France on their way, Nigeria have Argentina, Algeria have England, Ghana have Germany, Cameroon have Netherlands and then Ivory Coast have Brazil. Can they survive?

George Finidi: Well, let’s see what will happen. I think we can nurse some hope that some African teams will make it to some considerable distance.

Argentina under Maradona have an unreliable profile, despite providing a platform for the world's best player at the moment, Lionel Messi.

Greece and South Korea both have resolute recent forms, but neither of them appear to have the scope of Nigeria, who can qualify from Group B; perhaps even as winners.

Germany have largely been disappointing since qualifying, though they are generally formidable opponents during the final stages of a tournament. On this occasion I feel Serbia represent a bigger threat to Ghana's progress.

Goal.com: Some analysts say Ivory Coast may create surprise if they hire a good coach, do you share that?

George Finidi: It’s a pity Guus Hiddink, arguably the best coach in the business, is no longer set to take the Elephants of the Ivory Coast. It would have been good news for Africa and especially for Ivory Coast. I think the guy could have made something out of the Ivorian team.

Goal.com: Do you think hosting the World Cup in South Africa will favour African teams?

George Finidi: Hosting the World Cup in Africa is good for politics, the economy, the profile, the infrastructure, and all sorts of peripheral events, but I'm not sure it will particularly help any of the teams, in the short term at least.

Goal.com: Among the African representatives, can you place them in order of strength and chances at the World Cup?

George Finidi: As I said, Nigeria and Ghana represent the best chances of qualifying for the knockout stages, but I'm not sure that any of the African nations will make an impact in the later stages of the tournament.

Goal.com: With your World Cup experience, how would you advise African teams to behave in order to make it to some heights in South Africa?

George Finidi: Concentration and fighting spirit. Get more on that and let’s see how far they’ll go. The bookmakers' odds suggest that Ivory Coast are expected to fare the best of the African nations, but that may have something to do with the possible involvement of a good coach. Even with that, Ivory Coast would face an extremely difficult task in negotiating their way out of a group that contains Brazil and Portugal.

Goal.com: Can you predict the finalists and eventually the winner?

George Finidi: Spain, in imperious form for two years now, would be my idea of the winners. Quite who will join them in the final is rather more difficult to predict, but amongst the 'outsiders' for the World Cup I envisage Serbia making quite an impact.

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